Obama nominates Carla Hayden to lead Library of Congress

[Tanuki]

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/02/25/npr-books-obama-nominates-carla-hayden




...."President Obama has nominated Carla D. Hayden as the next librarian of Congress. If confirmed, she would be the first woman and first African-American ever to lead the world's largest library.
Hayden is currently CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
In a White House statement, Obama says he and the first lady have known Hayden since she was at the Chicago Public Library, where she was deputy commissioner and chief librarian from 1991-1993.

"Dr. Hayden has devoted her career to modernizing libraries so that everyone can participate in today's digital culture," Obama says. "She has the proven experience, dedication, and deep knowledge of our nation's libraries to serve our country well and that's why I look forward to working with her in the months ahead. If confirmed, Dr. Hayden would be the first woman and the first African American to hold the position — both of which are long overdue."

In a video on the White House website, Hayden talks about keeping the Enoch Pratt Library open during the recent unrest in Baltimore.
"It was very evident that people needed, not only information, but a safe place and a trusted place to go," Hayden says. "We became a site for people to actually get food, to get supplies. We opened up our meeting room. It became that community meeting place. People were so relieved to have a safe place to be."..... (more at link)

[Recursion]

1. Also the first potential Librarian of Congress to have run a public lending library

All the previous ones came from a research library background.

It really is weird what a disconnect there is among the different MLS career tracks.

[brer cat]

2. I love this!

Librarians have always been my favorite people, and Dr. Hayden is a super star, and a community activist to boot.

"It was very evident that people needed, not only information, but a safe place and a trusted place to go," Hayden says. "We became a site for people to actually get food, to get supplies. We opened up our meeting room. It became that community meeting place. People were so relieved to have a safe place to be."

[Tanuki]

3. There's more! She took on John Ashcroft!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carla_Hayden

..."As ALA President in 2003–2004, Dr. Hayden was vocal in her public opposition to the Patriot Act, leading a battle for the protections of library users' privacy. She especially objected to the special permissions contained in Section 215 of that law, which gave the Justice Department and the FBI the power to access library user records.[8] Hayden often sparred publicly with then-U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft over the language of the law. Ashcroft often ridiculed the library community, and stated that the ALA had been "misled into opposing provisions of the act that make it easier for FBI agents to fish through library records".[8] Hayden's response was immediate, stating that the ALA was "deeply concerned that the Attorney General would be so openly contemptuous" (to the library community), while also pointing out that librarians had been monitored and been under FBI surveillance as far back as the McCarthy Era. Hayden asserted that Ashcroft should release information as to the number of libraries that had been visited under the provisions of Section 215.[8]"

[lovemydog]

4. I'm going to tell my sister.

She's a librarian. She loves President Obama too!

[Cha]

5. Mahalo Tanuki! Good to know!

...."President Obama has nominated Carla D. Hayden as the next librarian of Congress. If confirmed, she would be the first woman and first African-American ever to lead the world's largest library.
Hayden is currently CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore.
In a White House statement, Obama says he and the first lady have known Hayden since she was at the Chicago Public Library, where she was deputy commissioner and chief librarian from 1991-1993.

[Number23]

6. I spent so much time at the LoC when I was in grad school. One of my favorite places in the world

K&R