We conclude our Black History month profiles with Dr. Carla Hayden — the first female and first African-American Librarian of Congress.

Appointed by President Obama in 2016, Dr. Hayden began her career with the Chicago Public library as a children’s librarian in the early 1970s.

In 1995, she was the first African American to receive Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year Award in recognition of her outreach services at the Pratt Library in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Hayden served as President of the American Library Association form 2003-2004, and at various times worked in both museum and academic libraries.

Hear Dr. Carla Hayden talks about how she found her vocation as librarian……

Dr. Carla Hayden’s life is certainly inspirational… and so we’d like to end with one of her many inspirational quotes about librarians :

“There is a hunger for that authoritative, nonjudgmental source of information. We are the trusted source.”

NYLI has a $15 M eBook collection.... check out this inspirational one — learn more from Prof. Gates about African American Lives !