Biodiversity Heritage Library
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), the digitization component of the Encyclopedia of Life, is a consortium of 12 major natural history museum libraries, botanical libraries, and research institutions organized to digitize, serve, and preserve the legacy literature of biodiversity. Prior to digitization, the resources housed within each BHL institution have existed in isolation, available only to those with physical access to the collections. These collections are of exceptional value because the domain of systematic biology depends – more than any other science – upon historic literature. Consequently, the relative isolation of these collections presented an antiquated obstacle to further biodiversity investigation. This problem is particularly acute for the developing countries that are home to the majority of the world’s biodiversity.
Rights
The Biodiversity Heritage Library contains digital versions of important works of biodiversity literature. These digital versions consist of digital files such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR) texts and image files. The Biodiversity Heritage Library, a consortium of natural history and botanical libraries, as a consortium does not hold any copyrights on these files. If the original works from which the digital versions were produced are in the public domain, so too are the digital files. As the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Institutions composing the BHL states, “All information currently in the public domain remains in the public domain. Neither the BHL nor the data providers will seek to assert any IPR over public domain materials.”
Coverage
1480-present
Date
September 13, 2010
Search other databases from:
Other databases for:
Other databases covering:
Legend
Resource is restricted to current Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Use Off Campus Sign In if not on the campus network.
Resource is licensed for Virginia Tech alumni access. Use Alumni Library Portal Sign In to access. Freely accessible database, available to anyone without restriction
Sponsored by VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia.
Mobile interface available, see description for link.
Screencast tutorial available, icon linked to list.
Contents of this database are in Summon.
Resource provides Get VText links to access full text.
Resource provides open access publishing opportunities and open access publications.
Resource provides self archiving opportunities and open access documents.Warning
NOTE: Most items obtained from this page are subscribed to by the library and accessible only to Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff.
WARNING: The abuse of Virginia Tech licensed online resources by such means as systematic downloading violates the university's acceptable use policy, jeopardizes Tech's future access to resources, and is prohibited.
Additionally, some databases and ejournals require an additional username and password.
