An Armenian Library is Closed

Catholicos Aram has declared year 2024 as the year of “Human Resources Preparation”. He has already organized a meeting of concerned experts. The Armenian Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has for its mission: “strengthen Armenian language, culture and education in the Diaspora, and foster research and critical thinking in Armenia”. There remains the obvious and the inevitable, the demise of the Armenian language in the Diaspora and of Armenian readership, with its umistakable adverse affect on what constitutes the Diaspora Armenian community. The attached article was penned by Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan five years go. Its concerns are as valid today as it was then. Attached is my abridged translation of the article. I have linked the original as well. Vahe H Apelian

A glimpse of Ardashes Khatchadourian's  library 

This week I had not read an article that fired my imagination, so I was about to pass the week with a feeling of deep dissatisfaction. I would certainly not say that there was no such article, but I simply had not come across one.

But this weekend, as I sat to write, I found myself against the article that had alluded me throughout the week. It was Dr. Herand Markarian’s, “Farewll books, have a good journey”, article in “Armenians Today” that was posted on March 13, 208. ( դոկտ. Հրանդ Մարգարեանի «Բարի ճանապարհ, գիրքե՛ր, ճանապա՛րհ բարի» յօդուածին, («Հայերն այսօր», 13 մարտ 2018), 

In his especially smooth style of writing and colorful narration, Markarian made the history of an Armenian library, that was born more than a hundred years ago in the New York city in the United States, come alive. The library had come about through the efforts of the early Armenian immigrants. Over time it had grown in size, shelves were added, its location had changed, but its mission had remained the same, as a source of spiritual and mental nourishment. But lately the books had to be stored in boxes as the “New York Armenian Center” was about to be sold. An unexpecting reader will continue reading the article with  optimism that after caring for the books for over 100 years, the books will now find a new location and continue on with their mission as they had done before. 

“The Armenian book should never be orphaned”, wrote Markarian – “it always needs an adopting parent. When the Armenian book is orphaned, it foretells that the whole community is in decline. How to have them not left orphaned, has taken a hold on all of us. Finding a home, a caring place for these books, have occupied our thoughts. These “inanimate” beings have in them human blood and sweat. They will be leaving the New York Armenian Center to a NEW HOME to a NEW place where they will continue their mission. Newer generations will be visiting them and will be enthused by them. They will take care of them. They will not let dust accumulate over these books and be orphaned. Young and old will be visiting them.” 

We read these inspiring words and comforting comments and continue on reading.

But….

It soon becomes evident that these books, stored in 50 boxes, are not being transported to a new location in New York city for the benefit of the New York Armenian community. They are being sent to Artsakh. Markarian seems to be pleased with this arrangement and does not shy from expressing his joy because this time around the books will serve to educate generation of Armenians in Artsakh.

Artsakh is one side of the issue. There is also the other side. How will the Armenian Americans in New York be nourished? The old generation, who read these books, cared for them, and kept them to pass to the nextt generation, is no more. But since the “next generation” cannot read Armenian anymore, this ancient library is now changing hands.  

The fact of the matter is that, this is not the farewell that my old-time friend is bidding. It is the breaking of a sad ending. This is a banishment. It is not the heralding of a bright dawn for the Artsakh Armenians. It is rather the breaking the news of the passing away of the Armenian American, Armenian readership.

Artsakh Armenians, can find ways to fill the void of Armenian books. Fortunately, they never had a scarcity of Armenian readership there. Armenian readership thankfully is alive and well there. Wherever Armenian readership is alive and well, so are readers aplenty and Armenian books will always be available there. The issue is the Armenian readership in the New World. The scarcity, if not the lack of Armenian readership, is the concerning issue. Nothing will bring these books back. They are the witnesses of the last pages of a sad story that has ended.

There was a time when we were used to come across letters sent by young members of a family asking discontinuing their aging parents’ subscription to Armenian newspapers as their parents have passed away and they cannot read in Armenian. The newspapers the older family had kept over the years get thrown away, and soon later the books follow the same fate. In the best of circumstances, they are given away to a library for storage. 

More or less the same fate awaited Ardashes Der Khatcharourian’s library which, after the libraries of the Cilician Catholicosate and  Haigazian University was the richest library. During the last years of his life, he tried to sell his library but he was not successful. After his unexpected sudden death, his inheritors tried the same. Eventually the representative of the Armenian Library division of the London’s Library of Great Britain bought the entire library and had them shipped to England. It is hard to imagine what will be the fate of these books that had come about by the life-long efforts and the meager salary of an Armenian teacher who taught Armenian and literature. It is also hard to imagine that these books will be read.

 

Բնագիրը՝

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2018/03/blog-post.html