United States Poets Laureate: A Guide to Online Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the official title of the poet laureate?
2. When was the position established?
3. What is the difference between the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress and the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry?
4. How many U.S. poets laureate have there been?
5. How many male and female poets laureate have there been?
6. Have all poets laureate come from the United States?
7. How much is the U.S. Poet Laureate paid?
8. Is the poet laureate paid by the U.S. government?
9 . How is the poet laureate selected?
10 . How long does the poet laureate serve?
11. What are the duties of the poet laureate?
12. Where does the poet laureate work?
13. Is the poet laureate required to develop a national poetry project such as Poetry 180 or the Favorite Poem Project?
14. What are some notable "firsts" associated with the position?
15. How can I learn more about the history of the position?

1. What is the official title of the poet laureate?

The official title of the poet laureate is "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." This title was established by an act of Congress on December 20, 1985 (Public Law 99-194). From 1937 to December 20, 1985, the position was titled "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress."

2. When was the position established?

The position has existed under two separate titles: from 1937 to 1986 as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" and from 1986 to present as "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." The name was changed by an act of Congress on December 20, 1985 (Public Law 99-194), and became effective January 3, 2006.

3. What is the difference between the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress and Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry?

The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry is the current title of the position formerly known as the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Although the positions are considered equivalent, the term "poet laureate" should be reserved only for those poets who occupied the position under its current title, which was created in 1985. Poets who occupied the position when it was titled Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress are properly referred to as "consultants in poetry," or simply "consultants." For example, Robert Frost, who occupied the position from 1958 to 1959, was a consultant in poetry, not a poet laureate.

The original duties of the consultant in poetry differed greatly from the current duties of the poet laureate. The position initially was similar to that of a reference librarian, and the goal of the consultant was to serve primarily as a collection specialist and resident scholar in poetry and literature. In an April 27, 1943, letter, Library of Congress reference librarian David C. Mearns described for Allen Tate, the second consultant in poetry, his expected duties:

1. To survey the existing collections in order to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

2. To initiate recommendations for the purchase of additions to the collections.

3. To engage in correspondence with authors and collectors with a view to securing important gifts of books and manuscripts.

4. To respond to reference questions submitted by mail, and to compile occasional bibliographies.

5. To confer with scholars using the Library's collections and facilities.

6. To make suggestions for the improvement of the service.

Over the years, the position gradually placed less emphasis on developing the Library's collections and more on organizing local poetry readings, lectures, conferences, and outreach programs.

4. How many U.S. poets laureate have there been?

There have been 16 Poet Laureate Consultants in Poetry since the position was established in 1985. In 1999, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington appointed three Special Consultants (Rita Dove, W. S. Merwin, and Louise Glück) to assist with the poetry programs of the Bicentennial Year, a position distinct from the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry.

Prior to the position's title change, 30 poets had been appointed Consultants in Poetry to the Library of Congress, although only 29 served in that position. (William Carlos Williams was appointed but did not serve, and usually is not included in the count of consultants). The Library of Congress considers Gwendolyn Brooks, the final consultant in poetry, the 29th person to have occupied the consultantship.

5. How many female poets laureate have there been?

There have been 5 female poets laureate (compared to 12 male poets laureate) and 6 female consultants in poetry (compared to 23 male consultants).

6. Have all consultants and poets laureate been United States citizens?

Stephen Spender (England) was the first and only non-U.S. citizen to serve as consultant in poetry. All poets laureate have been U.S. citizens at the time of their appointment, although Joseph Brodsky (Russia) and Charles Simic (the former Yugoslavia) were citizens of other countries before becoming naturalized U.S. citizens.

There is no requirement that the poet laureate be a U.S. citizen.

7. How much is the U.S. poet laureate paid?

The poet laureate currently receives a $35,000 annual stipend, plus $5,000 for travel expenses.

8. Is the poet laureate paid by the U.S. government?

No. The poet laureate's position is funded by a private gift from Archer M. Huntington.

9. How is the poet laureate selected?

The poet laureate is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress. The Librarian consults with the current laureate, former appointees, distinguished poetry critics, and staff in the Library's Poetry and Literature Center in making the appointment.

10. How long does the poet laureate serve?

The poet laureate is typically appointed between June and August, and his or her official term lasts from October to May. The poet laureate may be appointed to a second term by the Librarian of Congress. Two consecutive terms is considered the maximum length of a poet laureate's tenure, though Robert Pinsky served a third term by special request of the Librarian.

11. What are the duties of the poet laureate?

The Library of Congress keeps to a minimum the specific duties of the poet laureate in order to afford incumbents maximum freedom to work on their own projects while at the Library. The poet 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 poet laureate brings a different emphasis to the position. Joseph Brodsky initiated the idea of providing poetry in airports, supermarkets,m 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.

12. Where does the poet laureate work?

Since 1944, the poet laureate has had a small suite in the northwest corner on the third floor of the Library’s Jefferson Building. Before that time, Allen Tate, consultant in poetry from 1943 to 1944, occupied a two-room office on the main floor of the Jefferson Building and an air-conditioned cubicle in the Madison Building (then known as the Annex) for his writing and research. Beginning with Robert Penn Warren in 1944-1950, the consultant's office was in the room of the suite which offered a magnificent view of the U.S. Capitol that also inspired Elizabeth Bishop's poem, "View of the Capitol from the Library of Congress." Previously, the room had been used by Librarians of Congress Herbert Putnam and Archibald MacLeish for "Round Table" luncheons attended by division chiefs and friends.

In 1951, the room was renovated with funds and furniture from Library benefactor Gertrude Whittall and became the The Poetry Room. The consultant's office was moved to a smaller room in the suite, where it remains the office of the current poet laureate. The Poetry Room often serves the poet laureate as a meeting space for visitors and and dignitaries; in addition, it is visited by many poets from across the Washington, D.C. area, by state poets laureate who come to Washington, and by visitors from other countries.

13. Is the poet laureate required to develop a national poetry project such as Poetry 180 or the Favorite Poem Project?

While several recent poets laureate have undertaken large-scale poetry projects designed to raise awareness and appreciation of poetry on a national level, there is no such requirement.

14. What are some notable "firsts" associated with the position?

Consultants in Poetry to the Library of Congress (1937-1985)

First appointed: Joseph Auslander
First female: Louise Bogan
First African American: Robert Hayden
First to serve two terms: Conrad Aiken
First to serve twice (non-consecutive terms): Reed Whittemore

Poet Laureate Consultants in Poetry (1986-present)

First appointed: Robert Penn Warren
First female: Rita Dove
First African-American: Rita Dove
First to serve two terms: Howard Nemerov
First (and only) to serve three consecutive terms: Robert Pinsky
Youngest at time of appointment: Rita Dove (40 years old)
Oldest at time of appointment: Stanley Kunitz (95 years old)
First to serve as both consultant in poetry and poet laureate: Robert Penn Warren

15. How can I learn more about the history of the position?

The most detailed history of the consultantship in poetry at the Library of Congress is William McGuire's Poetry's Catbird Seat: The Consultantship in Poetry in the English Language at the Library of Congress, 1937-1987 (Washington, D.C: Library of Congress, 1988). For information on the poet laureateship, see the Library of Congress Web page About the Position of Poet Laureate, as well as the essay "Poetry Programs and Poets Laureate" in the Encyclopedia of the Library of Congress (2004).