The Largest Library in Oman: Sultan Qaboos University’s Main Library & Cultural Centre

Posted on May 3, 2010 | 18 Comments

The picture above is from the Main Library’s main webpage: http://www.squ.edu.om/mainlibrary/tabid/1337/language/en-US/Default.aspx

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18 responses to “The Largest Library in Oman: Sultan Qaboos University’s Main Library & Cultural Centre”

Relish | July 1, 2010 at 4:46 am | Reply

Hi Sir….can u plrease help me a bit. I wanna know if this library is accessible by anyone or only by its students and teacher? I am a resident of Oman and looking for some libarary to satisfy my reading habit. I will be grateful if u can suggest me any libarary which can be accessed by becoming its member. And ya….I am looking for some English books.

Thanks a lot in Advance Sir.
Andy | July 5, 2010 at 9:37 am | Reply

Hi Relish,
As far as I know, this library is not accessible to anyone other than its students. I don’t think it’s completely open yet but there is a rumor that it will be 100% open on National Day of this year (November 18th). At that time, let’s see if it’s open to the general public…
I think you can get access to a large selection of English books at the British Council. Have you tried there?
Tingting Xie | November 12, 2010 at 9:51 am | Reply

Hey Andy,
I am a Chinese student studying abroad in Dublin, recently, I am doing a research about Oman’s library market. Very glad to see your blog. I am writing to ask if there is any information that related to my research accessible? Any recommendation from you will be great! thanks….looking forward to hear from you….
andydbrown | November 13, 2010 at 6:35 pm | Reply

Tingting,
Hi there! There is one friendly man I met at the main SQU library that might be able to help you out. His name is Abdullah al Maani and his email address is: asqu2004@hotmail.com All the best with your research! 🙂
sunil | November 14, 2010 at 8:18 am | Reply

Hi andy,
the photos are really good one. Can you tell me who has done the furniture fr this library as it looks to be quite nice.
andydbrown | November 14, 2010 at 10:30 am | Reply

Hi, Sunil!
The photos don’t really do the place justice as it’s quite a sight to see! As for the furniture, your guess is as good as mine. Sorry I can’t help you out there. 🙂 Maybe Abdullah (in the email address listed above) might be able to let you know. Take care!
Anonymous | October 22, 2012 at 10:12 pm | Reply

im so broud of you Andy ……… you are real citizen to me cause you helpfull all the people here in your site…. thanks …khalid Alshabibi
o t c.college
- andydbrown | October 22, 2012 at 11:20 pm | Reply
  
  Khalid,
  Thanks for your gracious comment! Oman has been my home now for 5 years so it’s nice to be considered a “real citizen”! 😉 All the best to you at Oman Tourism Colleg!e (OTC-I should have known that but i had to google it! 🙂 )
Princess | October 24, 2012 at 9:21 am | Reply

I LOVE the cultural center library. I like to spend my free time there. One does have to be staff of the Uni. [or a consultant like me] or students though to access the books, though for sure the folks that work there or some students looking for work experience like translators ect… sometimes help in outside research projects ect if you get permission for such.

SQU also has outside libraries (called student centers) stocking course relevent books and the medical school also has one I am sure, along with the online databases for anyone with SQU student passwords.

I just love how they built it and it is the nicest cafeteria next door, near the faux-falaj and garden ect…. Thank you Sultan Qaboos for this gift to Oman. I personally love it more than the opera house.
- andydbrown | October 28, 2012 at 12:06 pm | Reply
  
  Princess,
  Interesting that you love the Library and Cultural Centre more than the opera house! Unfortunately, it’s only open to certain individuals while the opera house is open to all (who have the cash!). I have never heard of these “outside libraries” owned by SQU. That’s quite interesting. Would like to know more about them.
Princess | November 7, 2012 at 12:13 pm | Reply

You teach ESL in SQU right? Then there is a building near your classroom building, one near the medical college, and one near the College of Political Science and Economics. I am horrible with directions though, sorry!

hehehe I mean, the University library is a gift for Omanis. Whereas the Opera house is a gift for the country to his Majesty’s personal tastes:) which maybe only 1 out of 70 Omanis I know will every enjoy or appreciate. In fact, the majority hate it lol, being religious and not partaking in muscial instruments. But I appareciate that the option exists. It demonstrates Oman’s generally tolerant attitudue towards differing tastes and opinions. I prefer the former for the sake of Omanis improving themselves though:).
- andydbrown | November 14, 2012 at 10:51 pm | Reply
  
  Princess,
  I never talk about where I work as I don’t want to involve my workplace on the blog! Some people know where I work but I don’t advertise where that is! 🙂 I was a visitor in the Main Library and Cultural Centre on this visit.
radhika aravind | April 11, 2013 at 4:48 pm | Reply

andy,
u mentioned that this library might be open to the public from 2012 nov. do we hav access to it now? i’m a book worm, u see!!
- andydbrown | April 16, 2013 at 8:53 pm | Reply
  
  radhika,
  This library is for the students of SQU and I don’t believe it’s open to the general public unless you get special permission. Oman could definitely use a few public libraries, or at least one in Muscat!
Rizwana | October 22, 2013 at 4:29 pm | Reply

Oh yes.. we really need public libraries here in Muscat. How do we bring this to the attention of the concerned authorities so they do something about it asap?
- andydbrown | November 21, 2013 at 9:41 am | Reply
  
  Great question!
Nidhi Mishra | January 20, 2014 at 9:41 am | Reply

Hi Sir….can u please help me. I want to know if SQU library is accessible by anyone or only by its students and teacher? I am a resident of Oman and looking for some public library, infect I am in badly need of a good library. I will be grateful if u can suggest me any library which can be accessed by becoming its member. You have mentioned British Council, can I get the access of British Library (I am an Indian)? what’s the procedure to become member of British Library. Actually I am doing my Research Work (Ph.D.) for the same I need a Library contains all sort of books.
- andydbrown | March 10, 2014 at 3:12 pm | Reply
  
  Nidhi,
  Wish I could help you out but as far as I know that library is only accessible by its staff and students. Why not give the British Council in Oman a call (contact number easily found on google) and ask about those book borrowing policies? Best of luck with your research and with hunting down the books you need.