As of October 2022, the previous number of libraries in the territory of the Republic of Armenia (675) had shrunk to 370[1], 12 of which are managed by the Ministry, and the rest by the municipal authority, including 35 accredited libraries[2]. Shortening the number of libraries depended on the ongoing process of consolidation of administrative communities and optimization of the community management and funding processes.
Currently, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport considers the preservation and development of libraries operating in the territory of Armenia as one of the primary tasks, including:
- ensuring long-term preservation and accessibility of printed heritage,
- creating a more comfortable environment for intellectual entertainment centres and readers,
- the safe preservation of library collections, their use, their restoration, targeted replenishment, digitization of ancient books, periodicals of cultural significance and unique book specimens with minimal circulation,
- popularization of the literary heritage of Armenia and Armenians published and preserved abroad,
- training of personnel with professional knowledge in line with current requirements in the library sector.
The programme “Creation of a Digitization Centre and Public Electronic Reading Room in the National Library” launched in 2012 in the National Library of Armenia continues introducing modern information technologies in the libraries of the Ministry and increasing the efficiency of the services provided. It included digitization of the collections of printed press, books and periodical editions published before 1960, which is about to be finalized. The digitalized versions can be found at the sites “Armenian Periodical Press” (www.tert.nla.am) and “Armenian book” (www.haygirk.nla.am).
Library development initiatives include programmes providing access to people with disabilities, such as the “Family Librarian” programme (the Lori and Shirak provinces of RA), that provides library services for people with mobility difficulties and disabilities at home, The “Arev” information communication programme provides reading opportunities for those who are blind or partially sighted with Braille and audio books, etc. Currently, the re-equipment of community libraries is being implemented within the framework of the “Development of the material and technical base of public libraries” programme. It also envisages the purchase of 70,000 new books for provincial libraries[3].
National Archive of Armenia
The archival work in Armenia was started in 1923. In 1963, all of the main cities’ archives of Armenia were centralized under the management of the State Central Archives and were tuned into its branches. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country-members of the Cooperation of Newly Independent States (CIS) agreed on the development of international cooperation in archival work. In 1996, along with fundamental changes in the administrative territorial division, the system of archives also underwent some structural changes. According to the decision of the Prime-Minister in 1996, 6 central and state archives of Yerevan city and 10 marzes of the republic, with their 41 branches, started operating in the system of the Archives Department. In 2002 the department of archival affairs under the RA government was reorganized as a separate division of the archival affairs agency of the staff of the RA Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. 2004 was marked by further improvement of the legislative field of archival affairs of the Republic. The National Assembly adopted the new Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Archival Affairs”. During the next 15 years, the RA government also carried out radical systemic reforms in the sector. Currently, the “National Archive of Armenia” state non-commercial organization has 11 regional (including Yerevan city) branches and 29 territorial representations operating under its direct authority. As per 2006, archival funds counted 1, 5,759 collections with 3,419,353 storage units.
[1] https://armenpress.am/arm/news/1094276/
[2] https:escs.am/am/static/libraries?s=culture
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