The Library of Congress: President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden (https://www.npr.org/2015/05/0607)
The email began with “Carla”. I am writing to tell you that the position of Library of Congress is no longer being held by you. Thank you for your service.” The Library of Congress confirmed with the White House that she had been dismissed.
All around the government, Trump has been weeding out officials who he believes don’t align with his agenda, from the Justice Department to the Pentagon and beyond. The firings happen when conservative voices criticize officials.
The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency was removed Thursday, one day after he testified about his opposition to the dismantling of the organization. Trump has suggested that individual states, not FEMA, should take the lead on responding to hurricanes, tornadoes and other crises.
At the Pentagon, more than a half-dozen top general officers have been fired since January, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr. Two four-star officers, as well as a disproportionate amount of other senior female officers, have been fired.
Source: President Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden
The Library of Congress: Honoring Barbara Hayden, a Lifelong Journey with a People’s Passions and God’s First Principles
“Enough is enough,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who called Hayden “a “trailblazer, a scholar, and a public servant of the highest order.”
Connecticut’s top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee says Trump “fired” and demanded an explanation for why she was dismissed.
“Hayden, has spent her entire career serving people — from helping kids learn to read to protecting some of our nation’s most precious treasures,” said Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee that oversees the Library.
The library does a lot of things. It’s the main research arm of the U.S. Congress. It is home to the U.S. Copyright Office. It hosts NPR journalists during the National Book Festival. But it also houses a giant trove of books, films, recordings, manuscripts, newspapers, and more, making it one of the largest libraries in the world.
It holds a collection of rare books, prints and photographs, as well as troves of music and valuable artifacts like a flute President James Madison owned, which was played in a performance by Lizzo.
Donald Trump’s Library of Congress: Why he’s fired, what to do, where to go, and how to make a living
“Donald Trump’s unjust firing of Dr. Hayden is a disgrace and the latest in his effort to ban books, whitewash American history and turn back the clock,” Jeffries said.
“The Library of Congress is the People’s Library. He said that there will be accountability for the assault on the American way of life.
New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, the top Democrat on the Senate panel that oversees funding for the library, said the firing, which he said came at 6:56 p.m., was “taking his assault on America’s libraries to a new level.”
Robert Newlen, the principal deputy librarian, said he would serve as acting librarian of Congress “until further instruction” in a separate email seen by the AP.
When you have a free public library in particular, you’re giving people who don’t have a lot of money an opportunity to make choices about what to eat, what to watch and what to read.
The first woman and the first African American to hold the post was Hayden. She was also the first person in the job to be term-limited. Her time was set to expire next year.
“There were quite concerning things that she had done at the Library of Congress in the pursuit of DEI and putting inappropriate books in the library for children,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday.
While libraries in general have become fought-over turf in the broader culture wars, the Library of Congress has mostly stayed out of those controversies. Beside checking in on the process of digitization, the other topic of discussion in this week’s hearing was the remodeling its of the Library’s main reading room.
The Art of Donald J. Trump, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Kennedy Center Production of Les Miserables
A number of senior staff at the National Endowment for the Arts left their jobs this week. In a letter published by the literary magazine N+1, four members of the NEA’s literary arts staff announced their departures. “While we don’t know specifically how the work of the agency will change, we know the remaining staff will do their best to support you,” the letter read.
This is just a portion of Trump’s changes to arts institutions since he took office in January. At the National Endowment for the Humanities, he tried to cut staff.
And on Wednesday, CNN reported that a number of performers in the upcoming production of Les Misérables at the Kennedy Center are planning on boycotting when President Trump sees the show on June 11.
The early show of force was caused by Trump taking control of the Kennedy Center. He replaced Deborah Rutter with Richard Grenell, who was interim president, after 10 years at the center. Trump was the chair of the board. Several artists canceled their performances in order to be compensated for the canceled performances.