The under-construction Qatar National Library (QNL) has announced an expansion of its online resources, after striking a deal with science publisher Springer.

The tie-up means that any resident registered with the library can now access thousands of science-related journals free of charge.

The news calls attention to the fact that QNL already has an extensive collection of online resources available to residents, which includes free music libraries, magazine subscriptions and audio books, as well as bestsellers, classical works, and documentaries.

The library’s online offerings allow it to meet a need for open-access educational resources ahead of its opening date, which has now been pushed back to 2015, two years later than planned.

“We have managed to open a library digitally first, while other national libraries have been doing it the other way round,” Dr. Claudia Lux, Project Director of Qatar National Library, said in a statement.

“We consider that access of knowledge is very important for the business in the region and for the entire community.”

Any resident of Qatar can register with the library for free, although the process is not as streamlined as some might like. The first stage of the application process is online, but residents must still visit the QNL project office in person with proof of ID to receive access to the site. Full details of how to register can be found here.

The QNL, a Qatar Foundation project, has been designed by renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. QNL’s website has a live webcam showing construction progress.

Have you tried out the online service? Thoughts?