The book, ‘Books, Library Science and Library Research in Noushafarin Ansari’s Writings,’ was unveiled at a ceremony in honor of the prominent librarian, educator and cultural personality on Saturday, October 10, at the Iranian Artists’ Forum (IAF) in Tehran.
Written by Ali Buzari, the book contains Ansari’s biography, professional background and some of her articles.
“The articles, which were published in several magazines, have been collected by Iran’s Book House (IBH) over 52 years,” Ansari said.
Her first article was published by Toos Publication in 1975 which is included in the newly unveiled book, IBNA reported.
Ansari worked as a librarian at the Delhi Public Library, and Tehran University Central library, and was library director at the Faculty of Literature and Humanities at Tehran University. She started teaching at the Faculty of Library and Information Science at Tehran University in 1968 and retired in 2000.
Early in her career she joined the Children’s Book Council of Iran, a non-profit organization, and was elected secretary general in 1978 to date.
As a retired university professor she expressed her disapproval over the removal of history as a subject from the library science major, calling it a wrong decision. “We have been taught by Touran Mirhadi – veteran educator, author and researcher – who believed the better we know our history, the more we succeed in the face of difficulties.”
Ansari’s husband Mahdi Mohaqeq, renowned author and scholar, said, “We have lived 52 years together. What is most interesting in our relationship is that we come from two different cultural backgrounds.”
Diverse Backgrounds
Pointing out that Ansari was raised in a western culture and never studied in Iran, Mohaqeq said, “She got her diploma from England, her Bachelor’s degree from Geneva and received her higher education in Canada, whereas, I studied in a theological school in Iran.”
On what has kept them together he said, “She knows English, French, Russian and Latin well and has written and translated many books. I also have more than 200 articles in English, Arabic and Persian and hundreds of books in my resume. Knowledge and culture has been the link that binds us.”
Mohaqeq said he has used his wife’s experience and knowledge to publish his articles in 20 countries.
Houshang Moradi-Kermani, prominent author of children and young adults’ books said: “If my books have been translated to foreign languages and are recognized worldwide, I owe it to the Children’s Book Council and Ansari’s efforts.”
Ansari was born in Simla, India, in 1939 to diplomat parents and thus exposed to several languages and cultures in Asia and Europe. In 1958-1960 she studied librarianship in Geneva, a discipline she continued at McGill University and at the University of Toronto.
She was awarded the Iran National Book Award in 1988, was a keynote speaker at the 28th IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Congress in Basel, Switzerland in 2002, and was nationally honored by the Society for the Appreciation of Cultural Works and Dignitaries in Tehran in 2004.
The event was attended by eminent authors Shahram Eqbalzadeh and Fereydoun Amuzadeh-Khalili as well as Majid Gholami-Jalisseh (CEO of Iran’s Book House) and a large audience.
