Busting The Myth Of The Qatar Public Library!

I'm sorry for reporting late.

Library is open daily except Fridays & Saturdays, 7am-1pm and 4-6pm.

Too bad I can't visit on a weekday because of work.

@bleu: Thanks! :)

By the way, I inquired also about the library in Museum of Islamic Arts, it will open in six months.

Pepe, really great blog.

Greeker, thanks for pointing that out.

All right, all right. I'll do the legwork since it's a weekend.

Will post later what I'll find out. At least, now, I know that the library is not dead, and that the door entrance facing the road opens and closes. :)

Gee, I am excited!

And thanks for reading. You've got a decent blog, too. :)

The entrance that faces the road is exactly the entrance. there's a reading room on the ground floor (where there are tonnes of newspapers and periodicals) and the library itself is upstairs.

The people on the second floor will allow you to see the books on your first visit, but i don't think you can stay there and read without being a member. Pay QR 100 and you can use the library for references all you want (I saw two people sitting down with thick volumes and going through it there. So that's indeed possible).

Am not sure about the evening opening hours. Twice i went there, both times at noon. They close at around 1. No idea about evening shifts. But like you said, if it's just 20 paces away, might as well as walk it up, what say you? And you could also tell the forum about the working hours, if it's not too much? Appreciate it.

P.S: Nice blog.

^ :)

Believe it or not, the library is just about 20 steps away from my place, and I've never been inside yet. Reason is that I cannot figure out where the entrance is. There's that one that faces the road but it seems closed all the time. What time do they open by the way? Are they open the whole week?

Do I need to pay to get in? Or can I browse freely without fee? I know that it's a library, but it really looks like a good place for reading- I mean, no people, no noise, no nothing. I could literally stay there for one whole day on a weekend. If by any chance it's open in the evening, I'd go there straight after work just to hang out- with the books.

Am so glad you think so.

:-)

What's not to love about any library? Be it small or big, old or new, there's always something that catches your attention. One of the joys of going to a library is stumbling upon the unexpected. And it seems to me that Qatar National Library is an exciting hunting ground- as any library is. Those who continue to complain are missing the thrill of it all.

An almost deserted book edifice, it couldn't get any more exciting than that. :)

may be i should go out more often., that's a good hub... thanks!

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call me ONE.

Yup I gues I am who u think I am.. as for the great smile.. i really wouldnt know ;-) ...

I'll tell him to get his ass next door to see u no worries.. hehehehe

WYSIWYG

Really nice to know about the museum

Dan

Enjoy movies at www.Hope4Living.com

it is written "Dar Al Kutub Al Qatar"; the building seemed to be very much deserted/old. Parking will be an issue.

I'm afraid not, man.

hi greeker!!!!!

can u tell me if english comics r available in the lib?

I'm a bookworm myself. And since my TV broke and my laptop cd/dvd player is malfunctioning, I could go and catch up some reading myself.

Not that I don't want to any more, I think I had enough of socializing for a while...hehehehe.

way back I can remember as jackmohan pointed out of some threads pertaining to Qatar Library, some really commented nasty about the place. But I personally don't agree even Iif I haven't been there yet. I like to read and in spite of this new technology around us like the e-book or e-library & stuffs, for me, nothing can beat the pleasure of reading the real book.

Oh btw, do they serve coffee inside? or any free coffee there? ***joke***.

Anyway, thanks Greeker nice to hear once again:)

"I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right, but all the great change in history was done by optimists" -Thomas Friedman

rock on mate!!

i always thought it was filled with arabic books!!Definitely worth a visit.

You know since Qatar's much advertised stratergy is to go in the direction of education and all( its all over the news-papers with extremely high representatives advocating that in all these seminars and conferences around the world )shudnt Qatar build a HUGE LIBRARY of sorts? They already suceeded in the Museum thingee. I'm sure they can spent another million riyals on collecting a set of priceless books as well.

Just a thought..

Jackmohan: They do look new to me too.

Jackfrost: I typed out an angry retort and then deleted the entire thing. I placate myself by saying 'to each his own belief'...

But really, that doesn't look like an antique book store from a movie, no sir. It looks like any other normal library, maybe on a much smaller scale...

Then again, each to his own!

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/3263

http://www.qatarliving.com/discussion/lending-libraries-in-doha-08sep2006 go down to squarepeg's comment on 18/09/2006 - 9:53pm YEAR 2006....lol

And this is the thread I was referring to in my earlier post:

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/175644

Do they have computers there???

No Greeker No...The guy said... if I remember correctly...there were only a few newspapers and a hand full of books....

the stands and the cabinets definitely look relatively new to me ...

Like i said in my post, I'm a sucker for pulp fiction. I went there in search of that and i found what i wanted. And hence i'm highly satisfied and that forms the base of this highly lovely note about the library.

The person who went before me didnt find what he was looking for and was disappointed. It really depends on what people expect and whether the place meets their expectations.

I wish to make a disclaimer that each has the right to love or hate the place. Just send the hate-mails to my correct address, hehe!

Why dont they advertise such stuff...

Thats good for a start...there was a case of a guy from QL who went there and was extremly disappointed.....maybe they have put in some effort after all....maybe after the comments on QL?

Red Pope what are you doing with Hardcore books on CDMA, L-band, TDMA and FMA ...you are not inventing phones ...are you?

Baldrick...thanks for the directions to the bakery....nothing like a munch while reading...

Eagleemmanuel: Sorry mate. I dont read Arabic and would have no idea about what kind of Arabic books are available for children... But I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in there.

Red Pope: Are you serious about the National Geographic magazines? I'd take it on with pleasure. Just gimme a shout if you're really in need to dispose of them. As to the computer related stuff, you might as well as talk to me about the 'science behind Plutonium reactors getting overheated when they engage in nuclear fission of nano-technological anodes'... well. you get the drift, hehe.

Loulsy: Even better, ask him to walk across to my place and ask me personally. Would be much more efficient, hehe. BTW, are you who i think you are? The lady with the great smile? I'm so sorry that i'm bad at equating real names with QL handles...

Bleu: Thanks for the map. Now why didn't I think of that?

Baldrick2dogs: The parking is not too bad. There is the Doha Stadium right next to it and there are innumerable parking slots available there. If you go at around 11noon to 1noon, you could literally lateral park there. There will be NO rush at all.

Metrocity: Hey, life IS beautiful, man. Irrespective of wherever you are...

Aunt Polly: You're very kind. I'm glad that I could be of service.

Azilana: Yep Azzy, it's the same place. It's a little haven. And i totally forgot to mention or take pictures of the reading room. That's definitely something else again. Visit is as soon as you can! I totally recommend it.

I've been meaning to go there...maybe next week :-)

thank you Greeker- as usual you made us feel life is still worth living - thank God for libraries such as these in Qatar- i will certainly visit it

AP

Thankx Greeker, for bringing positive side of Qatar, not like allways complaining.

thanks for the info.

You know, every time someone asked where there's library I pointed them here every time.

Thanks for sharing this Greeker.

Yes, I agree, the parking around there is pretty crap, but it you park at Giant and walk down there is a great bakery on the way :o)

Google Maps ... The public library is "دار الكتب" - "Dar Al Kutub" in Arabic. It's on the roundabout in the middle of the map.

well thanks greek....time to visit

"Born optimist nothing can keep me too low for so long"

I'm actually very interested.. i didnt know Qatar had a public library...

could u give direct directions to it?! or I'll just have KSA give u a buzz later on for the full directions..

Thx alot for the Info..!

WYSIWYG

Would they accept my whole collection of National Geography magazines since 2006?

I got a whole collection of electronic magazines, that you will not find anywhere in Doha, I would not mind at all, in donating them. Including some hard core books on CDMA. L-band, TDMA and FMA.

Thanks for the effort and Info.

If God dropped acid, would he see people? -- George Carlin

Aha! Thanks, Greeker.

"Arabic section is extensive."

- Great! Do they have children's books with the harakat?

/Erm.. next to New World? Isn't that area horrendous to park? Can walk, of course but I think not such a good idea for me. Lemme see first.

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Don't want no drama,

No, no drama, no, no, no, no drama