YEREVAN – According to the acting director of the National Library of Armenia, Hrachya Saribekyan, online access to digitized materials of the library has been restored after almost three weeks. In a June 3 press conference, he reiterated that the digitized files had been preserved in hard drives which were undamaged despite the fire in the server section of the library.
Saribekyan pointed out that prior unfounded statements about destruction of valuable library materials in the press were harmful. Investigation was continuing as to the cause of the interruption in service. While certain types of computer viruses have been ruled out as the cause, human intervention still remains a possibility. He thanked various software firms and technology specialists for their help.
He announced that a decision was taken to create a new website, which already has been designed and will be ready soon for use after testing. He displayed some images from it. With digitalized materials having been doubled in quantity, new servers will be procured to be added alongside the existing ones. The Association of European National Libraries is helping the Armenian National Library in this work.
As an aside, Saribekyan was careful to use a mask while speaking during the press conference, and the journalists present also were masked.
