Twelve vision statements came out of the Future Search Conference held in July 2009. To keep the vision alive and developing, the Regional Library Systems are highlighting the visions in their newsletters with the purpose of encouraging continued discussion among librarians, library staff , boards and their communities. A vision that generated a lot of interest and discussion was that of eco-friendly “green libraries” plus it ties in with Earth Day, April 22.
Vision statement to consider:
Going green starts @ your library®: the library models environmentally sustainable practices, places, and policies and shares these with the community.
It has become one of the hot topics in library literature. Libraries by virtue of their position in their community should be seen as a model for others. As Laura L. Barnes says in the Illinois Library Association Report of October 2008, “The good news is that the library’s core services are already eco-friendly because they encourage people to borrow rather than buy materials.” Libraries can demonstrate environmental awareness by doing small changes in their buildings as well as by thinking green in the design of a new or remodeled building. Other ways of going green are by having a green core collection and by encouraging people in the community to pay attention to their green footprint by reducing, reusing, repairing, and recycling.
Library Buildings
Places to go for information on green buildings include:
- Green Libraries (www.greenlibraries.org) which lists books and web sites for green libraries that have already been built with green sensibilities.
- Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, (LEED) at www.usbgc.org was established by the U.S. Green Building Council and provides standards for environmentally sustainable construction, evaluating projects within six categories: site development, energy efficiency, materials selection, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and innovation is design.
Most libraries must work with existing the buildings, but there are many smaller changes that can be made to reduce the environmental impact.
- Have an energy audit of the building to look at lighting, windows and doors, heating and cooling.
- Replace old electronic equipment with more energy efficient ones.
- Provide bike and skateboard racks.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with energy saving ones.
- Install occupancy sensors to turn off lights when room not is use.
- Use green cleaning products.
- Use reusable cups, plates, etc in stead of disposable ones.
- Check out free software from GreenPrint (www.printgreener.com) to avoid printing blank pages.
- Print on both sides of the paper.
Your Collection
Business and home owners need information on how to do it. Have books, magazines, DVDs and web sites accessible in the library’s collection that will encourage your customers to think green when it comes to purchasing, living, and working. Library Journal, February 1, 2009, has a bibliography of green resources in their Collection Development section with starred items as being essential for most collections. This is available through Library Journal Online at www.libraryjournalonline.com/article/CA6630783.html.
Community
Libraries can take the lead in the community by encouraging and educating the public on ways they can integrate green measures into their lives.
- Collaborate with local environmental groups to be a community recycling drop-off site for batteries or used electronics.
- Establish an environmental book club or books for your next One Book community program. Novels with an environmental theme could also be used.
- Plan a program for children and teens on reducing our environmental foot print by creating a craft out of discarded or junk materials. Sites such as holidays.kaboose.com/earth-day gives ideas using recycled items. A great place for ideas for older kids and teens is a VOYA article The 6R Movement: Reduce, Reclaim, Redesign, Recycle, Renew (October 2008).
- Advertise that the library is a green library and display library materials that relate to the environment and green technology.
- Hold a community forum to discuss steps to take to incorporate eco-friendly measures into daily lives.
Remember that “greening the library” improves not only the quality of life, but can also save money.
