
Woman Thought Leader: Dr. Carla Hayden
10/7/2019 | 25m 48sVideo has Closed Captions
The first woman and African American to head the Library of Congress.
Expanding user access and diversifying voices at the Library of Congress with the fourteenth Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and person of color to lead the library. She was appointed to her position in 2016 under President Barack Obama.
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Funding for TO THE CONTRARY is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Park Foundation and the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation.

Woman Thought Leader: Dr. Carla Hayden
10/7/2019 | 25m 48sVideo has Closed Captions
Expanding user access and diversifying voices at the Library of Congress with the fourteenth Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and person of color to lead the library. She was appointed to her position in 2016 under President Barack Obama.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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>> Dr. Carla Hayden: LIBRARIES PROVIDE ACCESS THAT YOU CAN TRUST.
THEY ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO TO FOR INFORMATION AND YOU KNOW THAT IT IS VETTED.
>> Bonnie: HELLO.
I AM BONNIE ERB.
WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY".
THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE OUR WOMEN'S THOUGHT LEADERS SERIES WITH DR. CARLA HAYDEN, THE 14TH LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS AND THE FIRST WOMAN IN PERSON OF COLOR TO LEAD THE LIBRARY.
DR. HAYDEN WAS NOMINATED TO HER POSITION BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN 2016.
WELCOME, DR. HAYDEN.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: THANK YOU.
GREAT TO BE HERE DURING THE TIME WE ARE CELEBRATING WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.
>> Bonnie: TELL ME, HOW DID THE LIBRARY CELEBRATE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE?
WHAT WAS IMPLEMENTED BY YOU THAT WAS NOT GOING TO BE DONE FOR THIS AMAZING, YOU KNOW, HUNDRED YEAR MARK BY YOUR PREDECESSOR?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: WELL, I THINK THAT THE LIBRARY HAD PLANS -- I KNOW THEY DID -- TO DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS PAPERS OF SUSAN B ANTHONY, ELIZABETH CADY STANTON, THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION AND PARTY, MARY CHURCH THOREAU, NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE 70 YEAR TREK FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.
HOWEVER, I THOUGHT MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A FULL-BLOWN EXHIBIT THAT REALLY EMPHASIZES THE LENGTH OF THE STRUGGLE AND SOME OF THE OTHER STRUGGLES, THE RACIAL ELEMENT AS WELL.
>> Bonnie: SO LET'S START WITH THE LIBRARY AND ITS IMPORTANCE TO VIEWERS OUT THERE WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
I FEEL VERY LUCKY LIVING IN WASHINGTON D.C., AND I WAS TRYING TO WRITE A BOOK A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND I DID IT ALL IN YOUR INCREDIBLE READING ROOM AND THE INCREDIBLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT'S STILL NOT ON -- ALTHOUGH IT'S GETTING BETTER -- STILL, A LOT OF INFORMATION PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IF YOU'RE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED IS NOT ONLINE.
AND IT IS AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
IS THAT TRUE FOR LIBRARIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY?
DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THAT?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: YES.
AND THE WONDERFUL THING IS THAT WE ARE PUTTING MORE COLLECTIONS ONLINE.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS --, OF COURSE IT SERVES CONGRESS, WE HAVE A STAFF THAT JUST PROVIDES NONPARTISAN REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR CONGRESS.
WE CALL THEM OUR SPECIAL FORCES, AND THEY ARE THE RESEARCH ARM OF CONGRESS, AND WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE IS THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IS THE LARGEST LIBRARY IN THE WORLD.
171 MILLION ITEMS AND 836 MILES OF SHELVING.
IF YOU WENT FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO DAVENPORT, IOWA, YOU MIGHT RUN OUT OF SHELVING.
IT TAKES THAT MUCH.
IT HAS THREE BUILDINGS IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, A WONDERFUL FACILITY IN CULPEPER, VIRGINIA, WITH 14 MILLION ITEMS, PHOTOGRAPHY, MOTION PICTURES, AND THE SPECIAL SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND SO, WE ARE TRYING TO DIGITIZE AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE ONLINE.
>> Bonnie: WELL, I KNOW I HAVE -- I REALLY EDUCATED MYSELF IN THE LAST 5bää0 YEARS ABOUT SLAVERY IN AMERICA.
I JUST DIDN'T GET IT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I DIDN'T GET THAT EDUCATION IN BACK IN THE '60s AND '70S.
IT WASN'T IN TEXTBOOKS.
SO -- AND I SPENT AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME ON YOUR WEBSITE LISTENING TO THE SLAVE NARRATIVES THAT WERE RECORDED BY THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION AND THEN PART OF THE NEW DEAL.
LOOKING AT PICTURES OF, FOR EXAMPLE, BLOOD ELAINE AND THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPHS OF WAR DID EVER, EVER.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: YES.
>> Bonnie: EVERY OTHER WORD ACTION BEFORE THEN WAS A DRAWING OR PAINTING.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: AND THE LIBRARY HAS THE ARCHIVE OF MATTHEW BRADY, WHO WAS THE WAR PHOTOGRAPHER, AND ALSO DREW FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF HARVARD WHO WROTE A BOOK.
SHE DID MOST OF HER RESEARCH ON DEATH AND DYING IN THE CIVIL WAR AND THE FACT THAT DEATH HAD NOT BEEN PORTRAYED EITHER IN LITERATURE OR IN VISUAL IMAGES BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR AND WHAT IT MEANT.
SO IT'S A REACH RESEARCH FOR ALL TYPES OF RESEARCHERS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN A SUBJECT CAN LOOK AT A COLLECTION OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF COMIC BOOKS.
>> Bonnie: I'M IN IDAHO, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN IDAHO.
WHY ARE MY FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS GOING TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS?
WHAT DO I GET OUT OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: I'M SO GLAD YOU ARE ASKING THAT, BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN GET ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT RIGHT NOW@LLC.GOV AND DOWNLOAD SO MANY IMAGES, SO MANY ASPECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND ARE AVAILABLE.
THE PAPERS OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON, WOODROW WILSON, TEDDY ROOSEVELT, ROSA PARKS, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE DIGITIZED, DOWNLOADABLE, AVAILABLE.OU CAN CONNECT TO THAT LARGEST LIBRARY IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN TAX DOLLARS.
WE ARE SERVING YOU.
>> Bonnie: WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH BUDGET HEARINGS IN CONGRESS, DOES ANYBODY EVER ASKED, WELL, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE INTERNET AND ALL THIS STUFF CAN BE PLACED ON THE INTERNET, DO WE REALLY NEED A LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ANYMORE?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: IN FACT, I WAS A PUBLIC LIBRARIAN.
IN FACT, TWO OF MY PREDECESSORS AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WERE PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTORS.
AND LIBRARIANS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, IN FACT EVEN THE WORLD, ARE BEING ASKED THE SAME QUESTION: WHY DO WE NEED LIBRARIES WHEN YOU CAN GET ANYTHING ONLINE?
LIBRARIANS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE SAYING THAT LIBRARIES PROVIDE ACCESS THAT YOU CAN TRUST, THEY ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO TO FOR INFORMATION, AND YOU KNOW THAT IT IS VETTED IN A WAY THAT GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE, AND IT IS A PLACE, THAT THIRD PLACE IN SO MANY COMMUNITIES ALL OVER.
SO WE ARE ALL CONNECTED TOGETHER TECHNOLOGICALLY.
I WAS JUST AT THE D.C. PUBLIC LIBRARY WAITING TO REALLY GET EXCITED ABOUT THEIR OPENING OF THEIR NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY.
SO THESE TYPES OF CONNECTIONS PROVIDE ALMOST -- IF YOU THINK OF IT AS A SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, LIBRARIES ARE PART OF THAT EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE LIBRARY SYSTEMS.
THERE ARE MORE PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THIS COUNTRY THE ANSWER IN FAST FOOD CHAINS.
[LAUGHTER] >> Dr. Carla Hayden: NOT A BAD THING.
BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN GET TRUSTED SOURCE AND INFORMATION.
>> Bonnie: HERE'S AGO WHEN THE INTERNET FIRST BECAME USABLE BY CIVILIANS, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, THAT POOR PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS.
IS THAT STILL TRUE?
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT -- A WHOLE THAT YOU FILL?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE.
I JUST CAME BACK FROM A TRIP TO WYOMING.
AND PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT THE RURAL AREAS HAVING ACCESS PROBLEMS AS WELL, GETTING THAT HIGH-SPEED NETWORK, TO HAVE HIGH-SPEED CONNECTIONS.
85båå5 PERCENT OF ALL JOB LOCATIONS, YOU HAVE TO REGISTER AND APPLY ONLINE.
AND A LOT OF THE GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE NOW A GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
SO HAVING ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED NETWORKS AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE PUBLIC FREE ACCESS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE AND SOMETHING THAT ALL OF THAT SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE WE ARE ALL WORKING ON.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, BY PUTTING MOST OF ITS RESOURCES, AS MANY THINGS THAT ARE COPYRIGHT RESTRICTED ONLINE ALLOWS SOMEONE IN THAT TOWN IN WYOMING TO SIT IN THEIR LOCAL PUBLIC LIBRARY AND DOWNLOAD AND MAKE A PHOTO THAT THEY CAN FRAME OF DOROTHEA LANES MIGRANT WORKER SPEAK >> Bonnie: WHAT IS IT THAT YOU HAVE NOT DIGITIZED YET?
IS THIS AN ONGOING PROCESS?
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE UNTIL YOU DIGITIZE EVERYTHING.> Dr. Carla Hayden: I MENTIONED THAT 171 MILLION ITEMS.
THE PAPERS OF 23 PRESIDENTS, WE HAVE ALREADY DIGITIZED WOODROW WILSON, THEODORE ROOSEVELT, AND WE HAVE GEORGE WASHINGTON AND QUITE A FEW OTHER PRESIDENTS TO GO.
WE ALSO HAVE THE ARCHIVE OF CLARA BARTON, THE FOUNDER OF THE RED CROSS, AND HER DIARIES THAT SHOW THAT SHE SHOULD -- SUFFERED FROM DEPRESSION.
SHE REALLY HAD DIFFICULTIES.
WE ARE WORKING ON COLLECTIONS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND ALSO RELATE TO THINGS, ANNIVERSARIES, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR INSTANCE, WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE, WE KNEW SUSAN B ANTHONY'S PAPERS NEEDED TO BE DIGITIZED FOR THAT.
WELDER WILSON WITH WORLD WAR I.
SO WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT CALENDARS OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN HISTORY, WHAT CAN WE PUT UP?
WE HAVE A TRIAGE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF DIGITIZING.
>> Bonnie: BUT DO YOU THINK ALL YOUR MATERIALS WILL EVER BE ONLINE?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: EVERYTHING MIGHT NOT -- THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE THINK ABOUT THE NETWORK OF LIBRARIES, THE RESEARCH LIBRARIES THAT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, LARGE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, D.C., PUBLIC, NEW YORK PUBLIC, BOSTON PUBLIC, HAVE SOME OF THE SAME MATERIALS.
SO THOSE THINGS, WE ARE LOOKING AT CONSORTIUMS AND WHO WILL DIGITIZE THE BEST ADDITION OF A CERTAIN THING AND PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MIGHT HAVE THAT WILL BE ALREADY DIGITIZED AND NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE BORN DIGITAL.
A LOT OF THE E-BOOKS AND THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT AS WELL.
SO THERE WILL BE A TIME THAT ALL OF OUR MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS ARE DIGITIZED, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME WONDERFUL THINGS IN THOSE COLLECTIONS.
AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WE HAVE OVER 14 MILLION PHOTOGRAPHS.
>> Bonnie: OH, MY.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: YES.
>> Bonnie: DATING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF PHOTOGRAPHY?
LATE 1700S?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: AND AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, FREDERICK DOUGLASS WAS ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED PEOPLE IN HISTORY AND HE KNEW THAT IN TERMS OF DEPICTING RACE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AND USE THAT NEW TOOL.
SO QUIET AND ARCHIVE.
>> Bonnie: NOW, YOU ARE THE FIRST LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND IN LIBRARY SCIENCES.
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OR USE ITS FACILITIES ONLINE -- WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD THAT MAKE TO THEM?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: THE FACT THAT I'M THE THIRD LIBRARIAN SINCE 1800, THAT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS THAT HAS A LIBRARY BACKGROUND, AND I HAVE PRETTY EXTENSIVE TRAINING AS WELL AND TAUGHT LIBRARY SCIENCE, AT THIS TIME IN THE HISTORY OF LIBRARIES I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT AND HELPS BRING THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS INTO THE FOREFRONT, REALLY, OF HOW WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL.
THE LIBRARY HAS HAD AUTHORS AND HISTORIANS, SCHOLARS, LAWYERS, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
IN FACT, IT HAS ELEVATED THE POSITION OVER TIME OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS.
IT STARTED OUT MAINLY, IT WAS THE CLERK OF THE SENATE, THE FIRST LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IN 1802 WAS THAT.
SO OVER TIME THE POSITION HAS CHANGED, AND I THINK NOW HAVING A LIBRARIAN AS LIBRARIAN IN CONGRESS REALLY HELPS US GROW.
WE ALSO HAVE -- >> Bonnie: BUT SPECIFICALLY, HOW IS MY ACCESS IMPROVED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TRAINING, YOU KNOW, GRADUATE SCHOOL TRAINING AS A LIBRARIAN?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: WELL, I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC'S ACCESS WILL IMPROVE, BECAUSE AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME FOR ALL LIBRARIES, THERE IS A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH NETWORKING WITH ALL TYPES OF LIBRARIES, WHO REALLY HAS BEEN INVOLVED PROFESSIONALLY WITH MAKING SURE THAT ALL LIBRARIES ARE LOOKING AT OUR JOINT FORCES.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD IN MY CURRENT POSITION.
I WAS AT A CONFERENCE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY, AND I WAS THE ONLY PERSON, A LIBRARIAN.
AND A PERSON SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LIBRARY PEOPLE WOULD GET TOGETHER, YOU HAVE SO MUCH.
IF YOU WOULD JUST JOINED TOGETHER, YOU COULD BE A RIVAL OF ANY OF THE BIG TECH COMPANIES OR SEARCH COMPANIES.
SEE, THAT'S TRUE, BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A FORCE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES, COLLEGE LIBRARIES, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, ALL OF THESE LIBRARIES JOINING TOGETHER.
IT'S QUITE A FORCE.
I THINK THERE IS A BENEFIT RIGHT NOW WHEN PEOPLE NEED THAT TRUSTED INFORMATION SOURCE THAT LIBRARIES HOLD TOGETHER.
>> Bonnie: WELL, WHEN YOU SAY TRUSTED INFORMATION SOURCE DO YOU HAVE DISH b_ DO YOU USE THE DATABASES OF NEWSPAPERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ARE SEEN AS PROMULGATING FAKE NEWS?
I MEAN, WILL YOU ELIMINATE FAKE NEWS FROM YOUR COLLECTION?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: LIBRARIANS, WE ALMOST TAKE AN OATH.
WE HAVE VALUES AND RINCIPLES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HOLD VERY DEAR IS THAT WE LOOK FOR THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION TO PROVIDE.
WE EVEN HAVE COURSES IN INFORMATION LITERACY.
AND HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT THE BEST SOURCE?
FOR INSTANCE, BREAST CANCER, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS, BUT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH MIGHT HAVE THE BEST WEBSITE.
SO LIBRARIANS ARE TRAINED TO LOOK AT THE AUTHORS OF INFORMATION.
HE WAS PRODUCING THIS INFORMATION?
AND THEY WILL THEN SELECT THE BEST SOURCE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT LIBRARIANS ARE TRAINED TO DO AND SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN DETERMINING THAT.
AND THEY MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S A CURATED COLLECTION.
IT'S A CURATED SELECTION ON YOUR WEBSITE IF YOU GO TO A LIBRARY WEBSITE.
>> Bonnie: I MEAN, ARE THERE NEWSPAPERS YOU DON'T CARRY BECAUSE THEY RUN TOO MANY ARTICLES THAT ARE NOT FACTUALLY -- >> Dr. Carla Hayden: THE LIBRARIES I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH, INCLUDING THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, LOOK FOR A NUMBER OF SOURCES THAT ARE AUTHORITATIVE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT LIBRARIES MAKE THEIR SELECTION.
>> Bonnie: WHEN YOU WERE APPOINTED BY -- WHEN YOU ARE PRESIDENT, I'M SORRY, OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, YOU SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE PATRIOT ACT AND URGED OTHER LIBRARIANS TO DO THE SAME.
PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: WELL, I HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I WAS VERY HONORED TO BE SELECTED BY MY COLLEAGUES TO HEAD THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
THAT'S THE ADVOCACY ARM OF THE LIBRARY PROFESSION.
AND AT THAT TIME, LIBRARIANS IN PARTICULAR WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A SECTION OF THE PATRIOT ACT, SECTION 215, THAT LOOKED AT RECORDS OF ALL KINDS.
AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH CLARIFICATION ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT COULD EXAMINE RECORDS, AND ESPECIALLY THE NOTIFICATION OF A PERSON, SAY YOU ARE LOOKING AT -- AND THIS IS A CRUCIAL TIME TO REMEMBER -- EVERYONE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY.
HOWEVER, PEOPLE WERE ALSO VERY INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT JIHAD OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS.
THEY WERE HEARING SOMETIMES THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME HIM AND THEY WANT TO KNOW.
LIBRARIANS WERE CONCERNED THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS JUST LOOKING WITHOUT ANY VERIFICATION OR CLARIFICATION OF WHY THEY ARE LOOKING AT LIBRARY RECORDS, BECAUSE THEY WERE INCLUDED ON THAT, THE INTEREST COULD BE MISINTERPRETED AS INTEND TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THE STICKING POINT WAS THAT WE COULD NOT TELL A PERSON THAT THEIR RECORDS WERE BEING LOOKED AT.
AND OVER TIME, WE WORKED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND CLARIFICATIONS AND DIFFERENCES IN SECTION 215 WERE MADE.
AND WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH HOW THAT WORKED OUT.
>> Bonnie: NOW, TELL ME, DIVERSITY IS OBVIOUSLY A HUGE ISSUE THESE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY IT IS BECOMING WAY MORE DIVERSE.
I LIVE IN A COUNTY WHERE A MAGNET SCIENCE SCHOOL, 84 LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN THERE, AND YET THERE MIGHT BE AMERICANS WHO FUND THE LIBRARY WHO DON'T WANT THEIR MONEY GOING TOWARDS FUNDING, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE PORTUGUESE DIGITIZED COLLECTION OF LITERATURE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CAN -- COLLECTS OVER 470 LANGUAGES.
AND IT'S BASED ON THOMAS JEFFERSON'S COLLECTION FROM 1814 WHEN THERE WAS A FIRE.
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ACTUALLY, BEFORE 1887, WAS LOCATED IN THE CAPITAL BUILDING .
AND THERE ARE WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOOKS LINED UP IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS.
THEY OUTGREW THE CAPITAL BUILDING.
>> Bonnie: SO JEFFERSON COLLECTED -- >> Dr. Carla Hayden: JEFFERSON STARTED.
HE COLLECTED.
WHEN THERE WAS A FIRE AND STORED DESTROYED THE BOOKS THAT WERE IN THE CAPITAL, JEFFERSON WAS RETIRED BY THAT TIME, BUT HAD ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PERSONAL BOOK COLLECTIONS.
HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 6000 VOLUMES.
AT THAT TIME, IN 1815, THAT WAS QUITE A BIT.
ANDY HAD THE QURAN, HE HAD THINGS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
HE SAID THERE IS NO SUBJECT TO WHICH MEMBER OF CONGRESS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REFER.
AND CONGRESS PURCHASED THEIR COLLECTION AND THE COLLECTION GIRL, AND THE IDEA THAT A NATIONAL COLLECTION THAT WOULD BE FOR CONGRESS AND THEN EVENTUALLY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A WORLDWIDE SCOPE HAS CONTINUED AND SO, PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE MATERIALS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EVEN REPATRIATE MATERIALS TO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE LOST IN NATURAL DISASTERS, HAITI, ALL THAT, TO THOSE COUNTRIES BECAUSE OF OUR DIGITIZATION EFFORTS.
SO IT'S A NATIONAL LIBRARY WITH A WORLDWIDE VIEW.
>> Bonnie: AND SO, WHAT PERCENTAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY YEAR IS SPENT ON CURATING, BUYING OTHER LANGUAGES THAN ENGLISH NOW?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT PERCENTAGE, BECAUSE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF THE COPYRIGHT SYSTEM, AND THAT PROVIDES MATERIALS THAT THE LIBRARY GETS THERE WERE DEPOSIT THING.
AND ALSO, THERE ARE SIX OVERSEAS OFFICES THAT THE LIBRARY HAS THAT ARE COLLECTING MATERIALS IN LOWS LANGUAGES.
>> Bonnie: THE INTERNET HAS OBVIOUSLY BECOME MUCH MORE COMMERCIAL IZED THEN WHEN IT STARTED OUT.
YOU COULD GET JUST ABOUT ANYTHING FOR FREE ONLINE, AND NOW JSTOR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH I'M SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, ALL THE SCHOLARLY ARTICLES ON VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE NOT MAJOR TOPICS THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT IN EVERYDAY LIFE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME PHD'S THESIS ON A CERTAIN KIND OF CANCER AND CELLS AND HOW THEY DIVIDE DIFFERENTLY, WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT STUFF IS NOW IN JSTOR.
PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
SO, YES, NO, NOT AT THE LIBRARY?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: AND NOT AT SOME UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
THAT'S WHERE THE EXPENDITURES ARE GOING.
WHEN LIBRARIES ARE PURCHASING, THEY ARE GOING TO GATHER IN THOSE CONSORTIUMS THAT I MENTIONED TO DO BULK PURCHASING AND COOPERATIVE PURCHASING OF ONLINE DATABASES.
AND THAT REALLY HELPS QUITE A BIT IN TERMS OF WHAT LIBRARIES ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
>> Bonnie: HOW HAS THE LIBRARY BEEN IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE HISTORY MENTIONED, THE AMERICAN HISTORY MENTIONED EARLIER?
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WHEN LITERATURE BY FEMALE WRITERS BACK IN THE 1800S, YOU NOTICED -- OR NATIVE AMERICAN POETRY?
WE NOW HAVE NATIVE AMERICAN POET LAUREATE.
WHAT ABOUT POETRY FROM NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE 1800S?
FIRST OF ALL, DO YOU HAVE -- IS THERE A DEFICIT IN YOUR MIND IN TERMS OF THE COLLECTION THAT EXISTS?
ARE YOU OUT THERE TRYING TO BUY NEW MANUSCRIPTS TO IMPROVE LOT?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: I WAS VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT JOY HARJO AS THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN POET LAUREATE.
VERY HONORED TO APPOINT TRACY SMITH, POET LAUREATE, TWO YEARS AGO AS WELL.
AND WHAT JOY IS DOING IS GOING TO OUR DIFFERENT COLLECTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING THE TYPES OF MATERIALS THAT SHE'S MORE AWARE OF BECAUSE OF HER BACKGROUND AS WELL AND OUR CURATORS ARE VERY, VERY CONSCIENTIOUS OVER TIME, TOO, OF MAKING SURE THAT WE COLLECT VERY STRONGLY IN NATIVE AMERICAN MATERIALS AND WE HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MUSEUM THAT IS IN WASHINGTON D.C. AS WELL.
>> Bonnie: SO AS A LAST QUESTION, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL EXHIBIT ABOUT ROSA PARKS.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: WE HAVE THE PAPERS OF ROSA PARKS, AND SHE WAS A PROLIFIC WRITER.
SHE WOULD TAKE THE BACK OF AN ENVELOPE AND WRITE, AND SHE WOULD WRITE ON ALL TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THE EXHIBIT IS GOING TO EMPHASIZE HER OWN WORDS.
IT'S CALLED BEYOND THE BUS FOR A REASON BECAUSE PEOPLE THINK OF HER AS THIS ICONIC WOMAN THAT WAS JUST SITTING THERE.
BUT SHE WAS AN ACTIVIST.
WHEN WE HAVE -- THEY ARE WRITINGS THAT REALLY SHOW HER INVOLVEMENT IN HOW MUCH SHE KNEW THAT SHE WAS PART OF A MOVEMENT AND KNEW THAT SITTING ON THE BUS WAS NOT JUST BECAUSE SHE WAS TIRED.
>> Bonnie: DOES THE SMITHSONIAN HAVE THAT BUS?
>> Dr. Carla Hayden: IN FACT, THE FORD MUSEUM IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, HAS THE BUS.
THE SMITHSONIAN HAS THE PURPOSE, AND THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS HER HANDWRITTEN NOTES ABOUT SHE FELT SO ALONE, SO EMPTY WHEN SHE WAS IN JAIL.
>> Bonnie: SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND TELLING US ALL ABOUT THE AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU HAVE AT THE LIBRARY.
I HOPE YOUR WEBSITE WILL GET A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE WITH KIDS LOOKING -- USING IT FOR COMICS OF WHICH YOU HAVE MILLIONS AND PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THE SLAVE NARRATIVES, WHICH PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN THE 1930S, WHO HAD BEEN SLAVES IN THE OLD SOUTH BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR, AND THEY ARE AMAZING, AMAZING LIFE STORIES.
THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "TO THE CONTRARY".
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Funding for TO THE CONTRARY is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Park Foundation and the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation.