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Dr. Carla Hayden is officially the first woman AND first African-American to serve as Librarian of Congress. pic.twitter.com/eRt2wjUSAs
— Fusion (@Fusion) July 13, 2016
News of the Nerdy kind, the best kind of news! For those of us with a deep and everlasting love of books, of libraries, of books about libraries, and *deep breath* okay, there is amazing news. Carla Hayden is the new Librarian of Congress, and for the first time in its 200 year history, not male, and not white. Dr. Hayden is also an actual librarian, which will make a change from the usual scholar appointments. This is making history, and it’s history a lot of people will miss. Don’t be one of them, read up on Dr. Hayden, and the importance of the Librarian of Congress. Think Progress has a great article up.
When many libraries were cutting hours and staff because of disuse as eBooks were on the rise, the best librarians were busy altering the role of libraries beyond the scope of just being book repositories. They were thinking about the role libraries have always played in the organization of knowledge in the community.
Kengi:
Yes. Libraries have always been crucial community spaces, and the best librarians know that, and they foster it.
Wow! Congratulations, and hopefully this will be good for all libraries out there! (I love libraries, the idea of libraries, everything about libraries. Well, except for the due dates. ;) )
I do a bit of tutoring for the local colleges and high schools. I try to get students to meet at the nearest local library (to them, not me). I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “I didn’t even know this was here.” =(
Doin’ my part, one math nerd at a time…..