The Library of Congress said Billington, 86, will retire on Jan. 1, 2015. He notified President Barack Obama of his plans, and the post will be filled by a presidential nomination with Senate confirmation.
Billington was just the 13th librarian since 1800. The library is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. It was formed largely based on Thomas Jefferson's collection of books to begin building a national library. It now holds a vast collection of research materials, historical resources, and cultural treasures.
"Leading this great institution alongside all of you for nearly three decades has been the honor and joy of my 42 years of public service in Washington, D.C.," Billington told the library's staff in a video announcement.
Since Billington joined the library in 1987, the collection has nearly doubled in size to 160 million items. It includes the personal manuscripts of Rosa Parks, Irving Berlin, Jackie Robinson, Steven Sondheim and others. The library also operates as a nonpartisan research organization for Congress and runs the nation's Copyright Office.
Billington is credited with leading the library into the digital age, making research materials and legislative databases available online. The library also built a massive audio-visual conservation center in a Virginia bunker to preserve the nation's great movies and sound recordings. Billington also initiated lifetime achievement awards in music and writing and created the National Book Festival with former first lady Laura Bush.
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