With more than one million print books in our collections, along with hundreds of thousands of ebooks, it can be hard to figure out where to begin. In this section, we’ll regularly take a deeper dive into the Library’s collections to learn a bit more, including exploring history through the items in our Heritage Library. We’ll also feature other topics that explore various aspects of our Library. All of the items linked in the posts are either available for members to check out or view online. Enjoy!
The term "Orientalism" refers to the depiction of Eastern societies and cultures by Western artists, scholars, and writers. This concept gained significant prominence during the 19th century, a period marked by European colonial expansion and growing interest in the "East"—a term loosely applied to regions including the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
The Italian Leonardo da Vinci is often described as one of the greatest thinkers, engineers and inventors of all time, but 300 years before he was born came a man easily his equal, the Muslim scholar, polymath, inventor, engineer and mathematician, Ismail al-Jazari.
Al-Jazari was born in Upper Mesopotamia, possible near the borders of modern-day Turkey, Syria and Iraq, in 1136 CE/530 AH, and is presumed to have been either Arab, Persian or Kurdish in his ethnicity.
We are now in the very middle of the turtle nesting season in Qatar, and this month (16 JUNE) also marks World Sea Turtle Day.
The waters off Qatar are home to four species of these ocean-wanderers – the green turtle, the hawksbill, the olive ridley, and the loggerhead, with other species making occasional visits. These marine reptiles have been on Earth for around 100 million years – about 20 million years before Tyrannosaurus rex – and are found across the globe, predominantly in warmer waters.
* This blog has been slightly adapted from an original one published as part of the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative: #QATARILITMONTH
A mosque, or masjid, is the building where Muslims perform their five daily prayers. However, many people do not know that mosques are much more than just places for prayer—mosques are at the heart of Muslim societies.
Food often has a religious significance, and many religions have foods that have strong spiritual connections, none more so than dates to Islam.
Christianity uses bread and wine in the eucharist, Hinduism believes that ghee was the sacred food of the Hindu deities the Devas, matzo bread is an integral part of Judaism’s Festival of the Passover, while followers of the Japanese religion Shintoism often leave tofu at shrines, believing that it is a favorite food of the foxes associated with the Shinto deity Inari.
At more than four meters long, anyone taking the “Trumbull Map of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and the Gulf’ on a trip with them would need a large bag.
The 365 pages of another year will be turned very soon, and once again we look back on the books that have captured the imaginations of our members and have been borrowed the most times.
In total, Library patrons checked out a massive 291,502 books in 2023, with a further 74,684 being borrowed digitally.
In the enchanting realm of literature, genres play a vital role in shaping the reading experience. From the heartwarming embrace of emotional narratives to the spine-tingling excitement of adventurous tales, and the intriguing mysteries woven within dark plots, each genre offers a distinct journey for the soul. Within these literary worlds, readers find solace, inspiration, and a place to ponder life's complexities.
The cultivation and enhancement of talent is an essential aspect of life, and educational and cultural institutions play a significant role in discovering and nurturing students' talents at various stages of their lives.
Welcome to the captivating world of chess, a game that has fascinated minds and challenged strategists for centuries.
Did you know that chess is the oldest board game still played in its original form? People have been playing chess for more than 1500 years. The several theories about where chess came from zero in on three regions, India, Persia, and China.
The pieces originally represented the military units common in warfare at that time: infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, a general, and a king.