Amy Brunvand

Sustainability on the Other Side of the Stacks

May 22, 2017

This column is one in a multipart American Libraries series that explores the library profession’s relationship to sustainability. Why not? I hadn’t previously thought of embedding myself in the Sustainability Office, but the idea seemed brilliant. Typically, academic libraries mirror the subject-based structure of academic departments; but one of the unique aspects of campus sustainability is … Continue reading Sustainability on the Other Side of the Stacks


Bonnie Smith and Beth Filar Williams

Sustainability’s Community of Practice

May 10, 2017

This column is one in a multipart American Libraries series that explores the library profession’s relationship to sustainability. This consideration of the need and role of humanity in constructing a sustainable future for all—balancing environmental, economic, and social needs while protecting vulnerable populations—is a core and urgent concern of society, and consequently of libraries. The very … Continue reading Sustainability’s Community of Practice


Rebekkah Smith Aldrich

Libraries and Sustainable Thinking

April 20, 2017

This is the first column in a multipart American Libraries series that explores the library profession’s relationship to sustainability. In today’s world, libraries cannot afford to be passive or neutral. We find ourselves contending with disruption on all fronts—political, social, economic, technological, and environmental. Fully participating in community life through the pursuit of our professional values … Continue reading Libraries and Sustainable Thinking


Anthony Marx and Brian Bannon in conversation about libraries' roles as civic spaces.

Library Service in a World That’s Getting Closer

January 23, 2017

Liou’s presentation was a perfect follow-up to the city-wide vision of the Atlanta Beltline described by Ryan Gravel during Saturday’s Arthur Curley Lecture, showing how small investments in the assets neighborhoods already have can make a big difference. Liou’s vision for Buford Highway builds on a fundamental belief that the area is special because of … Continue reading Library Service in a World That’s Getting Closer


(Left to right): Joakim Lennartsson, Mauritza Jadefrid, Harri Sahavirta (SIG chair), Hong Xu, and Saima Qutab.

The Library’s Role in Sustainability

August 22, 2016

At “Green Libraries: Together for All,” a Thursday afternoon session presented at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Columbus, Ohio, the group accomplished all three—welcoming research from Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and the US, and presenting the IFLA Green Library Award for 2016. “Sustainability has many aspects,” said Saima Qutab from the University of … Continue reading The Library’s Role in Sustainability


Jodi Shaw, Mary Beth Lock, Madeleine Charney, Raymond Pun

Striving for Sustainability

June 27, 2016

You might not give much thought to urban agriculture, campus conversations, reusable mugs, or student programs in the context of libraries or climate change, but the four librarians presenting “Planting the Seeds: Libraries and Librarians as Change Agents for Sustainability in Their Communities,” a session sponsored by the Sustainability Round Table at the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, think these all have a role in combating environmental problems.


Maya Penn speaks during the Auditorium Speaker Series at the 2016 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

Maya Penn’s Ideas Inspire

June 26, 2016

Maya Penn says she started her first business when she was just a kid, selling plastic pizzas to her stuffed animals. But that was only make-believe. She started her real first business years later, at the ripe old age of 8—an Etsy shop called Maya’s Ideas, selling headbands she sewed herself using recycled and repurposed fabrics, with a portion of the profits going to charity.



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The 2014 Library Design Showcase

September 3, 2014

Welcome to the 2014 Library Design Showcase, our annual celebration of new and newly renovated libraries. These libraries are shining examples of innovative architecture that address user needs in unique, interesting, and effective ways. Open Spaces Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons, Salem (Mass.) State University The new learning commons at Salem State is … Continue reading The 2014 Library Design Showcase