Day 25: Carla Hayden
Hayden was president of the American Library Association from 2003-2004. She was also nominated, and confirmed, for a seat on the National Museum and Library Services Board. President Barack Obama nominated her for this position in 2010. She has won many awards such as Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year (1995), Johns Hopkins University President’s Medal, DuBois Circle of Baltimore’s Legacy of Literacy Award.
Hayden uses her positions to advocate for everyone who uses the public library. As head of the Pratt system, she helmed initiatives for teens to gain homework help and career counseling. During the uprising in Baltimore in 2015, Hayden made sure that the libraries stayed open and offered use of their space for the distribution of food and other supplies. While she was President of the ALA, she fought legislation in the Patriot Act that would have allowed the FBI access to all citizen’s library history. These permissions were rescinded. Hayden was also instrumental in combating legislation that blocked some internet content for library users. With her help, all libraries give visitors the option of unfiltered internet access.
