Librarians need to be on the constant cutting edge in terms of technology, researching, web tools and even architecture and design. But libraries are also a great place to educate the public and your students about the environment, from eco-friendly lifestyle choices to organizations that promote green causes. Here are 100 ways to make your library a little greener.
Maintenance and Green Building
Keep your library clean and eco-friendly with these tips.
Turn down the heat one or two degrees: Care2 writes that "each 1-degree drop for an eight-hour period reduces your fuel bill percent," saving you money and cutting down on electricity usage.
Use fans: If you can, install ceiling fans to cool down the library without overusing the A/C.
Take advantage of windows: Strategically placed windows will provide natural light and may help with heating or cooling costs.
Use eco-friendly light bulbs: Switch to eco-friendly light bulbs that save money and electricity.
Use Energy Star products: Products with the Energy Star have been approved by the U.S. government as energy-saving products.
Switch to safe cleaning products: Use cleaning products that are safe for your library materials, your patrons, and the environment.
Use recycled paper: Put recycled paper in the printers, and use recycled notebooks, poster board, napkins, and more.
Keep up with the U.S. Green Building Council: Join a local chapter, find building guidelines, look for builders, and more.
Recycle ink cartridges: Recycle your library’s ink cartridges instead of just throwing them in the trash.
Re-insulate your library: Re-insulate your roof, windows and any other openings to cut down on excess electricity costs.
Fix leaks: Stop wasting water by fixing any leaks in bathrooms, kitchens and in the basement.
DIY your own green remodeling project: Even if you don’t have the budget for a whole new building, follow these guidelines for small but significant steps you can take to remodel your library so that it’s greener.
Hardware
Learn how to choose the right computers and resources by reading this list.
Purchase eco-friendly computers: When you need new computers, search for eco-friendly versions.
Use laptops: Laptops use less electricity than desktop versions.
Know how to clean your computers: Eco-friendly, safe computer cleaning tips include using biodegradable dust cloths and old t-shirts.
Recycle computers: Safely recycle computers instead of harming the environment when you throw them away.
Buy recycled items: Buy recycled ink cartridges and other supplies.
Consider the Kindle 2: It’s expensive and may upset some reading purists, but the Kindle 2 is an eco-friendly reading tool. Purchase one for the library to spread awareness to readers.
Turn off computers: Save energy and money by turning off computers at night.
Special Events and Projects
Host special events like contests, and go after environmental grants to raise awareness and become a greener library.
Apply for grants: Certain grants awarded by environmental agencies or the government will help your library with funding for green projects and renovations.
Start a paper drive: Ask the public and your students to bring in old newspapers and other papers to recycle: they may even be turned into books one day!
Hold recycling contests: Hold recycling contests between grades, individuals, or against other libraries.
Apply for green awards: Find out if your state or community offers an award for libraries who go green.
Put up a display about reducing your carbon footprint: Put together a presentation or display to discuss each person’s carbon footprint.
Sponsor a field trip: Whether you’re a public library or an academic or school library, sponsor a field trip to an environmental agency or project in your area. Car pool if you can.
Invite special guest speakers: Educate your patrons by inviting professionals who work for environmental causes to give a presentation.
Make your own paper: Show kids and patrons what it takes to make your own recycled paper.
Start an arts and crafts event: Show patrons the cool items you can make out of recycled items, including recycled books.
Sponsor an essay contest: Sponsor a kids’ essay contest, and ask them to write on any environmental issue they care about.
Write a petition: If your library needs help raising money or supporting an environmental cause, ask your patrons to sign a petition.
Support local artists: Sponsor an artist’s fair at your library every so often as a fundraiser and a way to show off artists’ eco-friendly designs.
Awareness
Spread awareness about your green policies through these projects.
Sell Fair Trade coffee in your snack area: Fair Trade coffee is used in many academic libraries and is made in humane, eco-friendly conditions.
Go all out for Earth Month: It’s not just about Earth Day anymore. Use the whole month of April to showcase your library’s green progress.
Sell eco-friendly snacks and drinks: Sell drinks and snacks that are bottled and packaged in eco-friendly materials.
Use an eco-friendly car as your bookmobile: If your budget allows for a bookmobile, lobby for an eco-friendly vehicle to drop off books.
Abide by the 100-mile rule: Provide food that is from within 100 miles of your community to ensure that you’re supporting local farmers and cutting down on pollutants from shipping food.
Start a blog: Spread awareness about your library’s green activities by blogging about it regularly.
Honor your "greenest" library patrons and professionals: Instead of Employee of the Month, fuss over the employees and patrons who are the most supportive of your green policies each month.
Support the EPA National Library Network: The Environmental Protection Agency is building up its resources on environmental protection, the basic sciences, engineering, and more.
Celebrate reading: Reading is a relatively eco-friendly activity, especially when books are made out of recycled materials and are checked out by more than one person.
Highlight environmentally-conscious writers: Authors who write extensively about nature, land and the environment–like Steinbeck or Wordsworth–deserve recognition, as do more contemporary writers.
Customize your home page: Customize your library’s home page to underscore all that you’re doing to go green.
Using the Web
Take advantage of all the web tools and sites you can use to cut down on paper.
SecondLife: Hold meetings and organize training workshops online through the virtual world SecondLife instead of requiring employees to drive to retreats.
Move accounts online: Cut down on paper notices and make it easier for patrons to keep up with their accounts by making them accessible online
Create an online catalog: Cut down on paper by moving your catalog onto your website.
Send e-mail updates: Instead of mailing out paper newsletters, create e-mail campaigns to announce special events and keep in touch.
WorldCat: Connect with other libraries around the world to share information electronically.
Move archives online: Put newspaper and magazine archives online to help preserve the originals.
Monkey on Your Back: Send memos and reminders via this online service, rather than wasting paper and sticky notes.
Backpack: Use Backpack to share information, announcements, task lists and files with those who work in your library. It’s all online, cutting down on paper and clutter.
Facebook: Create a Facebook page for your library to keep in touch with patrons, list events and announcements, post pictures, and more.
Basecamp: Basecamp is another online tool that lets you organize your team.
Outdoors
Don’t forget to turn your outdoor environment into a greener, more sustainable spot.
Start an organic garden: Grow a garden to spread awareness on sustainability and provide a healthy eating option for participating library patrons and workers.
Plant flowers: Show pride in your environment by planting in-season, local flowers and shrubs.
Use safe pesticides: Safe and/or natural pesticides will help keep your plants healthy without damaging your health or the environment.
Compost: If you’re allowed, get rid of waste by composting.
Minimize formal landscaping: Cut down on excessive landscaping that rips up the natural environment.
Plant trees: If you do need to eliminate trees from your building project, plant a new one in a better spot.
Host events outdoors: Get people outside and aware of their environment by hosting special events, like reading days, outside.
Be aware of dumping and runoff laws: Make sure your library isn’t leaking any pollutants into a nearby water source, and that you dump trash in zoned areas.
Pick up trash: Keep empty trash cans around your premises so that it’s easy for patrons to properly dispose of garbage.
Networks
Make sure your library is tuned in to the latest environmental news and trends by networking with these organizations and through these platforms. You’ll find materials for educating and engaging your patrons, too.
Care2: Care2 is a social network that organizes people who want to make a difference by living green.
TreeHugger: Learn about the latest trends in green design, food, fashion, building, travel and technology.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife: Learn about environmental contaminants, pollutants that hurt animals and natural ecosystems, and how you can help.
United Nations Environment Programme: This network discusses natural disasters and global conflicts, ecosystem management, pollutants, resource efficiency, climate change, and more.
EnergyStar: Learn about environmentally safe electronics, lighting solutions, heating and cooling resources, and more.
National Audubon Society: Discover how your library can support this wildlife protection agency through special projects, field trips and sponsorships.
Natural Resources Defense Council: This organization tackles everything from global warming and green living to environmental policies and more.
The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy has lots of information about protecting the environment. Your library can pick from lots of different causes to support, like the Atlantic forest, the fresh water initiative, global warming, and more.
National Geographic Society: The National Geographic Society is an educational organization that has plenty of tools and materials for learning about the environment and discovering how to care for it.
Earth 911: Get your patrons involved on this site, which explains how to recycle different materials and where to find recycling centers in your area.
Must-Read Resources
Librarians conscious about green projects will need to keep up with these blogs and resources.
The Green Library Blog: Read this blog to learn about green library news and to get tips on how you can improve your library.
Encourage employees to car pool: Help your employees set up a car pool or van pool so that they can cut down on pollutants.
Support local businesses: Try to buy supplies and other items for businesses in your area.
Turn out the lights: Turn out lights when they’re not being used, especially in conference rooms, special collections rooms, and study rooms.
Recycle paper into notebooks: Use these recycled notebooks for memos and scratch paper.
Purchase recycled books: If you can, start purchasing books made out of recycled materials for your library.
Hook up several computers to the same printer: This popular method saves electricity, paper (since you don’t have to continuously stock several different printers), and money.
Use eFax: This online version of a fax service cuts down on wasted paper.
Reward green drivers: Reserve the closest parking spots for those who car pool and drive eco-friendly cars.
Use hand sanitizer: Put out hand sanitizer to cut down on over-washing your hands in the bathroom.
Set up a bike rack: Set up a large bike rack in front of your library to encourage patrons to ride their bikes instead of drive to the library.
Write on both sides of the paper: Use up every inch of scratch paper before throwing it away.
Subscribe to newsletters, magazines and special catalogs online: Many catalogs and newsletters offer an online or eco-friendly option that saves wasted paper and eliminates junk mail.
Set up recycling bins outside: Besides encouraging patrons to recycle indoors, turn your parking lot into a community recycling center, with bins for newspapers, aluminum, glass, and more.
Buy pillows and furniture made of eco-friendly items: Support local furnishers and companies that use eco-friendly, humane methods for manufacturing eco-friendly items.
U.S. Presidents have to manage a mind-boggling range of issues, from international affairs to domestic cultural issues to the environment to national security to economics. And just as no presidents deal with the same exact issues in the same circumstances, no presidents have prepared for the job in the same way. Some presidents enjoyed long careers in politics and studied political science, U.S. history and international relations, but others had careers in journalism, education and even geology before entering into politics. Read on to discover the 10 most surprising majors in presidential history.
William Henry Harrison: William Henry Harrison is unfortunately most famous today for dying in office after contracting a bad cold virus. The ninth President of the United States, and the last president born before the American Independence was also a medical school dropout, and only boasted 32 days in office.
Ronald Reagan: Ronald Reagan’s legacy includes the end of the Cold War and the toppling of the Soviet Union, as well as the U.S. Republican Revolution, which re-strengthened the Republican party for decades. Before getting into politics however, the 40th President of the United States was an Illinois-born actor who enjoyed a successful film career in Hollywood in the 1930s - 1940s, even serving as 3rd Vice President of the Screen Actors Guild after serving in the military. His dual major at Eureka College in sociology and economics no doubt helped him for each of his future careers.
Jimmy Carter: Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, is still regarded for his peace-keeping projects and sensibility. The Georgia-born Carter was actually the first president born in a hospital, in 1924. He attended Georgia Southwestern College and Georgia Tech, studying mathematics but never graduating from either. Ultimately, Carter enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated 59th out of 820 students.
Warren G. Harding: Warren G. Harding, the 29th U.S. President, does not have a very positive political legacy and favored friends from his Ohio circle when picking Cabinet members. But before entering politics, Harding was a prominent newspaper publisher in Marion, OH. He attended Ohio Central College in Iberia, where he studied printing and journalism.
Lyndon B. Johnson: LBJ is one of U.S. history’s most controversial presidents, due to his failure in Vietnam. But LBJ also played a significant role in progressing the civil rights movement and NASA. Johnson–who, as Vice President, succeeded President John F. Kennedy when he was assassinated–had humble beginnings and was born in a farmhouse in south central Texas. Johnson studied education at the Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College and favored teaching Mexican immigrant children in Cotulla and Pearsall, TX, before taking a position as a public speaking teacher in Houston. As President, Johnson continued to support education and even signed the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created scholarships and increased the amount of federal money given to colleges and universities.
Herbert Hoover: Though when he was sworn in to office as the 31st President Hoover had no previous experience as an elected official, Hoover was a Renaissance man for the times. He was an author, a mining engineer and had served as the United States Secretary of Commerce under Presidents Harding and Coolidge. He was also in the first class at Stanford University in 1891, where he studied geology. As for his legacy, Hoover was harshly criticized during and after his Presidency for his treatment of the 1929 stock market crash and heavy taxation laws.
George H.W. Bush: George H.W. Bush was the 41st U.S. President and had served as Vice President under Ronald Reagan and as Director of Central Intelligence under Gerald R. Ford. He was part of the Republic Revolution inspired by Reagan but was unable to get reelected against Democrat Bill Clinton after his first term. After World War II, during which Bush served as a naval aviator, he attended Yale University, where he studied economics, perhaps a surprise since Bush’s economic legacy was used against him by the Clinton camp during the 1992 presidential campaign.
George W. Bush: George W. Bush, 43rd President of the U.S. and son of President George H.W. Bush, enjoyed serving for two terms but has an uncertain legacy as the Commander in Chief who started the second Iraq War, detained prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and pursued the phantom Weapons of Mass Destruction. Bush, considered to be the cowboy president, is also the only president to have an MBA, which he earned in the 1970s from Harvard Business School.
Harry S Truman: Harry S. Truman was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Vice President and succeeded him after he died during his third term, in 1945. When Truman became President, he was almost immediately in charge of making the decision to drop the atomic bomb in Japan. Though Truman studied law for a couple of years and had solid experience in politics–serving as county judge, U.S. senator and Vice President before becoming President–he never earned a degree from college.
Woodrow Wilson: President Wilson, most famous for helping resolve the post-WWI treaties and helping start The League of Nations (which the U.S. never joined) also has a Nobel Peace Prize and was the President who first declared national Mother’s Day. Earlier in life, however, Wilson was an esteemed faculty member at Bryn Mawr College and Wesleyan University, as well as the first Constitutional Law lecturer at New York Law School, which is better known today as New York University School of Law. The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University is also named for him. Wilson was himself a dedicated student. He graduated from Princeton in 1879, attended one year of law school at the University of Virginia, and ultimately earned a Ph.D. in history and political science from Johns Hopkins University in 1883. He is the only U.S. President to have earned a doctorate degree.
Librarians are embracing Twitter as a helpful tool to bring together community and make work easier. Whether you are just starting out with Twitter or are looking for ways to improve your existing Twitter experience, the following tips, tools, and resources will have you Twittering like a pro in no time. Dive into this list to find everything you will need to use Twitter in your library.
Resources for Learning Twitter
If you are just beginning, take advantage of these resources to help you learn how to get started on Twitter.
Birds of a Feather Twitter Together. This article will have novices feeling comfortable by cutting through some of the confusion on how to use Twitter.
Twitter Etiquette. This wiki page offers plenty of information on Twitter etiquette.
VIDEO: A beginner’s guide to Twitter. The video is specifically for business use for Twitter, but the accompanying article offers helpful suggestions for those just starting out.
Here are some simple suggestions to get you started using Twitter in your library.
New book arrivals. Let your patrons know what new books arrive at your library by Twittering the information.
Library Events. Keep followers current on all the fun events occurring at the library.
Take a poll. Use PollDaddy to ask your patrons for their opinions or get feedback on what’s happening at the library.
Stay in touch. Keep up with other librarians so you can share ideas and projects and learn from each other.
Send alerts. Allow patrons to sign up to be notified when requested material is available.
Send past due notices. Tweet past due notices to patrons as a gentle reminder that they are late.
Create alerts for specific groups. Announce news and events meant for specific groups such as teens, children, or book groups.
Announce closing time. Let patrons know when the library is about to close.
Send computer alerts. Whether someone’s allotted time on the computer is about to end or if several computers have suddenly become available, let users know.
Librarians Talk About Twitter
These librarians share their suggestions, experience, and opinions on using Twitter.
two notes about twitter. Jessamyn West offers a link to an interesting library Twitter feed and also discusses the criteria she uses when selecting who to follow.
A Guide to Twitter in Libraries. This article from iLibrarian offers plenty of information and resources to effectively use Twitter in the library.
How to Use Twitter as a Twool. Find out how to optimize your Twitter experience with this post from the Stark County Law Library.
Tools to Enhance Your Twitter Experience
These tools and apps will help make your Twitter experience easier and more convenient.
TweetDeck. This app allows you to create groups of Tweets to better manage your information.
GroupTweet. Create groups to facilitate Tweeting. This is a great tool for specialty groups such as young adults, book clubs, or library employees.
bit.ly. With character count being so important, this service shortens URLs so that you use fewer characters when sharing web links.
tweetparty. This tool creates Twitter groups and allows you to communicate directly with them.
TweetGrid. Create a customized search dashboard to create easier Twitter searches.
Tweetree. This tool puts your Tweets in context so when an entire conversation starts, everything is grouped together.
TwitterFone. Call and leave a voice message that will be turned into a Tweet with this tool.
Tweet Later. Write Tweets that you can schedule for posting at future times. This is a great way to line up reminders and announcements that are tied to specific dates.
TwitterNotes. Use this app to keep notes among your Tweets that are only for you to read.
LoudTwitter. Send Tweets to your library blog with this tool.
Password protected text notes. If privacy becomes an issue, use this tool to send notes to Twitter that only those with the password can read.
postica. Use this app to post sticky notes on Twitter for a visual reminder.
Twishlistter. Create a Twitter wish list with this tool to let your patrons know what your library may be needing.
Educational Twitter Tools
Share these fun and educational tools with patrons or use them yourself.
Atlas. Explore the world with Tweets that are shown on a map. You can also explore nearby places in that geographic location.
weather. Get weather news and weather events occurring around the world from the Science News Blog.
EarthquakeNews. From the USGS Earthquake Center, get Tweets on any earthquake that hits around the world and registers over 2.5.
Twitxr. Send photos from your mobile phone to your Twitter account with this app.
Plinky. Each day this app provides a prompt in the form of a question or challenge, then you can reply by posting text, photos, maps, or whatever you can use to answer the prompt.
QuoteURL. Put many different Tweets together on one page with this app. Libraries with several different Twitter groups will like this.
TwitPic. This app lets you share photos on Twitter.
Outwit Me. This site offers "intelligent Twitter games" and is a great way to bring Twitter into the library for the younger crowd.
twiggit. This tool combines Digg with Twitter and lets you find news articles and more.
TwitterLocal. Use this app to find Tweets from a specific geographic location.
TweetScan. Type in keywords and have Tweets that match your keywords emailed to you. Use this as a Twitter research shortcut.
Tweetizen. Find specific groups on Twitter that share the same interests or start your own group.
Twrivia. Get a new trivia question each day with this tool.
Find Twitter Apps
Applications can enhance your Twitter experience, so use these resources to find great apps or learn how to stay up-to-date with the latest apps.
Top 10 Twitter Hacks. This blog post offers more than ten suggestions, so check out several ways to make Twitter work for you here.
Twitter Fan Wiki Apps. Here’s an huge listing of Twitter apps grouped by Desktop, Web, and Mobile apps, then further sub-grouped by Windows, Mac, or specific topics.
These resources offer plenty of advice to help you make the most of Twitter.
How to Succeed at Twitter. Mitch Wagner discusses the personal and professional connections made through Twitter versus simply boosting the number of your followers.
