Botany and Horticulture Libraries
Beyond the Traditional Roles of Information Professionals
Did You Know?
There are specialized libraries whose librarians role are to answer questions to those with the thirst for plant knowledge. Librarians' extensive personal contacts and knowledge, help customers in ways google could never imagine! So for those of us who live, eat, and breathe the wonder of plants and gardens, we have botany and horticulture libraries to indulge our minds in.
CBHL
The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries is the leading professional organization in the field of botanical and horticultural information services. CBHL believes in the critical importance of collecting, preserving, and making accessible the accumulated knowledge about plants for present and future generations. Therefore, CBHL provides an organizational framework and an active forum for institutions and individuals concerned with fostering the advancement of botanical and horticultural information and information services.
For more information click on the link below.
Collections
Mertz Library in Manhattan, is the largest botanical and horticultural library in the western hemisphere. With over a mile long archival material, their collection fulfills the needs from young students to Nobel Prize winner scientists. This library has over 250,000 architectural plans for glass houses and 25,000 of original botanical art and illustrations. One of their books dates back to 1190!
For a tour of this amazing horticultural library click on the link below.
Classes
- Examine how to grow these plants and their relatives in the typical home environment. Each class participant will go home with an orchid
Basics of Edible Gardening
- Learn the basics and best practices for setting up a lower-maintenance, high-yield garden without using lots of chemicals.
Container Gardening
- Explore container gardening basics including plant selection, soil types and appropriate containers. Learn how to design containers for year-round appeal with annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs that do well in pots.
References
Sheffield Botanical Library. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://atlantabg.org/kids-schools/sheffield-botanical-library
The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cbhl.net/
The New York Botanical Garden: Mertz Library Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPM-dDSDIOs