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Reflecting on the 2025 BHL Annual Meeting in Berlin

From April 7–11, 2025, the global Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) community gathered at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin for the BHL Annual Meeting. Hosted at one of Europe’s premier natural history museums, this year’s event brought together BHL Members, Affiliates and stakeholders for a week of strategic planning and collaboration.

A group of people gather on the steps of the museum fur naturkunde berlin and smile for a photo

Attendees of the BHL Annual Meeting gathered outside the Museum für Naturkunde.

Navigating Transition Amidst Change

BHL Annual Meetings are usually a time for joyous reunions and celebration of shared successes. This year, however, the meeting was shadowed by the recent announcement that BHL must secure alternative funding and find a new institutional host. In the weeks leading up to the Annual Meeting, the original agenda pivoted swiftly towards solution-building. While core elements like committee reports and the ever-popular #BHLDay remained, much of the program was reshaped to focus on navigating the transition.

A Week of Engagement and Collaboration

The week began with a guided tour of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin‘s digitization center and rare manuscripts collection. A highlight for many was a sneak peak of the Library’s digitisation and animation of 3D pop-up books, a beautiful illustration of blending heritage with technology. Following the tour, attendees gathered at Restaurant Ursprung (beneath the fabulous Dussmann KulturKaufhaus bookshop) to reconnect and share updates over local cuisine.

A group of people gather around a display table as a woman shares rare books nested in display cradles

The tour of Berlin’s State Library Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. Photo: Nicole Kearney

Business Meetings and Strategic Planning

Formal business meetings commenced on April 8, with BHL Chair David Iggulden welcoming both in-person and virtual participants. Reports from the Chair, Program Manager, Collections Manager, Data Manager and Technical Team highlighted BHL’s progress over the past year, while discussions around strategic restructuring and sustainability set the foundation for critical transition planning. This was followed by updates from the Chairs of BHL’s various committees and working groups. Participants also engaged in workshops exploring how to future-proof BHL’s data infrastructure and navigate the technical scenarios involved in the upcoming shift from Smithsonian hosting.

Man at podium presents "Towards a new chapter for BHL" to an audience seated at tables

BHL Chair, David Iggulden, opening the 2025 BHL Annual Meeting with the Chair’s Report: “Towards a new chapter for BHL.” Photo: Nicole Kearney

Between meetings, attendees were treated to behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum für Naturkunde’s Library, Archives and Taxonomy Workshop. While all the tours were fabulous, we were especially wowed by the passion and exceptional work of the Museum für Naturkunde’s taxidermists. It was abundantly clear why Museum für Naturkunde wins so many taxidermy championships!

Collage of images showcasing taxidermy specimen and visitors to a taxidermy workshop with tools and equipment

The wonderful tour of the Museum für Naturkunde’s Taxidermy Workshop. Photo: Nicole Kearney

Democratizing Knowledge at the Swiss Embassy

One of the week’s standout events was the evening panel and reception at the Swiss Embassy, titled Democratizing Knowledge: The Role of Open Data in the Age of AI. The panel emphasized the critical importance of open access in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. BHL Program Manager Colleen Funkhouser and BHL Executive Committee Co-Secretary Elisa Herrmann (our host in Berlin) spoke as part of the expert panel, contributing to an important discussion on the global impacts of biodiversity data.

A woman presents at a podium to a seated audience

Colleen Funkhouser, BHL Program Manager, speaking at the Democratizing Knowledge event at the Swiss Embassy. Photo: Nicole Kearney

BHL Day 2025: Bridging Data and Nature

On April 9, the Museum für Naturkunde opened its doors for BHL Day 2025, a public symposium themed Bridging Data and Nature: Connecting Information, Technology, and Biodiversity. The event featured a lineup of speakers exploring how technology and open-access initiatives are transforming biodiversity research. Topics included data interoperability for enhanced global research collaboration, linked open data for connecting taxonomic literature with modern biodiversity platforms, and the role of digitized literature in supporting conservation efforts. A recording of the event is now available on the BHL YouTube channel.

A person presents from a podium to a seated audience

Professor Roderic Page presenting his talk Future interface(s) for BHL at #BHLDay2025. Photo: Nicole Kearney

The symposium concluded with an evening reception in the Museum’s spectacular central atrium, surrounded by towering dinosaur skeletons and one of the world’s most famous fossils, Archaeopteryx lithographica. The breathtaking setting provided a fitting backdrop to reflect on BHL’s mission to preserve and democratize access to the world’s biodiversity literature.

A group gathers beneath a towering dinosaur skeleton

Meeting participants enjoying the BHL Day reception with the dinosaurs. Photo: Nicole Kearney

Strategic Planning for a Sustainable Future

The final business meetings on April 10 focused heavily on stakeholder engagement, future funding models, and transition planning. Members and Affiliates discussed potential hosting scenarios and laid the groundwork for BHL’s Secretariat transition. Critical work began on drafting transition documents and communications, including the Public Statement announcing BHL’s need to transition from the Smithsonian, which was released the following week. The meeting concluded with a heartfelt recognition of partners and a special thanks to Elisa Herrmann and the Museum für Naturkunde for their wonderful hosting of this year’s event. As we closed, our fabulous hosts had one final surprise for us: “BHL Annual Meeting 2025 Berlin” spelled out in traditional Berliner donuts!

The words "BHL annual meeting 2025 Berlin" is spelled out in donuts covered in various icings and sprinkles

The delicious Berliner donuts provided by the Museum für Naturkunde. Photo: Nicole Kearney

Looking Ahead

As BHL advances towards its next chapter, the 2025 Annual Meeting served as a powerful reminder of our community’s collective commitment to open access, global collaboration, and the preservation of biodiversity literature. With transition planning now well underway, BHL is relying on its community and partners to shape a sustainable and resilient future. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the months ahead, supported by the strength of our community and the critical partnerships that make BHL’s mission possible.

BHL’s future is hopeful, but uncertain. BHL is committed to transparency during the transition. We will be sharing monthly updates here to keep our community informed. Subscribe to this blog to stay up to date. In the meantime:

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💡 Contact us with your ideas and support: A New Future for the Biodiversity Heritage Library

A group of people listen as a woman shares objects in a large library

The Museum für Naturkunde’s beautiful Library. Photo: Nicole Kearney

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May 22, 2025
A woman with glasses, light brown hair, wearing a black and white scarf
Written by

Nicole Kearney is BHL’s Communications Director, Manager of BHL Australia, and Chair of BHL’s Persistent Identifier Working Group. She is passionate about open access, persistent identifiers, and Striped Possums.