James Billington was interviewed on the stage before an audience. He talked about his experiences during his 20 years as the head of the Library of Congress. Other topics included the library's future, the explosion of digital material, and the role of libraries in our culture. He was sworn in on September 14, 1987 and is the 13th person to hold the position since the Library of Congress was established in 1800. The interview took place in the Coolidge Auditorium at the library's Thomas Jefferson Building as part of the American Library Association's annual conference.