June 8, 2010 Robert Dizard Jr. Appointed Chief of Staff

Robert Dizard Jr., senior adviser to the Librarian of Congress, has been appointed chief of staff.

The chief of staff will serve on the Library’s Executive Committee. In addition to Library-wide program and management responsibilities, the chief of staff will also be responsible for the Congressional Relations Office; the Office of the Chief Financial Officer; the Office of Communications; the Office of the General Counsel; the Development Office; and the Office of Special Events and Public Programs.

In announcing his selection, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said, “Mr. Dizard brings an extraordinary range of senior management experience at the Library to this position. He has a full understanding of the Library’s programs and services to the Congress and the American people. His 20 years of diverse experiences here will allow him to recognize opportunities where we can work collaboratively across the Library to meet our program and service objectives.

“The chief of staff position will be central to our ability to accomplish an ambitious array of tasks before us,” Billington said. “Bob has a proven record of leading and working collaboratively to advance the Library’s mission, and I am grateful that he will continue this exemplary service as the Library’s chief of staff.”

Dizard served as deputy associate librarian for Library Services from May 2004 to May 2009. From May 2000 to May 2004 he served as staff director and chief operating officer of the U.S. Copyright Office. In both positions he was directly responsible for a wide range of program and operational matters involving two of the largest Library service units. He has also served in the Congressional Relations Office, including a year as acting director.

Since assuming his current position as senior adviser to the Librarian in May 2009, Dizard has been responsible for managing the Librarian’s Management Agenda, issued in July 2009, which includes a mid-course updating of the Library’s strategic plan and the completion of Library-wide documents defining future needs and actions in areas including human resources and facilities. The Management Agenda has also refined and strengthened the Library’s information-technology governance and investment-management processes.

Dizard graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science and received a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University. Prior to joining the Library, he served for eight years as chief of staff to his hometown congressman, Guy V. Molinari of New York.

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