ALA President Hohl Statement Regarding the Firing of Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

“Dr. Hayden’s abrupt and unjust dismissal is an insult to the scope and breadth of work Dr. Hayden has undertaken in her role leading the Library of Congress.

“Dr. Hayden’s legacy is so much more than the “firsts” often spotlighted – first woman, first African American. We are proud that Dr. Hayden, a past president and lifetime member of the American Library Association, embodies leadership that puts the public at the heart of public service. Our nation needs leadership like Dr. Hayden’s now more than ever.

“Dr. Hayden has exceeded the greatest expectations of the many advocates who endorsed her nomination in 2016, when ALA wrote that Dr. Hayden ‘understands what a library at its best is and can be for every community of users – young and old, corporate and individual, rich and poor, “connected” or not – in our diverse and complicated country.’ The U.S. Senate agreed and confirmed Dr. Hayden to her position with overwhelming bipartisan support.

“By throwing open the doors of the venerable Library of Congress to welcome everyone, Dr. Hayden has revealed what the highest library in the land, and what every library, is: a bastion of knowledge and a beacon of opportunity.

“We offer our thanks for Dr. Hayden’s exceptional leadership with our words and our actions. Now is the time to urge Congressmembers to publicly show their support for our nation’s libraries. We invite everyone who cherishes America’s libraries to reach out to their Congressmembers at bit.ly/Call2FundLibraries and customize your message to express your passion for including federal funding for libraries in the 2026 budget.”