You’ve probably seen the grand, domed ceiling of the Thomas Jefferson Building in movies or on a quick D.C. tour. It’s breathtaking. But behind the marble and the millions of books sits an office that most people basically misunderstand. When you ask, "What does the Librarian of Congress do?" the mental image is usually a quiet academic shushing people or maybe cataloging a dusty old map.
Honestly? That couldn't be further from the truth.
The Librarian of Congress isn't just a "head librarian" in the way your local branch has one. They are a federal heavyweight. They run a massive agency with over 3,000 employees and a budget that creeps toward a billion dollars. They aren't just guarding books; they’re navigating the messy intersection of law, technology, and American culture. It’s a job that involves everything from picking the nation’s Poet Laureate to deciding if you’re legally allowed to hack your own tractor.
The Power of the Appointment
Since 1802, when Thomas Jefferson signed the bill creating the office, this hasn't been a typical career path. For most of history, it was a lifetime appointment. You got the job, and you stayed until you died or decided you’d had enough of the Capitol. That changed recently.
In 2015, Congress got a bit restless with the "job for life" vibe and passed the Librarian of Congress Succession Modernization Act. Now, the term is 10 years. It’s a presidential appointment, meaning the person in the chair is picked by the White House and confirmed by the Senate.
Why the shift?
Modernity happened. The digital age hit the Library like a freight train. There was a lot of noise about the institution falling behind on tech. By setting a 10-year limit, the government basically said, "We need fresh eyes on our digital strategy more often than once every three decades."
Currently, the seat has seen some serious movement. Dr. Carla Hayden made history as the first woman and the first African American to hold the post starting in 2016. Fast forward to May 2025, and things got... complicated. President Trump dismissed Hayden and eventually tapped Todd Blanche, a lawyer known for being the President’s personal attorney, as the acting head.
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This sparked a massive debate. Should the Librarian be a professional "book person," or is it an administrative and legal role that a lawyer can handle? It’s a tension that has existed since the beginning.
What Does the Librarian of Congress Do Every Day?
If you looked at their calendar, it would look less like a library and more like a corporate CEO mixed with a high-ranking diplomat.
- Setting the Vision: They decide which parts of history get saved. With over 175 million items—books, films, audio, photos—you can’t save everything perfectly. The Librarian sets the priorities.
- Managing the Copyright Office: This is the big one. The Librarian oversees the Register of Copyrights. This isn't just about "who wrote this song." It’s about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Every three years, the Librarian has the power to grant exemptions to laws that stop people from bypassing "technological protection measures."
- Advising the Heavy Hitters: They oversee the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Think of this as the "brain" of Congress. When a Senator needs to know the historical impact of a trade policy, they ask the CRS. The Librarian ensures this research remains non-partisan and lightning-fast.
The Copyright Kingmaker
Let’s talk about that DMCA power again, because it affects your actual life. Usually, it's illegal to break digital locks on software. But the Librarian of Congress can swoop in and say, "Actually, for the next three years, it’s okay if you’re doing it to repair your own car." Or to use a clip from a movie for a documentary.
It’s a weird amount of power for a librarian, right?
In 2010, then-Librarian James Billington famously allowed people to use short clips of motion pictures for non-commercial videos and criticism. Without that ruling, a lot of the YouTube essays and documentaries you love would be in a legal gray area. The Librarian is essentially a referee for the internet's "fair use" rules.
Cultural Tastemaker
The job isn't all legal briefs and budgets. It has a "cool" side that shapes what Americans consider "important" art.
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- The Poet Laureate: The Librarian picks the U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. This person spends a year or two traveling the country, trying to make people actually care about poetry.
- The National Film Registry: Every year, they pick 25 films that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It’s why Star Wars and The Rocky Horror Picture Show are preserved in the national archives alongside high-brow documentaries.
- The Gershwin Prize: They award this to musicians who have made a lifetime contribution to popular song. Think Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, or Joni Mitchell.
It’s a way of saying: "This is what America sounds like."
The "People's Library" vs. The "Congress Library"
There’s always been this tug-of-war. Is the Library just for the people in suits on Capitol Hill, or is it for you?
Under Dr. Hayden, there was a massive push toward the "people's library" side. She went all-in on digitization. The goal was to make sure a kid in rural Iowa could see the same rare manuscripts as a scholar in D.C. She used social media and YouTube to pull back the curtain.
On the flip side, the Library's primary "customer" is technically Congress. They have a Law Library that is the largest in the world. They provide the research that (theoretically) helps make better laws. Balancing the needs of 535 demanding politicians with the needs of 330 million citizens is a nightmare of a balancing act.
Why This Role Is Under Fire
In 2025 and 2026, the office became a lightning rod. Critics started worrying about what happens if the "record of America" becomes politicized.
If a Librarian wanted to, could they "lose" certain records? Could they stop collecting certain types of history? The fear is that the office, which is supposed to be the ultimate neutral ground, could be used to curate a specific version of the American story.
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This is why the 10-year term limit is such a double-edged sword. It keeps things modern, but it also means every new President gets a chance to install their own person. It’s a shift from the days of "Librarian as Scholar" to "Librarian as Political Appointee."
Real-World Impact: What You Can Actually Do
Most people don't realize they can actually use the Library of Congress. You don't need a PhD. You just need to be 16 or older.
- Get a Reader Identification Card: If you’re in D.C., you can go in, get a card, and sit in the Main Reading Room. It’s one of the most beautiful places on earth to think.
- Search the Digital Collections: You can access millions of high-res photos, maps, and recordings from your couch at home.
- Talk to a Librarian: They have an "Ask a Librarian" service. If you’re doing deep research on your family history or a niche topic, these people are the Olympic athletes of finding information.
Basically, the Librarian of Congress is the person holding the keys to the world's biggest vault of human knowledge. They decide who gets in, what gets saved, and how the law treats the stuff we create. It’s a lot more than just books. It’s the infrastructure of how we remember who we are.
To see what the current administration is prioritizing, you can browse the Library of Congress Annual Report or check the Copyright Office's latest triennial rulemaking on DMCA exemptions. These documents show you exactly where the Librarian is steering the ship and how it might impact your digital rights over the next few years.
Next steps for you:
Check out the Library of Congress Digital Collections online. You can find everything from Alexander Hamilton’s handwritten letters to early 20th-century baseball cards. If you’re a creator, keep an eye on the U.S. Copyright Office announcements; the Librarian’s decisions there will dictate what you can and can't do with digital media for the next three years.