biodiversity heritage library SmithsonianCampaign Smithsonian Libraries

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1 biodiversity heritage library SmithsonianCampaign Smithsonian Libraries

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3 A World of Knowledge About Life on Earth Around the globe, scientists are investigating our planet s biological diversity the complex web of inter dependent species and ecosystems that constitutes life on Earth. Natural history books and archives provide information critical to their research needs. The Moth Book by W.J. Holland. Doubleday, Page & Company, New York, Cover, Night-blooming ereus (Selenicerus grandiflorus) from New Illustration of the Sexual System of Carolus Von Linnaeus and the Temple of Flora, or Garden of Nature by Robert John Thorton. London, Filled with data and observations about organisms, their physical environments and geological and climatic records, biodiversity literature underpins current scientific inquiry and provides historical perspective on abundance, habitat alteration, human exploration, culture and discovery. Much of this literature is available in only a few select libraries. In some cases, it constitutes the only available knowledge about rare, endangered and extinct species. Without it, scientists often lack the information they need to effectively and efficiently study biodiversity. The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is changing this. BHL is an open access digital library that provides scientists with the tools they need to advance biodiversity research. Headquartered at the Smithsonian Libraries, it s a consor tium of major natural history, botanical and research institutions that cooperate to digitize their literature collections and make them globally and freely available at biodiversitylibrary.org. We rely on generous private support and seek to create endowments to ensure the library s growth. Your gift will help inspire discovery by allowing us to expand collections and improve access to these invaluable resources that enable the study, identification and conservation of life on Earth. smithsonian libraries I 3

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5 Revolutionizing Research The Biodiversity Heritage Library has digitized millions of pages of natural history literature and archives, providing unparalleled access to more than 500 years of scientific exploration, research and discovery. Open online access to these rich resources enables scientists to easily collaborate, make new discoveries and link dispersed data in powerful ways. For example, scientists can use species distribution data to map population declines and inform future climate change models. Scientists around the world rely on published research about animal and plant life, yet much of this information is not available to researchers working in developing countries. The Biodiversity Heritage Library supports both the scientist working in an office at the Smithsonian s National Museum of Natural History and the researcher conducting fieldwork in remotest Africa, building global partnerships to ensure that biodiversity knowledge is available to everyone, everywhere. Johnson s Household Book of Nature... edited by Hugh Craig, et al. H.J. Johnson, New York, Top, Naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque s field notebook from an 1818 trip from Philadelphia to Kentucky. Background image from Petri Bellonii Cenomani by Pierre Belon. Apud C. Stephanum, Paris, Enriching Collections with Primary Sources Our collections include the founding publica tions that started the systematic study of biodiversity, unpublished journals of scientists fieldwork data and premier 21st century journals showcasing recent research and discoveries. Significant, rare and often irreplaceable works include the first published account of North American flora and fauna, annotated volumes from Charles Darwin s personal library, David Crocket Graham s diaries of scientific collecting in China in the 1920s and photograph albums from the 1899 Harriman Alaska Expedition. Through a partnership with the Smithsonian Field Book Project, open access to scientists field notes is expanding on an unprecedented scale. BHL presents these primary sources alongside published literature, enabling researchers to draw connections across disciplines and time, see the work on which current systems are based and develop more accurate maps of species relationships and the impacts of environmental change over time. smithsonian libraries I 5

6 Investing in New Discoveries The Biodiversity Heritage Library s success in selecting and digitizing a significant mass of biodiversity literature is making the study of living organisms more efficient. Since its 2007 launch, BHL has served more than 3.5 million people around the world and receives more than 118,000 visits per month. Nearly 100,000 illustrations from our collection, made available in Flickr (flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/sets), have been viewed more than 70 million times. Scientific research is not a static endeavor. As new technologies emerge and scientific data sets are amassed from across the globe, new research questions arise. The rise of big data has given way to big questions around impactful topics, such as the causes and potential solutions for climate change, endangered species and land management. Gifts to endowment will enable us to grow collections through our global digitization program, incorporate new technologies such as full-text searching and a multilingual interface and host fellowships to train the next generation of library and biodiversity professionals. With your financial support, we can connect more researchers, students and others with collections that advance understanding of the rich variety of life on Earth and inspire stewardship of the natural world. Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), White Ibis (Ibis alba) and Scarlet Ibis (Ibis rubra) from The Birds of North America by Jacob Henry Studer, , et al. New York: Published under the auspices of the Natural Science Association of America, I smithsonian libraries

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8 Ways to Give There are many way to support the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Biodiversity Heritage Library Version 2.0 A gift of $3 million will create an endowment to support a nextgeneration digital library, including a systems developer and the expansion of the web portal, its technological tools and user services. SUPPORT LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE A gift of $3 million endows the program director position ensuring continued leadership in global biodiversity and research communities. THE FIELD BOOK PROJECT Investments of $250,000 to $3 million will support this initiative to catalog, conserve and provide open and free access to the original records of scientific field research held in Smithsonian collections. FELLOWSHIPS TO EMPOWER DISCOVERY $100,000 creates an endowment to support an annual fellow in his or her work to advance biodiversity scholarship, drawing on the scientific knowledge and expertise of top library and museum professionals within the Smithsonian and its network. ENABLE COLLECTIONS GROWTH $50,000 provides digital imaging and storage equipment $100,000 supports digitization of published taxonomic literature $250,000 supports cataloging, conservation and digitization of original scientists field notes and related archival collections $500,000 will create an endowment that will allow us to add more than 2 million pages to the library over the next decade and support our initiative to expand access to our unparalleled biodiversity resources. For more information about funding opportunities, please contact the Smithsonian Libraries Advancement Office at or librarygiving@si.edu. SmithsonianCampaign Smithsonian Libraries MRC 154 PO Box Washington, DC biodiversitylibrary.org