Kelli Trei, Biosciences Librarian at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has been appointed as the Transition Director through July 2026 for the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), the world’s largest open access digital library dedicated to biodiversity literature. In this critical leadership role, Trei will guide the international consortium through a pivotal transition—identifying new institutional hosts, finalizing fiscal sponsorship, and exploring sustainable funding models for the future.
Trei’s involvement with BHL has been long-standing and impactful, having most recently served as Vice-Chair of the BHL Executive Committee, following a term as Secretary. While she serves in this transition role, Emily Benton, Prairie Research Institute Librarian, will represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on the BHL Member Council.
“Kelli’s appointment is a testament to the strength of our faculty and the national and international leadership that University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign librarians provide,” said Sarah Williams, Agriculture Librarian and Head of the Funk ACES Library. “We are proud to support the continued success of the BHL and the global access to scientific knowledge it enables.”
The University of Illinois has contributed to the BHL since 2007 and became a full member in 2014. As of April 2025, Illinois has added 6,958 volumes from 4,497 titles, totaling more than 2.2 million pages, along with over 5,000 images to the BHL’s Flickr collection.
Beginning January 1, 2026, the BHL must transition to a new hosting structure, creating a rare opportunity to reimagine the Library’s future. As Transition Director, Trei is focused on preserving the BHL’s legacy while broadening its reach.
“The BHL is a free and open resource, but its sustainability depends on the creativity, engagement, and support of our community,” said Trei. “We’re seeking not only financial support but ideas—from new collaborators and increased sustainability to ways we can better manage and expand content. I’m deeply committed to the BHL’s work in democratizing biodiversity information for scientists and interdisciplinary users around the world.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library brings together the digitized biodiversity literature of over 660 contributors worldwide, providing open access to more than 63 million pages of scientific knowledge. Learn more about supporting the BHL at about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-support/.