Dr Sohair Wastawy addressing the Forum yesterday. Pic: Qassim Rahmatullah / The Peninsula
Librarians and information services professionals from across Qatar discussed the importance of school librarianship, and how libraries can help create a knowledge-based economy in Qatar during a forum held yesterday.
Fourth Library Association Forum was organised by the Library and Information Association in Qatar (LIA-Q), and gathered more than 200 professionals at the Qatar National Library. They discussed the role of school libraries and librarians.
“A school library is a source of information which helps students to gain knowledge, information and develop competent skills. Therefore the role of school librarians is critical,” said Fawzia Abdulaziz Al Khater, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in her keynote speech.
She also highlighted the importance of digital information resources in the modern world.
“There are plenty of digital resources and information available in school libraries in Qatar. Therefore we have made it mandatory for librarians to have skills to use such resources and teach the students,” said Al Khater.
Most digital resources are made available to students by the Ministry in collaboration with the QNL. “Every professional should advance their knowledge in their field. Libraries are big part of our society and education system, what librarians do in schools is incredibly important and its part of helping students develop critical thinking skills. By having school librarians together we are being able to share new methods and ideas which are critically important,” Dr Sohair Wastawy, Executive Director, Qatar National Library told The Peninsula.
Abeer Al Kuwari, Founding Member of LIA-Q, Director of research and learning Services at QNL, highlighted the developing role of school libraries and librarians. Dr Sultan Al Dihani, Chair, Department of Information Studies, Kuwait University highlighted the role of the school library in enhancing digital citizenship.’
Topics such as ‘The role of the Learning resource Centre in Light of the Educational Requirements of the Knowledge Society’ and ‘Nurturing Young Minds and Cultivating Creativity at QNL’ and ‘Practice Based Team learning Through Assessing and Supporting School Libraries in Qatar’ were discussed during. The forum was sponsored by QNL and University College London.
