Gia Aivazian (photo Louise Ratliff)

LOS ANGELES — Prominent Armenian librarian and scholar Gia (Dziadzan) Aivazian passed away on February 10. Aivazian was born in Kavala, Greece on December 22, 1934.

She received her B. A. (1966) in English literature, a Master’s in Library Science (1967) and a Candidate in Philosophy degree in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (1982) specializing in Armenian literature — all from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

She was the Librarian for Armenian and Greek at UCLA’s Young Research Library for many years and was the primary person responsible for the development of the large internationally known Armenian collection of that library. Aivazian was awarded the Hagop Meghabard Medal for Achievement in Armenian Bibliography and Librarianship by the National Library of Armenia in 1991.

Aivazian lectured, taught, and published articles and conference papers, primarily in the areas of Armenian literature, folklore, the press and Armenian women. She strongly supported the UCLA Narekatsi Chair in Armenian Studies and served for some years as president of the Friends of the Narekatsi Chair, starting in 2006/7.

She was a co-founder of the Tekeyan Cultural Association (TCA) of Los Angeles and was a member of the board of the TCA Arshag Dickranian School. She served on the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s central committee of America from 1987 to 1990. She was a very active member of the Armenian-American community of Los Angeles.

Funeral services will be announced later. She is survived by her brother Adam and Ani Aivazian; nephews Sevag and Krikor Aivazian; great-nephews and nieces Nathan, Sevana, Atam, Christopher and Haylen; sister Arshalouis Stevenson; nephew and niece Damian and Anoush Stevenson; great-niece Poppy Stevenson; cousin Takouhi Torosian and family; Susan Apamian and family; the Apamyan family in Armenia; the Chuchian family; Sylvia and Dr. Haig Minassian; Levon and Marie Missirli; Asadour Kouyoumjian; and the entire Aivazian and Apamian families, relatives and friends.