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A bonanza for fans of the natural world: the digital library sharing 64m pages of scientific knowledge with everyone

The Guardian Environment Thursday 18 June 2026, 07:00 UTC By Donna Ferguson 1 min read
Key Points

The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an invaluable online archive of historic texts on species living and lost supplied by the world’s leading museums and universities. Now its future is in doubtSome go there to read about the wood that Victorian manufacturers used to make walking sticks. Others want to see an illustration of a Tasmanian tiger or marvel at the field diary of one of the first known botanists to explore the Antarctic.

The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an invaluable online archive of historic texts on species living and lost supplied by the world’s leading museums and universities. Now its future is in doubt

Some go there to read about the wood that Victorian manufacturers used to make walking sticks. Others want to see an illustration of a Tasmanian tiger or marvel at the field diary of one of the first known botanists to explore the Antarctic.

Over the past 20 years, more than 64m pages have been made freely available through the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) – a digital treasure trove for fans of the natural world. More than 680 museums, universities, libraries and scientific institutions from China, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand to Europe, Africa, Mexico, Canada and the US, have contributed to the library.

Manuscript on parchment from the Circa instans. Dating from about 1190, it is the oldest book in the digital library. Photograph: LuEsther T Mertz Library/New York Botanical Garden/Biodiversity Heritage Library

Continue reading...
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (ORG) Victorian (ORG) Tasmanian (ORG) Antarctic (LOCATION) BHL (ORG) China (LOCATION) Singapore (LOCATION) Australia (LOCATION) New Zealand (LOCATION) Europe (LOCATION) Africa (LOCATION) Mexico (LOCATION) Canada (LOCATION) US (LOCATION) Circa (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian Environment Read original →

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A bonanza for fans of the natural world: the digital library sharing 64m pages of scientific knowledge with everyone

The Biodiversity Heritage Library is an invaluable online archive of historic texts on species living and lost supplied by the world’s leading museums and universities. Now its future is in doubtSome go there to read about the wood that Victorian manufacturers used to make walking sticks. Others want to see an illustration of a Tasmanian tiger or marvel at the field diary of one of the first known botanists to explore the Antarctic.

The Guardian UK 1h ago