The Biodiversity Heritage Library is pleased to welcome the National Agricultural Library (NAL) as a new Member. Since joining the consortium as an Affiliate in 2014, NAL has contributed over 2 million pages to the BHL collection. NAL represents BHL’s 19th Member.

The National Agricultural Library (NAL) holds more than 8 million items, representing one of the largest collections of materials devoted to agriculture in the world. By statute, NAL is the primary depository of publications and information concerning the research and other activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“The National Agricultural Library collection is a true national treasure,” affirms BHL Program Director Martin R. Kalfatovic. “Through membership in BHL, NAL has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing free and open access to this significant collection. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to build BHL’s online collection and share these valuable resources with the world.”

Childs’ Fall Catalog. 1928. Digitized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library from the Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection. http://s.si.edu/2xatpAG.

As a Member, the National Agricultural Library will strengthen BHL’s coverage of agricultural topics, providing increased access to historic USDA and other high demand, public domain items from its collection. In particular, the Library will continue to digitize material from its Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection, which consists of over 200,000 American and foreign catalogs from the late 18th century to the present. To date, NAL has contributed over 33,000 catalogs from this collection to BHL. The catalogs can be viewed in BHL as part of the Seed & Nursery Catalogs collection.

“The National Agricultural Library is excited to become a Member of the Biodiversity Heritage Library and collaborate more closely with the other Member institutions,” says NAL Director Paul Wester. “NAL views BHL as a key avenue through which the library shares its wide-ranging collections of agricultural, natural and allied sciences with a national and international audience.”

The Biodiversity Heritage Library now consists of 19 Members and 18 Affiliates. Explore our consortium today.