91´«Ã½

Washington, D.C. – Dr. Carla Hayden, a former president of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) and Chief Executive Officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Maryland, will be sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress on Wednesday, September 14, at noon (Eastern time). The historic ceremony will be broadcast live, beginning at 11 a.m., on the Library of Congress . Dr. Hayden is the first female and the first African American to lead the Library of Congress. The nation’s Library has been led by a library professional three times before in its history.

91´«Ã½ President Julie Todaro released the following statement:

“Dr. Hayden personifies the modern librarian: informed, articulate and committed. She will provide the leadership that the Library’s highly qualified staff needs to manage their world-class collection, which she has rightly called a ‘national treasure.’

“Throughout her career, Dr. Hayden has been a champion for information equality, privacy and freedom of thought and speech. Like all librarians, she is committed to the bedrock principle that all Americans everywhere deserve equitable access to the information that they need to succeed and lead productive lives in the digital age.

“We know that with Dr. Hayden at the helm, the Library of Congress will strengthen its ties with the nation’s libraries and other groups that influence how people access knowledge and information in the digital age. The Library is an extraordinary national and global resource and can and will greatly expand its reach in the digital age."

About Dr. Carla Hayden, Confirmed 14^th Librarian of the Library of Congress

Dr. Hayden was nominated by President Obama to be a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board in January 2010 and was confirmed by the Senate in June 2010. In 2013 she served on the steering committee that led to the launch of the National Digital Public Library. Prior to joining the Pratt Library, Dr. Hayden was Deputy Commissioner and Chief Librarian of the Chicago Public Library from 1991 to 1993. She was an Assistant Professor for Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh from 1987 to 1991. Dr. Hayden was President of the 91´«Ã½ from 2003 to 2004. She received a B.A. from Roosevelt University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago.

About the 91´«Ã½

The 91´«Ã½ is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government, and special libraries. The mission of the 91´«Ã½ is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.