Effective Date: August 26, 2026
Last Updated: August 26, 2026
Please read these Terms of Use (“Terms”) carefully before using the Biodiversity Heritage Library’s websites on the biodiversitylibrary.org domain (the “Websites”), together with its associated application programming interfaces (APIs) and data exports (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Websites or Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Websites or Services.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (“BHL,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is the world’s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. BHL is not a single institution; it operates as an international consortium of natural history, botanical, research, and national libraries.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using the Websites or Services, you represent that you have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms and that you will comply with them, as well as with any applicable local, national, and international laws and regulations. We may update these Terms from time to time as described below (Changes to These Terms). Your continued use of the Websites or Services after any such update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
2. Privacy Policy
We value and respect your privacy. If you use the Websites or Services, you agree that your activities are covered by our Privacy Policy.
3. Copyright and Reuse
BHL does not hold copyright on the digitized works made available through its Websites or Services. Specific guidance on how copyright applies and permitted reuse of content available through our Websites and Services is available on our Copyright and Reuse page. Review these guidelines before contacting BHL with questions.
4. Acceptable Use
You agree to use the Websites and Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. Without limiting the foregoing, you agree not to:
- Use the Websites or Services in any way that violates applicable local, national, or international law;
- Reproduce, distribute, or otherwise exploit in-copyright content beyond what is permitted by the applicable license or copyright law;
- Interfere with, disrupt, or place an unreasonable burden on the Websites’s servers or networks, including through automated scraping at a volume or frequency that degrades Site performance for other users (see Section 6 regarding preferred bulk-access methods);
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Websites, other accounts, or computer systems connected to the Websites;
- Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code through the Websites;
- Misrepresent your affiliation with BHL or any Contributing Institution, or use the BHL name or logo in a way that suggests endorsement without our prior written consent.
Unacceptable use in violation of these points may result in punitive action that could include the prohibition of access to the Websites or Services.
5. API Access and Bulk Data Reuse
5.1 Available Access Methods
BHL provides several mechanisms for programmatic and bulk access to its content and metadata. These mechanisms are intended to allow individual users, developers, and data providers to download, remix, and reuse BHL content and metadata at scale, and are generally the preferred route for bulk access rather than large-scale scraping of the Websites themselves. For details, please review our Services as documented on our Tools and Services page.
5.2 API Keys
Use of the BHL API requires an API key, obtained free of charge through the Websites. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your API key and for all activity conducted using it. We reserve the right to rate-limit, suspend, or revoke API access that we determine, in our reasonable discretion, to be abusive, to place undue load on our infrastructure, or to violate these Terms.
5.3 Data License
BHL makes its metadata available for public use under the CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. For more details, please see our Data Licensing guidance.
5.4 No Warranty on Data Completeness
BHL Data is provided “as is,” without express or implied warranty as to accuracy, reliability, or fitness for any particular application. The data for digitized legacy materials is curated to the best of our ability to facilitate the discovery of BHL collection materials on its Websites and Services, and support a diverse array of downstream data consumers and discovery layers. For more details, please see our Data Disclaimer.
6. Third-Party Content, Links, and Platforms
The Websites may link to, embed, or reference content hosted on third-party platforms, including but not limited to the Internet Archive, Flickr, and Contributors’ own websites. BHL does not control and is not responsible for the content, terms of use, or privacy practices of these third-party platforms. Your use of any third-party platform linked from the Websites is subject to that platform’s own terms and policies, and copyright status shown on a third-party platform should be verified against the corresponding record on the Websites.
7. Intellectual Property in the Websites Themselves
Apart from the digitized content and metadata described above, the design, layout, graphics, and other original elements of the Websites, as well as the “Biodiversity Heritage Library” name and logo, are the property of BHL or its licensors. When referring to BHL’s original elements, especially its trademarked logo, please refer to our Logo Guidelines.
8. Disclaimer of Warranties
THE WEBSITES AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR ACCURACY OF CONTENT. BHL DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE WEBSITES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE, OR THAT ANY COPYRIGHT DETERMINATION DISPLAYED ON THE WEBSITES IS COMPLETE OR CORRECT FOR YOUR INTENDED USE OR JURISDICTION.
9. Limitation of Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, BHL, ITS FISCAL SPONSOR [CLIR], ITS PARTNER INSTITUTIONS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, REVENUE, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITES OR SERVICES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
10. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless BHL from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of your misuse of the Websites or Services or your violation of these Terms, including any unauthorized commercial use of restricted content described above.
11. Changes to These Terms
We may revise these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the law, or the Services we offer. We will post the updated Terms on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. Material changes will be posted with reasonable advance notice where practicable. Your continued use of the Websites or Services after an update becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
12. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Virginia, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
13. Relationship to Other BHL Policies
These Terms should be read together with BHL’s other published policies, provided via about.biodiversitylibrary.org. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and a more specific policy referenced above, the more specific policy will govern with respect to the subject matter it addresses.