Partners for the Future: Public Libraries and Local - LibraryWorks.com

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5 Sustainability Partnerships Built to Last “The public library is a safe zone. It is apolitical, has always been there, and always will be there. That’s an incredible resource to any local leader.” Andrew Watterson Chief of Sustainability, Off ice of Sustainability, Cleveland, Ohio Ensuring that sustainability partnerships are built to last demands constant attention to working relationships, increased awareness of opportunities, regular information sharing, and a willingness to reach out. Local governments and libraries are indeed powerful partners, but with many opportunities and challenges ahead of them. Sustained economic stresses, including high unemployment rates, have had a major impact on many cities and counties, so the need to build strong economic engines to sustain communities over the long-run has become even more important during the past two years. Data shows that during tough economic times library usage increases, and the library’s value rises. The drawing power of the library, therefore, becomes an even more vital resource to local governments. 28 Urban Libraries Council Partners for the Future
from community partners to develop green spaces and broaden community awareness. The San Francisco Public Library Green Stacks program engages and empowers every part of the community with sustainability Learn about library resources that affect their lives programs and expertise and inform their choices about In preserving cities and the counties environment where in the library which they is not live. part Green of the Stacks local government, program increases becoming awareness familiar of with environmental what today’s sustainability library offers and is particularly responsibility important. among residents Cleveland Chief who might of Sustainability otherwise be Andrew left out. Watterson Designed to says ensure that, environmental despite his equity, personal Green connection Stacks combines to the library, model green he did library not think construction about and operation with diverse the public library as a local public programs and resources government resource until the to establish the San Francisco director reached out to the city Public Library as a sustainability with a specific proposal. model and the go-to place for environmental information. Program components include use of compostable plastic library cards, an interactive display teaching eco-literacy to young children, two community gardens and two green roofs at branch libraries visited by thousands of patrons, and support from community partners to develop green spaces and broaden community awareness. The San Francisco Public Library Green Stacks program engages and empowers every part of the community with sustainability resources that affect their lives Partners Parntners for for the the Future and inform their choices about preserving the environment in which they live. Green Stacks program increases awareness of environmental sustainability and responsibility among residents who might otherwise be left out. Invite the library to Designed to ensure environmental participate in sustainability equity, Green Stacks combines discussions model green library and construction meetings Involvement and operation can with range diverse from sitting public programs in on relevant and resources meetings to participating establish the San actively Francisco with issues Public Library when there as a sustainability is a defined connection. model and the In go-to Fayetteville, place for the library environmental director information. participates in the Program mayor’s components weekly executive include use of meetings compostable even plastic though library there cards, an interactive display teaching is no formal organizational eco-literacy to young children, two relationship. “We want to be community gardens and two green sure we have constant alignment roofs at branch libraries visited by between city and library thousands of patrons, and support priorities,” from community says Chief partners of Staff to Don develop Marr. green spaces and broaden community awareness. The San Connect Francisco Public the library Library Green to sustainability Stacks program engages progress, and results, empowers and every needs part of the Providing community periodic with sustainability updates on resources progress, that results, affect their and lives emerging and inform needs their choices will increase about the libraries’ preserving ability the environment to contribute in to which they live. continued progress. In particular, the environment in which they live. knowledge about emerging Green Stacks program increases needs will help library officials awareness of environmental see opportunities to fill gaps. sustainability and responsibility among residents who might Success Strategies for Local Governments Looking to Partner with Libraries otherwise be left out. Designed to ensure environmental equity, Green Stacks combines model green library construction and operation with diverse public programs and resources to establish the San Francisco Public Library as Leverage the library’s a sustainability model and the stature in the community go-to place for environmental to information. support Program sustainability components priorities include use of compostable plastic Because library cards, of their an interactive deep community display connections teaching eco-literacy and their to history young as children, a safe two place, community libraries gardens can open and two community green roofs doors at branch for the local libraries government. visited by thousands The library’s position of patrons, as and a major support part from of the community partners infrastructure to develop is an green spaces and broaden asset local governments can community awareness. The San draw on for community outreach, Francisco Public Library Green and particularly for reaching Stacks program engages and underserved populations. empowers every part of the community with sustainability resources that affect their lives and inform their choices about preserving the environment in which they live. teaching ecoliteracy to young children, two community gardens and two green roofs at branch libraries visited by thousands of patrons, and support from community partners to develop green spaces and broaden community awareness. The San Francisco Public Library Green Stacks program engages and empowers every part of the community with sustainability 291 Urban Libraries Council
Page 1 and 2: Partners for the Future: Public Lib
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Executive Summary
Page 5 and 6: The research is built around the
Page 7 and 8: “Community sustainability is a ph
Page 9 and 10: coordinate actions; leveraging fede
Page 11 and 12: the library executive director part
Page 13 and 14: 2Economic Prosperity — Making Cit
Page 15 and 16: Sustained Reading Public libraries
Page 17 and 18: jobs. In a one-month period, 10 per
Page 19 and 20: community portal—MyHamilton.ca
Page 21 and 22: • Engaging the community in suppo
Page 23 and 24: environmental sustainability goals
Page 25 and 26: Social Equity: Ensuring Equal 4Acce
Page 27 and 28: etween literacy and crime. Research
Page 29: esources, and focus on the positive
Page 33 and 34: Leverage library capacities to supp
Page 35 and 36: Acknowledgements The Urban Librarie

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