For me, this was on full view during my international travels representing ALA last year. When other library workers and I attended the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ World Library and Information Congress (IFLA WLIC) in Dublin, Ireland, in July, we heard from Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland who now … Continue reading A Global Impact
Sustainable living involves making changes in your everyday life to ensure that you leave the planet a better place after you’re gone. These changes can include recycling and reducing waste, of course, but also repairing rather than replacing. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain shortages, interest in sustainability and self-reliance topics … Continue reading Fix It Yourself
To alleviate the country’s ongoing litter problem, some public libraries are creating kits to help patrons clean up their neighborhoods. “We want people to be involved in the community,” says Samantha Hanchett, marketing coordinator at Thomas County (Ga.) Public Library System (TCPLS). “Doing something that benefits everyone, even though it’s quite quiet, is really what … Continue reading Talking Trash
Alexandria Library was one of 25 libraries that received an American Library Association (ALA) Resilient Communities grant to help educate patrons on the climate crisis. Representatives from five public and academic library recipients joined to discuss their work in a January 28 program at ALA’s 2023 LibLearnX conference in New Orleans. The Resilient Communities’ six-month … Continue reading Climate Change Chat
“Despite how big our school is, there was no sustainability office,” Embree said at “Sustainability Hubs in Practice: How Libraries Can Develop Dynamic Spaces and Services to Help Foster an Action-Based Sustainability Culture in Communities,” a June 26 session at the American Library Association’s (ALA) 2022 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C. “Unless you’re … Continue reading Join the Hub
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued an assessment so stark, the UN secretary-general called its findings a “code red for humanity.” Writing in The New York Times in response to the report, Greta Thunberg and other young climate activists took adults to task: “For children … Continue reading Solidarity on Sustainability
50 Number of countries represented at the United Nations (UN) Conference on International Organization in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26, 1945. Representatives wrote a charter for the UN with the hope of preventing another world war. The organization officially formed four months later, on October 24. 1947 Year the UN General Assembly … Continue reading By the Numbers: United Nations Day
At the panel “Sustainable Choices in Library Prizes and Promotional Materials” on June 25 at the American Library Association’s 2021 Annual Conference and Exhibition Virtual, four librarians shared how they’ve balanced sustainable practices while still rewarding engagement. “I feel pretty bad about handing out a lot of plastic stuff to kids that I know is … Continue reading Green Swag and Memorable Experiences
Serratos started her first seed library in 2014 at her elementary school in Mission Viejo, California, after learning about healthy eating, gardening, and sustainability. Through Three Sisters Seed Box, she has now helped place seed libraries in all 50 states and has filled requests from as far away as India. American Libraries talked with Serratos … Continue reading Newsmaker: Alicia Serratos
Drawing on their existing relationship with KHCPL, the gardeners discussed planting a community butterfly garden—a sanctuary designed to attract and support the colorful winged creatures at all stages of life—on the grounds of the system’s South branch. “What I love best is that when they wanted this for their community, they first thought of the … Continue reading Where Monarchs Reign
In recent years, global warming has also led to worsening wildfires, invasive pests, and the melting of permafrost across the state. “There are some coastal villages that are literally sinking into the sea,” Preskitt says. In response, the city of Anchorage decided to brace for the impact of climate change by creating a formal framework. … Continue reading Ready for Action
In Episode 52, Dewey Decibel talks with librarians who are implementing sustainable practices in both their libraries and their lives. First, American Libraries Associate Editor Sallyann Price speaks with Gabrielle Griffis, assistant youth services librarian at Brewster (Mass.) Ladies Library, about the Blue Marble Librarians, a group that helped promote Climate Prep Week across the state … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Libraries and Sustainability
