The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries, Inc. (CBHL) is an international organization of individuals, organizations and institutions concerned with the development, maintenance and use of libraries of botanical and horticultural literature.

The purpose of CBHL is to initiate and improve communication and coordinate activities and programs of mutual interest and benefit to its membership.

Activities of the Council are under the general direction of a Board of Directors. Directors are chosen for four-year terms by the entire membership of the Council. The Secretary and Treasurer, the only permanent members of the Board, are also elected by the Council membership.

An annual meeting hosted by a member institution is held each spring, usually in May. Here members have a chance to meet one another to discuss matters of mutual interest and concern, and have a unique opportunity to get an insider’s view of a host institution. Locations of past meetings include New York City, Atlanta, Ottawa, Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Columbus, Seattle, Santa Barbara and Montreal.

The yearly meetings have included lectures on the care and preservation of collections, computer systems and services, as well as talks on garden literature and botanical art. Individual programs, committee meetings and a scheduled business meeting are regularly complemented by site visits to neighboring gardens and historic locales.

We encourage all interested institutions and individuals to join CBHL.

To apply for CBHL membership, please use the application form linked to the sectionBecome a member.

array(5) { [1844]=> array(25) { ["ID"]=> int(1844) ["post_title"]=> string(115) "Charlotte Tancin, FLS - Librarian, Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University Libraries" ["post_content"]=> string(842) "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." 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My involvement in CBHL is one of the highlights of my job and the benefits far outweigh the cost. 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Mehlin, information technology librarian (retired), University of Washington Botanic Gardens" ["post_content"]=> string(589) "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." 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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." 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Why I am a CBHL member