PRESS RELEASE
May 18, 2004
American University of Armenia Corporation
300 Lakeside Drive, 4th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 987-9452
Fax: (510) 208-3576
Contact: Gohar Momjian
E-mail: [email protected]
US LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AREA SPECIALIST DR. LEVON AVDOYAN SPEAKS AT AUA
Yerevan – On Tuesday, May 11, 2004, Dr. Levon Avdoyan, an Armenian and
Georgian Area Specialist of the United States Library of Congress’ African
and Middle Eastern Division, visited AUA and discussed the Near East Section
of the Library of Congress and the Armenian portal within their website.
Avdoyan described the Library’s rich depository of materials in over 40
languages about the area known as the Near East, including the countries and
peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia. The Armenian portal has a
comprehensive collection of materials published in the Republic and the
Diaspora, including manuscripts, books, serials, newspapers, electronic
media, motion pictures, music, etc. and encompasses subjects related to
Armenian life and culture. Avdoyan noted that while there is much material
on the Armenian Genocide, the portal does not use the term Genocide. He
expressed hope that with Armenian-American lobbyist efforts that will soon
change.
AUA Papazian Library staff and other library representatives participated in
the lively exchange. This includes representatives from Armenia’s National
Library, Gladzor University Library, National Assembly Library, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Library, Yerevan City Central Library, National Academy of
Sciences Fundamental Library, US Embassy’s Information Resource Center, and
students from the Yerevan State University’s Library Department.
Satenik Avagian, the AUA Papazian Library Director, thanked Dr. Avdoyan for
his informative presentation. The AUA Papazian Library is a major
participant in the region’s development of Library Sciences, providing
innovative services and utilizing technological advances in the field. It
is currently the only fully automated library in the region and has an open
access policy for most of its collection, serving students and scholars from
other institutions and the community at large. AUA also developed the Alice
Ohanasian Digital Library of Classical Armenian Literature, which makes
original works from the 5th – 18th centuries available online.
—————————————-
The American University of Armenia is registered as a non-profit educational
organization in both Armenia and the United States and is affiliated with
the Regents of the University of California. Receiving major support from
the AGBU, AUA offers instruction leading to the Masters Degree in eight
graduate programs. For more information about AUA, visit
Picture: Dr. Levon Avdoyan with AUA Papazian Library Director, Satenik
Avagian