Columbia University announced the election of Carla Hayden to its Board of Trustees, recognizing her national leadership as Librarian of Congress.
On May 3, 2024, Columbia University announced the election of Carla D. Hayden to its Board of Trustees, one of the most influential governing bodies in American higher education.
The appointment recognized Hayden's national leadership as the 14th Librarian of Congress, a position she had held since 2016, as well as her decades of contributions to library science, public service, and civic engagement. Her election brought to the university's governing board a rare combination of expertise in information science, public administration, and cultural preservation.
Columbia University, home to one of the nation's premier library and information science programs, benefited from Hayden's practical experience leading major library systems—including the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore and the Library of Congress itself—as the university navigated questions of digital transformation, access to knowledge, and the evolving role of libraries and archives in higher education.
Hayden's election to the board also reflected her continued influence and relevance well into the later stages of her career, demonstrating that her impact extended beyond her federal role to shape policy and governance at leading academic institutions across the country.