The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is a global consortium that has digitized over 33 million pages of biodiversity literature from over 200 collections. It was launched in 2007 and has since expanded to include partners on 6 continents that provide access to literature through an open-access online portal. The BHL has over 1.6 million users and provides access to materials from 231 countries. It aims to create a global partnership and engage the research community through open access digitization of biodiversity literature.

1. Taking Measure of the
Biodiversity Heritage Library
2003 - 2010
Extensive. Open. Global
Martin R. Kalfatovic
BHL Institutional Council Meeting | Washington, DC | 8-9 March 2011

2. The Biodiversity Heritage Library
View Video
Extensive. Open.Global.
Extensive. Open. Global

3. Timeline
• 2003.02 Encyclopedia of Life meeting, Telluride
• 2005.05 Libraries and Laboratories, London
• 2006.06 Organizational and Technical meeting, Washington
• 2006.10 Technical meetings, St. Louis/San Francisco
• 2007.02 Organizational meeting, Cambridge, MA
• 2007.05 BHL Portal Launch, Washington
• 2008.06 BHL Europe funding proposal to European Union
• 2009.09 BHL-China formed, Beijing
• 2009.11 Pan-Arab Biodiversity Conference, Alexandria
• 2010.02 Brasilian Kick-off meeting, Sao Paulo
• 2010.06 BHL-Au Kick-off meeting, Melbourne/Canberra
• 2010.09 Global Technical meeting, Woods Hole

4. Biodiversity Heritage Library
Technology Library Science

5. Technology Project

6. <technology />
Technology Project

7. Missouri Botanical Garden

8. Emilio Goeldi Museum

9. <MBL/WHO & MfN Vienna>

10. Melbourne Museum

11. Academy of Natural Sciences

12. Science Project

13. Science Project

14. Doing the Work

15. Whiteboards

16. Whiteboards

21. Global data sharing requires
a social infrastructure

22. Global data sharing requires
a social infrastructure

24. The Social Network
IMPACT … one user at a time
It is simply a pride to join this group. I didn't know that
the group of this library exists in the facebook. I had first
used this library one year back. From that day, I am
continuously using this library. For a student like me
who is from one of the poorest countries on earth where
there are not enough libraries and even the existing
libraries do not have enough literature, it is something
wonderful. Thank to those people who created it.
- Facebook fan from Nepal

25. Global data sharing requires
a social infrastructure

26. Global data sharing requires
a social infrastructure

27. > Digitization of biodiversity
literature
> Creation of a global partnership
> Engagement of the research
community
Achievements

28. 33+ million pages

29. Six Continents

30. ~1.6 m users
231 countries

31. What Users Say
Dear Sir / /Madam Can i ijust congratulate
Dear Sir Madam Can just congratulate
you on an absolutely brilliant online
you on an absolutely brilliant online
resource. I Iam compiling a report on an
resource. am compiling a report on an
invasive hydromedusae and could not
invasive hydromedusae and could not
believe the ease and efficiency of this
believe the ease and efficiency of this
web page which genuinely saved me
web page which genuinely saved me
weeks of my life
weeks of my life
Just aaquick line to thank
Just quick line to thank Dear Biodiversity Heritage Library: I I
Dear Biodiversity Heritage Library:
you and your organisation
you and your organisation am in awe of your work. Thank you
for the foresight and am in awe of your work. Thank you
for the foresight and so much. As an illustrator who scans
so much. As an illustrator who scans
generosity in allowing these
generosity in allowing these aalot of my work, I Iknow how very
lot of my work, know how very
works to be dowloaded.
works to be dowloaded. onerous the task is. Many thanks!
onerous the task is. Many thanks!

32. Thank you

33. Credits
> Chris Freeland
> Tom Garnett
> Suzanne C. Pilsk
> BHL staff members around the world
> All images from BHL content or available
on Flickr