Cheryl H. wrote: “As a patron of the Library’s TPS [Teaching with Primary Sources] program for the past fifteen plus years, I cannot state more strongly my support of Dr. Hayden and the professionals who work with her. They have delivered countless educational experiences remotely, to teachers, museums, and community organizations in remote corners of this country. Here in Montana alone, their programs enlighten and inspire thousands who will never see the Library in person. Yet they now know it is their Library. Full of wondrous, important things.”
Margaret M. wrote: “As a former DC resident and a person who writes poetry and who has taught writing workshops for more than 20 years, I knew the LOC as one of the most important cultural institutions in the city — for me, because of its extraordinary poetry series under the auspices of the poet laureate. Even though the United States is a country where almost no one can name our current poet laureate — in contrast to the UK — it has mattered to those of us for whom this has mattered. And the LOC has been the heart of this.”
Jeanie C. wrote: “Someone in the White House had an anti-DEI chew-toy that squeaked when this person was poring over a list of federal employees and encountered the name Dr. Carla Hayden. Black? Check. Woman? Check. Ergo, she's outta here. How many people today can fill her place who have PhDs and equivalent large-library experience? How many of these are white males? Look to this minuscule group for your next Librarian of Congress. And will he be equally qualified? My guess: Not so much. Dr. Hayden's appointment and tenure have been aspirational for librarians, Americans of color, and library users, especially women and children. We are all so proud of her! Firing her is astonishingly unprecedented, uninformed, and point-blank terrible.”
That’s all for now. See you next week!
P.S., if a friend sent you this newsletter and you want to sign up, the place to do it is npr.org/newsletter/books. :)
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