The issue of digitizing the manuscripts of the Matenadaran remains topical till now. It seems that all the conditions of digitization are being connected only with the proposal of the Hill Museum of the US state of Minnesota. The acting director of Matenadaran, Arshak Banuchyan, informed us that they have been looking for partners for a long time. But they haven’t received any other suggestions besides the American one. And the Armenian-American contract, which had been originally signed, then cancelled and frozen, still remains the only one. In the opinion of the Matenadaran staff and several experts, this contract will be refreshed sooner or later. In a surprise setback, the Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan has denounced the agreement it signed last month with the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML) of St. John College of Minnesota University, whereby the US-based HMML was to undertake the digitization of about 14,000 Armenian language manuscripts and books and another 3,000 in other languages kept in the Matenadaran. The modern technology, used by the HMML, was said to create high quality copies of the manuscripts, many of which are unique. In a statement issued on May 3, Matenadaran director Sen Arevshatyan said the agreement had provoked heated debates among academic and intellectual circles of the country, bringing about fears that Armenia may lose its copyright to these precious manuscripts. But as late as April 26 Arevshatyan brushed away the fears that a formal agreement (memorandum on intentions) signed by the Matenadaran with the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library would entail the loss of copyright to thousands of these unique manuscripts. The collection in Yerevan, totaling almost 17,000 manuscripts, is by far the most extensive and richest repository for Armenian manuscripts in the world. These manuscripts are known for their outstanding illuminations, considered to be among the most beautiful ever created. Speaking to a news conference on April 26, Arevshatyan said the only motive that prompted the Matenadaran Institute to sign the memorandum with HMML was to ‘save the manuscripts from gradual aging." However, in the May 3 statement, the Matenadaran Institute urged Armenian benefactors, the government, and the people to help preserve these manuscripts, saying also their digitized copies should not be taken outside Armenia. "The management of the Matenadaran and all its employees would like to express their gratitude to all those who voiced their sincere concerns through public debates over the fate of Armenia’s cultural wealth. As a result, these debates have helped to shape a draft concept about how we can unify our efforts to preserve our national treasures," the statement says. Under the agreement, the HMML was to use the latest technology to capture high-quality digital images and to provide also the equipment, training and salary to local photographic technicians, as well as ongoing technical support to the Matenadaran. Under another agreement term, the HMML was to give the Matenadaran copies of all of the digital images and provide for the safe storage of another copy of the digital images in a highly secure location in Minnesota. Scholars wishing to consult complete manuscripts were to apply to HMML for copies after agreeing to conditions that reserved all copyright and commercial interests to the Matenadaran.
A structure of special importance
The Diaspora suggestion appeared at the right time, as the Armenian-American contract seemed to be hanging in the air, and in fact it neither got annulled nor was it refreshed. The supporters of the contract tried to prolong time to show the world that the American contract is the only correct one. But when it was considered neither the only nor the profitable one, its supporters lost influence. The principle “by giving a part of it we are saving the whole” mentioned by a Beirut-Armenian benefactor lost its meaning, as now it was possible to both save it and not give any part of it to anybody. Pierre Gyumumjyan mentioned that he doesn’t demand any duplications or copies from the Matenadaran original manuscripts. All he wants to do is show that he is able to realize digitization with his own means. Those opposing the Armenian-American contract are quite belligerently disposed, and think that the “struggle” of saving manuscripts is not over yet and that the supporters of the American contracts are still going to try to make it work. Now certain a armistice is noticed, as the Matenadaran is preparing for the elections of a new director, which will be held on July 10. Potential candidates of the director’s position are Hrach Tamrazyan and Manya-Erna Shirinyan. Both of these candidates are doctors of science, which is a mandatory requirement for the director’s position. The tender was announced on the basis of the 2002 bylaw of the Matenadaran, which requires that the election of the director be done among scientists and the manuscript board. However, certain changes were made in March. Banuchyan informed that according to a March 15 decision, the board must consist of 27 Matenadaran staffers and 12 non-Matenadaran members (instead of the previous 6). There cannot be such a formulation because it’s quite understandable what it means. However, according to our information, there may be changes in the bylaw because, on May 15 the Minister of Education, who’s in charge of the Matenadaran, has applied to the Prime Minister to have more power in the Matenadaran. The Minister offered to rename the scientific board as ‘Council’ and include not scientists but government chinovniks. If this suggestion is accepted, it will mean that the scientific board is turned into a governmental board. It will mean that from now on the chinovniks will determine the future of the manuscripts. Most of the chinovniks don’t even know what an ancient manuscript means, its value, etc. They have probably seen those when they last visited the Matenadaran when they were in school. If this suggestion is accepted, it will turn out that the status of the Matenadaran is even more degraded. In the beginning, it used to be a special institute for ancient manuscripts; now it’s going to function under the control of the Ministry of Education of Armenia. And perhaps soon the Matenadaran will not be able to make decisions on its own and will turn into an experimental field of unsubstantiated experts. And the government will have total control on this institute, which has passed to our generation the greatest legacy of our ancestors. If they wish, they may sell the manuscripts, if not, they may keep them. Or they might even sell them to whomever they wish.