Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress

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The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress is appointed by the United States Librarian of Congress and earns a stipend of $35,000 a year. Originally the title was "Consultant in Poetry", but that was changed in 1986 to be "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry". The idea was modeled on the Poet Laureate of England. These poets and their terms of service are given below.

According to the Library of Congress,

"The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress serves as the nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse of Americans. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry."

The Poet Laureate is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress and serves from October to May. In making the appointment, the Librarian consults with former appointees, the current Laureate and distinguished poetry critics. The position has existed under two separate titles: from 1937 to 1986 as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" and from 1986 forward as "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." The name was changed by an act of Congress in 1985.

The Laureate receives a $35,000 annual stipend funded by a gift from Archer M. Huntington. The Library keeps to a minimum the specific duties in order to afford incumbents maximum freedom to work on their own projects while at the Library. The Laureate gives an annual lecture and reading of his or her poetry and usually introduces poets in the Library's annual poetry series, the oldest in the Washington area, and among the oldest in the United States. This annual series of public poetry and fiction readings, lectures, symposia, and occasional dramatic performances began in the 1940s. Collectively the Laureates have brought more than 2,000 poets and authors to the Library to read for the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature.

Each Laureate brings a different emphasis to the position. Joseph Brodsky initiated the idea of providing poetry in airports, supermarkets and hotel rooms. Maxine Kumin started a popular series of poetry workshops for women at the Library of Congress. Gwendolyn Brooks met with elementary school students to encourage them to write poetry. Rita Dove brought together writers to explore the African diaspora through the eyes of its artists. She also championed children's poetry and jazz with poetry events. Robert Hass organized the "Watershed" conference that brought together noted novelists, poets and storytellers to talk about writing, nature and community."

Poets who have held the Library of Congress poetry position, 1937-present

1937-41 Joseph Auslander
1943-44 Allen Tate
1944-45 Robert Penn Warren
1945-46 Louise Bogan
1946-47 Karl Shapiro
1947-48 Robert Lowell
1948-49 Leonie Adams
1949-50 Elizabeth Bishop
1950-52 Conrad Aiken (First to serve two terms)
1952 William Carlos Williams (appointed but did not serve)
1956-58 Randall Jarrell
1958-59 Robert Frost
1959-61 Richard Eberhart
1961-63 Louis Untermeyer
1963-64 Howard Nemerov
1964-65 Reed Whittemore
1965-66 Stephen Spender
1966-68 James Dickey
1968-70 William Jay Smith
1970-71 William Stafford
1971-73 Josephine Jacobson
1973-74 Daniel Hoffman
1974-76 Stanley Kunitz
1976-78 Robert Hayden
1978-80 William Meredith
1981-82 Maxine Kumin
1982-84 Anthony Hecht
1984-85 Robert Fitzgerald (Appointed and served in a health-limited capacity, but did not come to LC)
1984-85 Reed Whittemore (Interim Consultant in Poetry)
1985-86 Gwendolyn Brooks
1986-87 Robert Penn Warren (First to be designated Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry)
1987-88 Richard Wilbur
1988-90 Howard Nemerov
1990-91 Mark Strand
1991-92 Joseph Brodsky
1992-93 Mona Van Duyn
1993-95 Rita Dove
1995-97 Robert Hass
1997-99 Robert Pinsky
1999-2000 Special Bicentennial Consultants: Rita Dove, Louise Glück, and W.S. Merwin
2000-01 Stanley Kunitz
2001-03 Billy Collins
2003-04 Louise Glück
2004-06 Ted Kooser
2006- Donald Hall

External link

[Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, on the Library of Congress web site]

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