FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF ARMENIAN LIBRARIES A SUCCESS AT MOTHER SEE
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Septe mber 1, 2009
The first International Conference of Armenian Libraries took place
at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from August 25 to 27. The
conference was organized by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and
the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center of the Eastern Diocese,
under the auspices of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians.
More than 50 representatives from Armenian libraries worldwide gathered
for the event, which included a range of presentations, discussions,
and visits to important historic sites throughout Armenia. What follows
is an interview with Rachel Goshgarian, conference co-organizer and
director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center. Taleen
Babayan is a program manager at the center, who also assisted with
preparations for the conference.
Taleen Babayan: Why did you organize the conference?
Rachel Goshgarian: When I started as director of the Zohrab Center a
little over two years ago, I realized that I benefited greatly from
discussions with my colleagues who were heading similar libraries in
the United States, and little by little, realized that many of the
heads of Armenian Libraries and collections weren’t in contact with one
another but we could all benefit greatly with conversations with each
other. So I started asking my colleagues if they thought a conference
would be a worthwhile endeavor and everyone agreed that it would.
What were the objectives of the conference?
At the most basic level, the objective was to create better links
between Armenian oriented libraries in the Diaspora and in Armenia,
and to create a forum in which we can discuss issues of importance
to all of us. At the conference this first step was realized, and we
began to discuss issues such as book preservation, digitization, the
exchange of duplicate books and how to send books from the Diaspora
to Armenia and from Armenia to the Diaspora.
What were the steps you took in organizing the conference?
First I proposed the idea to Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the
Primate of the Eastern Diocese, and he was very enthusiastic about
the idea. When I suggested the conference take place in Armenia at
the Mother See, Archbishop Barsamian discussed this idea with His
Holiness Karekin II, and Vehapar was also very enthusiastic.
He appointed the Rev. Fr. Asoghig Karapetian, who is the head of the
archives at the Mother See, to organize the conference with me and
the two of us began preparations.
What was the significance of the conference?
It was a major first step. One of the things that was most important
about the conference was that most of the people who head up Armenian
libraries or collections have no training whatsoever in library
sciences. Most are highly educated individuals with a background in
history or literature, and most of us have learned about organizing
libraries and preserving books etc., either through our own individual
research or through conversation with librarians.
The Armenian tradition of printing goes back many centuries. Even
the smallest of our library collections has a very impressive range
of books and publications. All of the heads of these libraries and
collections care deeply for Armenian heritage and culture, and for
that reason, this meeting was both useful and reassuring.
Oftentimes, it seems that not only in Armenia, but in the Diaspora,
and amongst non-Armenians, books and reading have taken a second
seat to other various forms of learning and technology. But sitting
in a room with other individuals who have dedicated their lives to
books and making Armenian literature and history available was a
powerful experience, especially since it was at the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin.
Who helped you organize the conference?
Putting together this conference was indeed the result of great efforts
by many people. First, His Holiness Karekin II offered his enthusiasm,
his blessing, and his inspiration for the conference. Archbishop
Barsamian championed this idea from the very beginning and I am
impressed by our church leadership and that it continues to recognize
the importance of Armenian learning and preservation of the Armenian
heritage, as it always has.
At the Zohrab Center, I wasn’t alone in organizing the conference. My
colleague Taleen Babayan from the very beginning brainstormed
with me and undertook a lot of the organizational preparation
for the conference. One of the best things of organizing this
conference was working with the members of the brotherhood of Holy
Etchmiadzin. Fr. Karapetian was extremely organized and did an
excellent job of managing the participation of the Mother See. Very
Rev. Fr. Mushegh Babayan provided excellent support and enthusiastic
direction. This truly was a team effort and one that all of us are
proud to have been a part of.
The following libraries were represented at the conference: the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicate of Cilicia, the Patriarchates
of Constantinople and Jerusalem, the Mkhitarian Brotherhoods of Venice
and Vienna, Bzommar Armenian Catholic Clergy Institute, the Mesrob
Mashdots Manuscript Repository, the National Library of Armenia,
the National Archives of Armenia, the Armenian Academy of Sciences,
Harvard University’s Widener Library, University of Michigan (Ann
Arbor), the British Library, the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the
AGBU Nubarian Library, Yerevan State University, American University
of Armenia, Yeghishe Charents Museum of Literature and Art, Armenian
Library and Museum of America, National Association of Armenian
Studies and Research, Armenian Cultural Foundation, Armenian Prelacy,
and many of the regional libraries of Armenia.