On July 13, 2016, the US Senate confirmed President Barack Obama's nomination of Carla Hayden as the librarian,[6] and she was sworn in on September 14, 2016.

[12] This same law gave the librarian the sole power for making the institution's rules and appointing the library's staff.

[13] From its creation until 2015, the post of the librarian was not subject to term limits and allowed incumbents to maintain a lifetime appointment once confirmed.

[12] There were only 13 librarians of Congress in the more than two centuries from 1802 to 2015, and the library "enjoyed a continuity of atmosphere and of policy that is rare in national institutions".

[14][19] According to Section 136-1 of Title 2 of the U.S.C., the Librarian of Congress shall be appointed to office by a nomination from the president and the advice and consent of the Senate.

The Librarian of Congress shall be compensated for his/her services with the equivalent of the rate of pay set by Level II of the Executive Schedule.

Vitz stated the position "requires a top-flight administrator, a statesman-like leader in the world of knowledge, and an expert in bringing together the materials of scholarship and organizing them for use—in short, a distinguished librarian".