Collaborating on open science: The journey of the Biodiversity Heritage Library

Abstract

The Biodiversity Heritage Library, BHL, is an established and successful digital library, formed by a global consortium of natural history libraries, with engaged and enthusiastic users. The extensive partnerships, curated content, innovative tools and services, the ease of mining the data all combine to establish an open science resource that advances scientific progress through linking, use and reuse. The aim of BHL as stated on the web page is: "Inspiring discovery through free access to biodiversity knowledge. The Biodiversity Heritage Library works collaboratively to make biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community. BHL also serves as the foundational literature component of the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)". BHL and EOL are linked via taxonomic names and bibliographies. BHL is linked in a similar way to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and thus has broad exposure to scientists across the globe as well as a global public.