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Carla Hayden, the former Librarian of Congress who was abruptly fired by President Donald Trump, has secured a new role with the country's top philanthropic organization for the arts, per the Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Hayden, the first Black woman to serve as Librarian of Congress, was ousted from her role after being accused of promoting "radical" literary material and other material authored by Trump opponents. The Library of Congress holds a vast collection of the nation's books, history, and valuable artifacts.
Hayden's new position puts her back in the middle of the conversation that surrounded her dismissal.
On Monday (July 7), the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, a non-profit grantmaking organization that supports the arts and humanities, announced that Hayden would be joining as a senior fellow. Her duties will include advising on efforts to advance public knowledge through libraries and archives.
Hayden said in a statement that she would work to strengthen and protect public knowledge in her new role.
“For generations, libraries, archives, and cultural institutions have been the guardians of knowledge and the catalysts for human progress,” she said. “Together, we will work to strengthen the public knowledge ecosystem and ensure that the transformative power of information remains accessible to all.”
The former Librarian of Congress is joining the Mellon Foundation as it works to fill funding holes for arts communities that have faced federal cuts. The foundation's $15 million "emergency" fund aims to help offset the $65 million that were intended to go to state humanities councils for book fairs, heritage festivals, theater productions and other programs fostering cultural engagement.
In a statement, Mellon President Elizabeth Alexander said Hayden, “a leader with an unshakable regard for the public good of the American people,” will be an asset to the foundation during a “crucial time.”
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