Doha: Qatar National Library (QNL) has added more than 14,000 new titles to its vast online resources.

The new electronic collection, following the signing of an agreement with Al Manhal online database, will offer the people of Qatar access to high quality Arabic reference material on an unprecedented levels including information on topics such as business and economics, educational science, Islamic studies, social sciences, language and literature, law, political science and international relations, history, geography and biography, contemporary references, heritage, media and communication, arts and sciences, and school material for students aged between six and 12.

Al Manhal is a provider of full-text searchable databases, ebooks, ejournals, etheses, strategic reports and conference proceedings from the Arab world.

This agreement strengthens QNL’s mission to spread knowledge, nurture imagination, cultivate creativity and preserve the nation’s heritage for future generations.

“Through agreements with leading educational institutions, QNL is enhancing its ability to provide significant resources to students, researchers and the community across Qatar,” Saadi Al Said, Director of Administration and Planning at QNL, said. “QNL continues to conduct activities which spread knowledge and promote a culture of reading among all residents of Qatar, which is one of its main responsibilities.”

Mohammad Al Baghdadi, CEO of Al Manhal, said Al Manhal understands QNL’s vision of supporting Qatar in its journey from a carbon-based economy to a knowledge-based economy through digital education and research.

“We are extremely proud to be chosen by QNL as the primary provider of digital Arabic scholarly materials,” he said. “With this agreement, students, researchers and the academic and professional community across the country will have unlimited access to Al Manhal’s multidisciplinary databases of tens of thousands of full-text searchable Arabic ebooks, ejournals, theses, reports and heritage titles.”

QNL currently offers free online access to a vast collection of online resources including the latest bestsellers, classical works, concerts, top academic journals and documentaries.

Anyone who lives in Qatar and has a valid Qatari ID or residence permit is eligible for free library registration.