VCUarts Qatar Libraries Mission Statement

(rev.spring 2017)

The Libraries of Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar support the mission of the university and Qatar Vision 2030 by contributing to excellence in education and research.

The Libraries is committed to upholding the following responsibilities and values in support of its mission:

• Manage and deliver a complex information network of digital and online academic resources
• Curate print-based resources to sustain the library’s unique physical collections
• Provide personal and expert research guidance for faculty and students who are engaged in scholarly, creative and artistic pursuits
• Facilitate the learning experience through expert teaching
• Provide leadership in the university’s scholarly pursuits
• Cultivate a welcoming and comfortable learning environment
•  Meet the academic information needs of VCUQatar faculty and students
•  Support and encourage curiosity, inquiry, and critical thinking

 The Libraries provide expertise in managing and curating a complex network of digital, print and material resources that inform and inspire the academic and creative pursuits of the VCUQatar community. The Libraries are committed to cultivating an innovative and collaborative environment that inspires critical thinking, lifelong learning, and intellectual inquiry into art and design.

Brief History of VCUQatar Libraries

VCUQatar Libraries began as part of the Shaqab College of Design Arts in September 1998 in the Qatar Foundation building in Education City, Doha.The Library's first two employees were hired in the same year. The new building dedicated to VCUQatar opened for students in the fall of 1999 and the library was housed in rooms on the upper level.In August 2010, the new library was created as the center point of the new wing on the ground level. The Materials Library was added in 2010 and the Innovative Media Studio became part of the library in 2013.

• Mahassan Riffatt was the first Head Librarian in 1999.
• Dana Beth served as the Library Director from 2003 until 2011.
• Carol Hansen served as Director of Libraries from March 2011 through January 2015.

Library Policies

Policies

• VCUQatar Libraries follow the policies of the VCU Libraries with minor exceptions due to local considerations.Find policies of the VCU Libraries here
• VCUQatar Libraries Collection Management Guidelines
• VCUQatar Visitor Access Policy

Borrowing Materials and Equipment

• VCUQatar borrowing rules