and what a tremendous pleasure and thrill and honor it is to be introduced by james billington. [applause] >> we have had a number of eminent and distinguished librarians of the library of congress. the daniel boreston, a scholar and a historian and attorney but we have never had in a more accomplished, productive, inspirational or far seeing library in congress than james billington. mra[applause] >> i like to thank of our library congress as the mother church for our library system one of the greatest institutions in american life. free to the people. [applause] >> just imagine every single citizen everybody of every age can essentially get a free education by going to the public library. [applause] >> and furthermore, after one has finished one's formal education, one can then begin the great adventure of learning which is for the rest of your life which is through the public library. [applause] >> and don't -- please, let's not ever forget it isn't just the books in the library or the manuscripts or the back issues of newspapers and the maps that are of value but the people