Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries

Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
Name	Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
Formation	1969
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Membership	Librarians, archivists, curators
Leader title	President

Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries is a professional association serving librarians, archivists, curators, and information specialists in botanical and horticultural institutions. It interfaces with major institutions such as the Library of Congress, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, New York Botanical Garden, and Missouri Botanical Garden while participating in broader networks like the Special Libraries Association and the Biodiversity Heritage Library. The organization promotes specialized collections, cataloging standards, and resource sharing among institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, Royal Horticultural Society, Harvard University Herbaria, and the Natural History Museum, London.

History

The organization was founded in 1969 amid developments including the expansion of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the rise of the Biodiversity Heritage Library initiative, and renewed curatorial efforts at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Early leaders included professionals associated with the New York Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the University of California Botanical Garden, connecting to contemporaneous movements at the American Library Association and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Throughout the late 20th century the group responded to projects such as digitization efforts at the Natural History Museum, London and cataloging programs influenced by the Library of Congress Subject Headings and the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois. In the 21st century it engaged with initiatives from the Biodiversity Heritage Library, collaborations with the Royal Horticultural Society, and policy developments influenced by institutions like the National Agricultural Library and Council on Library and Information Resources.

Mission and Activities

The organization's mission emphasizes preservation and access of botanical and horticultural literature across institutions such as the New York Botanical Garden, Kew Gardens, and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Activities include advocating cataloging standards compatible with the Library of Congress, partnering on digitization with the Biodiversity Heritage Library and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, and advising on metadata practices used by the Natural History Museum, London and the Harvard University Herbaria. The group also works with consortia like the Consortium of European Research Libraries and professional bodies such as the Special Libraries Association and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions to support preservation programs modeled on projects at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Membership and Governance

Membership encompasses staff from the New York Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, Harvard University Herbaria, and university herbaria across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and beyond. Governance includes an elected board with officers comparable to structures at the American Library Association and committees that coordinate with the Biodiversity Heritage Library, the National Agricultural Library, and regional networks such as the Canadian Association of Research Libraries. Presidents and chairs have been affiliated with institutions including the New York Botanical Garden, Royal Horticultural Society, and the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Publications and Resources

The organization produces newsletters, position papers, and guidance on cataloging and digitization informed by standards from the Library of Congress, the Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Its bibliographic resources cite holdings in collections at the Natural History Museum, London, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, New York Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, and it distributes directories used by staff at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Harvard University Herbaria. Collaborative publications have been produced with partners such as the Biodiversity Heritage Library, the Special Libraries Association, and the Consortium of European Research Libraries to support digitization projects modeled on initiatives at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Conferences and Events

Annual meetings and regional conferences bring together delegates from the New York Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Smithsonian Institution, Natural History Museum, London, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Events often feature joint sessions with organizations like the Biodiversity Heritage Library, the American Library Association, and the Special Libraries Association, and have been hosted at venues including the Royal Horticultural Society headquarters, the New York Botanical Garden, and university herbaria such as those at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Awards and Grants

The organization administers awards and small grants to support conservation, digitization, and research projects in collaboration with entities such as the Biodiversity Heritage Library, the National Agricultural Library, and the Council on Library and Information Resources. Recipients have included staff from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, New York Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and academic herbaria at Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley, supporting projects that align with programs at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and the Natural History Museum, London.

Category:Library associations Category:Botanical organizations