Going Green in the Library: It’s Not Just for Contractors

1. Going Green in the Library: It’s Not Just for Contractors Michael Crumpton, UNC Greensboro Sarah B. Dorsey, UNC Greensboro Ameet D. Doshi, Georgia Perimeter College Mary G. Scanlon, Wake Forest University Beth Filar Williams, UNC Greensboro

2. Topics • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle • Operations & Maintenance • Transportation • Communication • Politics & Pay

3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitecatsg/3292554232/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/2150616862/ Reduce Paper

4. Switch to Digital Resources http://www.flickr.com/photos/beebe_library/3042545758/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/2608962510/

5. Think ILL Free Online Journals http://www.flickr.com/photos/herzogbr/2633936090/

6. Is your printer set for automatic double-sided printing? • Yes • No • Not sure

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbray/2218987863/ Reduce energy http://www.flickr.com/photos/88319047@N00/679581302/

8. Reduce Purchases … & be FREE!

9. Reuse, Recycle Do well by doing good

10. Reuse One staff party can produce bags and bags of garbage containing: • Paper plates and napkins • Plastic (styrene) cups and utensils • Plastic table coverings • food waste The recycling potential for these materials is minimal, at best.

11. Reuse Alternatives? • Buy a set of real silverware at Goodwill • Buy a set of real dishes at the Habitat store • Buy a fabric table cloth • Encourage people to bring their own cups and glasses to meetings and parties

12. Recycling • Patron waste • Library material

13. Does Your Library Have a Recycling Program? • Yes • No • Not Sure

14. What Does Your Library Recycle? • Paper • Cardboard • Glass • Aluminum/metal • Plastic • Electronics • Other • Nothing

15. Recycling Patron WasteOur Experience Increase participation, decrease contamination: • Put containers where patrons are • Offer recycling and trash containers together

16. Recycling Library Material • Paper: books, newspapers… • Packaging material: cardboard, chipboard • E-waste: computers, batteries

17. Recycling Library MaterialWhat to do with weeded books? • Used book sale • aLibris • Better World Books • Donate to another non-profits • public library • women’s shelter • Remove hard covers and recycle paper

18. Recycling Library MaterialWhat to do with used packaging? • Use large envelopes for campus mail • Ship ILL materials in used boxes • Reuse packing material – peanuts, bubble wrap • Recycle any cardboard or chipboard that can’t be reused

19. Recycling Library MaterialWhat to do with e-waste? • Send to a re-builder: RetroBox, FreeGeek • Donate to local technical college to practice repairs • Bring to Goodwill

20. Landfills are Big Business

21. Only new construction can earn LEED certification. • True • False

22. Operations and Maintenance

23. Transportation

24. Tips for Saving Gas • Plan ahead and combine as many errands into one trip as possible. • Inflate your tires to the proper setting. • Don't speed, and avoid quick acceleration. • Avoid excessive idling. • Change air and fuel filters periodically. • Buy your gas during the coolest part of the day. • Tune up your engine. • Use the right engine oil.

27. How do you commute to work? • Bike • Bus • Car alone • Carpool • Telecommute • Train • Walk

33. Has your library screened a film on sustainability? • Yes • No • Not sure

34. Has your library organized a sustainable book group? • Yes • No • Not sure

35. Green Campus or Community Portal

36. http://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/poptopics/environment.phphttp://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/poptopics/environment.php

37. http://schaumburglibrarygreenside.wordpress.com/

39. Do you use paperless collaboration tools? • Frequently • Occasionally • Hmmm, once maybe • Never

40. Are You Engaged in Sustainable Activities in Your Library? • Yes – with the library’s approval • Yes, but not with the library’s support • No

41. The Green Library • Resources • Print, electronic, Web 2.0 • Wayfinders, research guides, training • Facilities • Campus hub • Shared reasons to visit • Staffing • Common vision

42. Key Elements of Greening Up • Awareness • Education • Action

43. What are the Risks? • Established patterns • Existing equipment What are the Barriers? • The way we’ve always done it! • Motives/Incentives

44. Who are your partners? Don’t be isolated. • What’s going on in your community? • What impact does your higher organization’s recycling efforts have on YOU? • With what other organizations can you partner?

45. Changing Behaviors Not easy!

46. Learning Theory Methods • Positive reinforcement  • Positive punishment • Negative reinforcement  • Negative punishment Use a combination of methods to change behavior – yours, your co-workers’ and your institutions’.

47. Behavior-Related Myths Can Block Long-lasting Change • Crisis is a powerful impetus for change • Change is motivated by fear • The facts will set us free • Small, gradual changes are always easier to make and sustain • We can't change because our brains become "hardwired" early in life

48. Paying the Price • Apply for Grants • Get Donors interested • Collaborate with other organizations • Share with community organizations

49. Greening Your Library http://greeningyourlibrary.pbworks.com/InspirationInnovationCelebration Facebook group = greenlibrary