Qatar National Library (QNL) has seen a record number of books checked out in 2022. It showed that reading habit is still strong among people, especially children and women, in the country.
Library patrons checked out 296,456 books in 2022. Of the total, 167,580 are from the children’s collection.
“This year saw a return to normality for the library and with the building once again fully open to the public, our members flocked to borrow books,” said the library in its latest newsletter.
The total number of books checked out this year has shown an increase of 113,313 compared to 183,143 books checked out in 2021.
This year 76,468 books were checked out from the main collection and 52,408 from the young adults’ section.
Among children’s books Big Nate: Genius Mode, Tremenda Vacanza a Villa Pitocca (the Italian version of the Geronimo Stilton story Welcome to Moldy Manor), and Captain Underpants and the Tyrannical Retaliation of the Turbo Toilet 2000 were among the top three books in English.
In Arabic, the most popular books were Kalimat w Sowar (Pictures and Words); Kesas Rawaha Anabi Sallalahualaihi Wasallam (Stories Told by the Prophet, Peace Be Upon Him); and Ahib Al Estahmam (I Like to Take a Shower).
In adults, women appear to read more than men, as 18,913 of book borrowers were women, compared to 15,316 men.
“But our most prolific reader was a man, with 201 books borrowed, compared to 184 for the top-placed woman,” said the Library.
Among the adults, the top five English fiction books were Hopeless, by Colleen Hoover; All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr; El Alquimista, the Spanish language version of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist; the Hercule Poirot ‘whodunnit’ The A.B.C. Murders, by Agatha Christie; and The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller.
In the English non-fiction category, many readers preferred books on self-improvement.
The Power of Habit - Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg; IELTS, by Monica Sorrenson; and Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman are among the top three books in this category.
With a free membership to QNL, anyone can have access to over a million books, magazines, newspapers and periodicals – for both children and adults – in 16 different languages.
“It is a very welcoming place with massive number of books in every subject you look for,” said Steven, a new resident in Qatar.
“The library was one of the first places I visited in Qatar,” said Steven, who has an interest more in books on theology and economy. And Rifka, a long-term resident who often takes her children to the library, said, “I take my two daughters at least once a month to the library, they enjoy the experience than reading at home.”
Not only for residents but for visitors also the Qatar National Library was a huge attraction during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Director of Strategy and Strategic Projects at QNL, Hind Al Khulaifi recently said that the library has “welcomed the world” during the tournament. “The look in the eyes of fans as they come through our door is wonderful to see, as is the happiness they feel when we tell them we have the books they’re looking for,” said Al Khulaifi.
