BHL member and affiliates met in New York City for the 2014 Annual Meeting (10-11 March 2014). The annual meeting is a chance for the leaders of BHL members and affiliates to learn what is happening around BHL and to give updates from their own institutions.
This year, the meeting was held jointly by the New York Botanical Garden and the American Museum of Natural History. The first day of meetings was hosted by Susan Fraser, Director of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of the New York Botanical Garden. The morning session of the meeting included the 2014 BHL Program Director’s Report by Martin R. Kalfatovic; an update on user engagement from Carolyn Sheffield (BHL Program Manager); an overview of BHL technical activities from William Ulate (BHL Technical Director); and a report on the recent Global BHL meetings and membership committee report by Vice-Chair Connie Rinaldo. Bob Corrigan, Director of Operations for the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL), also joined the meeting to give an update on EOL activities. Gregory Long, President and CEO of the New York Botanical Garden, welcomed the BHL members.
Attending the meeting were representatives from fifteen of the sixteen BHL members, including the three most recent members, Washington University of St. Louis, The National Library Board, Singapore (BHL Singapore), and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Our newest affiliate, the Natural History Museum, Los Angeles County, also attended.
The business portion of the meeting took place the following day at the American Museum of Natural History, hosted by Tom Baione, the Harold Boeschenstein Director of the AMNH Research Library. Tom also gave the group a tour of Natural Histories: Exploring Rare Books and Scientific Illustration exhibition, based on his book of the same title.
Pictured above are the meeting attendees:
Front Row, left to right: Susan Fraser (NYBG), Chris Mills (Kew), Christine Giannoni (Field Museum), Tomoko Steen (Library of Congress), Eric Chin (BHL Singapore), Nancy Gwinn (Smithsonian Libraries), Cathy Buckwalter (ANSP), Judy Warnement (Harvard Botany Libraries).
Second Row, left to right: Tom Baione (AMNH), Marty Schlabach (Cornell), Connie Rinaldo (Harvard/Museum of Comparative Zoology), Carolyn Sheffield (BHL Program Manager), Diane Reilinger (MBL/WHOI), Richad Hulser (NHMLAC).
Third Row, left to right: Kelli Trei (UIUC), Doug Holland (Missouri Botanical Garden), Chris Freeland (Washington University).
Back Row, left to right: William Ulate (BHL Technical Director), Martin R. Kalfatovic (BHL Program Director).
NOT PICTURED: Jane Smith (Natural History Museum, London). Photograph taken at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, New York Botanical Garden.
Martin R. Kalfatovic is BHL Program Director and Associate Director, Digital Programs and Initiatives Division, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. As the BHL Program Director, Mr. Kalfatovic functions as the executive director and manager of the international consortium of over 80 natural history, botanical garden, government, and university libraries engaged in the mass digitization of taxonomic literature. The position also serves as a key contact for government, NGO, and academic leaders at both the national and international level. Within his role at Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, Mr. Kalfatovic is responsible for the Libraries’ active Digital Library program. This program includes the creation of digital editions of library materials, online exhibitions, and new digital publications.
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