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| James H. Billington | |
James H. Billington, "an eminent American scholar of Russian culture who reigned for three decades as Librarian of Congress, propelling the expansion of the world's largest library but struggling to lead it through the challenges of the digital age," died November 20, the Washington Post reported. Billington retired in 2015 and was succeeded by Carla Hayden, the first African American and first woman to hold the position.
Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1987, Billington "led the library through a period of breathless change, when computers and the Internet came to compete with book stacks and microfilm as storehouses of knowledge. At times, the librarian himself resembled a storehouse of knowledge: He was by all accounts a man of ferocious intellect, with a self-confessed penchant for delivering impromptu professorial lectures," the Post wrote.
He had said his vision for the library was that it might be an "active catalyst for civilization," as opposed to a "passive mausoleum" for dusty volumes. Under his leadership, the collections grew from 85.5 million items to 160 million by the time he announced his departure.
Billington's books include The Icon and the Axe (1966), which secured his reputation in academia; Mikhailovsky and Russian Populism (1958); Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith (1980); and Russia Transformed: Breakthrough to Hope (1992).
"We treasure books because they are the individual's portable, affordable link with the memory, mind and imagination of the rest of humanity," he once said in a speech, "a moral antidote, if you like, to the creeping passivity, parochialism and shortened attention spans of our video culture."
In a statement, Hayden observed: "Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the passing of Dr. James Billington, the 13th Librarian of Congress. Dr. Billington has left an indelible legacy on the institution he led passionately for 28 years. With his vigor for philanthropy and tireless efforts to expand the reach and impact of the Library, he achieved so much to advance the Library of Congress as an enduring place for scholars and learners. He will be remembered as a visionary leader, distinguished academic and, most of all, a great American. On behalf of the Library of Congress staff and its many users, we salute this great public servant. My prayers and thoughts are with his wife Marjorie and his family. We offer our heartfelt condolences and support especially on this Thanksgiving holiday."