As part of its ongoing cooperation with the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the Society for Armenian Studies donated around 130 academic books to the Museum in aiming to strengthen its library collection. The academic books included topics pertaining to the Armenian Genocide, late Ottoman history, comparative genocide, and the Holocaust.
The collection totaled $2,000 and included the latest scholarship published within fields which would otherwise not be accessible to scholars in Armenia. The project was initiated by the SAS a few months ago and included active participation from its members.
Director of AGMI Prof. Dr. Harutyun Marutyan sent a letter of appreciation to the SAS on November 7, in which he thanked the Society for their latest venture. “Thanks to the SAS, the library of AGMI has been completed by books pertaining to the Armenian as well as other genocides, Ottoman history, and memoirs of survivors,” read Marutyan’s letter. “We value this phenomenon as the best example of the ‘scholars for scholars’ motto. Each of these books are essential for the researchers of the institute. We are sure that the cooperation between our organizations is an example of the cooperation between Armenia and the Diaspora. We are filled with hope that this useful cooperation will result in the implementation of new and novel research.”
Marutyan thanked all members of the SAS who participated in the campaign: “We would like to thank all the individuals who donated books to the library and the care that they demonstrated towards the Institute.”
The AGMI awarded SAS a Certificate of Acknowledgment for the conceptualization of this project.
President of SAS, Bedross Der Matossian, thanked all the SAS members who participated in the project. “Without the extensive participation of the SAS members, this project would not have been realized,” remarked Matossian. “While this project could have been realized solely with SAS funds, the whole idea was to involve SAS members to take an active role in the activities of the Society.”
Der Matossian specifically thanked Salpi Ghazarian, the Director of the University of Southern California’s Institute of Armenian Studies, and Gegham Mughnetsyan, Chitjian Researcher Archivist, at the Institute for their help in the realization of this project. He also thanked Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian (California State University, Fresno) for coordinating the project.
The project was made possible through book donations from the SAS as well as from non-SAS members. Special thanks to: Victoria Abrahamyan, Jesse Arlen (Zohrab Information Center), Anahid Asadorian, Nora Avetyan, Nvair Beylerian, Tamar Boyadjian, Aline Donabedian, Davit Donabedian, Harout Ekmanian, Mischa Geracoulis, Salpi Ghazarian (USC), A. Keochekian, Varak Ketsemanian, Nancy Kricorian, Igor Kotler, Marc Mamigonian (NAASR), Armen Markarian, Vartan Matiossian, Bedross Der Matossian, Dave Moughalian, Sato Moughalian, Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Ani and Tom Odjakjian, Anna Ohanyan, Rolland Parker, Nardo Poy, Lusya Shmavonian Schinelli, Linda Shahinian, Harold Takooshian, and Kirsti Zitar (on behalf of the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights).
As part of its new policy to strengthen ties with academic institutions in Armenia, the Society for Armenian Studies signed an Agreement on Cooperation on January 13, with the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation.
The Society for Armenian Studies represents scholars and teachers in the field of Armenian Studies. It publishes the peer-reviewed “Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies,” available on its website. For more information about the Society or membership, please contact SAS President Bedross Der Matossian at bdermatossian2@unl.edu.
