Society of Book Lovers Library :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

Society of Book Lovers Library

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Haftvan

Historical Introduction

This Society was founded on 16 March 1886 on the initiative of Alexandre (Vardan) Goloshian from Tpghis, who was strongly supported by his friends (H. Agripassian, K. Gulaksezian, and Haftvan inhabitants G. Mahtesy-Ghazarian, Kh. Khutikian and Kh. Mahtesy-Karapetian): “He first of all founded a library in Haftvan calling it Library of the Society of Book Lovers. Many years later, the youth of the village renamed it Goloshian in memory of its founder.... Throughout its long existence, the library played an important role in the intellectual development of the locals, doing more than could be expected of an establishment located in a completely neglected district. For several times, the library ceased working due to deportations, escapes, the terrible earthquake and other reasons, but as soon as there were more or less endurable conditions, it resumed its praiseworthy activities to the benefit of the entire nation.”

Աստւածատրեան Ա., Ալեքսանդր Գոլոշեան [A. Astvatzatrian, “Alexandre Goloshian”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 131, 19 June 1957, p. 1. Another record states the following: “Then Goloshian came and started working mainly in Haftvan. He founded a library in this village and considerably improved the conditions of its school” (Frangian, pp. 120-121, 170-171). Also see Rouben Khan-Azat, “From the Memoirs of an Armenian Revolutionary,” p. 61; Vratsian, “The First Swallows,” p. 63.
Man. Armen, “A Letter from Persia,” Armenia, no. 60, 7 March 1900, p. 2.
Babloyan, “The 75th Anniversary,” p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 184.

Unfortunately, after Goloshian and his friends had been killed in 1889, the library that had been founded with such great devotion and enthusiasm gradually went to decline. Apparently, there was nobody among the Armenians of Haftvan to appreciate knowledge and take care of that useful establishment, to say nothing of its development. One of the available records states the following in this regard: “In the [18]90s the conditions of the library gradually worsened because of different reckless people. In 1893 it underwent some repairs after which it functioned for a couple of years, but later it was again consigned to neglect. This year ... the local teacher has somehow put it in order, but about 200 books that were lent to various people are still missing.”

Կարօ, Գրադարանները Սալմաստի գաւառում [Karo, “The Libraries in Salmast District”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 174, 1 October 1903, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 184.

A record of 1890 stated the following about the library: “Especially noteworthy is Haftvan’s Society of Book Lovers with its ... library ... which is close to the school.... Quite a large number of books ... have been donated to this Society. Coming to Haftvan and seeing the enthusiasm of the local youth for learning, many people provided them with books and financial assistance to encourage them.... This Society was founded in [18]86 by such patriots as Vardan Goloshian, Hovhannes Agripassian and Karapet Gulagsezian. Indeed, after they left the village, the future of the Society became rather uncertain, but that establishment [the library] which has received a lot of books continues working” (the donors included a Swede).
In March 1890 the Armenians of Haftvan sent 95 francs to the editorial staff of the newspaper Armenia published in Marseilles, France (the money had been raised by the villagers themselves).

Արտօս, Ատրպատականի Սալմաստ գաւառը [Artos, “Salmast District of Atrpatakan”], «Արմէնիա» [Armenia], no. 83, 11 June 1890, p. 1.
Armenia, no. 69, 23 April 1890, p. 2. The article also provides a list of the donors.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 184.

A press publication of the summer of 1892 reported that the library which had been closed for a long time had resumed functioning under the auspices of the society Sanuts.

Armenia, no. 97, 30 July 1892, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 184.

In 1893 the Society of Book Lovers saw its re-organisation and received a donation of 200 to 300 roubles. Besides, Mkrtich Avetissian and the local school teacher arranged the delivery of quite a large number of books from Russia. In 1895 the library had a collection of 500 books and regularly received 10 periodicals. Also, they moved the reading-hall to a new room with more natural light.

Man. Armen, “A Letter from Persia,” Armenia, no. 60, 7 March 1900, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 184.

In 1895 the library of Haftvan was the only Armenian one throughout the district of Salmast.
The same year also marked the ratification of the statutes of the library “which has been published in Tabriz this year. It states that the library was established in 1886 and repaired in 1893. Its goal is to disseminate love of reading amidst the Armenians of Salmast.”

Mshak, no. 14, 4 February 1895, p. 4.
Mshak, no. 97, 26 August 1895, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, pp. 184-185.

The Society of Book Lovers went through a harsh period in the late 1890s: “Safar, that tyrant of the village ... who had entered into alliance with the Persian officials, kept persecuting and giving away the local teachers and young men. He even tried to persuade the illiterate peasants to completely destroy the library and burn away the books, but fortunately, these plans were thwarted, although he is waiting for another opportunity.... In the winter of 1898, the library was again subjected to a terrible search, and the village teacher had to move the books to the church for safety reasons. Several months after these horrific events, the books were taken back to the library which continued functioning in that irregular and disorderly way until 15 March [18]99.”

Man. Armen, “A Letter from Persia,” Armenia, no. 61, 10 March 1900, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

The establishment which had over 1,000 books in 1898 was mentioned as Library of Lovers of Reading in 1899.

Մելիք-Բաբախանեանց Ա., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [A. Melik-Babakhaniants, “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 240, 23 December 1899, p. 3.
Ararat, no. 9 (1898), p. 404.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

A letter dated 1 October 1903 revealed the inconsolable state of the library: “It remained closed for several years, and many people who had borrowed books previously took advantage of this fact and did not return them. Some others even went so far as to steal several superb books. The library the statutes of which were approved by the Prelacy does not have any proper place to arrange and keep its books. Several Russia-based Armenians from Salmast initiated fund-raising for meeting the financial needs of the establishment. The collected money totaled about two hundred roubles, one hundred of which had been given by Mr. Arakel Unanov, and ten roubles by a Greek named Gevorgati.... At present the library has about 550 books (about 300 titles), all of which are put only in two small bookcases because of the lack of a proper place. We wish the Library Administration eventually completed its building that has been standing unfinished for already a year. They should also properly arrange the books, trying at least to preserve what they have, if they cannot retrieve what has already been lost.”

Molorak, “A Letter from Persia,” Mshak, no. 243, 5 November 1903, p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

The library of Haftvan was further mentioned in the following records of 1905: “The former library of Lovers of Reading has been renamed Goloshian after its founder, who was a Turkish Armenian. It has more than 800 Armenian books and receives several periodicals.” “At present the library has 900 books (750 titles). Once its activities are terminated, all its property and money should go to the school of Haftvan. The library receives several foreign newspapers and the [Armenian periodicals] Mourtj, Mshak, Taraz-Aghbyur and Aroghjapahik.”

Աթայեան Ա., Սալմաստ [A. Atayan, Salmast] (New Jugha, 1906), pp. 24-25.
Frangian, Yer. Atrpatakan. Tiflis, 1905, p. 171.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

An announcement published in 1906 conveyed the acknowledgement of the Library Administration to its 10 members and donors living in Tiflis: “We owe a debt of gratitude to the Afrikian brothers, who donated a copy of the Mourtj, as in the previous years, and to the Commercial House of the Harutiunians and Shalamians, who sent us the subscription fee for a copy of the Mshak, 10 roubles, just as in the preceding years. We are also thankful to the editorial staffs of the Mshak and Aghbyur-Taraz, which made a fifty percent discount of the subscription fee for us.”

Mshak, no. 11, 18 January 1906, p. 3 (the members of the Library Administration were Khachatur Tarlanian, Hovhannes Shahgaldian, Karapet Gulazian, Avetik Ojakhian, Martiros and Tovmas Baroyan, Margar Mukhs-Akobian, Grigor Barkhoyan, Hovhannes Avetissian and Harutiun Harutiunian from Mahlam).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

A record dated 11 October 1913 stated the following: “Twenty years ago, a few young men from Haftvan initiated fund-raising in Russia for V. Goloshian Library of their village. However, so far it has been impossible to get the collected money although several attempts were made for it: those who raised it do not want to give it under various excuses. According to some trustworthy people, the money which amounts to about 4,000 roubles is allegedly kept by Khudikian and G. Mahtesy-Ghazariants (both of them are from Haftvan but temporarily live abroad).”

Patrikian, “Public Money Doomed to be Lost,” p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

The library of Haftvan was completely destroyed during the Turkish invasion of 1914. In the spring of 1917, some attempts were made to restore it: “After an unsuccessful performance, a large village like Havtvan was able to raise only 130 roubles for Goloshian Library.” The library re-opened only in 1931, being subsequently enriched with new collections thanks to the donations made between the 1940s and 1960s.

Շաւան, Կեանքը մեզնում [Shavan, “Our Life”], «Այգ» [Ayg], no. 23, 11 June 1917, p. 3.
Kosoyan, “In Salmast and Derik,” Alik, no. 201, 12 September 1964, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

In 1943 the Avagian brothers gave the library 3 copies of an Armenian-language humorous collection entitled Broom (to be used for a year) in memory of Khosrov Avagian. Another copy of the same collection, likewise to be used for a year, was donated by Mihran Petrossian in memory of his parents Nargiz and Poghos.

Tsakhavel, no. 1, September 1943.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

In September 1948 the Board supervising the activities of the school and library of Haftvan issued a statement (signed by its director, Priest Ashot Poghossian, secretary Arakel Babloyan and one of its members, G. Shahoyan) which particularly said the following regarding the library: “It is an old cultural and educational establishment with an impressive history of more than 60 years (since 1886). It has been of immense significance to the intellectual progress of our people. Both the locals and our compatriots living abroad made a lot of efforts to enrich it. Before its destruction [in 1914], the library had 1,200 books, mostly including such important and expensive works as the four-volume dictionary by Stepan Malkhassian; the Armenian Architecture by [Toros] Toramanian; the year book Zvartnots; the 6-volume publication Geghuni (Venice); the Treasury of Armenian Songs; a complete set of the issues of the journals Hayrenik and Anahit; most of the works of classical Armenian writers, etc. Apart from books in Armenian, which formed 85 per cent of the entire collection, the library also had other works in Persian, French, English and Russian. As for the retrieval of part of the books mentioned by the Tabriz representative of the Minister of Education, we would like to note that only 70 books (2 in Armenian and 68 in Persian) have been returned thanks to the efforts of Priest Ashot Poghossian and the village head, for which a receipt has been issued. The remaining 1,030 books have not been returned yet.”

Alik, no. 214, 22 September 1948, p. 4. The Board overseeing the activities of the school and library expressed gratitude to deputy Aram Budaghian and the supervisor of the Armenian schools of Tehran, Hovhannes Hakhnazarian, for settling some issues relating to these establishments.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 185.

Late in December 1949, Israel, Jibrael and Michael Sahakian from Khosrova donated a complete one-year set of the issues of the newspaper Alik (in Armenian) to the library in memory of their mother Hripsime.

Alik, no. 1, 1 January 1950, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

Another one-year set of the issues of the Alik was given to the library in 1950 in memory of Lusaber Baroyan. Also, Margar Sargissian provided it with a copy of a year’s edition of the biweekly Tsakhavel (Broom).

Alik, no. 55, 7 March 1950, p. 4.
Tsakhavel, no. 2, May 1950, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

On 10 April 1951, Grigor Shahoyan gave 22 copies of the newspapers Arpi and Mankakan Arpi (both in Armenian) to the library.
In the same year, Vasia Sargissian gave the library 3 copies of a year’s edition of the biweekly Tsakhavel, another copy of which was donated by Sargis Melkonian.

Tsakhavel, no. 1, 15 June 1951, p. 9.
Tsakhavel, no. 21, 15 April 1951, p. 10; no. 4, 1 June 1951, p. 11.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

In January 1956 Sahak Khudikian (New York) donated a copy of a year’s edition of the daily Alik in memory of his friend Mkrtich Sarhadian.
In the autumn of the same year, Baghdik Avetissian, who lived in Abadan, gave the library an exclusive issue of the journal Husk on the occasion of the ordination of Zareh I as Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

Alik, no. 273, 13 December 1955, p. 3.
Alik, no. 230, 19 October 1956, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

In 1957 Aghavni Mangasarian (Tehran) donated 32 books in memory of her husband Sardar. In 1958 the library received 2 packages of books from Arakel Harutiunian in memory of his wife Astghik.

Alik, no. 212, 30 September 1957, p. 3.
Alik, no. 138, 30 June 1958, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

In 1960 the library was housed in the school building and hosted school events, public meetings, theatrical performances, etc.

Alik, no. 188, 1 September 1960, p. 2.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

In December 1962 the editorial office of the journal Lusaber sent the library a complete set of all its issues of that year.

Alik, no. 282, 29 December 1962, p. 4.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

The library of Haftvan was mentioned as functioning in 1968. Most presumably, its activities came to an end with the closing of the local Armenian school.

Թղթակից, «Ալիք»-ի տեսակցութիւնները Ատրպատականի Հայոց թեմի առաջնորդ գերպ. տ. Վարդան ծ. վրդ. Դեմիրջյանի հետ [Tghtakits, “The Meetings of the Alik with the Armenian Prelate of Atrpatakan, His Eminence Vardan Demirjian, Senior Archimandrite”], «Ալիք» [Alik], no. 150, 15 July 1968, p. 6.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 186.

Name	Year/Century	Etymology
Library of Lovers of Reading