BHL moved from a model in which its central administrative, financial, staffing, and technical functions were hosted by the Smithsonian Institution to a distributed, partner-supported structure.
Key changes included:
- establishing the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) as BHL’s fiscal sponsor and administrative home;
- transferring BHL’s financial administration, contracting, fundraising, and employment arrangements to CLIR;
- moving BHL’s core technical infrastructure from the Smithsonian Institution to the Field Museum;
- strengthening BHL’s communications and fundraising capacity; and
- developing a stronger foundation for the long-term sustainability and modernization of BHL.
BHL’s mission, identity, commitment to open access, and community-led governance remain unchanged.