Category: featured

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/.  

The University Library is pleased to announce that the Illinois Data Bank has been officially certified as a Core Trust Seal repository. This certification recognizes Illinois Data Bank’s ability to meet detailed criteria that demonstrate excellence in data stewardship, reinforcing its commitment to provide a secure and reliable platform for data sharing to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research community.

The Core Trust Seal is an international certification framework that evaluates repositories on key criteria including organizational infrastructure, digital object management, and the preservation of data. By achieving this certification, the Illinois Data Bank demonstrates its adherence to best practices in data management and ensures that researchers can trust the repository for long-term data preservation and access.

Illinois Data Bank’s mission is to centralize, preserve, and provide persistent and reliable access to the research data created by affiliates of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With this certification, the Illinois Data Bank not only enhances the credibility of the data housed within its platform but also provides users with the assurance that their data is managed according to standards defined by an international community of experts.

This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of the Illinois Data Bank team and partners who have collaborated to enhance its services and infrastructure. The Illinois Data Bank, developed and maintained within the Library as part of the campus’s commitment to the Research Data Service, is committed to supporting Illinois researchers by providing a robust platform for data management and sharing, ensuring that valuable research outputs are preserved and accessible for future use.

For more information about the Illinois Data Bank and to explore its certified repository, please visit the Illinois Data Bank. To learn more about the Core Trust Seal certification and its significance, please visit Core Trust Seal.