Interview: Librarian on Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, on “Why Libraries Matter”

We are delighted to welcome back to the show Dr. Carla Hayden. She was the CEO of the Enoch Pratt Library here in Baltimore for 23 years, and in 2016, President Barack Obama appointed her as the 14th Librarian of Congress, the first woman and the first African American to hold the distinguished position as head of the nation’s library.

The Library of Congress is the country’s oldest cultural institution, and at its helm, Dr. Hayden has had to navigate changes brought on not only by the COVID 19 pandemic, but by the dramatic evolution of libraries in general: how they serve their communities, and how they are responding in an increasingly digital world.

Today’s conversation, which we are broadcasting coincidentally on Dr. Hayden’s birthday, was recorded last week, so we aren’t able to take any calls or comments today.

Dr. Carla Hayden joined us on our digital line from her office in Washington, DC.

Listen to the Interview