Greening your Library:

Save Money and the

Environment

April 18, 2012

KA

TH

RY

N M

ILL

ER

, ML

S, E

DD

THANKS FOR ATTENDING

Poll Question:

In what type of a library do you

currently work?

WORKSHOP GOALS

Workshop Goals:

Practical ideas for how to be green, teach

green and lead green.

Introduce environmentally-friendly, money-

saving initiatives that fit your existing

building and services.

Provide ideas for hands-on activities that will

help you raise green awareness

Offer ideas on how to get your community

involved.

WHAT IS IT TO BE GREEN

Green is about sustainability.

Going green is making choices that protect,

preserve and replenish the Earth’s resources.

@ YOUR LIBRARY

A primary role of the library is to connect people

with the information they need

The library is well positioned to gain the attention

of the community and connect users with

information on sustainability, green choices and

environmental concerns.

Think of your library as community wealth.

LIBRARIES AS AN ESSENTIAL LINK

“Social equity is a core mission for libraries,

accomplished through the strategic location of

branches and mobile libraries and the delivery of

programs and technology for all. On the environmental

front, libraries naturally provide information, but they

also serve as local models and laboratories for green

practices.” Landgraf, G. (2010). ULC report: Libraries are sustainability partners. American Libraries. Retrieved from

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/12072010/ulc-report-libraries-are-sustainability-partners.

Libraries are the necessary link between companies

like doing the right thing and the public being able to

recognize and understand what the right thing is.

STANDARD FOR SUCCESS

Triple bottom line

Economic prosperity (Profit)

Environmental stewardship (Planet)

Social responsibility (People)

WHY THE LIBRARY?

Libraries are a local business looking for growth

opportunities

Unique connection with the people/community

Ability to communicate with local businesses

Libraries serve people who can directly affect

change

Businesses

Business people

Families

Teachers

Authors

Libraries are strong participants in sustainable

solutions

Library Roles in

“Going Green”

1. Doer

2. Publicizer

3. Catalyst

LIBRARY AS “DOER”—

THE PRACTICE OF BEING GREEN

Information retrieval

Information delivery

Operational

Information retrieval

Aggregated databases

Books

Web-based atmosphere

Question: Is your library already green?

AS A PRACTICE—AGGREGATED DATABASES

AS A PRACTICE--BOOKS

AS A PRACTICE—BOOKS--EBRARY

AS A PRACTICE—BOOKS--NETLIBRARY

AS A PRACTICE—BOOKS--PDA

AS A PRACTICE—BOOKS—GOOGLE BOOKS

AS A PRACTICE—TEXTBOOKS—VITAL SOURCE

AS A PRACTICE—

INFORMATION DELIVERY--INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Balance

Benefit—sharing materials

Cost—Packaging, Shipping, Paper use, Waste

In search of a sustainable solution…

AS A PRACTICE—

INFORMATION DELIVERY—DOCUMENT DELIVERY

SERVICES

AS A PRACTICE—INFORMATION

DELIVERY—GOOGLE SCHOLAR

AS A PRACTICE—INFORMATION

DELIVERY—WEB BASED ATMOSPHERE

OPAC

Federated and discovery searches

Webpages

Blogs

Text Messages

“Ask a Librarian” Services

Refworks

LibGuides

AS A PRACTICE—INFORMATION

DELIVERY—ASK A LIBRARIAN

AS A PRACTICE

RefWorks RefWorks -- an online research management, writing and

collaboration tool -- is designed to help researchers easily

gather, manage, store and share all types of information, as

well as generate citations and bibliographies.

LibGuides

A web 2.0 content management and library knowledge

sharing system. Libraries use it to create attractive

multimedia content, share knowledge and information,

and promote library resources to the community.

LibGuides is a sustainable solution for subject guides,

information portals, course guides, community guides,

research help, faculty/teacher support, etc.

HTTP://ARGOSY.CAMPUSGUIDES.COM/SUSTAINABILITYCONF

AS A PRACTICE--OPERATIONAL

Consider

How is the item packaged?

Consider an item’s useful life

How will the item eventually be disposed of?

Purchasing Power

Look for Green Seal products

GS-8 standard

Look for Energy Star ratings for office equipment

AS A PRACTICE--OPERATIONAL

AS A PRACTICE--OPERATIONAL

AS A PRACTICE—OPERATIONAL

Indoor Updates

Natural Stone (not synthetics)

Glass (not plastic)

Sustainable wood (eucalyptus)

Lighting

Use Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs

Motion-activated sensors

Vampire power

Paint

Use nontoxic, low VOC (volatile organic compound).

Light color paint reflects the sun’s heat

AS A PRACTICE--OPERATIONAL

Transportation

How do people get to your library?

Walk

Sidewalks

Bus or Train

Schedules (Personalized?)

Shelter

Bike

Route maps

Bike Rack

Carpool

Employees

Patrons

AS A PRACTICE--OPERATIONAL

Outdoor updates

Landscape with native plants

Climate-appropriate species will reduce water needs

Do you need a lawn? Consider rocks, bark and other

ground cover.

IDEAS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Do you have an “green” operational example

you can share?

AS A PRACTICE--SERVICES

MARC Records

590 field—local definition and use

Information is searchable and included in the public view

590 #a Printed on recycled paper

590 #a Printed on tree-free paper

AS A PRACTICE--SERVICES

Weeding

Collection development policy

When and How the weeding should be done

What should be done with the materials that are discarded

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Recycle

Book cart

Resell. Friends book sales or a company

Mis

lead

ing

Ugly

Su

pers

ed

ed

Tri

via

l

Irre

levan

t

Els

ew

here

AS A PRACTICE--SERVICES

LIBRARY AS “PUBLICIZER”—

TEACHING GREEN

Information literacy

Programming

Curriculum integration

AS A TEACHER--INFORMATION LITERACY

The ability to Recognize that there is an

information need,

The ability to Locate information to answer that

question,

The ability to Evaluate the answer found.

AS A TEACHER--ENVIRONMENTAL

LITERACY

Environmental literacy

A new role for the library is to educate users in

environmental literacy. Environmental literacy is a part of

information literacy—it is the ability to recognize that one’s

choices impact the environment; to identify the most

sustainable solution for the situation; and to be able to act

in the most environmentally friendly way on that solution.

Public libraries have the opportunity to educate their

community in environmental literacy by example, through

education and by providing access to information about

going green.

AS A TEACHER—TRAINING VEHICLES

Teaching vehicles available @ a library

1. Websites

2. Public forum space

3. Formal courses

4. Make the commitment and the educational

opportunities will fall into place

AS A TEACHER—ADULT WORKSHOPS

What a library can educate

Educate users on labeling

http://www.greenerchoices.org/eco-labels/labelIndex.cfm

Plan and plant a library butterfly garden

http://www.TheButterflySite. Com

How to read digitally

HOW TO READ DIGITALLY

AS A TEACHER—TEEN WORKSHOPS

Recycled book art

Book paper flowers

Graphic art

Book treasure boxes

AS A TEACHER—CHILDREN’S WORKSHOPS

Guest Reader

Invite local business/community/teachers leaders to

read green books

Craft projects

Discarded CDs can be turned into art or sun catchers

Environmental drawings

http://www.abrakadoodle.com/project_cds.htm

AS A TEACHER—FAMILY WORKSHOPS

Chicago Public Library

AS A TEACHER—SUMMER READING

AS A TEACHER—CURRICULUM

INTEGRATION

University of North Carolina Greensboro

Path: Lighting the way from research to writing (Ten

module asynchronous research tutorial)

Recycling theme

Williams, B.F. (2011). Embedding your green message through asynchronous learning.

Electronic Green Journal. 1, 32. Retrieved from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/4vt250k7.

AS A TEACHER—CURRICULUM

INTEGRATION (ACADEMIC)

Current Academic Library survey

“This survey is specifically interested in exploring the level of engagement

of academic libraries and library and information studies (LIS) schools in

the emerging focus of teaching sustainability across the curriculum. The

purpose of the study is to provide a snapshot of library services and

practices in support of institutional curricular and research needs

including open access, retaining author rights, building sustainability-

related collections and research guides, incorporating sustainability

content into instruction and teaching, collaborating on sustainability

projects, as well as reporting and seeking funding for sustainability

efforts.”

https://academictrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8Ds9A1yindrZLlG

IDEAS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Do you have an “green” teaching

example/program you can share?

LIBRARY AS “CATALYST”—

LEADING GREEN

Providing Access to information about being

green

Special Collections

Economic development

Awards

AS A LEADER--ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Purchasing materials that help inspire green

ideas

Connecting users with green information through

websites, blogs, posters and displays

Offering community space for groups discussing

green initiatives.

AS A LEADER—ACCESS TO INFORMATION

AS A LEADER—ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Information resources to help companies develop

team interest and commitment

EPA Databases and Software

Client Energy Savings Calculator (Dell)

Paper Calculator

Fuel Consumption Calculator

Business Carbon Calculator

Business and Organization Carbon Calculator

Household Emissions Calculator

Carbon Footprint Calculator

Is Your Home Energy Efficient?

Go Recycle Game

AS A LEADER—SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

Libraries can serve as an information repository

for information on sustainable materials.

University of Minnesota Forestry Library

University of Maryland Digital Commons—

Environmental Films

Pace University—Environmental Law Review

AS A LEADER—ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“Libraries often function as catalysts for

economic development, the report found, because

their reputation as safe community assets make

them desirable neighbors. But their programs

also aid local economies, by providing valuable

information to entrepreneurs, supporting

education and early literacy, and helping job-

seekers to improve their skills and find

employment.” Landgraf, G. (2010). ULC report: Libraries are sustainability partners. American Libraries.

Retrieved from http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/12072010/ulc-report-libraries-are-

sustainability-partners.

Communicate

your green

initiatives with

local government,

media and

businesses.

AS A LEADER—ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In 2012, The Little Rock Sustainability Summit featured methods on how to help

conserve energy within businesses. The keynote speaker was L'Oreal's Pam Alabaster

who discussed the company’s green initiative, a project that has saved the company

millions. A panel discussion was also held with heads from companies such as AT&T,

Wal-Mart and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

***

The annual Sustainability in Business: Vision, Practice and Education

conference at Argosy University in Eagan, MN draws together various members of

academia, business, government, and nonprofit organizations and to discuss the

interconnection between the economy, society and the natural environment. The

annual event has included representatives of organizations such as IBM, Wal-Mart,

Coca-Cola, Cargill, Lockheed Martin, Sustainability Consortium, and Schmidt

Printing.

AS A LEADER—AWARDS

Santa Monica Public Library Green Prize for Sustainable Literature

School and Community Assistance for Recycling

and Composting Education (SCARCE)

Earth Flag Certification

IDEAS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Do you have an example of how your library

has partnered with a business?

AS A LEADER—ACTION PLAN

A first step in becoming green is to develop an

action plan that can serve as a road map for the

directions and choices your library makes.

Template

Description of the project

Project goals

Become a community leader in environmental education

Establish environmentally friendly practices in library

facilities.

Increase community awareness of environmentally friendly

practices through library programming

Timeline

Include tasks, persons responsible and status

AS A LEADER

Business Plan Template @

http://web.sba.gov/busplantemplate/BizPlanStart.cfm

TODAY’S WORKSHOP

1. Demonstrated that libraries can be green

“Doers”, “Publicizers” and “Catalysts”.

2. Outlined practical ideas for how to be green,

teach green and lead green.

3. Introduced environmentally-friendly, money-

saving initiatives that fit your existing

building and services.

4. Provided ideas for hands-on activities that

will help you raise green awareness.

5. Offered ideas on how to get your community

involved.

Greening your Library:

Save Money and the

Environment

kjmiller@argosy.edu