260 Reading Assignment: Greening the Library
Libraries Taking the 'LEED': GREEN LIBRARIES LEADING IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN / Frederick Stoss
Stoss, F.. (2010, March). Libraries Taking the 'LEED': GREEN LIBRARIES LEADING IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN. Online, 34(2), 20-27. Retrieved September 17, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1980426771).
Abstract:
The article discussed how the libraries worldwide contribute to the Save the Earth awareness in line with the Earth Day Celebration. It detailed a number of library greening initiatives.
1. The concepts of “environmentally responsible libraries” which is defined as architectural facets of green-library design, that mandates the libraries to build new libraries and renovation of existing structures to conform to standards or guidelines to improve the overall energy efficiencies and “environmental friendliness” of the building.
2. Libraries can go green not only through the green building but through the various eco-friendly activities it can initiate, like recycling, lights-out, and paper reduction policies, hosting a seminar to promote different agencies to consider going green, utilities management to conserve energy and water, etc.
3. Online databases of libraries are also supporting going green, databases like EBSCO and GALE. Said databases offer a wide range of materials on environmental and ecological topics (a huge number offered in full text and are open source).
Application / Implication of what I've learned to my work/to me as a person:
The article helped me realize that various agencies amd organizations all around the world are supporting the green advocacy. Libraries being one of the major actors in a society should therefore practice the green activities cited in the article of Stoss.
In my work, my boss had included the green UP advocacy to his agenda. Reading the article helped me understand some of the key activities that my boss is setting up, and how we, his staff, can contribute to this great advocacy.
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