Importance of botanical and horticultural information

by Kathy Fescemyer *

*The following is an excerpt (pp. 73-74) of : Fescemyer, Kathy, “The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries”, Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 11 (2, 2010): 73-80. [Reprinted with permission of the author]

Understanding plants is fundamental to the prosperity and balance of the earth and all its varied ecosystems. Plants are the basis of all forms of life and affect every person every day. Horticultural products such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts nourish all throughout the world. Ingredients from plants are the foundation for many important medicines. Botanical gardens, arboretums, floral arrangements, home landscaping, and floristic artwork provide beauty in our lives. Plant materials are important components of clothing and industrial products. All ecosystems depend on a foundation of plants to balance the mechanisms of air quality. Plants support the stability of topsoil by controlling erosion. Knowledge of the plant world allows for many scientific discoveries that improve our existence in many ways.

Researchers in botany and horticulture rely on libraries to supply the information resources necessary to conduct experimental studies and to disseminate the results of these studies. Libraries collect monographs, journals, and other resources in botany and horticulture. As with all sciences, the most important method of communication in these areas is the scholarly research journal, but monographs also play a large role in botanical and horticultural research. Current resources are obviously vital for today’s researchers, but historical materials are equally important because they document the foundations of these disciplines. […]

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Why I am a CBHL member

CBHL is an essential organization for botanical and horticultural libarians, and also useful for curators, booksellers and others in the bot/hort world. This welcoming and interdependent community shares information, questions, practices, observations and ideas peer-to-peer with others in the field. We can consult with each other on any aspect of our work and receive the benefit of diverse experiences, perspectives and referrals. We act as an informal ILL system, connecting our library users with what they need. Annual meetings and a quarterly newsletter keep us all connected. Those who also serve CBHL develop organizational skills that enhance what we do collectively and in our own institutions. CBHL has enabled me to be a better librarian and has welcomed me to a vibrant network of friends and colleagues. Truly essential.

Charlotte Tancin, FLS - Librarian, Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University Libraries

I can't imagine not renewing our CBHL membership. My involvement in CBHL is one of the highlights of my job and the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Brandy Kuhl, Library Director, Helen Crocker Russell Library of Horticulture, San Francisco Botanical Garden

CBHL is my lifeline, my go-to group when I need assistance locating information about plants and botanists, especially the early works and on taxonomy.

Suzi Teghtmeyer, librarian, Michigan State University Libraries

I have been a member of CBHL since 2001 when I joined the staff of the Elisabeth C. Miller Library at the University of Washington Botanic Gardens in Seattle. That same year, I attended my first annual meeting at the Denver Botanical Garden hosted by the Helen Fowler Library. I was so amazed to learn that there was an organization comprised of plant librarians!After the Miller Library hosted the annual meeting in 2010, I was asked to join the Board. I wanted to serve CBHL because I had gained so much from meeting fellow horticultural librarians and visiting other garden libraries.

Tracy L. Mehlin, information technology librarian (retired), University of Washington Botanic Gardens

CBHL has proven to be for me the best professional organization to participate during my 34-year career as head of the Library of the Montréal Botanical Garden. As my involvement, I attended 26 annual meetings, hosting two of them, I served on the board and was part of many committees. CBHL provided me with shared expertise and a great network of colleagues all across North America.

Celine Arseneault, retired botanist and librarian, Montréal Botanical Garden

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Importance of botanical and horticultural information