The head librarian of the Library of Congress is retiring after nearly three decades on the job, and some associations are hoping his successor will change what they see as the institution's outdated attitudes on technology.

James Billington has been Librarian of Congress since 1987, when President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the position. The nation's chief librarian has not been known to embrace new technology quickly , the Christian Science Monitor reported. For example, Billington communicates with staff largely by fax.

More worrisome to many groups is the fact that the library oversees the U.S. Copyright Office. The library rankled many people when, in 2012, it ruled that cellphone unlocking was a violation of copyright law. Also, the office still stores most of its documents in print rather than electronically.

Emily Sheketoff, director of the American Library Association's Washington, D.C., office, told the Christian Science Monitor that the change in head librarians "is a great opportunity for the Library to step up and serve the people." She also believes the Library could play a global role as a leader of libraries outside the U.S.

"The way Washington works now, and the way the world works, you need those collaborative skills and those management skills," she said. http://bit.ly/1LfXoqm

Several trade groups have joined together to form the Re:Create Coalition, which calls for reforms that will modernize the Library and Copyright Office. ALA, Consumer Electronics Association, Association for Research Libraries and Computer & Communications Industry Association are among the coalition's members.

One idea the coalition rejects: Spinning off the Copyright Office into its own agency. In Sept. 30 letter to Congress, the group's members said there is no evidence such a plan would fix the office's problems.

"We strongly encourage Congress to work on targeted fixes to solve the problems with the Copyright Office that the GAO and others have already identified: solutions that, in the long run, will streamline the Office and further the goals of the office and the Copyright Act itself," the letter stated. http://bit.ly/1LfXVbH

MORE CEO DATELINE

• Apparel association continues fight against Chinese retailer
• Fly-ins this week: Star power helps groups shine light on mental health, wind association on the Hill
• Associations cheer, jeer trans-Pacific trade agreement
• American Bankers Association hit by data breach
• College associations stress campus security after mass shooting