Editing Enoch Pratt Free Library (section)

== History ==
Library establishment began on January 21, 1882, when the longtime local hardware merchant, banking, and steamship company executive and [[philanthropy|philanthropist]] [[Enoch Pratt]] (1808-1896) offered a gift of a central library, four branch libraries (with two additional shortly afterward), and a [[financial endowment]] of more than $1 million to [[List of mayors of Baltimore, Maryland|Mayor]] [[William Pinkney Whyte]] and the [[Baltimore City Council]]. His intention was to establish a public circulating library that (as he described it) "shall be for all, rich and poor without distinction of race or color, who, when properly accredited, can take out the books if they will handle them carefully and return them." The grant was soon accepted by the municipal government and approved by the voters on October 25, 1882.<ref name="epflhistory"/>

One of the early hires at the library was [[William Augustine Williams|William A. Williams]], the first [[Black Catholicism|Black Catholic]] seminarian in America (who later dropped out due to the prevailing racist attitudes of the day).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Slezak|first=Eva|date=November 2, 2019|title=Obituaries for Laurel: From Janitor to Lawyer, David D. Dickson (1854-1908)|url=http://www.rememberingbaltimore.net/2019/11/obituaries-for-laurel-david-d-dickson.html|url-status=live|access-date=April 28, 2021|website=Remembering Baltimore|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330060157/http://www.rememberingbaltimore.net/2019/11/obituaries-for-laurel-david-d-dickson.html|archive-date=March 30, 2022}}</ref>

From 1993 to August 11, 2016, [[Carla Hayden]] (formerly of the [[Chicago Public Library]]) served as the CEO of Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore and since has been the [[Librarian of Congress]] in [[Washington, DC]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-enoch-pratt-library-names-acting-ceo-20160811-story.html|title=Enoch Pratt library names Gordon Krabbe acting CEO|website=[[Baltimore Sun]]|date=August 11, 2016|access-date=September 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806042534/https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-enoch-pratt-library-names-acting-ceo-20160811-story.html|archive-date=August 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Hayden and the staff of the Pennsylvania Avenue branch were praised for keeping the branch open on Monday April 27, 2015, after protests and the civil strife over the [[death of Freddie Gray]]. The library's location, at the intersection of Pennsylvania and West North Avenues in the northwest center city [[Sandtown-Winchester, Baltimore|Sandtown-Winchester]] community, found itself at the center of the protests drawing nationwide and international attention, giving community members a safe place during the troubled times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/05/public-services/baltimores-enoch-pratt-free-library-provides-haven-in-troubled-times/#_|title=Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library Provides Haven in Troubled Times|website=[[Library Journal]]|access-date=January 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710144117/https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/baltimores-enoch-pratt-free-library-provides-haven-in-troubled-times|archive-date=July 10, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/amidst-protests-baltimore-libraries-stay-open-provide-community-support/|title=Baltimore libraries stay open to provide community support|website=[[PBS NewsHour]]|date=April 28, 2015|access-date=January 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508203138/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/amidst-protests-baltimore-libraries-stay-open-provide-community-support|archive-date=May 8, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following Hayden's departure and promotion on August 11, 2016, the acting director of the library has been Gordon Krabbe, who served as the library's chief operating officer since 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-enoch-pratt-library-names-acting-ceo-20160811-story.html|title=Enoch Pratt library names Gordon Krabbe acting CEO|website=[[Baltimore Sun]]|date=11 August 2016 |access-date=January 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806042534/https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bal-enoch-pratt-library-names-acting-ceo-20160811-story.html|archive-date=August 6, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 2017, Heidi Daniel was named the new president and CEO of the public library system.<ref>{{cite web|last=Woolever|first=Lydia|url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/heidi-daniel-new-ceo-president-enoch-pratt-free-library/|title=Cameo: Heidi Daniel|website=[[Baltimore Magazine]]|date=September 2017|access-date=July 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022205449/https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/community/heidi-daniel-new-ceo-president-enoch-pratt-free-library/|archive-date=October 22, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Under Daniel's leadership, the Pratt became one of the first fine-free public library system's on the East Coast. In 2017, the Enoch Pratt Free Library was named one of Reader's Digest and ''Good Morning America''{{'}}s Nicest Places in America. Daniel also helped expand the library's social impact programs, including Social Worker in the Library, Healthcare in the Library, Peer Navigators, and Housing Navigators. Daniel sits on the Board of the Urban Libraries Council.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} In September 2024, Chad Helton was named as the library system's new president and CEO.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fenton |first1=Justin |title=Pratt Library’s unconventional new CEO is out to change lives |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/pratt-library-new-ceo-chad-helton-6EG4RA6QONBY5NH2K2J5HEXADY/ |access-date=September 30, 2024 |work=The Baltimore Banner |date=September 30, 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2022, workers across the Pratt Library system voted to form a union named Pratt Workers United with AFSCME Council 67, representing over 300 workers across the system, calling for improved wages, benefits, career advancement, and increased staff input on their work environment.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Cancio |first=Kat |date=June 1, 2022 |title=Workers at the Enoch Pratt Free Library seek union recognition |url=https://afscmeatwork.org/system/files/6.1.22_pwu_announcement_press_release.pdf |publisher=[[AFSCME]] |access-date=July 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710141309/https://afscmeatwork.org/system/files/6.1.22_pwu_announcement_press_release.pdf |archive-date=July 10, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bmoreart2022">{{cite web|last=Kirkman|first=Rebekah|url=https://bmoreart.com/2022/06/pratt-library-workers-intend-to-form-a-union.html|title=Pratt Library Workers Intend to Form a Union|website=bmoreart|date=June 2, 2022|access-date=July 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619031149/https://bmoreart.com/2022/06/pratt-library-workers-intend-to-form-a-union.html|archive-date=June 19, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="afro2022" /> The council would also represent workers at [[Baltimore Museum of Art]] and [[Walters Art Museum]] if union campaigns at those institutions are successful.<ref name="bmoreart2022" /> Workers within the library system have been organizing for a union since May 2021.<ref name="bmoreart2022" /><ref name="afro2022">{{cite web|url=https://afro.com/enoch-pratt-free-library-workers-call-for-recognition-of-employee-union/|title=Enoch Pratt Free Library workers call for recognition of employee union|website=[[Baltimore Afro-American|Afro]]|date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220622001758/https://afro.com/enoch-pratt-free-library-workers-call-for-recognition-of-employee-union/|archive-date=June 22, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>