Doha, Qatar: As the 35th edition of the Doha International Book Fair 2026 kicks off, Qatar National Library is welcoming visitors to its interactive booth at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. Combining innovation, storytelling, and cultural discovery, the booth offers a personalized experience for visitors of all ages.
Here's a look at what's on offer:
1. Literary Twin
Discover your literary match in this AI-driven experience. Answer a series of personality-based questions about your reading habits, storytelling style, and narrative tone to be paired with an author whose literary voice resonates with yours. The experience concludes with a short video about your matched author and an invitation to explore the Library's "Book Match" service.
2. Your Free Knowledge Shopping Spree
Grab a controller and step up to our large interactive display. This game-inspired experience invites you to explore the Library's services by selecting and dragging items into a virtual basket to build a personalized "shopping cart." At the end, you will receive an invitation to sign up for your free Library membership.
3. Dream Big, The Hero is You
Perfect for our younger visitors, this engaging digital activity allows children to become the stars of their own stories. By personalizing a tale with their name and photo, they can imagine themselves navigating a typical school day, directly supporting our "Ready for School" initiative.
4. Score to Play – Qatar's Story
Think you know Qatar's history? Put your knowledge to the test in this QR code-based game, hosted on the Library mobile app. Scan QR codes placed around the booth, answer questions about Qatar, and complete the experience for a chance to enter the prize draw. Download the app to take part.
5. Ibn Battuta: A Cross-Cultural Arab Journey
Embark on a journey through time with renowned Arab explorer Ibn Battuta via an immersive touchscreen display. Explore key moments from his travels while discovering treasures from our Heritage Library's collection, including rare images, books, manuscripts, maps, and documents that bring to life the remarkable cities he visited during his epic journeys.
6. 360 Virtual Tour
Explore the Library without leaving the booth. Our 360-degree virtual tour lets you navigate its spaces and collections on an interactive touch screen, giving you a feel for everything the Library has to offer before your next visit.
7. Aerial Photography Collection
Step into the past with our interactive Aerial Photography Collection. Using a slider, explore three aerial views of the same Doha location to see how the city transformed between 1950 and 1975. The full archive contains more than 9,000 high-resolution images from 55 flights carried out between 1944 and 1983, with individual houses and neighborhoods clearly visible. This collection is accessible to Library members only.
8. Daily Appearances by Ramly the Mascot
Families can look forward to meet-and-greets with Ramly, our beloved mascot, who will be making scheduled appearances throughout the day. Stop by for photos, fun, and a guaranteed smile or two.
Throughout the booth, visitors can also explore our "Did You Know" history wall, featuring fascinating facts about Qatar's past.
Visit and Discover More
QNL invites all visitors to stop by the Library's booth and discover everything it has to offer. If you are not yet a Library member, sign up for your free membership in the booth, or download the Library mobile app from the App Store or Google Play to access the Library’s full range of resources and services.
