Background information
Nationality. The results of this question were quite clear with an overwhelming
majority of respondents hailing from the USA (21 per cent), followed by the UK (16 per
cent). The next most populous group by nationality were Qataris, numbering 10 per
cent of respondents, with Canadians and Egyptians ranking joint fourth with 9 per cent
of respondents each.
The fact that the two largest respondent groups were from the USA and UK is not
surprising and most probably links to the point mentioned above regarding the need for Qatar to fill a significant number of core professional library post from countriessuch as the USA and the UK where there are large numbers of suitably qualified and experienced librarians who speak English as a first language. That only 10 per cent of respondents were Qatari at first glance appears surprising, given that many libraries in Qatar have been actively trying to recruit Qatari librarians. However, this is perhaps tobe expected given that the library profession in Qatar is still emerging and that there are still comparatively few qualified and experienced Qatari librarians.