Biodiversity Heritage Library offers 64m pages of scientific knowledge for free
7 reported
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) has made over 64 million pages of scientific literature freely available online over the past 20 years, according to a report from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. More than 680 museums, universities, libraries and scientific institutions from around the world have contributed to the digital library. The collection includes published biodiversity literature, journals, letters, illustrations, climate records, field diaries, ecosystem profiles, and manuscripts. The oldest book in the library is a medieval pharmacopeia dating to approximately 1190. The BHL was created after librarians proposed digitizing historic biodiversity collections from 10 prominent UK and US institutions. However, the library’s future is under threat due to funding cuts, with the Smithsonian Institution ceasing to host administration functions and support technical infrastructure. Officials estimate funding will last only until the end of 2027.
What’s reported
More than 64 million pages are freely available through the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Over 680 museums, universities, libraries and scientific institutions from multiple continents have contributed.
The oldest book is the Circa instans, a medieval pharmacopeia from approximately 1190.
The BHL was created 20 years ago by librarians aiming to improve global research into climate change and biodiversity loss.
The Smithsonian Institution stopped hosting the BHL’s administration functions and supporting its technical infrastructure earlier this year.
A “tick over budget” to keep the library running is estimated at about $1 million per year.
Funding is estimated to last only until the end of 2027.
Key figures
David Iggulden, chair of the BHL executive committee and head of data and digital, library and archives at RBG Kew.
Nicole Kearney, leader of the Australian branch of the BHL, based at Museums Victoria.
Sir Joseph Hooker, botanist whose illustrated Antarctic journal is in the collection.
John Gould, British naturalist whose book The Mammals of Australia is in the collection.
Sources: The Guardian
