Carla Hayden receives the 2017 Melvil Dewey Medal

For Immediate Release
Thu, 04/20/2017

Contact:

Cheryl M. Malden

Program Officer

Governance

American Library Associatiopn

312-280-3247

cmalden@ala.org

CHICAGO – Librarian of Congress Carla D. Hayden is the winner of the 2017 Melvil Dewey Medal.  This annual award, presented by the American Library Association (ALA) and sponsored by OCLC, recognizes “creative leadership of high order, particularly in those fields in which Melvil Dewey was actively interested:  library management, library training, cataloging and classification, and the tools and techniques of librarianship.”

“Dr. Hayden’s extraordinary accomplishments in multiple roles at the national, state and local levels are both outstanding and inspirational,” said Winston Tabb, chair of the Melvil Dewey Medal jury.  The jury made special note of Dr. Hayden’s inspiring leadership as president of the American Library Association.  The jury also was moved by her exemplary direction of the Enoch Pratt Free Library for nearly two decades, modernizing its services and facilities and setting a heroic example of the role of libraries in a free society by opening her libraries as safe refuges during a time of civic strife.  “And, of course,” Tabb continued, “the jury was thrilled to recognize Dr. Hayden’s historic appointment as the first woman and first African-American to be named Librarian of Congress, our national librarian.   In this new, critical role – the culmination of a life-time of high achievement - Carla is already bringing new life and audiences to the Library of Congress while making its unparalleled collections accessible to anyone, anywhere.”

The 2017 Melvil Dewey Medal will be presented at the ALA’s President’s program, Sunday, June 25, during the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

In addition to Chair Winston Tabb, Sheridan Dean of University Libraries and Museums at the Johns Hopkins University, the members of the 2017 Melvil Dewey Medal jury are:  Maxine Bleiweis, William Schultz, Ann Symons, and Julia Warga.

The deadline for submission of applications for the 2018 Melvil Dewey Award is Dec. 1, 2017.

Guidelines and application forms are available on the ALA website.