HBKU Press collaborates with Rafeeq and Snoonu app for book delivery across Qatar

With certain restrictions still in place across Qatar to contain the spread of COVID-19, leisurely activities for children remain limited; however, the extra time indoors affords an opportunity to engage in other enriching hobbies.

Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press), in its ongoing mission to instill a love of reading among the community, is collaborating with Rafeeq and Snoonu’s on-demand courier service to deliver books to homes across Doha. 

Members of the community can purchase books securely through the Rafeeq and Snoonu mobile applications, which boast hundreds of titles for the whole family.

These include academic books, non-fiction and fiction for children and adults across various genres, in both English and Arabic.  

Mounir Slim, Head of Publishing Services, HBKU Press said, “Children’s books are our bestsellers at the moment. We believe that with schools having provided classes remotely and most people working from home, parents are looking at ways to continue their children’s e-learning with books. Reading is a great leisurely activity that also provides children with a break from screen time.”

“Even when things return to ‘normal’ there will still be a market for consumers using delivery applications because of the sheer convenience alone. Our partnership with Rafeeq and Snoonu serves to complement our retail activities. We have many great books and we want to ensure they are available to readers to purchase through multiple avenues.’’

“COVID-19 has thrown the world a curveball and Qatar has set a precedent around the world with how well it has adapted to the global upset. In all aspects of the public sphere, Qatar has adopted digital technologies to ensure business continuity,” added Mounir Slim.

Orders are delivered within 60 to 90 minutes maximum in line with the necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures. 

In addition to Rafeeq and Snoonu, HBKU Press also has a healthy presence on other applications and platforms.

These include Kindle, which hosts 125 HBKU Press titles, as well as Overdrive, Abjad (for Arabic titles only), Lusail, and Streetlib. In the case of the latter, Streetlib offers 40+ partners through which HBKU Press can highlight its publications to readers young and old.

Bestsellers include Monsters are Afraid of Mama, the story of a ‘supermom’ with a gift for explaining away common childhood fears.

Other noteworthy titles include We Are All Wonders and Candy the Meanest Camel in Town, Johanna Handley’s tale of a camel that is rude to her classmates and her teacher.

Download Rafeeq and Snoonu mobile applications on iOS Android to browse and purchase a complete list of HBKU Press titles.

For more information visit: hbkupress.com 

For any queries, or concerns related to COVID-19 in Qatar, the public can contact a 24/7 hotline set up by the Ministry. The hotline number is 16000 and is toll-free.

Here's everything you need to know about the virus, including ways to protect yourself.

---

Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content.

Instagram - @qatarliving

Twitter - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living

Source and cover image credit: HBKU Press