Photo by Shawn Miller, Library of Congress.

The best youth services librarians are a special character of human. Warm, smart, creative, curious, patient, constant, strong; shaped by their service to young people, their appreciation for books and reading, the courage of their convictions, and their professional expertise in a challenging field.

As the appreciation and admiration for Our Nation’s Librarian pour in following her abrupt dismissal, we’ll add ours in the form of this 2018 interview, "Making a Difference in Our Nation’s Library: An Interview with Dr. Carla Hayden" by Roger Sutton:

In 2016 Dr. Carla Hayden was confirmed as the fourteenth Librarian of Congress — the first African American and the first woman to hold that position. Horn Book editor in chief Roger Sutton and Dr. Hayden go way back, to their days at the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago. In February, Roger interviewed Dr. Hayden at her office in Washington, DC, complete with a stellar view of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Thank you Dr. Hayden. She is swell, she is great; and maybe someday Roger's wish will come true.

Find more coverage from our sibling publication, School Library Journal, here.