The position of Illinois Poet Laureate was created in 1936; since then, it has been held by three people: Howard B. Austin, Carl Sandburg, and Gwendolyn Brooks. The position has been vacant since Brooks's death in 2000. Recently, a lobbying process was begun to find a new laureate, and to impose term limits on the position. The lobbying was successful: what was once a lifetime appointment will be a four-year renewable term. Nominations are now being accepted.