FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF ARMENIAN LIBRARIES A SUCCESS
By Taleen Babayan
/first-international-conference-of-armenian-librar ies-a-success/
September 20, 2009
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin served as the site for the first
ever "Global Armenian Library Conference," which took place from
Aug. 25-27 in Armenia, attracting heads of the most prestigious
Armenian libraries in the world.
Rachel Goshgarian, the director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center, and Rev. Fr. Asoghik Karapetian, the head of
Archives at Holy Etchmiadzin-under the auspices of His Holiness
Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
and with the support of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)-organized an
event that fostered dialogue and discussion about library organization
and cataloguing as well as book preservation and digitization, among
other relevant topics. The conference was the first of many cultural
programs to take place in Armenia as part of the 500th anniversary
of the establishment of the Armenian printing press.
The goals of the conference were to formulate standardized methods
of library organization and cataloguing, create opportunities for
the discussion of book preservation and digitization, develop an
international book exchange between libraries, and establish a
universal internet portal for Armenian collections. The conference
participants adopted a resolution and established a working group
to spearhead the creation of an internet website, which will provide
information on Armenian and other language publications in the field
of Armenian studies in Armenia and the diaspora.
The three-day conference was held in the Old Theological Seminary at
Holy Etchmiadzin. The first day consisted of brief presentations by
the gross majority of participants on their specific collections,
detailing the history and contents of each collection, and their
current cataloguing system, digitization program, and acquisitions
methods. Formal academic presentations were made on the second day,
and covered topics including library organization, book distribution,
digitization, and preservation. Participants traveled to Noravank
Monastery on the third day, where they participated in a round-table
discussion led by Prof. Kevork Bardakjian.
A final dinner in Yerevan provided another opportunity for the
participants to discuss many of the concerns and ideas raised during
the session in a more casual atmosphere. His Holiness Karekin II
attended the final dinner and praised the participants and their
works. Remembering the importance of the libraries of his childhood,
he reflected upon the holy nature of books. At the dinner’s conclusion,
Fr. Asoghik thanked the participants for attending and sharing their
knowledge and experience, and spoke enthusiastically about future
concrete collaborations between the libraries.
think it’s time well spent simply to get us all in one room at one
time to meet each other face to face and talk to each other. That
in and of itself was groundbreaking work and extremely worthwhile,"
said Michael Grossman, a library assistant in the Middle Eastern
division of the Widener Library at Harvard University.
Hasmik Poghosyan, the minister of culture of Armenia, and Hranush
Hakobyan, the minister of diaspora, welcomed and participated in
the conference. Both ministries pledged their support for future
endeavors. On the evening of Aug. 25, the U.S. ambassador to Armenia,
Marie Yovanovitch, held a reception in her Yerevan home for the
participants.
Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Louisian of the Bzommar Armenian Catholic Clergy
Institute in Lebanon concurred that it was unprecedented to have a
conference that attracted the heads of Armenian libraries from around
the world. "This was indeed a historic conference and greatly useful
to all of us. In addition, I am enthusiastic in working with fellow
heads of Armenian libraries around the world," he said.
Aside from participants coming together for the first time to discuss
important issues and the challenges they face in their respective
libraries, the event set the stage for future cooperation among
these organizations.
"After attending this conference, I have a greatly renewed sense of
hope of cooperation among Armenian libraries and of someday everyone
having access to materials that have been for far too long completely
inaccessible," said Edward G. Matthews, representing St. Nersess
Armenian Theological Seminary.
In the coming months, both a list-serv for conference participants
and a general website for Armenian libraries and collections will
be created.
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, the Bzommar Armenian Catholic Clergy Institute, the Mesrob
Mashdots Manuscript Repository, the National Library of Armenia, the
National Archives of Armenia, the Fundamental Library of the Armenian
Academy of Sciences, Yerevan State University, Harvard University’s
Widener Library, the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), the British
Library, the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, the Yeghishe Charents
Museum of Literature and Art, the Abovian Armenian National Library,
the AGBU Nubarian Library, the American University of Armenia, the
National Children’s Library of Armenia, the Avedik Isahakyan Central
Library, the Armenian Library and Museum of America, the National
Association of Armenian Studies and Research, the Armenian Cultural
Foundation, the Armenian Prelacy, and many of the regional libraries
of Armenia.
*** Below are excerpts from an interview with Rachel Goshgarian by
Taleen Babayan, a program manager at the Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center who also assisted with preparations for the
conference. (remove if not necessary)
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 benefited greatly from discussions
with my colleagues who were heading similar libraries in the United
States. Little by little, I realized that many of the heads of Armenian
libraries and collections were not in contact with one another,
although I was sure we could all benefit greatly from conversations
with one another. I started asking my colleagues if they thought a
conference would be a worthwhile endeavor and everyone agreed that
it would.
TB: What were the objectives of the conference?
RG: 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. The conversation has
just begun. Now we must ensure that our links remain strong and that
all of these issues continue to be discussed in detail.
TB: What were the steps you took in organizing the conference?
RG: When I first proposed the idea to Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
he was very enthusiastic. When I suggested the conference take place
in Armenia at the Mother See, Archbishop Barsamian discussed this
idea with His Holiness Karekin II, and he was not only interested, he
gave us his blessing to proceed with preparations. He then 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.
TB: What was the significance of the conference?
RG: It was a major first step. One of the most interesting realizations
we made 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
conversations with trained 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
forms of learning and technology. But sitting in a room with other
individuals who have dedicated their lives to books and to making
Armenian literature and history available was a powerful experience,
especially since we were there together at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
