Sustainable Library Practices: Initiatives in Library Management

Libraries are essential to promote education, awareness and knowledge in schools and the society. As the world embraces eco-friendliness, libraries too need to become icons of sustainability. It has become important for libraries to join the green movement by following eco-friendly practices. This is an excellent way for libraries to lead and inspire the society at large to follow environment-friendly activities. 

The main challenge that libraries face in implementing green initiatives are determining sustainability goals to reduce their carbon footprint. Adopting eco-friendly campus management systems can effectively help libraries achieve sustainability goals. 

In this article, we will take a close look at initiatives in library management that can lead us towards sustainable library practices. 

What is Sustainability in Library Management?

The American Libraries Association (ALA) defines sustainability in library management well, and promotes integrating these values in the core goals of libraries worldwide. 

Sustainability in library management is defined as management and functional practices that are socially equitable, economically feasible, and most importantly, environmentally sound. These practices are emphasized to make libraries the catalysts that inspire future generations that are practical and essential to ensure a sustainable life on earth. 

Sustainability in library management could mean several different things. It may involve reducing the carbon footprint, or developing partnerships with organizations that are involved in researching for sustainable development and practices. Overall, the largest impact of conventional libraries on the environment is from their energy consumption, and use of paper-based materials. 

This is achievable through adopting modern library management system and streamlining paper-based processes. 

Why Is There A Need For Sustainable Library Management?

The ODLIS (Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science) defines a green library as a library which is designed specifically to lower its negative impact on the environment, and maximise the quality of the indoor environment. Government and educational institutions can achieve this goal by incorporating advanced library management systems that reduce energy consumption. 

Green building practices involve selecting the construction site carefully with a view to have less impact the natural surroundings. It also includes the use of biodegradable and natural construction materials, and regulating the consumption of natural resources like energy, water and paper, using effective recycling techniques. This initiative can be further enhanced by integrating trusted library management system in existing campus management systems. 

Environmental experts recommend building a new library by following the green library principles, or refurbishing the existing library building to provide environmentally friendly library services. It also involves ensuring eco-supportive management and sustainable practices using advanced library management systems. 

Below are the major reasons why libraries need to follow the green movement – 

• Affordable Cost

Today, the cost of constructing eco-friendly buildings has decreased significantly, which makes it more affordable to construct a new environmentally friendly library building, or renovate the existing building to be more sustainable. 

• Social Responsibility

Libraries are the center of knowledge and learning in communities. As they are a community organization libraries are responsible to lead by example and reduce their negative impact on the natural environment. 

• Energy Conservation

Conventional energy resources are limited and it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that these resources last for the next generation to use. This includes educational institutions, government organizations and others, including libraries. 

• Economical Benefit

Using energy-conservation methods and technologies in libraries is also extremely easy today. This leads to effectively lowering the carbon footprint, and saving significantly on energy bills. 

How To Make A Sustainable Library?

A large number of libraries were built way before climate change was a significant issue. However, today constructing green libraries has become a major step towards joining the green movement. 

If your library runs using traditional methods, then it is time to make your library more environmentally compatible. This can be done by building a completely new eco-friendly library, or renovating existing library buildings to become more sustainable.

Here are a few major ways that you can make your library sustainable – 

• Adopt sustainable building principles

The management of educational institutions should consider adopting sustainable construction principles. These include practices and services that lower the negative impact of the building on its surroundings.

• Launch awareness campaigns

Libraries and educational institutions should take initiatives to launch awareness campaigns that highlight the need for adopting eco-friendly practices in all walks of life. These can be live on-site campaigns, or social media initiatives that target the students and the society. 

• Make green practices mandatory

Accreditation organizations and government agencies should promote incentives for educational institutions that follow green initiatives, especially to create eco-friendly libraries.

• Encourage sustainable resources

Libraries should focus on promoting paperless reading materials, such as e-books and online resources which can help reduce the use of paper and its wastage. This should also include effective recycling and reusing concepts to reduce waste. 

Conclusion

Libraries are centers of learning for the society and are often seen as the place of inspiration for the community. Hence, it is inevitable that libraries set an example in being eco-friendly by following sustainable practices. There are several different ways to achieve environmental sustainability but the best way is to incorporate recycling paper-based material, promoting electronic and digital reading materials and ensuring energy conservation in the building and library management.