Scientists from around the world depend on hundreds of years of accumulated botanical information maintained in the Garden's Library.
The Library's collections of modern to centuries-old botanical literature are essential for scientists who name and describe plants. While the collections focus on plant names and descriptions, the Library is also rich in other subjects such as the study of edible and medicinal plants, the art of botanical illustration, and the history of scientific exploration.
The Library includes more than
250,000 items! And the collections contain more than books. Botanical artwork, field books, photographs, as well as modern and historical maps are but a few of the other objects housed in the Garden's Library.
The Library's collections are divided into two major categories: the
General Collection and the Special Collection. The Special Collection includes the
Rare Book Collection and the
Garden Archives.