Dear librarians,

This year is special for armenian librarians. In October will be the tenth anniversary of the Armenian Library Association (ALA). The coming plenum will give an objective evaluation to the Association Board activity as well as point out the main directions of our future activity, and problems craving for solution.

The year 2003 was a productive one.

At the end of the year we had an opportunity to present Armenia in the European program "CALIMERA", the purpose of which is to assist local institutions: libraries,

museums, archives to apply and develop innovative technologies and strategies.

Last year the Association published the "South Caucasus Libraries & Who is Who in South Caucasus Libraries" Guide Book in Russian.

More than thirty-one librarians participated in bi-weekly trainings at the "Caucasus" Library Training Center of the ALA and received Certificates. Web sites for the Khnko-Aper National Children library and the central municipal library after Avetik Isahakyan were created and published with the support of the Association.

In October, 2003, a large group of ALA members had an opportunity to participate in three-week courses in Cairo thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt.

The third National Library Week (NLW) will take place on April 19-27, 2004. With great pleasure I want to inform you that this year the most significant event of the year is organized together with the Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs. In the framework of the NLW, the 8th Volume of the ALA's Annual will be published. Posters for NLW and pocket calendars on ALA's 10th anniversary will also be published.

Various interesting programs have been planned. We believe that together we can fulfil public mission of libraries more effectively.

DAVIT SARGSYAN President, Armenian Library Association