HyeSearch: We Look High and Low, Travel Near and Far

SHAHAN NATALI IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF PARTISAKE KHATUTIK

2011-11-12T20:32:00.001-08:00

Shahan Natali is not the author of Partisake khatutik (2011-01-25)

Shahan Natali (one of his noms de plume, born Hagop Der Hagopian = Hakob Ter Hakobean) is not the author of Partizake khatutik, as attributed to him in catalog records for UCLA and UMich Dearborn, and listed in WorldCat. According to an Armenian-language article by the philological scholar, Professor Marc Nichanian, another Hakob Ter Hakobean, who was the mayor of Partizak before 1915, wrote the history of his native town. Nichanian speaks of his relationship to the author, who was married to Nichanian's paternal aunt. He also refers to the fact that, in the aftermath of the genocide of the Armenians at the hands of the Young Turks (1915-1923), Ter Hakobean found refuge in Konia and subsequently emigrated to France. Both he and Shahan Natali were in Paris in the 1920's, and had other connections, as members of the Armenian literati.

Partizake khatutik was written in Paris, where its author established the A. Der Akopian Press upon his settling in that city, and where the book was published in 1960.

As the daughter of Shahan Natali, as a library professional and as the heir and curator of the Shahan Natali archive (which includes his published works, many of which are listed in WorldCat, and accessible under Natali, Shahan), I have been able to confirm authorship of the titles attributed to him. These are works of poetry, plays, essays, translations into Armenian, historical treatises, etc. I was surprised to find Partizake khatutik among them, and my further research raised some questions, which resulted in my trying to secure a copy of this title. Unfortunately, the UCLA copy could not be found, and my request for interlibrary loan of the UMich copy was denied. Fortunately, however, I had the opportunity to review a colleague's personal copy of the book, which confirmed my supposition, as it contained a photograph of the author, who bore no resemblance to my father.

Therefore, I am requesting that WorldCat correct the authorship of Partizake khatutik, and notify both UCLA and UMich Dearborn of the correction. I myself will also personally contact UCLA Young Research Library and the Armenian Studies Program at UMich Dearborn regarding my findings and my request.

Sylva Natalie Manoogian, Doctoral Student (UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies) and International Library Consultant, dba HyeSearch

E-mail: csylva7@gmail.com; Website: www.hyesearch.blogspot.com

SERINDIPITY

2011-10-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Ran into a long-time acquaintance whom I haven't seen in years, right down the street from my house. He is also a blogger, photographer, cartoonist/film-maker, http://thegreatcartoonoflife.blogspot.com/. ~~~ Two days ago, ran into another long time friend, now a fellow classmate in information studies at UCLA. I pulled into a parking space near the GSE&IS building, just as she was going in during her work break. She recognized my car from the license plate!!! Timing is interesting, even when unplanned, or is it predestined?

NEWS RELEASE FROM WESTERN DIOCESE

2010-11-25T06:55:00.000-08:00

The news release in English and Armenian now appears on the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America at http://www.armenianchurchwd.com/tribute-to-shahan-natalie-itrepid-ideologue-1884-198/

TRIBUTE TO SHAHAN NATALIE, THE INTREPID IDEOLOGUE (1884-1983)

2010-11-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

See the attached flyers. This is the fourth presentation about the life and works of my father, who was, is, and will always be my inspiration.

Please share this information.

THANKS TO ALL MY TRUE FRIENDS

2010-10-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

I think I've recovered from my cyber-hacking experience, thanks to the care and concern of my true friends. But I won't forget the shock, disappointment and frustration for a very long time. So, wherever that hacker is lurking, I hope that he/she will be constantly reminded that it could happen to him/her when he/she least expects it ~~~

MY HOTMAIL ACCOUNT WAS HACKED

2010-10-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not just annoyed. I am furious. For those who read this blog, I am not in London. I have not been held up at gunpoint. Please, do not send any money by Western Union to the hacker who is posing as me.

WORLD CITIES I'VE VISITED

2010-07-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

Here is a map of the 177 cities in 34 countries I've visited ~~~ more, please!!!!

Bordeaux, France

Venice, Italy

Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Los Angeles, CA, USA

View my profile

Create your own travel map or travel blog

Search for vacation rentals at TripAdvisor

Yerevan named World Book Capital 2012 by UN cultural agency

2010-07-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

This is very exciting news and historically significant. 2012 also marks the 500th anniversary of the Armenian printed book (San Lazzaro degli Armeni (Venice): 1512). More to come ~~~ Just Google "yerevan world book capital 2012" and you will see how quickly the word is spreading.

"HEARING THE UNHEARD"

2010-05-14T05:47:00.001-07:00

a Project HEAL Presentation for Deaf Culture Awareness

Date:	Sunday, May 16, 2010
Time:	4:00pm - 6:00pm
Location:	Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America - Hampar Hall
Street:	3325 North Glenoaks Boulevard
City/Town:	Burbank, CA
	View Map

Description

The Armenian Professionals Network (APN) of the Western Diocese invites you to learn about the challenges of growing up deaf in a hearing society and the role of the Armenian Church in reaching out to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community.

HEAL--Helping Everyone Access the Liturgy is an APN Project, which aims "to serve the spiritual and social needs of all Western Diocese community members by facilitating access to the rites, ritual and teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church; and especially, understanding the significance of the Armenian Divine Liturgy.

"HEARING THE UNHEARD" panelists will share their personal experiences and perspectives about people who have been affected by deafness for a deeper understanding of the challenges, issues, and prejudices that deaf and hard-of-hearing people face on a daily basis.

The program will be interpreted in ASL (American Sign Language).

All are welcome.

For further information, contact Sylva Նաթալի Manoogian, hyesearch@hotmail.com

TRIBUTE TO SHAHAN NATALIE, THE INDOMITABLE IDEOLOGUE (1884-1983)

2010-03-09T01:20:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, California -- In commemoration of the 125th anniversary of his birth, the Shahan Natalie Family Foundation invites the public to attend a tribute to the living memory of the internationally known intrepid Armenian thinker, writer, orator, and activist. The event will take place on Saturday, April 10, 2010, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Los Angeles Public Library's Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 West Fifth Street, in downtown Los Angeles. Preceding the afternoon program, from 10 am-noon, Sylva Natalie Manoogian will lead a Hye (Armenian) Treasures Tour of the Central Library's resources.

Born in the village of Husenik, province of Kharberd, Historic Armenia, Shahan Natalie (born Hagop Der Hagopian) was orphaned at the age of 11, during the 1895 Hamidian massacres of the Armenians. He was sent to Istanbul and was accepted by the famed Berberian Academy, where his literary career and community activism were launched. At the age of 16, he returned to his native village to join the teaching staff of the school at the Church of St. Varvara. Four years later, in 1904, he immigrated to the United States. Fated to be spared from the atrocities of the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide by order of the Turkish government, he fulfilled his boyhood vow to devote his entire life to defending the rights of his people world-wide.

Over a period of more than six decades, he wrote under the nom de plume Shahan Natalie, published numerous Armenian language newspapers and books, and traveled to his homeland and Armenian communities throughout the Diaspora. Shahan Natalie's literary legacy embodies his love, devotion, and pride in the Armenian culture, language and literature, as well as his admiration and respect for the languages and literatures of the world. He transmitted these feelings to his family and others whose lives he touched. In December 1998, the Los Angeles Public Library International Languages Department's Armenian Language and Literature collection was dedicated in Shahan Natalie's name.

The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the lot beneath the Library, with its entrance at 524 South Flower Street for a $1.00 flat rate, with validation for Los Angeles Public Library cardholders. Visit the Library's website, http://www.lapl.org/ for further information, or e-mail Sylva Natalie Manoogian at hyesearch@hotmail.com for reservations.

APS & ALLIC Welcome Vartan Gregorian to SoCal

2009-10-26T15:09:00.000-07:00

If you are a student with valid, current school ID, you are urged to participate in this rare opportunity to have your voice heard directly by Dr. Gregorian, who will carry your concerns regarding U.S. public education to the White House! Contact me regarding your attendance and/or details at hyesearch@hotmail.com by November 1~~~

Picasa Web Albums - Hyesearch - LAPL Welcome Brochure

2009-09-14T01:13:00.000-07:00

Picasa Web Albums - Hyesearch - LAPL Welcome Brochure

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY

2009-08-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Total frustration when cyber-communication is in glitch. Some url's connect, and others (most of them indicate the link is broken). And I was almost in the mood to write a positive post!

ԱՅՍՕՐ ԿԱՐՈՂ ԵՄ ՀԱՅԵՐԷՆ ՏՊԱԳՐԵԼ

2009-08-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

Այսօր կարող եմ Հայերէն տպագրել: Հետեւեալը առաջին անգամն է որ օրագրութիւնս հայատառ է:

2009 LAZEROW LECTURE @ UCLA GSEIS

2009-05-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Nicholas H. Basbanes, author of A Gentle Madness and Patience & Fortitude, as well as one of my favorites in this "trilogy of bibliophilic efforts", A Splendor of Letters: The Permanence of Books in an Impermanent World, delivered the 2009 Lazerow Lecture, "Fruits of a Gentle Madness", at UCLA's Department of Information Studies last Thursday afternoon. It was an entertaining, enlightening, and inspiring talk, to a most receptive group of bibliophiles and bibliomanes -- the passionate lovers of books and the obsessive collectors of the printed word in all its forms.

Basbanes is an engaging writer, and his narrative in print is matched by his captivating storytelling ability. I, for one, couldn't stop smiling (especially when he said he reads what he's written aloud to his wife, since I'm accustomed to reading my writings to my husband in the middle of the night - usually when he'd much rather be sleeping).

At the end of the talk, our speaker entertained questions from the audience. I felt like the eager 4th grader I once was (many decades ago!), and asked whether or not there would be future editions of A Gentle Madness (1995), in which he inaugurated the lively, richly anecdotal exploration of book people, places, and culture for which he has become well-known and -loved. This allowed me to recount an unforgettable moment in the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library's 1986 attempted bibliocide at the hands of an arsonist on April 26, 1986.

At the aftermath of the fire, which consumed some 750,000 books and water-damaged some 400,000 more in the third largest public library in the country, the staff was called back to begin the sinister task of biblio-triage and packing the survivors of this cataclysm. As the manager of the then Foreign Languages Department (mercifully renamed International Languages Department in 1994), I was responsible for the well-being of its multi-language collections. During the harrowing 72 hours that ensued, the brittle, charred remains of a book came tumbling the stairs next to the Department. I gently picked it up, noting that it had fallen open to the title page. The title--Dieu te juge-- startled me. "God is judging you," it said. Was that warning a prophecy from the Almighty? I pondered. The book had to be saved, and by none other than me. Twenty three years have elapsed since that fateful day. Edouard Peisson's novel, Dieu te juge, (Paris: Grasset, 1955), has been under my tender care in a Ziploc gallon-size baggie, and only yesterday did it emerge from its protective encasement to have its title page be digitally photographed for the ages. I will have to borrow a copy to read, since the one in my possession is too fragile to have its pages turned.

The period of mourning for the City's great loss has long passed. Like the proverbial phoenix, rising from the ashes, the requiem for and rebuilding of one of the world's great "universities of the people" has brought solace and relief to the citizens of Los Angeles.

My profound thanks to Nicholas Basbanes for autographing my copy of A Splendor of Letters, and especially for allowing me to relive that "can this be happening to me?" moment as I continue my journey within the world of books, libraries, and life-long learning. BTW: I now have a Basbanes collection, having purchased 5 other of his books. I must now make time to read them!

FINDING THINGS CONTINUES...

2009-05-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

~~~~~~~There's some strange things going on these days~~~~~

I was trying to fit a large tome on a shelf above my work area (can't really call it a desk), when I found a sheet protector with a flyer announcing my "retirement" from Los Angeles Public Library, and an accompanying "ode", authorship unknown, dated 3/15/99.

So, I read both over, got a little teary-eyed, and am sharing them here, before they get lost again in the dust and clutter of time.

THIS IS NO JOKE!!!

2009-04-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

Things are starting to turn around, and it couldn't have happened at a better time! Lost items, which had gone missing, have started turning up in the most improbable places--there must be something in the air...good karma...whatever it is, I hope it keeps going for a while.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN SINCE MY LAST POST?

2009-03-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Where am I? Where am I going? Sounds really existentialist to me, particularly the second and third questions of this tri-partite self-examination query. BUSY sounds like a non-committal, semi-diplomatic answer. During last summer, I spent one afternoon a week meeting with my classmates and our advisor, trying to make headway with our dissertations in a collegial, critical environment. It helped a lot, but also raised more questions than it answered. I was hoping to focus on producing a review draft of the completed document, but other issues and my penchant for adding more to my plate have caused me frequent bouts of mental indigestion.

The Armenian adage, "There's good in all evil," applies here, for everything in which I have been engaged has taught me new things which are applicable to my aspirations. So I can move on. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, thank goodness,but there also is much work yet to be done!!!

Current projects (aside from the dissertation): ARMENIAN STUDIES AT A THRESHOLD, Society for Armenian 35th anniversary conference, March 26-29, 2009, at UCLA. I am responsible for the program booklet, which is at the printer's. Reviewed the galleys-in-progress and had to add to one page, with only 4 days to go. ARMENIAN PROFESSIONALS NETWORK, Report of 2008 activities, and Web site development. Just finished with a meeting of our admin committee. CLEANING MY DESK(S). That should be a fun, kind of archeological dig. Will post some pictures of progress with the latter. CHECKING E-MAIL, FACEBOOK, LINKedIN, DOING ON-LINE CROSSWORD PUZZLES, and STAYING UP ALL NIGHT.

The good thing is, I haven't totally lost my sense of humor, patience, enthusiasm,...or my mind, YET!!! I wish I could also lose a few lbs. of unwanted fat.

IT'S ONLY BEEN 3 MONTHS...

2008-07-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Major writer's block? Heat wave? Diversion? I'm still working to make some progress on my dissertation, and it's driving me to distraction!

I DO MY BEST WRITING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

2008-04-21T02:02:00.000-07:00

It's 2:07 a.m. Monday morning. Yesterday was an intensely busy, but enjoyable day, highlighted by a 3-hour rehearsal at Lark Musical Society in preparation for the Southern California premiere of the fourth operetta by Dikran Tchouhadjian, the father of Armenian opera. Zemire was first performed in Constantinople in 1891 by a French theatrical company.

Lark is collaborating with the AGBU Ardavazt Theatre Company to produce this opera semiseria in three performances, May 30 and 31, and June 1, 2008. I'm having fun participating in the performance and also translating the libretto from Armenian (translation done by Vatsche Barsoumian, Lark's executive and artistic director) for supertitles to be projected during the performance. I'm also writing the English language news releases and articles for the program book.

Of course, all of this is part of my self-administered therapy (SAT) to counteract the stress of dissertation-writing, which I am trying to work on every day. Another facet of this SAT is my addiction to Facebook and LibraryThing, about which more later.

IT'S BEEN SO LONG, I HAD TROUBLE LOGGING IN

2008-03-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

Three months plus is a l-o-o-o-o-n-g time...and a lot has happened since my last posting. The result was a vicious 3-pillar cycle (Perfectionism to Procrastination to Paralysis (read, writer's block). But I'm gradually getting back in the groove and yesterday participated in an excellent UCLA workshop on how to maximize your productivity for long-term writing projects.

So, consider this the beginning of a new resolve:

Finish writing, filing, and defending that dissertation before 2008 is out.
Get the brain's right hemisphere reconnected with the left hemisphere.
Engage in new strategies for writing, editing, revising, active note-taking

How do I actualize Covey's time management matrix?http://www.time-management-tips-and-skills.com/covey-time-management-matrix.html

JOURNEY TO VALENCIA, SPAIN

2007-09-27T04:44:00.000-07:00

Khachig and I arrived in Valencia, Spain last evening. Would that this were a pleasure trip. We will be here for a week, punctuated by a memorial service, the scattering of ashes on the Mediterranean Sea, of my late brother-in-law, Vartan, who passed away here in July. He was an internationally renowned violinist and professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. As of today,we are the guests of my doctoral advisor, Clara Chu, who is on sabbatical at the University of Valencia. The apartment overlooks the sparkling ocean, and today we are just vegging, recovering from jet lag, and bracing ourselves for what I hope will be some sort of closure for this unexpected loss.

CHANCE ENCOUNTERS...and A HYE OR TWO

2007-06-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the American Library Association annual conference in Washington, D.C. , with 27,000 librarians in attendance. Quite frankly, I wasn't very enthusiastic about going, but once I got there, it proved to be a very interesting week, with many Hye (Armenian) connections (including my roommate and colleague).

Day 1 (June 22): International Relations Round Table orientation -- one of the attendees turned out to be an Armenian woman from Rostov, Russia; also, my colleague from Armenia, who is the director of the Information Resource Center at the American Embassy in Yerevan.

Day 2 (June 23): Opening session -- keynote speakers, Bill Bradley and Vartan Gregorian (the latter has been an inspiration for me, especially for his "Vartanization" of libraries); presentation of the Sara Jaffarian School Library award.

Day 3 (June 24): EMIERT program, "Immigrants, Libraries, and the American Experience," at which I was one of 3 panelists. I spoke about Armenian immigrants , incorporating my own experience with American libraries.

Day 4 (June 25): Even at the exhibits, many of my contacts had a Hye lining, including one of the vendors from Madison, WI, who, when she saw my last name, connected it to my brother-in-law at the University. She had attended a number of his performances, knows his wife and son! I also managed to pique the interest of several publishers of language programs and geographic series that Armenian/Armenia should be considered for future publication. At the International Librarians reception that evening, of the 600 guests there were 5 Armenians, one from Armenia, one from Russia, and three from Los Angeles.

Day 5 (June 26): On the bus I met two librarians from Fresno, who work directly with the Armenian Studies program at Fresno State University. They know some of the people I know and attend many Armenian community functions. This makes them ABC's (Armenians by Choice).

Day 6 (June 27): Many of my taxi drivers were from Ethiopia and were familiar with the Armenian community in Addis Ababa. The cancellation of my flight home meant I had to fly in to LAX instead of Burbank. Who was my shuttle driver? Vartan the Armenian!

Now, back to L.A. reality and the writing of the dissertation...

LAST DAY IN ASTANA!

2007-04-20T04:02:00.000-07:00

So here we are, back at the National Academic Library, in Astana, Kazakhstan. It has been an interesting and enlightening week, interacting with our colleagues from Central Asia and other regions of the world. Yesterday was my presentation, part of a panel on literacy, with my "best practices" talk preceded by Prof. Clara Chu speaking on issues of literacy and multicultural populations.

Astana is the new capital of Kazakhstan. The word "astana" means capital, and the city is being constructed as we speak. There are many new buildings, interesting architecture, and especially vivid colors (very compatible with my own polychrome palette). Also wonderful are the tastes and colors of the foods. Best of all are the wonderful librarians who have hosted us. They are, as in other places, the sacred keepers of the word in all its forms.

In a few hours, the van will take us to the Astana airport for a flight to Almaty, from where we will fly to Frankfurt and then back to Los Angeles. We will arrive at LAX tomorrow just past noon. Then I will post some of the many images I have been able to capture. They will speak more loudly than any of my words can.

AWAKE IN SEATTLE

2007-01-23T23:21:00.000-08:00

I've just gotten back from a few days in Seattle, attending the Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association, where I spent most of my time either in meetings (International Relations Committee/Eurasia-Central Asia Subcommittee; Armenian Librarians and Libraries Information Committee); cruising through vendor exhibits; surfing the net (fortunately, WIFI was available and my laptop came in handy). My Hye colleagues and I were working on program and activities plans for the summer conference in Washington, DC, in late June; and sending e-mails galore to those members who couldn't be with us in person.

In between, we enjoyed some good food, mainly punctuated by yummy cheesecake and washed down with Starbucks coffee at the Cheesecake Factory, conveniently located across the street from our hotel and close to the Washington State Convention Center.

It was a very productive conference, topped off by a very pleasant evening with Fr. Yeghia Isayan and his family. Fr. Yeghia is the pastor of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Seattle. The parish began its organizational efforts 25 years ago and are now looking forward to the construction of a new church. I have no doubt that Fr. Y's energy, enthusiasm, and encouragement will make this daunting undertaking come to fruition.

We were talking about the importance of libraries as treasure houses of knowledge and information, and I showed a couple of the PowerPoint presentations I've put together on Armenian libraries and their resources. I look forward to returning to Seattle and sharing these with the Armenian community, as part of broadening the Western Diocese's Library Network.

SYLVA'S CURRICULUM VITAE - 2007

2007-01-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

An immigrant child, born in France of Armenian parents, survivors of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Sylva Natalie Manoogian arrived in the United States through Ellis Island in December 1946. She was nine years old. She has been married to the same man, Khachig Evan Manoogian, for 45 years. They have three sons: Antranig, 44; Vahan, 42; and Ara, 41.

Sylva’s introduction to American life was through the public library, which became her permanent haunt. Convinced by her father’s assertion that, “for every language you master, you become another person,” she studied English assiduously by reading books she borrowed from her neighborhood branch library in Belmont, MA, and waited for the transformation. Her father’s advice proved prophetic, as all through elementary and high schools, university, and independently, she has studied Armenian, French, Latin, Greek, and subsequently, Russian, German, and Spanish. She claims fluency in Armenian (Western, Eastern, and Classical), French, and Spanish, and varying degrees of proficiency in the others. She is now studying Arabic and Hebrew>

During her undergraduate years at Radcliffe College (1955-1959), she worked as a student assistant at Harvard University’s Widener Library, re-cataloging the Armenian language collection, which would support the curriculum of a newly established Armenian Studies Chair. This, together with her passion for languages and literature, set the path for her future career in the field of library and information science. Her global linkages as a library professional began in 1964 at the Los Angeles Public Library, where she promoted from intermittent clerk to clerk-typist, librarian trainee (while attending the University of Southern California’s Library School, 1965-1969), children’s librarian (Arroyo Seco Regional Library), senior librarian (El Sereno Branch), and finally, principal librarian (Central Library, International Languages Dept. Manager, and Northeast Area Manager), until her retirement in April 1999, after 35 years of active Los Angeles City service.

As “La Jubilada,” her preferred moniker, Sylva has been devoting her time as consultant to Armenian library projects worldwide and writing the definitive biography of her illustrious father, Shahan Natalie, internationally known as an Armenian author, journalist, publisher, and community activist. She continues to work at Los Angeles Public Library’s Central and branch libraries as a substitute part-time reference librarian. She also works “at will” at Glendale Public Library, with responsibility for Armenian language collection development for a culturally diverse community with a large concentration of Armenians from all parts of the world.

Back in academia after 36 years as a practitioner, Sylva became a full-time doctoral student at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies in 2003, with the aim is of “Armenizing” the field of Information Studies. She is currently engaged in very challenging research, including a qualitative sociological study on “Armenian-ness,” and a comparative study of Armenian and Chinese diasporas, the latter together with her doctoral advisor and mentor, Dr. Clara M. Chu.

As the author of numerous articles on international librarianship and Armenian culture and heritage, her most recent publications include: a review of Vartan Gregorian’s Road to Home: My Life and Times, which appeared in Library Quarterly (Vol. 74, 2004); Libraries of Armenian Jerusalem, part of the Hebrew University Armenian Studies Series The Armenians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land (Peeters 2002); an English translation of one of her father’s books, The Turks and Us (Punik Press, 2001). She has completed an English translation of Archbishop Torkom Manoogian’s The Genius of Komitas in His Divine Liturgy, to be published by the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and on a bio-bibliography of Komitas Vardapet (1869-1935), the father of Armenian music, to commemorate the 135th anniversary of his birth. She is preparing an article on Armenian libraries, to be included in the forthcoming edition of the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science.

In 2001 and 2002, she was a member of an American Library Association delegation, participating with representatives of the library associations of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in two South Caucasus library workshops, “Strengthening Library Associations in the South Caucasus,” (Tbilisi, Georgia, May 2001), and “Libraries in a Civil Society: Improving Access to Information through University Libraries,” (Yerevan, Armenia, September 2002). In October 2003, she was invited to participate in, and deliver the keynote address at the 70th anniversary jubilee of the Khnko Aper National Children’s Library of Armenia. As a result, she initiated a study regarding the feasibility of establishing an Information Studies Center at the American University of Armenia, a project currently in the developmental stages. Since September 2003, she was appointed to head a local/regional project, the establishment of a library and library network for the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, headquartered in Burbank, CA.

As the Library Project Director for the revitalization, virtualization, and internationalization of the Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, Sylva has visited the Holy City on a voluntary basis twenty two times since 1992, accompanied on several of the trips by her husband, the Project Engineer and Manager, and several U.S. library colleagues. She spent four months (October to December 2005) in the Holy City. During these trips, she stayed and conducted research in the St. James Armenian Orthodox Monastery, working on her doctoral dissertation, The Evolution and Endurance of Monastic Libraries in the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Sylva has been an active member of the American and California Library Associations since 1968, and was accorded honorary lifetime membership in the Library Association of Armenia for championing its establishment in 1994. She joined ALISE and ASIST in 2004.

For her contributions to multilingual and international library services, Sylva has been accorded several prestigious awards, among them, the American Library Association’s Leonard Wertheimer Award (1993); a Woman of Achievement Award at the First Armenian International Women’s Association Conference (London, 1994); the Hakob Meghapart Medal from the National Library of Armenia (Yerevan, 1994); the Susan B. Anthony Award (Hollywood business and Professional Women, March 1995). In November 1995, the California Library Association recognized her multicultural and international accomplishments as an outstanding librarian. Most recently (June 2006) she received the American Library Association’s John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award, in recognition of her significant contributions to international librarianship.

As an active member of the Southern California Armenian community and a familiar face in the Armenian world, Sylva is deeply rooted in her Armenian heritage, proud of being an American citizen, and sensitive to cultural diversity and international understanding. She always enjoys the challenge of new encounters and experiences. She can be described as energetic, persistent, approachable, and possesses good organizational, administrative, and motivational skills. When asked to synthesize the significance of her commitment to her professional life, she says, “I feel blessed and privileged to be able to share my knowledge and experience, particularly with my library colleagues in Armenia, and hopefully to inspire future generations of Armenians to perpetuate the noble tradition of libraries, begun by our ancestors since the creation of the Armenian alphabet 1600 years ago.”

VIEWS OF KHARBERD

2007-01-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

The magic of cybercommunication has made receiving these photos of Kharberd, where my father was born, possible. A long-time friend and library colleague, Jordan Scepanski, had taken them in 1965, when he was in Turkey. We had talked about his having been there over the course of our acquaintance, but I just received the jpeg images, attached to an e-mail message today. The first is of Kharberd Castle; the second and third, are general views of the region in what was once historic Western Armenia.Who knows, perhaps during this coming year, I will go to see for myself and document the millennial places where my Armenian ancestors lived and died.

NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN...

2007-01-03T01:29:00.000-08:00

So, the New Year is 3 days old! How will it be different from 2006? One similarity is that my writing muse usually attacks in the middle of the night (1:32 a.m. PST).

The new academic quarter begins today and I will be meeting with my advisor this afternoon, with new resolve to defend my dissertation proposal and move to candidacy by the end of March. In preparation for that meeting I finished the reorganization of my research files on the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. These number 33 and multiplying. As is evident from the photo, some are stacked in the middle of my living room. The rest are in the north, west, south, and east corners of the same room. And you don't want to see the dining room or the bedroom. HELP!!!

Other tasks I need to finish include writing an article for the new edition of the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science about Armenian Libraries. I hope to have a draft completed by the end of the month.

SYLVA MANOOGIAN -- LIBRARY STORY -- THE WINDOWS VERSION

2006-12-21T02:34:00.000-08:00

You can never tell what will possess me to be up in the middle of the night, doing just one more something before falling asleep. I was actually working on a grant proposal, and then looking up the name of someone whom I hadn't seen or heard from in a number of years, when I came across the following link (which I had visited 135 days ago!)

Sylva Manoogian - Library Story Windows Version

The holiday season being upon us, let this be the way I wish you Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a blessed Feast of the Nativity (which we celebrate on January 6 or January 19, depending on whether we are here or in Jerusalem).

IT"S BEEN A L-O-O-O-N-G TIME!

2006-11-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

4:43 a.m. The house is still, but I am still awake, while the TV is on PBS, low-volume, playing classical music selections. Why, you ask, has Sylva been quiet for so long? Stress, nothing to say, or not wanting to put it in writing... Look for updates from now on.

WHO IS ODASIS?

2006-08-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

I worked on the reference desk at a branch of Los Angeles Public Library today. It's something I really enjoy, particularly when kids come to ask questions. A little girl handed me a scrap of paper with the word odasis written on it. "Is it the name of a book?" I asked, "Or a person's name?" She really couldn't tell me. I then asked, "Is it for school?" She replied, "No. School hasn't started yet." Questioning her further, I said, "Do you know what it's about?" She replied, "Myths." I began to say the word out loud "O-day-sis, Oh-dah-sees." Suddenly a light bulb went on. "Let me spell it a different way," I said, entering "Odysseus "and"juvenile" in the keyword search field on the computer screen. I showed her what I had found and she agreed it was exactly what she was looking for. We placed a hold on the book, which was located in another library, and she went away with a big smile on her face.

EACH LEG IS 20...

2006-08-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's MY Birthday! Last year at this time, I was asked how old I was. I replied, "My right leg is 20..." It's not about how old you are, but how young you feel.

I have received several birthday greetings, among them, the one pictured here ('Leonard Lion' by Sarah Battle (c)2004), from a long-time leonine librarian friend of mine, who never forgets this day each year. The phone and cyber-wishes have made this a very nice day indeed. An interesting one was at Jon's Market, where the shelf restocker called me 'Morkoor jan = Auntie dear' ; the meat-cutter called me 'Mama' ; and the Armenian cashier commented on the good food I was buying. When I said it was for my birthday, she and the box-girl sang 'Happy Birthday'! The store manager, who was standing by, shook my hands and congratulated me.

BTW: My left leg is also 20; my right and left arms, 10 each; my two eyes and the tip of my nose, 3 each. That's a lot of years to celebrate!!!

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CLEAN YOUR DESK

2006-07-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

For several weeks now, in the intense heat and humidityof this L.A. summer, I've been going through boxes and boxes of books, papers, notebooks, and other forms of print materials. All of this is so that I can organize them into some sort of coherent order and get cracking on my dissertation proposal.

Meanwhile, here is a serendipitous find I must share with you. I don't know who the author was. I wish it had been me.

DUSTING

"A house becomes a home when you can write 'I love you' on the furniture." (There's plenty of love in my house, then! :-)

I can't tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING! I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect -- "in case someone came over." Then I realized one day that no one came over. They were all out living life and having fun!

Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away, living life and having fun [read: doing the things I'm passionate about]. If you haven't figure this out yet, please heed the following advice:

"Life is short. Enjoy it!

DUST IF YOU MUST, but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake a cake or plant a see, ponder the difference betwwen want and need?

DUST IF YOU MUST, but there's not much time--with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, dominoes [read: solitaire, backgammon] to play, friends to cherish and life to lead.

DUST IF YOU MUST, but the world's out there--with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain. This day will not come around again.

DUST IF YOU MUST, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. And when you go -- and go you must -- you, yourself will make more dust!

Share this will all the wonderful women in your life!

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

2006-07-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sylva Natalie Manoogian received the John Ames Humphry / OCLC / Forest Press Award during the International Relations Round Table (IRRT) Chair’s Program on June 26, 2006, at the American Library Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The award, given for significant contributions to international librarianship, was established in 1987 in honor of Mr. Humphry, the executive director of Forest Press* from 1977 to 1985.
Ms. Manoogian was recognized for her tireless efforts to rebuild the Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, her contributions as a consultant to libraries and librarians in Armenia, and the cooperative spirit she has fostered among librarians from the nations of the Caucasus.

Ms. Manoogian retired as Principal Librarian from the Los Angeles Public Library in 1999, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. In the attached picture, Ms. Manoogian (far right) is seen receiving her award standing next to Jeannette Pierce (middle), IRRT Chair and Librarian for History, Political Science, and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University, and me [Joan Mitchell](far left).

*Forest Press, the former publisher of the Dewey Decimal Classification, became a division of OCLC in 1988. OCLC retired the Forest Press imprint in 2002.
Posted by Joan at 01:57 PM in DDC in the conference hall

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN...

2006-07-14T01:27:00.000-07:00

A full month has passed since my last post. One would think I had vanished from the face of the earth. In reality, I've been so busy that the days have flown by and melded one into the other.

June 14: I went to UCLA and LAPL Central Libraries, where I found a number of books by and about Carmen Sylva, my namesake and the non de plume of Elizabeth I, queen of Romania (1843-1916). My father admired her greatly and wrote an essay about her in the early 1900's. Those of you who receive e-mails from me will notice a few of her quotes in my signature.

June 15: Representing the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, I attended a training workshop given by the City of Los Angeles "Rescue & Restore" Anti-Human-Trafficking Coalition.

June 16: In the evening, the Armenian librarians who work at Los Angeles Public Library got together for dinner. I remember when there was only one Armenian librarian at LAPL (me). Today, we can proudly report a 1,000% increase!

June 17: Janet Kayaa, one of the PhD students in Information Studies at UCLA received her doctoral hood. We can now call her Dr. Janet and feted her accomplishment at a dinner in her honor.

June 18: A day of rest, although I began sorting through the many boxes and papers that occupy every nook and cranny and flat surface in our house, in preparation for the forthcoming American Library Association annual meeting in New Orleans.....

June 19: Building Blocks meeting at the Lark Musical Society in its new home in Glendale.

To be continued

ANOTHER HONOR

2006-06-13T23:25:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to say that I have received a Summer Research Grant Fellowship, which will enable me to work on develop my doctoral dissertation proposal on The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem: Institutionalizing Cultural Patrimony. This consists of 1) a statement of purpose; 2) literature review; 3) methodology. I expect this will be about 100 pages. I hope to defend the proposal by the end of September 2006. If the defense is successful, then I can concentrate on writing the dissertation. Hopefully, I will finish and complete the doctorate by next Spring 2007.

Meanwhile, I am gradually going through the numerous boxes of documentation, and putting it in order, to facilitate the writing. I am also doing some research on my namesake, Carmen Sylva, otherwise known as Elizabeth I, Queen of Rumania (1843-1916), a woman very much admired by her subjects, and by my father, who wrote an essay about her. Here are a couple of her quotes: "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't." "Ignorance always puts itself at the head of the line in order to be seen; Intelligence stands back to watch."

SYLVA'S C.V.

2006-04-15T02:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know who I am, and wonder; or for those of you who do know me, but have forgotten; or, just for the record...

CURRICULUM VITAE
Sylva Natalie Manoogian
E-Mail: hyesearch@hotmail.com
Personal Web Site: www.hyesearch.blogspot.com

EDUCATION
• Doctoral student, University of California, Los Angeles, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, January 2003-current
• Master of Library of Science, University of Southern California, School of Library Science, Los Angeles, California, January 1969
• Bachelor of Arts, Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 1959. Major: Classics/Latin concentration); Minor: Linguistics - Armenian (Classical) and French

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• International Librarianship, Cultural Diversity, Multilingualism, Information Institutions, Information as Evidence, Archival Science, Information Structures; Armenian Cultural Patrimony, Armenian Genocide, Armenian Diaspora, Armenian Identity

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE – LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

(INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY CONSULTANT), 1989-current
• Advise Armenian and Armenological libraries worldwide in areas of collection development, automation, and management
• Direct revitalization, virtualization, and internationalization of Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
• Establish and coordinate libraries for Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
• Develop grant proposals and oversee the management of grant-funded projects
• Maintain contacts with international library associations, institutions, and professionals
• Provide reference and translation services to Los Angeles Public Library on an as-needed basis
• Develop and catalog Armenian language and Genocide Memorial collection for Glendale (CA) Public Library
• Provide translation services on independent contract basis

(PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN) MANAGER, Northeast Area, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Public Library, October 1996-March 1999)
• Managed 11 community branch libraries and Inner City Bookmobile Services in the Northeast Area of Los Angeles, providing library services to a culturally and linguistically diverse population.
• Oversaw facilities maintenance, participated in planning for renovations and designing new library buildings.
• Developed grant proposals and oversaw the management of grant-funded projects

(PRINCIPAL LIBRARIAN) MANAGER, International Languages Department, Central Library, Los Angeles Public Library, 1978-September 1996)

• Managed major reference and information unit, including the Fletcher Jones Language Center and the Los Angeles Times Adult Literacy and Learning Skills Center, providing multi-language service on a city-wide and regional basis.
• Planned, evaluated, directed public service and coordinated collection development in over 500 world languages and dialects
• Coordinated translation and interpretation services for Library Administration, other City Departments, and public at large
• Participated in library professional organizations, local, regional, national, and international, establishing global connections on behalf of the Library

(SENIOR LIBRARIAN) BRANCH LIBRARIAN, El Sereno Branch, Los Angeles Public Library, 1976-1978
• Planned, evaluated and directed public service in predominantly Hispanic community
• Selected, trained, supervised, and evaluated staff of 6 employees
• Prepared and managed operational budget
• Oversaw collection development of English and Spanish language library materials for adults, young adults, children
• Participated in and facilitated outreach through special programs, membership in community organizations, speaking engagements.

(LIBRARIAN I) CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN, Arroyo Seco Regional Branch, Los Angeles Public Library, 1968-1976
• Developed children’s literature collection and library services in large regional branch
• Reviewed books for Library and for professional review media.
• Served on materials selection and evaluation committees
• Planned and conducted special programs and workshops for children, parents, and teachers
• Served as the branch outreach librarian

(LIBRARIAN TRAINEE), Los Angeles Public Library, 1965-1968
• Served as paraprofessional intern on full-time basis, while attending graduate school part-time
• Learned all aspects of public library service for adults, young adults, and children

(CLERK-TYPIST), Los Angeles Public Library, 1964-1965

• Performed clerical duties as required for support activities in various locations, including Catalog Department, Municipal Reference Library, and Foreign Languages Department

(PRINCIPAL LIBRARY ASSISTANT), Business Administration Library, University of California at Los Angeles, 1963-1964

(CLERK-TYPIST), Library, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, California, 1961-1963

(STUDENT ASSISTANT), Armenian Language Cataloger, Harvard University, Widener Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1957-1959

LANGUAGE EXPERTISE

• Fluency in speaking, reading, and writing English, Armenian (Western and Eastern dialects), French, Spanish. Los Angeles City-certified for Armenian and Spanish
• Fluency in reading and writing Classical Armenian and Latin
• Limited to fair proficiency in German, Greek (Classical), Italian, Portuguese, Russian

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES and ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Doctoral Program Committee Student Representative, UCLA GSE&IS Department of Information Studies, 2004-2005
• Diversity Recruitment and Mentoring Committee, 2004-date
• Advisory Board, Interactions Journal of Education and Information Studies, 2004-date
• Graduate Research Assistant to Prof. Clara M. Chu, 2004-date
• Research Studies and Academic Writings (2003-date):
o The Armenian Cyber-Community: Bridging the Divide between Diaspora and Homeland (IADIS Conference, Algarve, Portugal, 2005)
o The Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem (UCLA Armenian Historic Cities and Provinces Conference, 2004)
o Armenian-ness: State of Being or State of Mind?
o The Armenian Diaspora: A Literature Review
o Manoogian Model for Information Seeking Behaviors of Armenians
o Voices of Remembrance: Exploring the Shahan Natalie Archive
o Definitions in Information Seeking and Use
o Critique of a Model: Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process
o Documenting Komitas Vardapet, the Father of Armenian Music
o Ararat-Eskijian Museum
o National Library of Armenia
o Comparative Study of Information Studies Curricula in Armenia and United States
o Glendale Public Library: An Ethnic Resource Center Serving the Armenian Community
o Evaluating Multicultural Information on the Internet: Armenian Genocide
o Growing Old on One Pillow: Armenian Wedding Traditions
o In the Spirit of Ararat: Armenian Heritage and Tradition
o Shahan Natalie: Crusader for Armenian Journalism in the Diaspora
o Intellectual Freedom: A South Caucasus Perspective
o Book Review: The Road to Home: My Life and Times by Vartan Gregorian. Published in Library Quarterly, July 2004

WRITINGS and PUBLICATIONS

• Indomitable Avenger: The Life and Works of Shahan Natalie. In preparation
• A Bio-Bibliography of Komitas, the Father of Armenian Music. Print and digital editions in preparation.
• Translator of Manoogian, Archbishop Torkom. The Genius of Komitas in His Divine Liturgy. To be published by St. James Press, Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 2005. Translated into English from Armenian text.
• Translator of Natalie, Shahan. The Turks and Us. Stepanagert, NKR: Punik Press, c2001. Translated into English from Armenian text.
• “National Library of Armenia Guide.” Erevan: Aramas Press, c2000. English language text preparation and editorial board member for IREX-funded 24-page, full color, bilingual (Armenian-English) publication on history, resources, and services of the largest and most important center for the preservation and study of the Armenian book and the output of international book publishing.
• "Librarians without Borders: Internationalizing the Armenian Information Network." Paper based on Armenian language version, published in Sion, the official quarterly journal of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Issue 1-2-3 (1998). The Armenian Patriarchate holds the copyright.
• “Revitalizing, Virtualizing, and Internationalizing the Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.” Poster presentation and paper delivered at the American Library Asociation Annual Conference, Washington, DC, June 1998. Paper published in Armenian in the Annual Newsletter of the Library Association of Armenia.
• “Armenian Women, Literacy, and Libraries.” Paper delivered in English at Armenian International Women’s Conference, Paris, France, July 1997, and in Armenian at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, August 1997. The latter was published in Sion, official literary quarterly publication of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Issue 1-2-3 (1998)
• “De la Musique et des Femmes.” Program booklet to accompany concert by Shahan Arzruni at AIWA Conference, Paris, France, July 1997. Edited English language text and translated into French.
• “Armenian Resources at Los Angeles Public Library.” Informational piece developed for multi-language publicity campaign for the Library, March 1997.
• “Emerging Democracies and the Role of the International Relations Committee.” Paper delivered at American Library Association Annual Conference, New York, NY, June 1996. Program co-sponsors: International Relations Committee and Association of Armenian Information Professionals.
• “Literacy, Libraries, and the National Library Association of Armenia.” Paper delivered at American Library Association Annual Conference, New York, NY, June 1996. Program organizer: Public Library Association International Relations Committee.
• “From Ararat to L.A.: The Journey of the Armenians to Southern California.” Paper delivered at Shades of L.A. Symposium, November 1995, Los Angeles Public Library.
• “Hye Energy: Strategies for Personal Success.” Paper delivered at Hollywood Business and Professional Women Association, Hollywood Chapter, Fall Conference, “Breaking the Glass Ceiling,” October 1995. Also delivered as keynote address at St. James Armenian Church, Los Angeles, November 1995.
• “Armenian Libraries in the Diaspora: Yesterday and Today.” Paper delivered at International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, August 1995. In preparation for publication by Libraries and Culture and translation and publication by the University of Istanbul, Faculty of Library Science in 1997.
• “Public Library Services to Turks Living in the United States.” Report delivered at International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, August 1995.
• “Libraries Serving Multicultural Populations,” with Lee Olivier and Robert Belvin. Public Libraries, November 1994.
• “Making a Difference in Armenian Libraries,” with Araxie P. Churukian. Submitted for publication in International Leads and Armenian press, July 1993.
• “The Armenian Presence in Jerusalem,” Published as “A Slice of Eden: Armenian Jerusalem at a Crossroads,” with Talene Satamian, in A.I.M.: Armenian Internatioanl Magazine, December 1992.
• “Armenian Cultural Festival 1992.” Commemorative booklet prepared for 6th annual Armenian Cultural Festival, Los Angeles City College, October 4, 1992. Contains articles on various aspects of Armenian history and culture.
• “Los Angeles Public Library and Cultural Diversity.” Feature article in International Leads (Issued by the International Relations Round Table of the American Library Association), Vol.6, No.2, Summer 1992
• “Challenges of Multi-Language Acquisition.” In Developing Library Collections for California’s Emerging Majority: A Manual of Resources for Ethnic Collection Development. Edited by Katharine T. A. Scarborough. Berkeley, California: Bay Area Library and Information System, 1990.
• “Hye [Armenian] Earthquake Library Project.” Reports and press releases on the activities of the American Library Association President’s Armenian Earthquake Disaster Committee during the 1989 calendar year. Includes an article published in the ALA Yearbook. Chicago, 1990.
• “Developing a Multi-Language Learning Center in a Public Library.” A paper presented at American Library Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, June 1987.
• “From the Ashes…” An account of the effects of the April 1986 arson fire on the Los Angeles Central Library Foreign Languages Department. Communicator, Vol.19, No.11-12, November-December 1986.
• “Lifeline to Polyglots: How Los Angeles Public Library Serves Multilingual Students.” In Pan Newsletter, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, September 1985.
• “On Serving the Aging Polyglot: The Role of the Public Libraries in the United States.” Paper presented at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Conference, Chicago, IL, August 1985.
• “Armenian Language, Literature, Printing and Publishing.” Booklet prepared for a cultural awareness workshop, Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, Pasadena, CA June 26, 1985.
• A Directory of Language Collections in North American Public Libraries, with Natalia B. Bezugloff. Chicago: American Library Association, 1985.
• “The Importance of Ethnic Collections in Libraries.” Chapter 1 of Ethnic Collections in Libraries, edited by E. J. Josey and Marva DeLoach. New York: Neals-Schuman, 1983.
• L.A.: The Ethnic Place. Guide to the city for attendees of the Association’s annual conference. Creator and editor. Los Angeles: American Library Association/Local Arrangements Committee, 1983.
• Bilingual Phrases for Schools: Armenian. Chief translator and editor. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Unified School District, 1982.
• “Building Ethnic Collections in Libraries.” In Ethnic Forum, Fall 1982.
• Armenian Language: A Contrastive Analysis. (Report No. 2, Armenian Assembly California Council and Resource Center). Los Angeles, June 1981.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• American Library Association, 1980-date. Chair, International Relations Committee, U.S-Armenian Libraries Subcommittee, renamed Eurasia and Central Asia Subcommittee, 1988-1998. 2003-date; Secretary Treasurer, International Relations Round Table, 1995-1997; Chair, Ethnic Materials Information Exchange Round Table, Collection Development Committee, 1992-1996, and Armenian Librarians and Libraries Information Committee (ALLIC), 1997-date; Member, Public Library Association Metropolitan Libraries Section, Services to Multicultural Populations Committee, 1990-1996; Public Library Association International Relations Committee, 2003-date.
• Armenian Allied Arts Association, 1985-date: Member.
• Armenian Cultural Festival, Inc. 1992-date: Board Member; Chairman of Board, 1995-date.
• Armenian International Women’s Association, 1994-date. Board Member; Woman of Achievement (1994).
• Association of Armenian Information Professionals, 1996-date: Member.
• California Ethnic Services Task Force, Member, 1978-1980.
• California Library Association, 1980-1988: Member, Council; Chair, International Relations Round Table.
• Friends of the Calouste Gulbenkian Library, Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 1997-date. Secretary-Treasurer and Library Renovation Project Director, 1995-date.
• International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 1995-1998: Los Angeles Public Library delegate; member, Working Group on Literacy
• LARK Musical Society, 1994-current: Founding Member, Chorale, Publications Committee, Public Relations Director.
• Library Association of Armenia, 1994-date: Founding Life Member, Executive Council.
• University of Southern California Friends of Armenian Music, 1992-present: Member.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS and COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING

• 1979-date: Speaker at conferences, schools, community meetings on the following topics:
o Panelist, IADIS International Conference on Web Based Communities 2005 (Algarve, Portugal)
o Keynote Address, 70th Anniversary of Khnko Apor National Children’s Library of Armenia (Yerevan, 2003)
o Racism and Sexism in Textbooks
o The Role of the California Ethnic Services Task Force in serving Multicultural Library Communities
o Community-Sponsored Library Cultural Programs
o Being Armenian: An Individual Approach
o Doing It Multilingually
o Children and Ethnicity: Growing Up Armenian
o Armenian Refugee Students
o *F*L*I*Q*: A Computer-Assisted Multilingual Interlibrary Loan Program
o No Way But Up: Libraries Serving Multiethnic Communities
o Building Ethnic Collections for Libraries
o Armenian Experience: Being and Becoming Armenian
o Armenian Students: A Challenge for Educators
o Serving International Students in a Public Library
o The Role of Public Libraries in the Republic of Armenia
o Los Angeles Public Library Serving a Culturally Diverse Population;” “Save the Books
o 1998 Library Bond Measure
o Save the Books Campaign: Restoring the Los Angeles Public Library
o Armenian Cuisine: The California Experience

• 1979-98: Coordinator, Library exhibits and related cultural programs in Los Angeles and environs,
o The Armenians: People of Ararat
o Armenia: Portraits of Survival
o From Ararat to Los Angeles: The Visual Journey of Armenians to Southern California
o A Bouquet of Armenian Culture
o Armenian Folk Arts and Ancient Treasures

• 1980: Consultant, Hollywood High School, in-service training workshop for instructional staff on needs of Armenian students, community, history, and culture. Intensive English Language Instruction for Refugee Students, Los Angeles Unified School District, Office of Bilingual Education.

• 1981: Reviewer, Handbook for Armenian Bilingual Education, published by the California State Department of Education.

• 1983-96: Coordinator, library conference programs and workshops on multiculturalism and cultural diversity.1989-92: Coordinator/Consultant, H.Y.E. [Armenian] Earthquake Library Project (H.E.L.P.) Chaired meetings, prepared reports and press releases, established relationships with libraries world-wide. Visited Armenian SSR at invitation of Armenian Ministry of Culture to assess needs of libraries devastated by earthquake in December 1988.

• 1992-Date: Consultant, Papazian Library, American University of Armenia, Erevan. Instructor, Strategic Planning for Libraries, as part of the University’s Extension Program, May 1993.

• 1994-Date: Consultant/Sponsor, Library Association of Armenia; member of Executive Council.

• 1994-Date: Library Consultant, Armenian Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Istanbul. Library Project Director, Calouste Gulbenkian Library, Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

• 1998-Date: Grant Administrator: National Library of Armenia, for an IREX grant to develop a bilingual (Armenian/English) information guide to the library, with Nerses Hayrapetyan, Deputy Director.

• Research Consultant, “The Cultivation of Hatred: Total War and Genocide” segment of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century 8-part series for Public Television, broadcast November 11-14, 1996. Also to author Gerald S. Graber on his book Crossroads to Oblivion: The Armenian Genocide of 1915, John Wiley Publications (1996).

AWARDS

• Recipient, John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award, to be presented at American Library Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, June 2006
• Recipient, Hagop Meghapart Medal, presented in the National Library of Armenia, Erevan, June 1993.
• Recipient, Public Library Association’s Leonard Wertheimer Multilingual Public Library Service Award, presented in Miami Beach, FL, June 1994.
• Recipient, Armenian International Women’s Association’s Woman of Achievement Award, London, England, September 1994.
• Recipient, Susan B. Anthony Award, by Hollywood Business and Professional Women, March 1995.
• Recipient, California Library Association, Public Library Section, Award for Excellence as a Public Librarian, November 1996.
• Woman of the Year, 1974, Highland Park, CA.

SOME GOOD NEWS

2006-03-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's not always that I do self-praise, but I've got to share this one.

Contact: Michael Dowling
American Library Association
International Relations Office
312-280-3200
mdowling@ala.org
For Immediate Release
February 28, 2006

John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award winner announcedCHICAGO -

Sylva Natalie Manoogian is this year's recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Committee's John Ames/Humphry/OCLC/ Forest Press Award.

OCLC/Forest Press donated the cash award of $1,000, which is given to an individual for significant contributions to international librarianship.

Sylva Natalie Manoogian received this award for her significant contributions in librarianship and community service worldwide. Manoogian is a PhD candidate in Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ms. Manoogian is being recognized for her tireless efforts to rebuild the Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem, her contributions as a consultant to libraries and librarians in Armenia, and the cooperative spirit she has fostered among librarians from the nations of the Caucasus.

“Ms. Manoogian's library career has demonstrated innovative approaches to public service in this nation and the international community reaching beyond the expected levels of community outreach and core programs generally associated with library services,” said Thomas Alford, chair of the IRC- John Ames Humphry/OCLC/Forest Press Award Committee.

Manoogian will be recognized during the International Relations Round Table Chair's Program on Monday, June 26, 2006 at the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
50 E. Huron Chicago, IL 60611

I REALLY SHOULD BE GETTING SOME Z-Z-Z'S!

2006-03-20T02:24:00.000-08:00

It's been almost five weeks since my last posting, but I haven't been in a very energetic mood. Can't really say why. Could be the weather, the persistent jet-lag, or the pre-spring blues (looking at the 40-some file boxes of documents, evidence of the archival breadth of cultural patrimony at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem). Anyway, today was an improvement after an all-nighter, vegging on the couch, channel-surfing. The spring quarter at UCLA is fast approaching, and I'm going to be back on the freeway, 50 miles round-trip to my university and my volunteer duties at the Western Diocesan Library.

BACK IN L.A.

2006-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

It's a week now that I'm back in Los Angeles, and still jet lagged. I was hoping to hit the ground running, but I still can't get over having been almost halfway around the world. So this is just to let you know that I'm still around, and you'll be hearing more from me later. Please send your comments my way.

ARMENIAN JERUSALEM 2006

2006-01-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

It's been some days since my last post. Lest you think I had nothing to write about, you are mistaken. Indeed, with the beginning of the New Year, there is so much to tell, I'm at a loss for words. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem observes Feast Days according to the Julian Calendar. Therefore, New Year will come to us on Friday, the 13th of January, followed by the Feast of the Nativity, beginning on the 18th and continuing to the 19th of January. But before that, we have already observed some other important Feast Days--The Feast of King David and St. James (January 5)and the Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr (January 7). Here is a description of the latter. All I can say is, you should have been there for a first-hand experience.

On Saturday, 7 January 2006, the St. James Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem marked the Feast of St. Stephen, the Proto-Martyr, a special occasion of recognition for all Deacons. In the morning, Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the St. James Cathedral, in the presence of Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, and with the participation of members of the Brotherhood and the students of the St. James Seminary and Theological School.

At the beginning of the ceremony, ten of the seminarians, who are ordained Stole-Bearers and Deacons, vested in robes, stoles and sacerdotal crowns, and carrying censors and candles, approached His Beatitude the Patriarch for his blessing and proceeded with the performance of their liturgical duties. At the conclusion of the services, His Beatitude received the Deacons for an audience in the Patriarchal reception hall.

In the evening, the seminarians gathered in the Seminary’s dining hall for a celebratory banquet, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch Torkom, and attended by members of the St. James Brotherhood, and the teaching staff of the Seminary. As the Patriarch and his entourage entered the hall, the Deacons sang the traditional hymn dedicated to St. Stephen, the “Proto-Deacon and First Martyr.”

Fr. Haigazoun Yeghiaian, the Seminary’s Vice-Dean, began the program with welcoming words, concluding them with, “I hope that we will follow the example of St. Stephen to learn and to teach, because we are students and Deacons at the same time.” The ensuing remarks, recitations, and singing, focused on the devotion of St. Stephen, who left everything behind to enter a life of service to his Lord and Saviour.

His Beatitude the Patriarch brought the evening to a close, saying, “Stephen was part of the first group of Deacons, doing menial tasks, caring for the needy and the disabled. But he did this with love, and so it was a pleasure. Remember that ascent is difficult, but we must always strive to ascend and to elevate.” The event ended with the singing of the Lord’s Prayer and with the final blessing by His Beatitude.

For further information about the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, visit:
http://www.armenian-patriarchate.org

OH, TANNENBAUM! ...

2005-12-22T04:11:00.000-08:00

This morning at the Jaffa Gate, they were distributing free Christmas trees to those individuals who would present some form of ID. One of my colleagues from the Armenian Patriarchate and I went down there just before 10am to get as many trees as our ID's would allow. We came back with 4, two of which are now gracing the entrance to the Patriarchal office.

It was great fun, putting up the decorations that have been used from year to year, to bring a little holiday cheer to our work environment. As we strung the garlands and hung the gold and red balls, bells, and bows, we hummed carols and smiled. Santa Claus is coming to town...Oh, Christmas Tree!...

A YEN FOR CHOCOLATE...

2005-12-19T05:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas day, December 25, is just around the corner, although for the Armenian Orthodox Church, the birth of Christ is celebrated on January 6. In Jerusalem, however, because of the adherence to the Julian calendar, this holy day is observed on January 19, the day after "Bethlehem Day." So, I get to celebrate three times.

Today, after a morning of standing in line at the post office, finishing up some work, and missing lunch, I had a yen for chocolate. My co-worker and I have the same soft spot for the brown yumminess, preferably Cadbury's, and because we're really hungry, the Dairy Milk Whole Nut kind. So I went to down to the convenience market across from the Monastery, but it was closed. Undaunted, I headed toward the Jaffa Gate, and at the little market there, lo and behold, 200 gram bars of exactly what we wanted. I bought two bars and headed back to the office. According to the packaging, that is, Chocolate Familiar con Leche con Avellanas; Chocolate de Leite Familiar com Avelas ); Huishoudmelkchocolade met Hazelnoten; Sokolata Galaktos Oikiakes Chreseos me Phountoukia. In Armenian, it's doorm gaghinov.

On the way, something drew me down the stairs of the Armenian Tavern. Actually, it was the menu board outside, on which were listed available sandwiches. A-a-ah, basturma, "The Armenian cured beef called basturma may be the most powerfully flavored cold cut in the world, less a foodstuff than a force of nature, with a bit of the chewy translucence of first-rate Italian bresaola, a ripe, almost gamy back taste, and then -- pow! -- the onslaught of the seasoning, a caustic, bright-red slurry of hot pepper, fenugreek and a truly heroic amount of garlic that hits the palate with all the subtle elegance of a detonated land mine. Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly)". For 15 shekels (about $3), I bought a sandwich and, munching with gusto, I walked back slowly to savor it before climbing up the 32 stairs to the office.

Licking my chops, I came in and immediately sat down at the computer to write about this adventure, washing it down with a fresh cup of coffee and a piece of the delicious chocolate with whole nuts. This is as close to perfect as it gets for now!!! :-)

STAIR STUDY PART ONE

2005-12-10T23:03:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post, and it was only last night that I saw two large cats lurking around in the vicinity of my quarters, but they took off when they saw me. So, for now, no more cat stories.

For several days now, I have been mulling over my research strategy for counting the stairs in the St. James Convent. The study has to employ mixed methods, both quantitative and qualitative, the former to express the numbers of stairs that exist here ("lots" just doesn't do it), and the latter to express one's physical reaction to going up and down, up and down ("huffing and puffing" just doesn't say it).

So, there will have to be a problem statement, research questions, a literature review, and some expansion on the methods, and, of course, findings and a conclusion. I am envisioning bar graphs, pie charts, and maybe an evidential picture or two.

If this topic interests you, or not, tune in for more soon. I'm off with my notebook and pencil to collect the data.

:-)

I'm back!...Here are my first field notes (gathered on 11 December 2005). Ironically, every time I start to count, someone meets me and says hello. I lose count and have to start over. So tune in later...

CAT TAILS OR TALES?

2005-12-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

For the past two months I have been a participant observer in the Armenian Orthodox Monastery of St. James, where besides the religious and lay community, there is a large cat population. When I first arrived, there were a few large cats in evidence, and a few furtive kittens. But what really struck me was seeing the latter scurry behind the flower pots near my neighbors' apartment.

At first I thought the neighbors had taken to growing forks along with the plants. But when I asked about the mysterious implants, I was told that they have been put there to keep the kittens from sitting on the warm soil and using the pots as little litter boxes. It's pretty amazing that the same forks are still there two months later, which speaks to the creative use and longevity of plastic products.

As concerns the cats, I have watched their numbers grow, with one feline regiment at the ready in the early morning next to the garbage dumpster, looking for tender morsels of leftovers to fill their tummies. A reconnaissance detail hangs around the priests' dining room side entrance to check out what's on today's menu. And another detail goes around the monastery compound spreading the word, it seems.

In the main, they are not domesticated felines. They do appear to have interbred and their offspring have very interesting markings, as evidence of their lineage.

Recently, I learned that the cat population was being relocated to Tantur, where they will be able to roam freely, and multiply to their heart's content. Their proliferation within the Monastery has ebbed significantly, at least until the next mating season.

AND THERE WAS LAUNDRY...

2005-11-10T23:35:00.000-08:00

The challenges of living in my furnished spartan quarters in the St. James Monastery are few. They are spare, but comfortable; offer me shelter and warmth -- three rooms, a small bathroom with shower, a tiny refrigerator, toaster oven, electric water pot, a radio/tape/CD player. I have my laptop, a color printer, and scanner. My inside phone connects me to every office in the Patriarchate, as well as the front gate. The little courtyard has an entrance gate which we lock as we go out and unlock when we enter. My neighbor is very nice and has a TV with satellite and receives some 325 stations from every imaginable place on the planet. When I visit her in the late evening, after I get home from my day's work, she fixes hot tea for me and interprets what is being broadcast, be it the news or her favorite soap opera. And there is a separate laundry room with a washer and dryer for my use. What more could a girl want?

Here is one vignette that brings a sense of reality to this idyllic setting. Since I have been here, and during other visits prior to this 22nd one in 13 years, it's been about the washer and dryer. The washer is of the kind that is front-loading, with a porthole window, so you can watch your laundry slosh around, spin, and finally come to a stop so you can open the door. Its age, like mine, is difficult to assess, but the rust marks around the edges of white enamel, like my silver-streaked dark hair indicate some vestiges of time. The control dial has the letter from A to N around it and some little icons that indicate whether it's the fill, rinse, or spin cycles. The key to the instructions are in German (das ist nicht mein Muttersprache). The other problem is that the pump must be as tired as I am at the end of the work day, so you have to coax it by hand-turning the dial to the next phase of washing. In short, it takes several hours for the washer to stop and allow the liberation of the clean laundry.

Being aware of these idiosyncrasies, I put in a load of laundry a couple of days after I got to Jerusalem and noticed that the machine was cranking with difficulty, something like those with arthritis or other aches and pains of overuse might experience. Even though in the past, the wash cycles took forever, this one never quite finished and I had to coax completion manually. As for the dryer, it only has one temperature setting -- HOT!!! And you have to turn it off to prevent your wash from baking. The second attempt at doing laundry did not fare much better, and in fact, never finished. My clothes stayed in the recycled water, detergent and softener overnight. I feared I would have to wear the same clothes I had on my back for the rest of my stay. But the Patriarchate's maintenance engineer came to my rescue, fiddling with the back panel of the washer, and the laundry ordeal ended. Laundry 3, no luck. So another washer was brought from storage and installed. Happy day! However, because soaked clothes had been put in the dryer, and the heat and steam filled the laundry room without sufficient ventilation, this caused an electrical short, small fire, and power failure within our courtyard.

But, dear reader, I lived to tell this tale. Everything is fixed, and all that remains besides the memory is VERY CLEAN LAUNDRY and the blackened ceiling in the laundry room.

MONTH 2 IN THE HOLY CITY...

2005-11-06T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is the first time I have actually uploaded an image to my blog. I said I was a novice in my last post, and I meant it. Now that I have proven to myself that it does work, I will illustrate with photos much more. The image is a historic view of the Monastery of St. James, where the second month of my visit has begun.

Today was the feast day of Kiud Khach, the Discovery of the Holy Cross, commemorated according to the Julian calendar on October 26, but here in Jerusalem the Armenian Patriarchate follows the Gregorian calendar. The services were held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the participation of the Brotherhood of St. James, led in procession from the St. James Monastery to the Holy Sepulchre by His Beatitude, Patriarch Torkom Manoogian. What struck me as I was following the procession down Armenian Patriarchate Road and through the old marketplace was the awe with which pedestrians/pilgrims watched the Patriarchal retinue as it walked by, preceded by three kawasses in their traditional garb and silver-headed staffs with which they pound the pavement to announce the approaching procession.

In the Basilica itself, first the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Armenian chapel, and then at the Sepulchre itself, the special ceremony took place. The Brotherhood, the seminarians, and the boys from the Tarkmanchats School were part of the procession in which the Patriarch, beneath a canopy, circled the tomb of Christ three times. This ancient ritual has come down to us through the centuries and speaks to the significance of these faithful custodians of the Holy Sanctuaries in this land, who continue to dedicate their lives to the service of the Armenian church and the Armenian nation.

The services over, I slowly made my way back to the Vank (monastery), stopping on the way at Rex Jewelers, my Armenian friends, who found for me an antique blue stone (50 years old) that I have strung on one of my gold chain bracelets to keep me safe from evil eyes.

SEVENTEEN POSTS AND STILL A NOVICE...

2005-10-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Seventeen posts since I began this blog, and I still feel like I'm just getting my feet wet! Today is the 15th anniversary of enthronement of His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. The staff of the Patriarchate honored him at a staff brunch, which was very pleasant and informal. I feel most fortunate to be have been a part of this appreciation for a personage of his stature. Laudatory words are hard to find in any language for his years of service to the Armenian Church and nation.

On my research activities, all I can say is that the more I do, the more I uncover, and the more difficult is reining in my curiosity and enthusiasm. But this is good. Now, if I could only add some pictures to this post, I would be satisfied.

SAILING THE SEVEN SEAS...

2005-10-22T04:48:00.000-07:00

According to my daily journal, it has been 20 days since I left home. My days at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem continue to be full to capacity. Each morning, after breakfast, I come to my office to continue research, fulfill assignments, and interact with the staff as a participant-observer. My phone and e-mail communication to home keeps me abreast of what is going on States-and-Armenia-side. Currently, I am working on shelving configurations for the Calouste Gulbenkian Library and the inventory of artifacts for the Mardigian Museum, all in the name of archival documentation.

The heading on this entry refers to a film which was shown here last Thursday evening. Eleven years ago, a group of hearty Armenians decided to construct a masted sailing ship, a replica of the kind that would have been used during the period of the Cilician kingdom (10th to 13th centuries). This ship would then be taken overland from Armenia to the port city of Poti, in Georgia, to begin its watery sojourn to the cities of the ancient Armenian kingdom. Fourteen adventurers, among them the writer Zori Balayan, faced all kinds of obstacles to live this legendary adventure. Two of the fourteen sailors are here in Jerusalem, and they shared this film, already in five parts, and the sixth to be produced. The program was held in the Seminary auditorium, which was packed. The audience was totally enthralled by the raw footage of this voyage on the high seas and became part of the adventure. You can always tell when an Armenian audience is impressed. They remain very quiet :-) and they were. His Beatitude spoke after the program and it was obvious he was very moved also. I would very much like for this program to be repeated in Los Angeles.

One thing I really like about being here is that it is very natural to maintain a disciplined life- and work-style. And so, on with my work on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

TIME STANDS STILL IN THE HOLY CITY...

2005-10-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

It is now two weeks that I have arrived here, in the Holy City of Jerusalem. My days begin at the crack of dawn (credit is due to my biological clock), a breakfast in the refectory, followed by an early day at the office. We are preparing to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the enthronement of His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, the 96th Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, and to commemorate the 1600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet. Religious leaders from the Christian communities of Jerusalem and the consul generals of the countries whose consulates are in Jerusalem have been invited. Of course, the members of the Armenian community will participate in these festivities.

Beside all of this, I am working hard trying to develop a problem statement for my dissertation. It is a challenge, but my advisor, Clara Chu is as close as my e-mail and continues to send me very sound advice. His Beatitude, with whom I meet every day, is my mentor and an excellent sounding board, who answers my questions with more questions. I feel that my days of learning from the best will never end.

THIS MONTH IN JERUSALEM...

2005-10-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

I left Los Angeles on October 2 and arrived to my destination, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on the morning of October 4. Here I am, for the 22nd time, at the St. James Monastery, within the walled Old City of Jerusalem, where I will spend the next two months, continuing my doctoral research and overseeing the on-going renovation/reorganization of the Calouste Gulbenkian Library. There is something indescribable about this place--the aura of a millennial presence that goes back to the days of the Apostles. And when it comes to the Armenian presence in the Holy City and the Holy Land, there is so much to say, it is not possible to write it all in one breath. For now I recommend that you visit the Armenian Patriarchate website: http://www.armenian-patriarchate.org to learn more about this venerable institution and its history, as well as to become acquainted with the rich cultural patrimony housed within these walls.

READY FOR THE FALL

2005-09-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my doctoral adviser, Clara Chu, called me. She is beginning her sabbatical, which will take her to Valencia, Spain, for 5 months. As a result, I have decided to take a leave of absence from UCLA for the Fall Quarter. Nevertheless, I expect to be very busy, and am now getting ready for my trip to Jerusalem, where I have many projects to work on at the Armenian Patriarchate -- dissertation proposal (The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem: Preservation, Promulgation, and Perpetuation of Cultural Patrimony); The Genius of Komitas in His Divine Liturgy, English translation; translation of the Deacon's Diary... into English; next phase of Calouste Gulbenkian Library renovation/reorganization. This is just for starters!!!

INTERNATIONAL TEACHER EXCHANGE 2005

2005-09-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

I began blogging, and have been doing so intermittently, in 2004, to keep a cyber-journal of some of my experiences and adventures in academia. It is now approaching Fall Quarter 2005, and I am taking a leave of absence from UCLA, since Clara Chu, my advisor will be on sabbatical. However, I will continue my research and develop my dissertation proposal, which I hope to defend in the Winter Quarter 2006. In the meantime, I have also submitted an abstract for a paper, which if accepted, is to be given at the First International Conference on Cooperation for Development in Valencia, Spain, in mid-November. I am currently one of the IT instructors for a group of six teachers, on an international exchange program at UCLA. Three are from Bangladesh, and three from Palestine (2 women, 1 man; and 2 men, 1 woman, respectively). They are wonderful, devoted individuals, and I am learning as much from them as I am teaching them. I do enjoy the interchange very much and look forward to their visit to Central Library on September 28.

"PERFECTION" IS A SYNONYM FOR "PROCRASTINATION"

2005-03-31T01:30:00.000-08:00

The last time I posted to my blog was in December. 2005 has been far from boring. I spent four days in wintery Boston at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting(January 13 to 16). From February 19 to March 12, one week with my classmates and PhD advisor, in Lago, Algarve (Portugal), at the IADIS Web-Based Communities 2005 Conference, followed by two weeks at the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. In between, attending classes, meetings, and other activities at UCLA, and continuing the setting up of the Diocesan Library.

Phew! I'm just tired writing and reading this. It gives new definition to 24/7!

YEAR-END UPDATE

2004-12-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

Last time I posted was October 22, the day I turned in my Qualifying Written Exam. It was a real relief to end the 5-day writing marathon. I'm glad to say I passed. Now I have to get ready for ALA Midwinter, January 13 to 16, in Boston;finish my publishable paper, due by January 28; work on a paper for the Web-Based Communities conference in Algarve, Portugal, at the end of February; and hopefully spend a couple of weeks in Jerusalem, beginning of March.

Meanwhile, I wish anyone who falls upon this blog a blessed holiday season and happy 2005.

A NEW ACADEMIC YEAR HAS BEGUN

2004-10-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

It hardly seems possible that I've already been back in L.A. for over a month, more like 6 weeks actually. I arrived back from Jerusalem on Sept. 7 and hit the ground running, first spending 3 weeks as part of an IT training team for 5 visiting ESL teachers from Tajikistan. They left on Oct. 2, and classes began right away. I am taking a very interesting class in Qualitative Research Methods, taught by Prof. Frederick Erickson, of the Education Dept. He is a "teacher's teacher", and the students in the class are from various disciplines, urban schooling, social work, and information studies among others. The class was over-enrolled, but with the help of my advisor and department chair, I was able to petition and get in. There is a lot of reading, all of it quite interesting, and a research project to be designed.

Next week is the official opening of the Aga-Sarkissian Diocesan Library, and the weekend of November 6-7 the UCLA Conference on Armenian Jerusalem and the Armenians in the Holy Land, where I will present a paper about the Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate.

For my research apprenticeship, I will be working with my advisor on the impact of the Internet on under-represented ethnic groups, specifically comparing the Chinese and Armenian diasporas. Together with two other classmates, the four of us will be presenting our research at a conference on web-based communities in Portugal next February.

So, the books and the papers continue to pile high on every empty surface in our house. Maybe I should call a home and office organizer person???

Hello, Los Angeles

2004-09-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

I prepared myself for leaving the Armenian Patriarchate and the Holy City, my last full day being Monday, September 6. Coming to Jerusalem, saying goodbye to my family 30 days ago, was hard enough. Ending my stay in the St. James Convent has proven equally difficult. Yet, when I arrived at LAX and saw the smiling face of Khachig, waiting for me, I realized how happy I was to be home.

This trip was extraordinary, not just because this is such a special place. There is so much to do here, and so few people to do it. As many times as I have come (16 so far), I always feel fulfilled and eager to return. I am blessed by the fact that I am now considered a part of the community, and my work is much appreciated.

One interesting thing is that the entire time I was in Jerusalem (28 days), I did not dream. Could it be that this opportunity is the realization of a dream?

Now it's time to focus on tasks at hand--the visit of the Tajiki Teachers to UCLA (Sept.15-30); the beginning of the Fall Quarter 2004(Sept.29), the deadline for the Fulbright application (Oct.1); my PhD Qualifying Written Exam (Oct.18-22); the opening of the Diocesan Library (Oct.27); the conference on Armenians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land (Nov.6-7); and maybe returning to Jerusalem in mid-November to the end of the year.

Who said I was "retired?"

Au Revoir, Jerusalem

2004-09-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

This will be my last Saturday in the Holy City and the St. James Monastery, bringing to a close this month-long visit to the Armenian Patriarchate. During this past month, I have accomplished more than I expected. The environment, definitely conducive to total concentration and focus, has enabled me to move my PhD research forward. But I've only barely skimmed the surface. I have only three more days to complete reports, duplicate documents, and pack my suitcases. I look forward to returning home, but I will definitely leave a part of myself here. I will be back, and soon.

That's why I say "au revoir, hasta la vista, ts-tesutiun," rather than just plain so long.
:-)

The Armenians in Jerusalem (Cont'd)

2004-08-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

The Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate and Monastery

The Armenian Patriarchate is one of the three Brotherhoods in Jerusalem that, together, share the responsibility and inestimable privilege of being Custodians of Holy Places, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Grave of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and other places.

The Armenian Orthodox Monastery is located on historic Mount Zion, with an area of about 300 acres, almost one sixth of the walled Old City. Apart from the Cathedral of St. James, other historic sites and buildings located within the area of the Patriarchate are: the Church of St. Saviour (the house of Caiaphas), the Church of Holy Archangels (the house of Annas the High Priest), the Chapel of St. Theodorus, the National Cemetery, the Patriarchate’s Secretariat, the Patriarchal residence and Seminary (established in 1843), the Calouste Gulbenkian Library (currently under restoration and renovation), and the Mardigian Museum. The Patriarchate also houses the second largest Armenian manuscript library in the world. It maintains as well an extensive collection of priceless vestments and vessels, inscriptions, paintings, a small bookstore, and two printing plants. The St. James Press, founded in 1833, is the oldest in Jerusalem. Armenians also own a historic seafront monastery in Jaffa, one in Ramleh, a large monastery in Bethlehem, adjacent to the Basilica of the Nativity, as well as other real estate holdings in Israel.

Under Muslim rule, the Armenian patriarchs of Jerusalem and the members of the St. James Brotherhood succeeded in protecting the rights of the Armenian Church – frequently at the cost of their lives. The Patriarchate has remained a haven for Armenian refugees throughout its history. From 1915 to 1923, during the first genocide of the 20th century, more than a million and a half of our faithful were massacred by the Ottoman Turks. This became know as the Armenian Genocide, and during that time, thousands of refugees and orphans were taken in by the Patriarchate.

Throughout the past several centuries, the St. James Brotherhood, headed by able and talented patriarchs, has preserved intact the Patriarchate, its real estate holdings, and various other Armenian sites, and has turned Jerusalem into a major center of research and learning.
The present Patriarch – the 96th successive incumbent to the throne of St. James – is His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, who was elected to the life-tenure position in 1990. His Beatitude returned to Jerusalem after an absence of thirty years, during which he served as Primate of the Western and Eastern Dioceses of the Armenian Church of America (California and New York, respectively). He is a graduate of the Patriarchal Seminary, and was one of its former deans.

Saints James Cathedral

The Cathedral of the Saints James, the seat of the Armenian Patriarchs and the jewel of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, lies just beyond its main entry gate. It was built before the Crusader Era, over older edifices, and on the site of the tombs of the first bishop of the Christian church, St. James, known as “the Brother of the Lord,” and St. James the Apostle, the brother of St. John the Evangelist, known as “the Zebedee Brothers.”

Upon entering the Cathedral, one is immediately captivated by the interior, bedecked by centuries-old “ganteghs” (oil lamps), suspended from the soaring vaulted dome, and tallow candles dotting the three altars. The only source of light, the oil lamps, are still lovingly tended by altar boys, who replenish them at regular intervals. The candles, made by the Patriarchate’s own chandler, try vainly to dispel the elemental darkness that pervades the church, imparting a mystical significance to the Armenian Church rites.

To the left of the entrance are three small chapels. The first nearest the entrance contains the tomb of Makarios, the bishop of Jerusalem in the 4th century. The third from the entrance is the shine where the head of St. James the Apostle is entombed. Armenians believe that he was buried here in the 1st century, after his execution by King Herod Agrippa I, about 44 AD.

In the chancel, beyond the fence, are two thrones. The one closest to the pier with the canopy is the symbolic throne of St. James, the Brother of the Lord, and first bishop of Jerusalem, who is buried beneath the high altar. The Patriarch stands in front of this throne once a year on the feast of St. James, in early January, to symbolize his place in the succession of the bishops of Jerusalem. The other throne is the one normally used by the Patriarch.

The Cathedral has in the past also served as a bomb shelter. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, the only sanctuary from the daily bombardment of the city that the Armenians could find was within the solid, reassuring confines of their Cathedral, with its one-meter-thick walls. During one particularly memorable night, over 1,000 shells of all kinds, including the dreaded mortar, landed on and around the Cathedral. But not a single casualty did they claim. Many believers would later swear that they had seen a mysterious figure, dressed in white, standing vigil on the roof of the Cathedral, warding off the shower of missiles with his hands. Believers assert that it was none other than St. James.
The liturgical rites and services of the Armenian Church have long preserved the traditions of early Christianity. As you listen to our pre-Byzantine and pre-Gregorian chants and prayers, we invite you to joinus in our spiritual journey through time and space – as we approach God together in this sanctuary. Therefore, visitors are expected to dress appropriately (shorts, bare shoulders, and/or miniskirts are not allowed) and to conduct themselves with respect and decorum (eating and/or drinking are not permitted inside the Cathedral). The Cathedral is open to visitors during Morning Services, from 6:00 to 7:30, and during Vespers, from 15:00 to 15:30.

At other times, callers are invited to visit the Mardigian Museum through its separate entrance, further south on Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road.

THE ARMENIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM
P.O. Box 14235, Jerusalem 91141
Telephone: (02) 628-2331 [8 am – 12 Noon and 1 –4 pm]
FAX: (02) 626-4862
E-Mail: hyesearch@hotmail.com (Sylva Natalie Manoogian, Library Project Director)
Visit our official website: http://www.armenian-patriarchate.org

The Armenians in Jerusalem

2004-08-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

The following is the text of a brochure which I helped to prepare for visitors to the SS. James Armenian Convent. We also translated it into French, Italian, and Spanish. I will post the rest of the brochure in subsequent installments.

The Armenian presence in the Holy Land dates back to the earliest years of Christianity, even before the conversion of the Armenian king, Tiridates III, on or about AD 301, and Armenia’s adoption of Christianity as the state religion, the first nation to do so. There is recorded historical evidence that as early as AD 154, bishops of the Armenian Church, in cooperation with bishops of the Greek Orthodox Churches in Jerusalem and Alexandria (Egypt), were actively engaged in the discovery and confirmation of Holy Places deemed to be related to the activities of Jesus Christ, and the construction of edifices for the preservation of these early Christian treasures.

The church of Jerusalem was chronologically the first Christian in history, and the first bishop of that church was St. James, called “the Brother of Our Lord” in the Gospels. In AD 381, the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople accorded honor to the See of Jerusalem equal to that of Rome and Constantinople, so that the occupants of the See were called “Patriarchs.”

The first formally recorded Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem was Abraham, who served from AD 638 to 669 and received a charter and official recognition from the Arab Caliph Omar Ibn-Il-Khattab. The charter enumerated the rights and privileges of the Armenian Church in the Holy Land, guaranteeing its integrity and security. On the back wall, facing the main entrance of the St. James Convent, there is an elaborately carved inscription in Arabic which, loosely translated, warns all intruders: “This decree from our Lord Sultan and King Al-Daher Abu Sayid Mohammed, cursed be all those and their future generations, and may Almighty God curse whoever harms or inflicts any injustice to this Holy Place. Abu Kheyer Razan hereby guarantees this to the St. James Armenian Convent in Jerusalem. In the year of Mohammed 854 (AD 1488).” This and previous protective edicts have helped to strengthen and perpetuate the integrity of the Patriarchate and have provided a basis for succeeding conquerors to honor these pledges.

The final and most important pledge was made by the written declaration of the Turkish Sultan, Abdul Majid, in 1852. This declaration officially established the principle of “Statu Quo,” (i.e. existing “as is” condition) in the Holy Places, which defines, regulates and maintains, without change, the proprietary rights in the Holy Places, granted exclusively to the three major Christian rites – Greek, Armenian Orthodox, and Latin (Roman Catholic).

Armenians are the indigenous people of the Armenian highlands, where Mount Ararat, the resting place of Noha’s Ark, according to the book of Genesis, is located. This mountain is as sacred for Armenians as the Western Wall is for the Jewish people and Mecca is for the Muslims.

The Armenian language is most akin to Sanskrit and, together with Greek and Persian, lies at the root of all Indo-European languages.

According to Armenian tradition, a practicing Christian would go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem at least once in his or her lifetime. Despite political and economic turmoil, thousands of Armenians flocked to the Holy Land every year. It is said of past times that the St. James Monastery could accommodate as many as eight thousand pilgrims at a given time. Pilgrimage brought to the Holy City renowned Armenian clergymen, statesment, kings, and princes, all of whom presented gifts and left their mark.

One can still see, carved on the walls of churches, groups of very small Armenian crosses. Local tradition holds that these were inscribed by pilgrims, and the clusters represent the number of people in the family of each pilgrim. In Armenian society, it was a great honor for someone to have gone on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Such an act secured for the pilgrim a special social status. Thereafter, he or she was referred to as Mahdesi (“One who saw death”) – a reference to the Tomb of Christ.

By the second half of the 7th century, there were more than seventy Armenian monasteries in the Holy Land. The present-day Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem – home to a closely-knit community of Armenian families – occupies the sites of some of these ancient monasteries. Enclosed within the present Quarter are the Monasteries of St. James, Holy Archangels, and Holy Saviour.

Armenian Jerusalem Days

2004-08-22T01:19:00.000-07:00

I just returned from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where I attended the Divine Liturgy service, with Fr. Norayr as the celebrant. This is my 12th day in Jerusalem. I feel very blessed to be here. It is the 16th time I am in the Holy City, where it is said that if you come once, you must come at least 7 times. So I am now on the 2nd visit of the third septet.

My work of directing the revitalization of the Calouste Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem is proceeding well, with the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch Torkom II. It has been a challenge, but one which is of great importance, not only for the Monastery of St. James, but for Armenians throughout the world, as well as for those who are interested in the Armenian Church, Armenian history, and Armenian culture.

Being here makes me able to focus, undistracted, on developing my doctoral dissertation proposal. I carry a notebook with me everywhere, and am constantly making notes, delving into source material, and otherwise carrying on my research to another level of depth. These are the building blocks which I hope will offer me the sound foundation for my academic studies.

What pleases me is that, as I explain what I am doing, I am at the same time able to encourage, inspire, and mentor a new generation of library apostles, who will continue the work I have begun. Many of them are right here, in the Seminary and in the Holy Translators School. Back in the States, they are the members of ALLIC (Armenian Librarians and Libraries Information Committee) of the American Library Association.

I am hoping that my enthusiasm will generate not only interest and well wishes, but also support so that we can continue to move this work forward. It is all of our responsibility.

GREETINGS FROM JERUSALEM!

2004-08-12T23:34:00.000-07:00

I arrived in the Old City of Jerusalem, where I am staying for a month, at the Armenian Patriarchate's St. James Monastery. This is my 16th visit here since 1992. The main focus of my coming here has been the renovation and revitalization of the Calouste Gulbenkian Library (one of the most comprehensive Armenological information resource centers in the Diaspora, established 75 years ago). This is a project which has been very challenging, and I hope will form the centerpiece of my doctoral dissertation in information studies at UCLA.

An amazing part of all of this is that my colleagues and classmates at UCLA and elsewhere can keep in touch with me through cyber-communication. Who would have thought this possible before the age of technology?

Setting up this blog is going to give me the opportunity to experience first-hand that which I am going to share with the five teachers from Tajikistan, who will be coming to UCLA for a 3-week training in September. It will be interesting to share my new learnings with them and offer them encouragement in doing the same.

TAJIK TEACHER EXCHANGE 2

2004-08-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Clara, Susie and I met on Saturday, August 7, and went over all materials we had, making a preliminary list of assignments for the 3-week training. LAPL International Languages Dept.' s Rolando Pasquinelli e-mailed the various components of Electronic Information Training syllabus, which I forwarded to our Training Team members.

Today, Sunday, in the midst of packing for my trip to Jerusalem (Aug.9-Sep.7), I have also been downloading, saving, printing, and forwarding all of the above.

TAJIK TEACHER EXCHANGE

2004-08-07T05:39:00.000-07:00

Spent three days at the Western Diocesan Library (Aug. 4: Furniture delivery and installation; Aug.5: Follow-up and organization; Aug.5: Furniture rearrangement).

4:30-8:30 - Susie Chang, one of the team members for hosting 5 Tajik teachers at UCLA, came to meet with me at the Library.

12:15a - Clara Chu returned my call and we discussed the content of our meeting in the morning (Aug. 7)

I've been up all night; it's now 5:40a.

:-)

First Post

2004-08-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is an experiment. Ihave not created my own blog before, but it may prove interesting and perhaps useful.