Carla D. Hayden, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Library of Congress, appeared for about an hour of testimony before the Senate Rules Committee, on Wednesday. The NYT reports that “all signs pointed to a nomination process proceeding as, well, normal.” The Washington Post concurred that Hayden “met no resistance from the panel of senators, who focused their attention on the library’s information technology systems.” The Times added that, “The hearing’’ most pointed questioning centered on the patent and trademark office, which has had its own technological failings in recent months, prompting some to suggest that it should be made into its own agency.”
Committee chairman Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri said, “Today will be no day to reach conclusions except, I think, that her background makes her well-suited for coming up with a vision for the library.” In her opening remarks, Hayden commented: “As I envision the future of this venerable institution, I see it growing its stature as a leader not only in librarianship but in how people view libraries in general. As more of its resources are readily available for everyone to view online, users will not need to be in Washington, D.C.; everyone can have a sense of ownership and pride in this national treasure.” Individuals and organizations that wish to submit a statement for the hearing record have until Friday to do so.
Time Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people includes authors Ta-Nehisi Coates, Elena Ferrante and Marilynne Robinson.
Gallery senior editor Micki Nuding is retiring after after more than 25 years in book publishing, as of April 29. Nina Cordes has been promoted to assistant editor at Gallery.
Executive director, digital assets, Penguin, Dan Sanicola has been named vp, director, e-book production and operations for Penguin Random House. He will co-lead a newly created companywide e-book development and operations group along with Liisa McCloy-Kelley (vp, director, e-book product development & innovation), both reporting to Sue Malone-Barber.
At Sourcebooks, Suzanne Walker has been promoted to customer service manager, while Susan Busch moves up to manufacturing associate.
Literary agent Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown UK gave a TedX presentation in Oxford on “What Makes A Bestseller?” (The short cut is to be his client.)
Obituaries
Head of foreign acquisitions at Grasset & Fasquelle in France Ariane Fasquelle, 61, died on Tuesday, April 19, following a long illness. Publisher Olivier Nora writes: “Ariane was beloved by everyone in house and respected by all on the international publishing scene. Her courage was admirable and she will be deeply missed.” She was the French editor of international authors including Isabel Allende, T.C. Boyle, Umberto Eco, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Publishing executive Jackie Carter, 62, died April 13 of complications of lymphoma. She “promoted in children’s books the racial diversity she had missed growing up in a mostly white neighborhood,” the NYT writes. Her positions included serving as editorial director of the Jump at the Sun imprint, and vp and publisher of nonfiction books for the Scholastic Classroom and Library Group.
Awards
Nominees were announced for the UK’s James Tait Black Prizes, for biography and for fiction. The fiction candidates are:
Beatlebone, by Kevin Barry
The Wolf Border, by Sarah Hall
The First Bad Man, by Miranda July
You Don’t Have to Live Like This, by Benjamin Markovits