Librarian of Congress James H. Billington named Louise Glück as a Special Bicentennial Consultant from 1999 to 2000, along with W.S. Merwin and former Poet Laureate Rita Dove. Billington explained,

We want to create a once-in-a-century arrangement, not only to celebrate poetry during our 200th birthday, but also to significantly increase support for the national outreach of the Poetry Office and the Poet Laureate.

Louise Glück served one term as Special Bicentennial Consultant. During this time, she worked with Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, along with the other special consultants—Rita Dove and W. S. Merwin—to celebrate the bicentennial with poetry readings and a symposium. Watch below:

Three years after her appointment as a Special Bicentennial Consultant, Librarian of Congress Billington announced Louise Glück's appointment as the 12th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry on August 28th, 2003. She served one term.

While serving as Poet Laureate, Louise Glück wrote and published her collection of poems, Averno. Glück named Dana Levin and Spencer Reece as Witter Bynner Fellows; to celebrate these fellowships, she organized a symposium on the subject of writing poetry. The event featured Levin and Reece, along with three young poets: Peg Boyers, Dan Chiasson, and Peter Streckfus.

Louise Glück closed her term as Poet Laureate with a reading of her work in the James Madison Memorial Building on May 4th, 2004. Poems featured in this event included those from her recent book, Averno, which was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Award for Poetry. Listen below: