In a series of tweets, Qatar National Library (QNL) has announced its temporary closure in preparation for the grand ceremony marking its official inauguration on April 17th. 

The library will be closed from April 13th till April 16th (Friday to Monday).

QNL has also announced that its heritage section is closed to the public as certain preparations have commenced.

يُرجى العلم بأن المكتبة التراثية مغلقة حاليًا استعدادًا لحفل الافتتاح الرسمي للمكتبة. نعتذر عن استقبال الزيارات إليها. شاكرين حسن تفهمكم.
Our Heritage Library is currently closed to public visits due to preparations for the Grand Opening. We apologize for any inconvenience. pic.twitter.com/3S0dKi1YUn

— مكتبة قطر الوطنية (@QNLib) March 14, 2018

According to The Peninsula, the library will open to the public on Tuesday, April 17th, at 9:00 am, and invites residents to attend exhibitions, lectures and panel discussions.  

QNL will hold Qatar-German exhibition for its inauguration that will give an in depth look at the history of Arabic and German fairy and folk tales.

The exhibition takes place from April 17th to August 18th, 2018, and is organized within the framework of the Qatar–Germany Year of Culture. 

The library will also host “Truth Matters: The Era of Fake News,” an inaugural panel discussion on how “fake news” is being used in the current political climate to manipulate political agendas and what should be done about it.

The discussion will be in English, but Arabic translation will be provided. The panel will take place from 6:00 to 7:30 pm in the library's special events area. 

QNL’s ‘Book Club for the Blind’, a project that provides social opportunities and promotes equal access to the resources and services of the library, will also be launched by the President of the World Blind Union, Dr. Fredrick K. Schroeder, on April 17th.  

The launch will take place between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. You can register and get a ticket for free here. 

And if you’re into astronomy, the library has also organized a 'Stargazing at the Library' event for children and their parents between 6:00 and 8:00 pm.

The Heritage Library staff will show visitors some of QNL’s rare manuscripts about astronomy, while Hani Dalee, a specialist in these ancient tools and an Astronomer at HBKU, will show the similarities between what is on the astrolabe and what appears in the sky.

Telescopes will be set outside QNL to show the audience the craters of the moon, and a laser stick will be used to point out the constellations and their bright stars. Indoors, a workshop will be carried out to allow participants to make their own sundials and astrolabes.

You can register here to attend the event.

Image credits:

Cover image - Marhaba Qatar, inline image - Qatar National Library.