After winning unanimous support from the Senate Rules Committee, Carla Hayden‘s nomination to serve as Librarian of Congress has been held up by one or more Republicans. The Washington Post notes, “There has been no public explanation for the five-week delay, although privately some conservatives have been critical of the positions Hayden took as head of the American Library Association, including her opposition to a federal law requiring libraries to install Internet filters to block pornography. Others decry her lack of academic heft, saying the position is a scholarly one.” (She has a PhD from the University of Chicago, however, and has served on the National Museum and Library Services Board since 2010.)
Currently head of Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library system, Hayden would be the first woman and the first African American to head the LOC — which has been without a leader since James Billington retired in September 2015. Politico says an unspecified Republican Senator has placed a hold on the nomination to keep it from coming to the Senate floor for a vote.
Cheryl Dickemper has joined Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as national sales manager handling the trade division’s educational channel, reporting to Harvey Berline. Dickemper succeeds Ellen Sugg, who has announced her retirement, and was previously director of content acquisitions at Booksource.
Priyanka Krishnan has joined William Morrow and the Harper Voyager imprint as editor. Previously she was an associate editor at Ballantine.
At Scribner, Taylor Noel and Rosie Mahorter have both been promoted to associate publicist.
Tessa Murphy joins Insight Editions as copy editor and proofreader.
Sherry Beck Paprocki takes over as board president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, as outgoing president Randy Dotinga remains on the board. Milt Toby will serve as vice president.
The National Book Festival at the Washington, DC convention center will open on September 24 with author Stephen King on the main stage. King will present, and be recognized by the Library of Congress for “his lifelong work promoting literacy.”