Carla Hayden Confirmed To Head Library Of Congress

Carla Hayden, the longtime CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, officially has a new job.

In a 74-18 roll call vote, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Hayden for a 10-year term as the librarian of Congress. President Barack Obama nominated Hayden, who he knew going back to his days in Chicago, in February. She will be the first woman and first African-American to run the Library of Congress.

Maryland Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, who recommended Hayden to Obama, were among those who urged her confirmation in remarks on the Senate floor before the vote.

#HaydenISLoC: Baltimore's librarian is now America's librarian. Carla Hayden will now lead the @librarycongress pic.twitter.com/UlIrx28UD5 — Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) July 13, 2016

Mikulski said the nation and library will be "well served" with Hayden's confirmation.

“She is a skilled manager of large, complex projects, handling large budgets while avoiding techno-boondoggles and producing tangible results," Mikulski said in a statement. "From moving the Enoch Pratt into the digital age to managing rare collections, Dr. Hayden has shown she understands the transformative nature of what a library is. With Dr. Hayden at the helm, America’s library will have an extremely qualified leader.”

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said that while the Pratt Library's loss is Washington's gain, Baltimore couldn't be more proud.

"Though we will certainly miss her presence, we know that in her new capacity, she will continue to support our city and drive the type of impact that transformed our Enoch Pratt Library System into a world-class center of innovation," the mayor said in a statement. "The fact that she is the first African American and the first woman to be selected as the Librarian of Congress, also sets a precedent to future leaders that with excellence as your guide, success is inevitable, and that you can achieve anything you put your mind to."

Baltimore Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings hailed the outcome and called Hayden a transformative leader of Baltimore's library system.

“Her broad, bipartisan support in the Senate is a testament to her unquestionable qualifications," Cummings said in a statement. "Like she did with the Pratt Library, I am sure Dr. Hayden will uphold the rich traditions of the Library of Congress while bringing innovation and creating leadership to a national treasure.”

Obama signed a law last year establishing a 10-year term for the Librarian of Congress with an option for reappointment. The position was previously considered a lifetime appointment.

The previous librarian of Congress, James Billington, was criticized for not keeping up with advances in technology. Billington was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and served for 28 years before stepping down last year. It was her experience in modernizing Baltimore's library system was one of the things the White House highlighted with her nomination.

She's been the head of Baltimore's system since 1993, and was nominated by Obama and confirmed by the Senate to join the National Museum and Library Services Board in 2010.

Hayden's confirmation unanimously passed a rules committee vote in June. However, the vote by the full body was held up for five weeks as a result of a Republican-led hold-up, The Washington Post reports. No reason was given for the delay, but some conservatives have reportedly taken issue with positions she took as the leader of the American Library Association, as well as her lack of academic organizations.