This document provides an overview of the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) and its efforts to make biodiversity literature openly accessible online on a global scale. It begins by introducing BHL and its mission. The body details BHL's 15 member institutions that contribute content from their collections. It also briefly describes some of BHL's international collaboration events, including launches in Africa and Germany, as well as governance bodies like the Institutional Council and Global Steering Committee that guide BHL's work. In closing, it notes that a panel discussion on BHL will follow the introductory remarks.