The document outlines the outreach strategies and collaborative efforts of the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) to engage the public and raise awareness about biodiversity issues. It emphasizes the importance of various communication channels, such as social media, presentations, and promotional materials, while detailing specific outreach objectives aimed at increasing audience engagement. The document also highlights collaborative opportunities with partner institutions to enhance outreach effectiveness and reach a broader audience.

1. BHL OUTREACH
Strategies and Ways to Collaborate
Grace Costantino
Outreach and Communication Manager
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Email: CostantinoG@si.edu

2. • BHL Outreach encompasses
the various outlets that we
use to communicate with the
public about BHL as well as
outreach resources for staff.
This includes:
– Social Media
– Annual Reports
– Press Releases
– Newsletters
– Presentations
– Promotional Materials
– Marketing Activities
WHAT IS OUTREACH?
Les orchidées.
Paris,J. Rothschild,1880.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/43644141

3. OUTREACH & COMMUNICATION MANAGER
I manage all of BHL’s public-
facing outreach activities,
with lots of support from
staff at participating BHL
institutions!
Grace Costantino
Outreach and
Communication Manager
costantinog@si.edu

4. BHL’s Outreach Strategy is detailed in the
“Outreach and Communication Plan”
http://s.si.edu/BHLOutreachPlan
A summary of the plan is available here:
http://s.si.edu/BHLOutreachSummary
OUTREACH STRATEGY
Album of Abyssinian birds and mammals
Chicago :Field Museum of Natural History,1930.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2836666

5. Why should we engage in outreach activities?
I Cefalopodi viventi nel Golfo di Napoli (sistematica)
Berlin :R. Friedländer & Sohn,1896.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35424286
WHY DO OUTREACH?

6. BHL Strategic Goal 3: User Engagement
Increase global awareness about the BHL and
biodiversity issues through outreach, learning and
education, branding, and collaboration with existing and
new user communities.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle ....
London,Smith, Elder & Co.,1838-.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40299839

7. OUTREACH OBJECTIVES
Increase awareness about BHL and grow our audience.
1
Keep people informed about project developments,
services, and how to use them.2
Foster dialogue and engagements among BHL
audiences about biodiversity topics and corpus
publications using BHL collections.3

8. AUDIENCES

9. So what activities are we engaged in to
support our outreach objectives?
The natural history of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands.
London :Printed for B. White,1771..
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38993364
TAKING ACTION

10. OBJECTIVE ONE
Increase Awareness & Grow Audience
75,000+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
13,500+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
12,300+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
36,600+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
5,300+
AVERAGE MONTHLY
READERS (CY17)
2,200+
FOLLOW @BIODIVLIBRARY
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
6,600+
TOTAL FOLLOWERS
850+

11. Printable Promotional Materials:
s.si.edu/BHLPromotionalMaterials
Banner
Flyer
Digital Brochure
OBJECTIVE ONE
Increase Awareness & Grow Audience

12. Staff Presentations: s.si.edu/BHLPresentations
Chris
Freeland,
former
BHL
Technical
Director,
presenting
at Life and
Literature
2011.
Martin
Kalfatovic, BHL
Program
Director,
presenting BHL
at the Mae
Jemison
Science
Reading
Room,
Pretoria, South
Africa.
Carolyn Sheffield, Bianca Crowley & Grace
Costantino presenting BHL at the American Library
Association Midwinter Meeting 2013.
OBJECTIVE ONE
Increase Awareness & Grow Audience

13. Swag:
• Brochures
• Business Cards
• Pens
• Buttons
• Stickers
• Fieldnotes
OBJECTIVE ONE
Increase Awareness & Grow Audience

14. Highlight the importance and impact of BHL in scientific,
cultural, and other appropriate discipline applications.
BHL Users Blog Series
Identifying Species
Social Media
OBJECTIVE ONE
Increase Awareness & Grow Audience

15. Annual Reports, Newsletters & Press Releases
Find Them: s.si.edu/BHLPressRoom
Subscribe to Mailing List: s.si.edu/BHLMailingList
OBJECTIVE TWO
Share Program News and Updates

16. OBJECTIVE THREE
Engage with audiences
Engage around
Hidden Gems
First ornithological book
w/ woodcuts

17. Campaigns
OBJECTIVE THREE
Engage with audiences

18. COLLABORATION: KEY TO SUCCESS
Collaborating with our
partner institutions on
outreach allows us to:
• Highlight the great contributions from
our partners.
• Emphasize the consortia nature of BHL.
• Reach and engage with more
audiences.

19. Highlighting Contributing Libraries in Posts.
Ways we collaborate…
COLLABORATION: KEY TO SUCCESS

20. Book of the Month Blog Posts.
Ways we collaborate…
COLLABORATION: KEY TO SUCCESS

21. Ways we collaborate…
COLLABORATION: KEY TO SUCCESS

22. THE CASE FOR COLLABORATION
Why Should You Collaborate with
BHL on Outreach Activities?
• We have a substantial, established audience.
• We get great media attention.
• BHL has a powerful global network of partners,
and collaboration means we can all benefit from
the reach and influence of partners in the
consortium.
• BHL has a full-time staff person for outreach, and
I will work with you to highlight your amazing
contributions.

23. >75,000Across our social media
channels, we have a
combined following of people
>2.4 MillionOn average, each month on
social media we reach
people
>3.5 MillionOn average, each month our
content on social media is
seen times
THE CASE FOR COLLABORATION

24. THE CASE FOR COLLABORATION

25. THE CASE FOR COLLABORATION

26. FULL TIME STAFF PERSON – ME!
It’s my job to
do outreach
for BHL!
Grace Costantino
Outreach and Communication Manager
costantinog@si.edu

27. • Let Grace know of contributions &
events
• Sign up for the Book of the Month
series
– s.si.edu/BHLBlogSignUp
• Email Grace leads for BHL User series.
• Tell Grace the social media contacts at
your institution
– s.si.edu/BHLSocialMediaContacts
• Give presentations about BHL at your
institution or conferences.
• Submit presentations you give about
BHL
– s.si.edu/BHLPresentations
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Betrachtungen uber die Farbenpracht der Insekten.
Leipzig,Wilhelm Engelmann,1897.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42186828

28. QUESTIONS
Kunstformen der Natur
Leipzig und Wien. 1904.
http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33543656
Grace Costantino
Outreach and
Communication
Manager
costantinog@si.edu