The Middle East Librarians Association Presents the 2016 David H. Partington Award to Two Librarians of Middle East Studies at its Annual Meeting, November 16, 2016, in Cambridge, MA.
David G. Hirsch has been the University of California Los Angeles Librarian for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, simultaneously with Judaica and Armenian Studies, Central Asian Studies and South Asian Studies since 1989. Before coming to UCLA, David’s distinguished career path included work, while on leave from UCLA, at the Abu Dhabi National Library, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2009–2011); Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures, UCLA (2002–2008, 2011– as Adjunct Assistant Professor); Zayed Central Library, United Arab Emirates University (1999–2000); Firestone Library, Princeton University (1987–1989 where he worked with Joan Biella); Joseph Regenstein Library, University of Chicago (1984–1986, where he worked with his mentor, Bruce Craig, another Partington Awardee). Along the way, David has presented lectures and workshops for the Department of State in the UAE, Oman, Senegal, and Mali. He has presented papers at several MELCOM meetings, most recently in Leiden. Additionally, he has lectured and translated during two workshop programs for Iraqi Librarians in al-Ain, UAE, and Amman, Jordan in 2005 and 2006 as part of an NEH grant funded program.