The Library of Congress, a 225-year-old Washington institution, has never had a moment like this. Last week, the Trump administration fired the longtime librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden.

The nation’s first African American Librarian of Congress was the latest person to get fired by President Donald Trump, a move that librarians say could stymie progress in making the nation’s library more accessible and inclusive.

Then–Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden speaks at the GBH Media Summit on April 30, 2025, in Boston, Mass. In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Carla Hayden as the 14th Librarian of Congress, making her the first woman and the first African American to hold the position.