Sultan Qaboos University Library SQU

Overview

The Sultan Qaboos University Library (SQU Library) is the main academic library system of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in Muscat, Oman, and serves as the country's legal deposit and copyright library. It is one of the most significant research library systems in the Gulf region.

History and Founding

Sultan Qaboos University was founded in 1986 as Oman's first public university, constructed on the orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The library system was established alongside the university. SQU is the only comprehensive public university in Oman and is ranked first nationally.

Collections and Holdings

The SQU Library system encompasses several specialised libraries, including the Main Library, the Omani Studies Center Library, and college-specific branch libraries. As the legal deposit library for Oman, it collects all publications relating to Oman from government institutions, private publishers, and the Gulf region. The Omani Studies Center Library holds over 2,500 Omani theses and dissertations, government publications, manuscripts, and a variety of materials on Omani culture, history, and language. The Main Library provides reading halls, group discussion rooms, a reference and special collections hall, and newspaper browsing rooms.

Access

The library is primarily open to SQU students, faculty, and staff. Some services and collections are available to external researchers by arrangement. The library provides electronic access to a wide range of international databases and journals.

Contact Information

The library is located on the SQU campus in Al Khoudh, Muscat, Oman. Opening hours for the Main Library are Sunday–Thursday 07:30–midnight and Saturday 09:00–16:00.