Carla Hayden
Co-chair, OSI-Baltimore Leadership Council
Dr. Carla D. Hayden came to Baltimore 17 years ago to become the Chief Executive Officer of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, one of the oldest free public library systems in the United States.
Her work to revitalize the aging system has been widely recognized. She is credited with bringing the library's technology into the 21st Century and for using her formidable influence to oversee a fundraising campaign that helped expand the central library.
Dr. Hayden's belief that all people should have access to the library is evident in her efforts to improve outreach services to city neighborhoods, such as offering teens after-school homework assistance and college and career counseling. For her successes, she was honored with the Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal magazine in 1995, becoming the first African American to win such an honor. She was recently appointed as Chair of the Mayor's Youth Cabinet.
Dr. Hayden is past president of the American Library Association where she advocated that the USA Patriot Act be amended to "protect civil liberties and privacy of the public while at the same time ensuring that law enforcement has the appropriate tools necessary to safeguard the security of our country." She has been named a 2003 Woman of the Year by Ms. Magazine.
I was very honored to be asked by Diana Morris, director of OSI-Baltimore, when the nonprofit opened in 1998 to join its Board. I was excited to be part of a new organization and the opportunities it presented to help the significant challenges this city is facing. So it was my privilege to be a member of OSI-Baltimore's board when it was first established. I now serve as the co-chair of OSI-Baltimore's Leadership Council.
How does your personal and professional background help you in your role as co-chair of the Leadership Council?
Growing up in Chicago, I understand the challenges and issues an urban city like Baltimore faces. My professional career has taken me from Chicago to Pittsburgh, and from Baltimore to President of the American Library Association. The lessons and people I've met along the way have created a great foundation for dealing with the three Baltimore issues OSI wants to solve: drug addiction, overreliance on incarceration, and education.
How are the goals of the Enoch Pratt Free Library and OSI-Baltimore aligned, if at all?
The goals of the Enoch Pratt Free Library and OSI-Baltimore are definitely aligned--both provide services and resources for people in need. For over two years, both the library and OSI have partnered in a very successful lecture series, Talking About Race. We kicked off this series in 2009 and it's been very successful, standing-room-only for most lectures. It definitely shows the importance and the eagerness of people in our area to discuss and tackle issues connected to race. This series has created a dialogue beyond the walls of the library.
What is your favorite part about being the head librarian in the City that Reads?
My favorite part of being the head librarian in Baltimore City is that I get the opportunity to contribute to the development and enrichment of the city and its citizens. For more than 15 years at the Pratt Library, I have loved hearing the remarkable stories of generations of families who have used this great institution. From a grandmother who received her first library card at the Patterson Park Branch more than 80 years ago to people thanking us for helping them get a job, the Pratt Library is definitely part of this city's fabric, and I'm so happy I can be a part of it.