In August, 2009, the first ever “Global Armenian Library Conference” took place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia.
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 discuss methods of library organization and cataloguing, create opportunities for the contemplation of book preservation and digitization, to start the process of developing an international book exchange between libraries, and to 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.
This blog, holding basic information about most of the Armenian libraries and library collections of the world, is the first step towards realizing some of the goals of the conference.
We hope you enjoy it!
Should you have any questions — or should you like to include more information about a library or a collection — please do not hesitate to contact us!
Rachel Goshgarian (rachelg@zohrabcenter.org)
Taleen Babayan (taleenb@zohrabcenter.org)
