You’ve heard about how networks are how business gets done. The worst of this is cronyism or nepotism.

The best is three mothers, living in the same city, who see the same need: children who can fall in love with reading.

Maktaba Children’s Library is the labor of love of mothers and volunteers living in Qatar’s capital city, Doha, whose vision is for a community space where families can engage in a reading culture.

We’ve been at it for a long time. The toddlers in our concept video are five and six year old boys. Now we are in a free standing villa, staff run and volunteer supported.

Many of us have gone from one to two or more children. And like our lives, indeed the city around us, we hope that this project will continue to grow and develop with input from our members.

What is your favorite library or reading memory? From walking to the book mobile as a child, to weekly visit to the main library, my love of reading (and writing) came from libraries in Canada, California, and Florida.

For those of you in Qatar:

Membership is 500 QR for 3 books each 2 weeks (or 750 QR for 6 books).

Books are available from infants to teens in English and Arabic. Special collections of Spanish, French, and German titles are also gracing the shelves.

Hours and programs are all available via the Facebook page.

GPS coordinate and Google map are here.

Come stop in, pull up a cushion, and share a story.