Carla Hayden Joins Mellon Foundation as Senior Fellow

Just days after telling librarians at the American Library Association Annual Conference that her work helping libraries was not over, former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden is on to her next role. In a July 7 announcement, the Mellon Foundation announced that Hayden will join the organization for a year-long senior fellowship.

In her new role, Mellon officials said Hayden will “pursue scholarship, writing, and research projects” while also serving as “a strategic partner and counsel” to advise Mellon on “opportunities to support and advance libraries, archives, and other organizations in the public knowledge ecosystem.”

In a release, Mellon officials acknowledged that Hayden’s appointment comes at
a pivotal moment for libraries and public knowledge institutions," citing "historic challenges" and "transformative advances," including the "impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies" and "the urgent need to ensure equitable access to information" amid Trump administration efforts to slash federal funding for libraries and ongoing efforts across the country to ban books.

"We celebrate Dr. Hayden’s career-long commitment to the profoundly American tradition of freedom to read, learn, and explore the vast knowledge held within our country’s libraries and archives," Mellon President Elizabeth Alexander said, in a statement. "We welcome her wisdom and counsel as a leader with an unshakable regard for the public good of the American people. We are thrilled that she is sharing her expertise with the Mellon Foundation during this crucial time."

The appointment comes after Hayden was fired by the Trump administration in a shock move on May 8, despite one of the most successful, transformative tenures in the library’s history. During her time at the Library of Congress, Hayden earned praise from both sides of the aisle for her efforts to democratize access to the library’s treasures, overseeing several digitization initiatives and dramatically expanding public engagement.

“At a time when equitable access to information and the free exchange of ideas face significant challenges, I am honored to join the Mellon Foundation as a senior fellow,” Hayden said, in a statement. “Together, we will work to strengthen the public knowledge ecosystem and ensure that the transformative power of information remains accessible to all.”  

Hayden was appointed Librarian of Congress by President Barack Obama in 2016 after 23 years as CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system in Baltimore. She had a little more than a year left in her 10-year term as Librarian of Congress when she was abruptly dismissed by Trump officials via email.

While Hayden has now moved on—at least for the next year—what’s next for the library remains uncertain.

Trump has attempted to install his former criminal attorney and current DOJ official Todd Blanche as the Librarian of Congress, but Hayden’s associate, Robert Newlen, remains at the helm as dictated by statute, with Congress reportedly pushing back against a Trump takeover of the library.