In 2015, then-acting Librarian of Congress David Mao ’86 presented musician Willie Nelson (left) as the newest recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Law, By the Books
A former interim Librarian of Congress, David Mao ’86 now manages the U.S. Supreme Court Library.
David S. Mao ’86 was named the new Librarian of the Supreme Court of the United States in May, making him the 12th Librarian of the Court. Mao assumed his new duties on July 1, managing the Supreme Court Library, its 29 employees, and a collection of nearly 650,000 volumes.
“My colleagues and I extend a warm welcome to David Mao,” said Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. “We look forward to working with him in his important role at the Court.”
Mao joins the Court from Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as chief operating officer and was responsible for the school’s administrative operations, including financial affairs, employment services, facilities management, information technology, logistics, and public safety. In that role, he led the design and building of three new classroom spaces as well as the renovation of the Law Center’s 370-seat auditorium.
From 2005-17, Mao served in various roles at the Library of Congress, including as the 23rd Law Librarian of Congress, the Deputy Librarian of Congress, and acting Librarian of Congress in 2015-16. As Law Librarian of Congress, he led a 100-person team that annually produced hundreds of legal research reports, memoranda, and news articles. Mao’s team also organized major public events, including a celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta that included lectures, a symposium, and an exhibition of an original 1215 Magna Carta.
Additionally, he oversaw the renovation of the Law Library’s public reading room and the creation of a new secure storage facility for rare books in the collection. Prior to joining the Library of Congress, he worked in private practice. Mao earned his B.A. at The George Washington University in 1990, his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center in 1993, and his M.S.L.S. at The Catholic University of America in 1998.