YEREVAN — On October 10, 2014, the American University of Armenia (AUA) unveiled a plaque in honor of Richard Hovannisian, who has donated his professional library of 1,338 books to AUA’s AGBU Papazian Library. Hovannisian’s library includes many history books covering the subjects of Armenian, Russian and Soviet, Near and Middle Eastern, Ancient and Medieval, Byzantine, and Modern European history and cultures. AUA President Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian welcomed Mr. Hovannisian, who cut the red tape and was presented with a hand-carved wooden box as a gift from Library Director Satenik Avakian.
Richard Hovannisian is Professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History and First Holder of the Armenian Educational Foundation Chair in Modern Armenian History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Southern California. A native of California, he received his M.A. in history from the University of California, Berkeley, and Ph.D. in history from UCLA.