The Qatar National Library (QNL), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, recently held an informative workshop aimed at equipping local librarians with skills relating to the range of public services provided by national libraries.
The session, entitled ‘Public Services in Libraries and Information Centres,’ was held at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Student Centre and was presented by Huda Abbas, executive director of the Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum Library at King’s Academy in Amman, Jordan.
The workshop covered a number of topics, including maintaining courteous and effective communication with the public, developing and implementing outreach programmes to engage library users, and effectively managing public spaces in a library.
During the workshop, the participants engaged in meaningful discussions on the current state of public services offered by libraries in Qatar and across the region, contributing to the valuable exchange of experiences and ideas within the information services sector.
Saadi al-Said, director of administration and planning at QNL, said: “By exploring the latest trends and practices in the library sector, the workshop provided attendees with extensive knowledge on the principles of library science, comprehensive awareness of library administration methods and management practices.” 
“Our aim as a metropolitan and public library is to offer library staff in Qatar ongoing training to ensure they are able to deliver information services of the highest quality to the public. It is essential for industry practitioners to be up-to-date with technological advancements so they are better able to deliver timely and accurate information,” al-Said added.
The workshop, which forms part of QNL’s long-term plans to enhance the information services sector in the country, provided librarians in Qatar with vital techniques and best practices to communicate their library’s resources and services to the public in the most efficient manner.