Present: David Hirsch (UCLA), Michael Hopper (Harvard), Chris Murphy (LC), Marlys Rudeen (CRL), Meryle Gaston (NYU), Simon Samoeil (Yale), Roberta L. Dougherty (Univ. of Penn.)

I. Old business

1. Reports from CRL

   Marlys: Distributed and went over financial report. By end of June 1995, balance of $21,651.64. So far this year, MEMP spent less than was taken in. At present there are $8,172.88 available for new commitments.

   Chris: Because of George Atiyeh's retirement from LC and staff member who has been preparing the material in the LC Arabic pamphlet collection for filming was in an accident recently, and unable to work full strength for some months. Therefore things are in bit of an upheaval with regard to cataloging there. Michael asked how much of pamphlet collection was left. Chris said that George was overseeing the weeding process and there are a lot of boxes which might contain duplicates from the weeding, so it's difficult to be sure how much is actually left to film. Chris will try to ascertain how much is left.

   Marlys: background on Sunday Ghibli: asked for quote from Ali Houissa of Cornell re: filming

   Ghibli. Cornell wanted to keep the negative, but Michael and Marlys wanted print negative to be kept at CRL since MEMP was paying for it.

   Chris: Algerian newspapers: Did they all come from LC? Marlys says she did get a lot of them from LC.

   Turkish newspapers: Marlys pointed out that MEMP has already spent 3 years worth on a single year's filming. Michael wanted to know if the amount allocated should be reviewed. Marlys suggested waiting till the fall meeting. Chris wanted to know how Preservation Resources is doing with handling brittle materials during filming? Marlys said that CRL's experience had been good with them. She also pointed out that some of the newspapers had articles cut out of them.

2. Shakeri collection: Filming began 1 May, 350 titles were taken to be filmed. The first group has been filmed although Michael hasn't yet examined the results. Michael has been trying to fill in gaps in some of the Persian titles, esp. Dunya. Assorted left-wing Persian materials are lurking in boxes in Ed Jajko's office and also possibly in Fawzi Khoury's office, gifts of departing graduate students.
3. Update on LC: Chris said that George Atiyeh officially retired as of 2 July. There is a strong movement in LC to abolish all area studies divisions for financial reasons. He feels it won't make much difference in-house, but impact on dealings with area-studies organizations outside LC could be serious. There remains a commitment to acquiring the materials, but the actual structure of LC will probably change. LC's current work for MEMP consists of preparing the pamphlet collection for MEMP.

   Michael wants an update on money spent on LC newspaper filming backlog. Chris says that Preservation Resources has filmed to date some 8 to 12 Arabic newspapers, including about a decade's worth of al-Shab from Mauritania and a Somali title. Michael asked if enough had been allocated to film everything, Chris said that LC's Arabic titles have been filmed or sent for filming up through March 31,1996. Filming of Iranian newspapers in New Delhi had been interrupted because of a water shortage, and it is not yet known whether filming will recommence where it was left off or if there will be a gap in the titles filmed. Michael pointed out that al-Nahar from Beirut is available commercially and why does LC still film it? Chris said the problem is with the film being diazo, which only lasts 20-30 years and not silver halide. Michael said that for planning purposes MEMP should continue to assume that LC will continue to film "main-line" titles.

   Michael would like a list of the titles that LC is filming and volunteered to go down to Washington to create such a list from LC's records.

   LC has signed nonexclusive contracts with Preservation Resources and Norman Ross to supply copies of LC films.

   Camera in Cairo: Chris says that the hope is that the camera in the LC Overseas Office will begin functioning within the next fiscal year, providing trained staff can be found to operate it. Chris will make inquiries about when it will start up.

II. New business

1. David Hirsch recently made a trip to Iran said that the National Library of Iran is interested in obtaining microfilms of Persian manuscripts held in the U. S. in possible exchange for films of mss. they hold. They are also interested in obtaining copies of Persian materials printed in the U. S.
2. Simon's proposal: wants MEMP to film periodicals al-Diya' (Egypt), al-Adib (Lebanon), al-Thaqafah (Egypt), al-Risalah (Egypt). These are held at Yale. Meryl pointed out that the first two are already available commercially. More research is clearly needed to determine if the other two titles are also available before MEMP can make a commitment. Marlys said, in order to do an estimate for the cost of filming, that she needs to know how many pages on average each issue consists of.
3. Saudi Arabian national bibliography: Michael asked if CRL would be willing to obtain this publication, which is on CD-ROM, and is very expensive. Marlys pointed out there would be problems in loaning this format. She wondered if the publisher would permit Internet mounting.
4. Ethnic newspapers published in this country: At a recent meeting of the Area Studies Council, the topic of filming these papers with NEH funding came up. LAMP has concluded that progress on such a project would require quite a bit of politicking in addition to the bibliographic work of description and collection, and wanted to hear from other area-studies microform projects. Chris said that there are two areas: Armenian newspapers (diaspora publishing); Arabic newspapers (with effort centered more on turn-of-the-century materials) Simon pointed out that there are a lot of Islamic publications coming out in U. S. cities with diverse viewpoints, but it can be difficult working with local associations to obtain back issues. David pointed out that issues sent out often arrive in very bad condition and it can be difficult to obtain replacement issues. Michael said that George had a list of Arabic newspapers published in this country and asked Chris to see if he could find it again. Gamil Youssef of NYPL is putting together a list of such papers published in New York and New Jersey, David said he would help put together a list of Arabic, Armenian and Persian papers published in L. A., Michael said he would do Canada, and Simon said he would help also with papers published in his part of the country. This work will result in a union list of current ethnic Middle Eastern papers published in the U. S.
5. Marlys passed out a list of newspapers and gazettes filmed in New Delhi. Everyone on the Executive Committee requested a copy.
6. Fall meeting of MEMP: Thursday, November 21 has been reserved for affiliate meetings of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA). The Middle East Librarians Association (MELA) meeting may take place over the 20th-21st. MEMP Executive Committee meeting could take place over dinner on one of those days, with a two-hour general meeting. Once MELA has made decisions on where and when, MEMP can piggyback onto MELA's meetings.
7. Cataloging at CRL: most of the newspapers have been done.

Michael adjourned the meeting at noon.

Return to MEMP meeting summary page

MEMP: Received
Since December 1995

BRIEF [MICROFORM]: MIDDLE EAST HIGHLIGHTS.
Tel Aviv: Middle East Information Media, 1971-1976.
Center has:
MF-10347 MEMP (1 reel) no.1,3-4,8,13,15-20,22-117(Jan.1/15, Feb., Apr.16/30, July 1/15, Aug.-Oct. 1971, Nov. 16/20,1971-Nov.1/15,1975).
Neg. MF-at lab.
1 reel. $123.04

MIDDLE-EAST INTELLIGENCE SURVEY [MICROFORM]: M.I.S.
Tel-Aviv : Middle East Information Media, 1973 -
Center has:
MF-10341 MEMP (1 reel) v. 1, no. 1-v. 2, no. 8 (Apr. 1973-July 1974); v. 2, no. 10-v. 3, no. 8 (Aug. 15/31, 1974-July 1975); v. 3, no. 10-v. 6, no. 8 (Aug. 15/31, 1975-July 1978); v. 6, no. 10-v. 8, no. 24 (Aug. 15/31, 1978-Mar. 1981).
Neg. MF-at lab.
1 reel. $380.64

PALESTINE & TRANSJORDAN [MICROFORM].
Jerusalem: Arab Publications Co. Ltd,
Center has:
MF-10343 MEMP (1 reel) v. 1, no. 7 (July 18,1936); v. 1, no. 9-30 (Aug.-Dec. 1936); v. 1, no. 32-33 (Jan. 9-16, 1937); v. 1, no. 39-40 (Mar. 6-13, 1937); v. 1, no. 42-43 (Mar. 27-Apr. 3, 1937); v. 1, no. 47 (May 8, 1937).
Neg. MF-at lab.
1 reel. $98.40

YEMEN TIMES [MICROFORM].
Sana'a, Republic of Yemen: Yemen Times,
Center's holdings begin with: Aug. 7/13, 1991.
MF-10324 (5 reels) Aug. 7/13, 1991-
Neg. MF-at lab.
1st filming - [Vol. 1, no. 23-vol. 4, no. 51 (Aug. 7, 1991 -Dec. 31, 1994)].
3 reels. $616.49

YENI SABAH.
Istanbul, Turkey.
Apr. 4-8, 1946; [1950-Oct. 17, 1955].
23 reels. $2953.60