05/17/2025
As confirmed by a spokesperson for Library of Congress (per The Washington Post), Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, was suddenly terminated by President Trump yesterday evening. Appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2016, she is a highly qualified leader and advocate for libraries. She has dedicated her decades long career to advocating for access, literacy, and promoting the work of librarians across the country. Many of our members have shared fond moments of meeting Dr. Hayden and being inspired by her calm supportive words and affirmations. We stand in support and solidarity with Dr. Hayden. Past President of BCALA Richard Ashby, Jr. shares, “This firing is not an isolated event. It is part of a larger, relentless campaign of erasure—a strategy weaponized to strip marginalized communities of access to resources, education, and cultural recognition. From book bans targeting narratives that reflect the diverse American experience to the defunding of literacy programs that serve underserved populations, this administration has wielded policy as a blunt instrument against progress. Their deliberate efforts to suppress public access to historical truths and diminish the presence of Black voices in academic and cultural spaces serve a singular, chilling purpose: to rewrite the nation’s story in the image of exclusion and control.”
[Image ID: Plain beige background with black text that reads, “The Black Caucus of the American Library Association stands with Dr. Carla Hayden”]
