African Digital Libraries in Global Content: TheBiodiversity Heritage Library Model

library.si.edu

Martin R. Kalfatovic & Anne-Lise Fourie | 28 May 2015 | Legon, Ghana4th International Conference on African Digital Libraries & Archives

Good afternoon!

الخير !مساءSalama!Lumelang!LitshonileBon après-midi!Good mchana!Boa tarde!Goeie middag!NdewoThupama e e monateE kaasan!Sawubona!Barka da yamma

The cultivation of natural science cannot be efficiently carried on without reference to an extensive library

Charles Darwin, et al (1847)

Extensive … and vast ...

Created in 2006 ...

… with 10 US and UK institutions

BHL is a vast library of life …

Technology Libraries Science

A global project that encompasses

Committed to open access…

http://bouchoutdeclaration.org/

Our natural world is a source of food, water, resources, protection and enjoyment that our society needs. The richness and complexity of nature, and the speed of new discoveries made possible by genomic and digital technologies, challenge us to find new ways to benefit from and be better custodians of the natural world. Digital information management systems can bring together the wealth of information now dispersed in a myriad of different documents, institutions, and locations. With such systems, we can harness the benefits of rapid discovery and open up our legacy of over 260 years of biological observations.

Bouchout Declaration Signatory

BHL has now grown to 23 members and affiliates

23 Members and Affiliates16 MembersAmerican Museum of Natural History Cornell UniversityThe Field Museum of Natural HistoryHarvard University Botany LibrariesMayr Library of the Museum of Comp. Zoology (Harvard University)Library of CongressMarine Biological Laboratory & Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionMissouri Botanical Garden LibraryBHL Singapore (National Library Board)BHL Mexico (CONABIO)Natural History Museum, London The New York Botanical GardenRoyal Botanic Garden, KewSmithsonian LibrariesUnited States Geological Survey LibrariesUniversity of Illinois

23 Members and Affiliates7 AffiliatesAcademy of Natural Sciences Natural History Museum, LA CountyChicago Botanic GardenCalifornia Academy of SciencesNational Agriculture LibraryWashington UniversityBHL Africa (SANBI & National Museums of Kenya)

And now has “global nodes” throughout the world

Europe, China, Brasil, Australia, Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa, Singapore, & Mexico

Secretariat and Technical StaffAugust 2011Program DirectorProgram ManagerCollections CoordinatorCommunication & Outreach Manager

Technical DirectorProgrammer / Secret WeaponData Project Coordinator

Global BHL Steering Committee

August 2011

Vice Chair SecretaryChair

Biodiversity Heritage LibraryGlobal Governance

Dr. Elycia Wallis Dr. Jiri FrankDr. Elycia Wallis Dr. Nancy GwinnDr. Jiri FrankDr. Jiri Frank

45,721,826 pages 158,636 items 93,161 titles145K+ articles

March 2015

And growth of content: 2007-2015

Increase agreements with publishers of in copyright materials

► 390+ titles► 160+ publishers

March 2015

2007

2014

151,944 visitors | March 2014

And growth of users (CY 2014):- 927,371 visitors- 1,568,460 sessions- 4.7m page visits- 57.49% vs 42.51% new vs. recurring

... to this?

10.19% sessions(32% iPad) Mobile/Tablet Sessions CY 2014

5.96% sessions(45% iPad) Mobile/Tablet Sessions CY 2013

BHL Usage: Africa: By Country

BHL Usage: Africa: By City

BHL Usage: Africa: By Region

BHL Usage: Africa: By Region

BHL Usage: Africa: By Region

BHL Usage: Africa: By Region

BHL Usage: Africa: By Region

BHL Usage: Africa: Ghana

TheMachineIsUs/ingUs<Response xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><Status>ok</Status><Result><Item><ItemID>16800</ItemID><Volume/><Contributor>MBLWHOI Library</Contributor><Sponsor>MBLWHOI Library</Sponsor><Language>English</Language><LicenseUrl/><Rights/><DueDiligence/><CopyrightStatus/><CopyrightRegion/></Item></Result></Response>

But many "visits" arefrom other machines

27+ million visitors in total | 96K + images (2014)

And now increased archival content

► 500+ Field Notes► Use of transcription tools

New areas like Biodiversity Library Exhibitions

BIODIVERSITY HERITAGE LIBRARY AFRICA

Launched in April 2013 | Form part of the global BHL initiative | Common goal to digitize past and present literature

REGIONS OF BHL Africa

Western and Central Africa Eastern Africa    Southern Africa   

WHAT DO WE DO?• Digitize biodiversity literature not available from other BHL

global nodes• Create an awareness of Africa’s variety of biodiversity

material • Digitize significant content relevant to African biodiversity• Content Creation• Audience Building• Content Identification• Partnership Building

IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIONIf you want to go far, go togetherTwo strong collaborations currently in AfricaNational Museums Kenya and their partnersSouth African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and the University of Pretoria (UP)MacawInternet Archive scribes

MEMBER BENEFITSAccess to specialized repository software and technical support

Global exposure of institutes and their holdingsMaterial formerly only physically accessible now online available

Membership promotes and increases stronger awareness towards fragile biodiversity of Africa

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR BHLA

FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS...

• Identifying those unique collections

• Identification of available resources and digitization capacity

• Extensive training will be done

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR BHLA

NEXT 5 YEARS...• Collaborate and share resources amongst participating members• Partnership and audience building• Funding for identified projects• Book and Digital Preservation• Scribes

“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”

May I compliment you on this splendid service? The Library's invaluable for my work on seasonal variability of climate and vector-borne disease in British India, 1875-1940.

Compliments from our users

What an absolutely wonderful site. It is a treasure trove of information. Thank you!

Compliments from our users

“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”

I really appreciate your work. The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an excellent resource that regularly helps my assistant and I obtain original descriptions for plants .... I feel so privileged to be working in a day in age when such resources are so readily available and easy to obtain

Compliments from our users

“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”“Thank you much for your help. It is so useful as I am right now working on the fishes of Ganges. Moreover it is so great that the library provides classic literature on fishes and it was a dream to me [when] I started my taxonomy ten years back. It is marvellous [what] you did for us which are badly in need of old literature. Thanks a lot.”

I really appreciate your work. The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an excellent resource that regularly helps my assistant and I obtain original descriptions for plants .... I feel so privileged to be working in a day in age when such resources are so readily available and easy to obtain

Compliments from our users

In any well-appointed Natural History Library there should be found every book and every edition of every book dealing in the remotest way with the subjects concerned.

Charles Davies Sherborn Epilogue to Index Animalium,

March 1922

Looking Forward

In any well-appointed Natural History Library there should be found every book and every edition of every book dealing in the remotest way with the subjects concerned.

Charles Davies Sherborn Epilogue to Index Animalium, March 1922

Looking Forward

In any well-appointed Natural History Library there should be found every book and every edition of every book dealing in the remotest way with the subjects concerned.

Charles Davies Sherborn Epilogue to Index Animalium, March 1922

Inspiring discovery through free access to biodiversity knowledge

Thank You! @BioDivLibrary