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ALDERMAN LIBRARY RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED PERSIAN COLLECTION

Contact: Philip McEldowney, selector of Middle East language materials (804) 924-4987 or e-mail: pm9k@virginia.edu

May 1, 2000 - The family of Sadeq Chubak, one of Iran's foremost novelists, has given his working library to the University of Virginia Library. Consisting of 1020 items, Chubak's library contains many Persian literary masterpieces and several rare Persian works.

According to Farzaneh Milani, U.Va. associate professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and Studies in Women and Gender, researchers will now be able to study and understand Chubak's own literary tastes and views on Persian literature from his extensive annotations in the margins of numerous books in the collection. "Mr. Chubak was one of Iran's literary giants, considered by many one of the country's foremost authors. To have his personal collection at U.Va. is like a gift from above," said Milani.

Milani first met the Chubaks when they moved to America from Iran 21 years ago. This long-term friendship was instrumental in the family's decision to give the library to U.Va. after Chubak's death in July 1998. "This collection will become a valued addition to Persian studies at U.Va.," said Milani, "and it is my hope that the resultant expansion in our library holdings will be followed by the expansion of our program."

The University Library has expressed its gratitude to Mrs. Ghodsi Chubak and her sons, Roozbeh and Babak Chubak, for their generous gift that significantly expands the resources available to Persian scholars.

The collection has been received and is in the process of being cataloged to be available in Alderman Library. For more information on the Chubak collection, contact Philip McEldowney, selector of Middle East language materials in Alderman Library, at (804) 924-4987.

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