James H. Billington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James H. Billington
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Billington at the 2013 National Bookfest, September 2013
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| 13th Librarian of Congress | |
| In office September 14, 1987 – September 30, 2015 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton George W. Bush Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Daniel Boorstin |
| Succeeded by | David S. Mao (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1, 1929 Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | November 20, 2018 (aged 89) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University Balliol College, Oxford |
James Hadley Billington (born June 1, 1929 – died November 20, 2018) was an important American scholar. He served as the 13th Librarian of the Library of Congress. This is a very important job in charge of the United States' national library. President Ronald Reagan chose him for this role. Mr. Billington worked as the Librarian from September 14, 1987, until he retired on September 30, 2015.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Billington was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania on June 1, 1929. He grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to college at Princeton University. Later, he studied at Balliol College, Oxford in England.
A Career in Knowledge
Starting as a Professor
Mr. Billington started his career as a professor at Harvard University. He loved learning and sharing knowledge.
From 1973 to 1987, he was the director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. This is a special place in Washington, D.C. that honors America's 28th president. While he was director, he helped create new programs. One of these was the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies. He also started a magazine called the Wilson Quarterly.
Leading the Library of Congress
On September 14, 1987, James Billington became the Librarian of Congress. He was the 13th person to hold this important position. The Library of Congress was started way back in 1800. Everyone in the Senate agreed that he was a good choice for the job.
Mr. Billington did many great things for the Library. He strongly supported the American Memory National Digital Library (NDL) Program. This program made over 24 million historical items available online for free. These items came from the Library and other research places.
The Library's online services, including the congressional database called THOMAS, were very popular. They also had an online card catalog and information from the U.S. Copyright Office. Mr. Billington also helped create a website for kids and families called America’s Library. All these online services were used billions of times each year.
Mr. Billington decided to retire in September 2015 because of his age. His last day as Librarian was September 30, 2015.
Family Life
James Billington was married to Marjorie Anne Brennan. They had four children: Dr. Susan Billington Harper, Anne Billington Fischer, the Rev. James Hadley Billington Jr., and Thomas Keator Billington. They also had 12 grandchildren.
Interestingly, Dr. Billington and his daughter Susan both received special scholarships called Rhodes Scholarships. They used these to earn advanced degrees from Oxford University. They were the first father and daughter to do this.
Passing Away
James Billington died on November 20, 2018, at a hospital in Washington, D.C.. He was 89 years old and passed away from pneumonia.
Awards and Honors
Mr. Billington received many awards and honors during his life. He was given 42 honorary degrees from universities.
Some of his special awards include:
- The Presidential Citizen's Medal (2008)
- The Woodrow Wilson Award from Princeton University (1992)
- The Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement (1992)
- The UCLA Medal (1999)
- The Pushkin Medal (1999)
He also received the Order of Friendship from the President of the Russian Federation in 2008. This is the highest award a foreign citizen can get in Russia. He earned honorary doctorates from universities in Georgia, Russia, and Oxford.
In 1985, Billington was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was also an elected member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He received honors from France, Brazil, Italy, and Germany. He was given the first Lafayette Prize by the French-American Cultural Foundation in 2007. He also received awards from Korea and the Kyrgyz Republic. In total, he received awards from 15 different countries and universities.
Mr. Billington was a member of important groups that advised on international affairs and culture. He was on the board of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He was also a member of the American Philosophical Society.
Images for kids
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Billington watches as Raisa Gorbacheva listens to Marilyn Quayle at a display of books and other items at the Library of Congress in 1990
