Rebekkah Smith Aldrich

The library profession must embrace the idea that every job is a climate job, and confront the realities of the wider world through a lens of climate justice, as they prioritize relevant and responsive services and programs. The broad issue of sustainability has permeated the core of library services and is transforming the foundation upon which public libraries build their ideals.

By viewing every job as a climate job, libraries and library workers are true sustainability leaders. The… Show more

The library profession must embrace the idea that every job is a climate job, and confront the realities of the wider world through a lens of climate justice, as they prioritize relevant and responsive services and programs. The broad issue of sustainability has permeated the core of library services and is transforming the foundation upon which public libraries build their ideals.

By viewing every job as a climate job, libraries and library workers are true sustainability leaders. The triple bottom line (TBL) framework leads libraries into the realm of sustainable thinking, allowing what once felt overwhelming and unattainable to turn into something powerful and dynamic because of collective impact and the recognition that: local matters, working together matters, focusing on diversity matters, and helping all voices be heard matters. Libraries matter because we continue to work together toward meaningful change.

This chapter explores a unique library certification program centered on sustainability and the TBL framework that allows library workers from public, academic, and school libraries to shine a lens on climate justice and climate action work, through offering innovative programs, collections, and services that also use the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guide toward making every job a climate job. Show less

Library workers at all types of organizations, as well as LIS students learning about this newest Core Value of Librarianship, will find this book an easy-to-digest introduction to what staff at a range of libraries have accomplished in incorporating sustainability into their decision making and professional practices. In addition, a discussion about the role of economics and sustainability will challenge readers to stretch in new ways to positively impact their communities.

As a core… Show more

Library workers at all types of organizations, as well as LIS students learning about this newest Core Value of Librarianship, will find this book an easy-to-digest introduction to what staff at a range of libraries have accomplished in incorporating sustainability into their decision making and professional practices. In addition, a discussion about the role of economics and sustainability will challenge readers to stretch in new ways to positively impact their communities.

As a core value of librarianship, sustainability is not an end point but a mindset, a lens through which operational and outreach decisions can be made. And it extends beyond an awareness of the roles that libraries can play in educating and advocating for a sustainable future. As the programs and practices in this resource demonstrate, sustainability can also encompass engaging with communities in discussions about resilience, regeneration, and social justice... Show less

Resilience is the second volume in a new series from ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries which focuses on emerging trends in the profession, provoking discussion on how to shape the future by sharing ideas and exploring joint solutions to the challenges facing libraries and society. Resilience (or resiliency) incorporates preparations for and rapid recovery from physical, social, and economic disruptions, including environmental disasters, terrorist attacks, or economic collapse. As city… Show more

Resilience is the second volume in a new series from ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries which focuses on emerging trends in the profession, provoking discussion on how to shape the future by sharing ideas and exploring joint solutions to the challenges facing libraries and society. Resilience (or resiliency) incorporates preparations for and rapid recovery from physical, social, and economic disruptions, including environmental disasters, terrorist attacks, or economic collapse. As city, state, and the federal governments adopt resiliency as a strategy for addressing potential disasters, libraries may need to align their facilities, services, and programs to demonstrate a resilient strategy. Additionally, libraries may find themselves competing for funding with other programs or initiatives, especially in an increasingly limited pool of government spending. A founding member of ALA’s Sustainability Round Table, and a longtime public library development consultant, in this book Aldrich discusses how resilience can align with library values of equity and access, and why libraries and information professionals may be ideal partners or providers in helping individuals and the communities which they serve adopt resilient practices. This thought-provoking treatment of timely topic offers important points of consideration for library administrators and managers, as well as scholars of urban planning, public policy, disaster recovery, and related disciplines. Show less

How we talk about what we do is just as important as what we do, and in communicating the value of libraries to our society what our profession needs is confidence, determination, and the will to succeed. In this inspiring and pragmatic new book, Aldrich shows that the first step towards a sustainable library is sustainable thinking: a determined yet realistic attitude that will help your library spot opportunities for institutional advancement, advocate for and safeguard operating funds, and… Show more

How we talk about what we do is just as important as what we do, and in communicating the value of libraries to our society what our profession needs is confidence, determination, and the will to succeed. In this inspiring and pragmatic new book, Aldrich shows that the first step towards a sustainable library is sustainable thinking: a determined yet realistic attitude that will help your library spot opportunities for institutional advancement, advocate for and safeguard operating funds, and generate intense loyalty from the communities you serve. Nothing less than a compass to help chart the course of your library’s future, this book

- begins with a situation report that examines the myriad societal disruptions that are impacting libraries and discusses why resiliency is a key component of sustainability;
- defines how sustainable thinking encompasses not just the environment but economics and social equity as well;
- provides strategies for supporting the core values of librarianship by following the Three Es of Sustainable Libraries;
- lays out a host of tactics to build intense loyalty to your library from the inside out, including ways to foster an organizational culture of sustainable thinking through policy changes and purposeful leadership;
- guides you in communicating effectively with the community, thereby ensuring that your advocacy connects with the maximum number of residents, opinion leaders, and decision makers;
- demonstrates how to use construction and renovation projects as unique opportunities for positive changes; and
- offers worksheets, discussion questions, checklists, additional resources, and many other useful tools that will help you put sustainable thinking into action.

This book will show you how to harness sustainable thinking to move forward with confidence into the unknown.
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The purpose of this Handbook is to assist both the new and experienced public library trustee in New York State to better understand their job and to present the basic information they need to provide quality library service to their community. It offers advice on the philosophy of governing a library and on the practical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of responsible trusteeship. The information provided is based on the laws and regulations governing public libraries in our state and on the proven… Show more

The purpose of this Handbook is to assist both the new and experienced public library trustee in New York State to better understand their job and to present the basic information they need to provide quality library service to their community. It offers advice on the philosophy of governing a library and on the practical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of responsible trusteeship. The information provided is based on the laws and regulations governing public libraries in our state and on the proven “best practices” in the field. Show less

Service Meets Sustainability

Responsive, Inside and Out

Culture Woven Through

It is critical that library leaders make decisions that enable their libraries to endure, to
bounce back after disruption, and to bring new, energetic life to their communities. The
Urban Libraries Council produced a report, Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and
Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities which shows how libraries
across the country are already working as partners with municipalities to create more
sustainable communities. Their research is… Show more

It is critical that library leaders make decisions that enable their libraries to endure, to
bounce back after disruption, and to bring new, energetic life to their communities. The
Urban Libraries Council produced a report, Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and
Local Governments Creating Sustainable Communities which shows how libraries
across the country are already working as partners with municipalities to create more
sustainable communities. Their research is organized around the “triple bottom line” of
sustainable development:

Economic Vitality – focused on making cities and counties economically stronger
through education, workforce development, and economic growth.

Social Equity ‐ to ensure that all residents have equal access to economic
activity and are not exposed to environmental harm based on social class.

Environmental Quality – focused on preserving and enhancing natural resources and assets

Libraries are ideally positioned within all three components.

Economic Vitality ‐ We can demonstrate excellent returns on investment economically both from a
cost efficiency standpoint and through the economic impact we have through our literacy and
workforce development work.

Social Equity – We have a long history of leveling the playing field for all in our communities,
regardless of their socio‐economic statuses. The Library Bill of Rights, first drafted in 1939 by the
Council of the American Library Association states that “A person’s right to use a library should not
be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.”

Environmental Quality – Our collaborative consumption model of business, meaning the community
invests its dollars into our institution to be spent on items, information and technology that all
residents have the ability to access has not only an economic impact but an environmental one. It
results in a sharing economy so that less people are acquiring less “stuff. Show less

Contributions and case studies from Germany and other European countries, as well as from Asia, Australia and the US, demonstrate different aspects of reducing the "ecological footprint" in libraries. As well as looking at everyday procedures, the social role and responsibility of libraries as leaders in environmental sustainability are considered as are achieving a positive image for the library and the role of sustainability in marketing. The book also includes examples of sustainability in… Show more

Contributions and case studies from Germany and other European countries, as well as from Asia, Australia and the US, demonstrate different aspects of reducing the "ecological footprint" in libraries. As well as looking at everyday procedures, the social role and responsibility of libraries as leaders in environmental sustainability are considered as are achieving a positive image for the library and the role of sustainability in marketing. The book also includes examples of sustainability in libraries through short papers presenting interesting cases. Contributions by experts in their field are written in German or in English and all have German and English abstracts. The publication will be of interest to librarians from public, business, special and university libraries, teachers and students of library and information science as well as anyone interested in ecological solutions such as architects, library users, library governing bodies, certification agencies and professional library associations. Show less

Why this process spurs better, more sustainable projects from start to finish.

Library workers at all types of organizations, as well as LIS students learning about this newest Core Value of Librarianship, will find this book an easy-to-digest introduction to what staff at a range of libraries have accomplished in incorporating sustainability into their decision making and professional practices. In addition, a discussion about the role of economics and sustainability will challenge readers to stretch in new ways to positively impact their communities.

As a core… Show more

Library workers at all types of organizations, as well as LIS students learning about this newest Core Value of Librarianship, will find this book an easy-to-digest introduction to what staff at a range of libraries have accomplished in incorporating sustainability into their decision making and professional practices. In addition, a discussion about the role of economics and sustainability will challenge readers to stretch in new ways to positively impact their communities.

As a core value of librarianship, sustainability is not an end point but a mindset, a lens through which operational and outreach decisions can be made. And it extends beyond an awareness of the roles that libraries can play in educating and advocating for a sustainable future. As the programs and practices in this resource demonstrate, sustainability can also encompass engaging with communities in discussions about resilience, regeneration, and social justice. Inspiring yet assuredly pragmatic, the many topics explored in this book edited by members of ALA's Sustainability Round Table and ALA’s Special Task Force on Sustainability include

a discussion of why sustainability matters to libraries and their user communities;
real-life examples of sustainability programming, transformative community partnerships, collective responses for climate resilience, and green building practices;
lessons learned and recommendations from library workers who have been active in putting sustainability into practice;
the intersection of sustainability with the work of equity, diversity, and inclusion;
suggestions regarding the revision of library and information science curriculum in light of the practical need to build community resilience;
an examination of how libraries’ efforts to support Doughnut Economics can bolster the United Nations' work on the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to address the global impacts of climate change Show less