Library of Congress Outside EntranceDr. Carla D. Hayden, the current CEO of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, was recently confirmed as the 14th Librarian of Congress by a Senate majority vote of 74-18 on July 13th. With an overwhelming win, Hayden will be the first woman and the first African-American to lead the Library of Congress. She will be succeeding former Librarian, James Billington, who retired in September of 2015. Because of the recent passage of term limits, Hayden will lead the Library of Congress for roughly ten years.
Even before the vote took place, many Senators from both side of the political fence were in her corner for her to become the next Librarian of Congress, including President Barack Obama. Additionally, she gained enormous support nationwide from every state library in the country, including "a letter of support signed by more than 140 libraries, publishing, educational, and academic organizations across the country", according to a July Library Journal article. Congratulations to Dr. Carla Hayden for her selection! More about this story for the history books can be read in the Library Journal article about Carla D. Hayden.
Does it surprise you to know Hayden was selected by Fortune Magazine as one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders?