Sustainability Assessment Worksheet
Document Gathering
Gather the following documents as part of the process:
▪ Institutional Vision Statement
▪ Library Vision Statement
▪ Institutional Mission Statement
▪ Library Mission Statement
▪ Institutional Sustainability Vision Statement
▪ Library Sustainability Vision Statement
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 1
1. The sustainability committee
a. Is there one?
b. If not, does one make sense for this library?
c. Who should serve on the committee?
d. How can it include members from across the library hierarchy and system?
e. How often should it plan to meet, and what are its immediate goals?
f. Who from outside the library should it include?
g. What about branch libraries?
h. How does it fit into the larger library committee structure?
i. Does the committee have a written mission or vision?
j. What is the process for setting objectives and informing the library about its activities?
2. Support for sustainability initiatives
a. Does the committee or person completing the assessment believe that the library administration is supportive of transitioning to a more sustainable model?
b. What about the city or university administration?
c. Does the city or university participate in a sustainability assessment?
d. What do the results of that assessment say?
e. Are library staff members generally supportive? If not, how can the committee work to build support?
f. What about patrons?
g. Is the community in general engaged with sustainability issues?
3. Relationships with outside sustainability groups
a. What does the local sustainability community look like?
b. What groups should the library reach out to both to support the efforts of others and to get support for changes in the library?
c. Who are the key players in the local sustainability community?
d. Are there regular meetings of a sustainability commission or other official group that the library should join or attend?
e. Is there a farmers market, Transition Town group, or other local sustainability initiative the library should consider supporting with programming or collection building?
4. Sustainability programming and collections
a. What kinds of sustainability programming does the library already do?
b. Does the library have an Earth Day program or host other kinds of programming with an environmental theme?
c. What about the collection?
d. Does it need updating or broadening?
e. For public libraries, does it include the kinds of practical information needed for families and local businesses considering things like alternative energy or teaching children about climate change?
f. For academic libraries, does it include the major theoretical works on sustainability issues as well as work on sustainability in higher education? Look at WorldCat and compare local holdings to the range of titles available on sustainability themes. Look at the bibliography provided and which titles might be valuable additions to the local collection.
5. Sustainability plan
a. Does the university or city have an existing sustainability plan?
b. How does the library fit into this plan, and how can that plan be incorporated into a library plan?
c. What is the vision for a sustainable future, and how can the library contribute to moving toward that vision?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 2.1: ELECTRICITY
1. Measurement
a. Has your library had an energy audit or other carbon footprint assessment done?
b. Is there an institutional sustainability assessment available that might contain that information?
c. How much electricity does the library use each year, each month? Are there discernible patterns in usage, i.e., higher in the summer?
d. How is the electricity that the library uses generated?
2. Lighting
a. Determine how many different kinds lighting your library has, i.e., outside, overhead, task etc.
b. What kinds of bulbs are currently being used and how many?
c. Is the library currently using any solar, LED, or CFL bulbs?
d. What about timers in the stacks or motion sensitive lights?
e. Are all lights turned off at night?
f. Is the security lighting adequate or excessive?
3. Heating and cooling
a. What is the current schedule for cleaning the filter and is it actually followed?
b. Would the building benefit from better insulation and window treatments?
c. What temperature is the building maintained at in summer, winter? What is the library’s policy on space heaters?
d. Can this be changed to minimize energy usage while still maintaining the comfort of patrons and staff?
e. Does the employee dress code allow appropriate seasonal clothing in the summer?
4. Computers and printers
a. Are the computers and printers turned off every night?
b. Are they set up to default to an energy saving mode when not in use?
c. Has the library chosen Energy Star Rated machines?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 2.2: TRANSPORTATION AND THE LIBRARY
1. Employees
a. How do most employees get to work?
b. If employees aren’t using public transport, why not?
c. Are many employees carpooling and if not, why?
d. What are the local public transportation choices?
e. Does the library offer any incentives to encourage public transportation or carpooling?
f. What about biking employees? Are there easily accessible bike racks? Is there a shower or other facility for employees to use if they need to refresh after biking to work?
g. Does the library have a telecommuting policy and is it used?
h. When employees travel out of town for conferences and other events are they encouraged to use trains instead of airplanes or cars?
2. Patrons
a. How do most patrons get to the library? Consider a survey (an in-building one) to get this information if it isn’t already apparent.
b. Is the library well situated from public transport stops and if not, is this a fixable barrier?
c. Are schedules and other information about public transportation options readily available at the library?
d. Is there an existing relationship between the library and the transportation agency that can be built on for cross promotion?
e. Are programs and other events timed to make it easy for patrons to use public transportation?
f. Is the library accessible to walkers and bicyclists?
g. Are there easy landscaping or parking lot changes that can be made?
h. What else could the library do to make itself less car friendly and more friendly to alternative transportation choices?
3. Library owned vehicles
a. How many vehicles does the library own, and for what purpose are they used?
b. Are they scheduled to be replaced soon, or are they likely to be in use for the foreseeable future?
c. Are they all gasoline, or does the library own a hybrid or other alternative fuel vehicle?
d. Is there any support for purchasing a new hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle at this time?
e. Consider the existing uses of the vehicles. Can the miles driven be reduced by combining trips or replacing some with other transportation alternatives?
f. What about couriers used by local and regional consortiums?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 3: OTHER GREEN PRACTICES
1. Solid waste
a. Does your library have an effective recycling program in place for paper, plastic, and metals?
b. Are bins available, accessible, and actually used by both patrons and staff?
c. What about food waste and compostables? Is a library compost pile a workable idea? If not, is there a gardener on staff or a community garden that would welcome the library’s compostable waste?
d. What about batteries and printer cartridges? Does the library offer both staff and the public disposal bins for these?
e. For most libraries, withdrawn books are a very large percentage of the waste stream. Consider your current procedures for these materials. Are you selling what you can and donating where possible? Do you have a contract with a book recycler for these items?
2. E-Waste
a. How does your library currently dispose of e-waste, i.e. old computers, printers, and miscellaneous electronics?
b. Are materials currently being properly reused or recycled? If not, check with your local waste materials handler or office of sustainability to see what options exist in your area and how your library can begin recycling these items.
3. Water usage
a. How much water does your library use and what does it use it for? Water bills and your local water company’s website should provide this information.
b. Are green areas appropriately landscaped for your climate?
c. Do any of the taps drip or toilets run?
d. Are low flow toilets and automated faucets a possibility?
e. Are there other water hungry activities specific to your library and, if so, is the water being used carefully?
a. Has your library made the switch to using post-consumer content recycled paper?
b. Are your cleaning supplies free of hazardous chemicals, including phosphates and petrochemical-free?
c. What about your shipping supplies, especially for interlibrary loan?
d. Is the library choosing recycled products and reusing where possible?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 4: LIBRARY BUDGETS
1. Diversifying funding sources
a. Consider your library’s budget and what percentage of incoming funds come from what sources. How many different sources are represented?
b. Does your library seek out grants and support staff seeking training opportunities for grant writing?
c. For academic libraries, does your library have a relationship with the Development Office and work to keep the library on their agenda?
d. What kind of marketing toward donors does the library do? Would a regular newsletter or a brochure detailing how to give to the library be a useful tool?
e. What about the Friends of the Library group? Is there one and do they have a record of successful fundraising?
f. Are there other options for additional funding that should be pursued?
2. Considering the collection
a. Examine your collection spending in detail, especially journal and other periodical expenses.
b. Does the way you are spending your collection budget meet your library’s particular goals?
c. How much of your budget is tied up in large packages, ones where only a small group of the subscribed titles are getting use?
d. What percentage of your budget is tied up in multiyear contracts and how closely is usage scrutinized before contracts are negotiated when they expire?
e. Are you using and promoting your state-funded suite of databases?
f. Are there other areas of the collection where spending should be directed to better meet the needs of the library’s patrons?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 5: TRANSFORMING THE INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM FROM WITHIN
1. Open access
a. What can the library do to make an open access initiative on your campus a viable idea?
b. Is there a conversation happening now that the library can contribute to or should the library start that conversation?
c. Is there funding available to bring in speakers or host a symposium on open access?
d. What about an institutional repository?
e. How could that fit into the existing set of supports the library and institution currently offer?
f. How could it be funded and maintained?
2. Wise licensing
a. Review your existing licenses for objectionable terms such as not allowing interlibrary loan, limiting access for in-building users, attempts to limit the use of the resource for electronic reserves, attempts to preempt fair use doctrine, and other overreaches.
b. Consider how these licenses can be renegotiated when they are up for renewal.
c. Look at how much support for staff development is available to support those engaged in negotiations and consider whether it should be increased.
3. Strengthening consortiums and other interlibrary relationships
a. Review the library’s existing consortial relationships and consider what those relationships bring to library. Is the consortium working well or should the library invest time and effort in improving their consortial relationships?
b. Are there other consortia active locally that would be a good fit? What about interlibrary loan agreements?
c. Is the library active in reciprocal relationships that would reduce borrowing cost and time while at the same time contributing to the strength of the interlibrary loan system?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 6: SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY
1. Participating in the local economy
a. Consider the nonmaterials purchases your library makes. Who are your primary vendors and are there local alternatives that could competitively supply some part of your regular purchases?
b. Review your vendor lists and compare them with the locally owned businesses in your community.
c. Review your web presence and the services you currently offer to local entrepreneurs.
d. Is the collection supporting this group of patrons and are there improvements that could be made to enhance this part of the collection?
e. What about programming? Are there targeted programs for this group, perhaps workshops on finding industry and company information or one on navigating local and state regulatory information?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 7.1: MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
1. Serving marginalized community members
a. Which marginalized groups within your community does the library currently seek to serve through collections and programming?
b. Review the census data for your community or the demographics for your university and use it when considering the questions below.
c. Are there specific racial and ethnic groups who are represented in the community, but not in your collections or programming?
d. Does the collection reflect the linguistic makeup of the community, offering at least something for each group to read in their native language?
e. What about economic groups? Is the library making an effort to meet the needs of working class and poor patrons in proportion to their representation in the community?
f. Is there programming aimed at the interests and concerns of working class and poor members of the community?
g. Review the literacy rate of the local community using either the National Assessment of Adult Literacy or other dataset and consider whether the library should be more active in supporting and developing adult literacy programs.
h. Look at the library’s existing advisory groups. Is the membership diverse or should there be a special recruitment effort to build diversity.
i. Are there local or campus based groups that the library should join to learn how to better support minority and poor patrons and to offer that support to those already involved in targeted programming?
2. The library as an employer
a. Consider the library as whole and, if possible, review the pay scales. Are they reasonable and do they meet the living wage requirements of your area? Does the library pay those lowest on the scale enough to actually live in the area? Is the difference between the highest paid employee and the lowest paid employee greater than 20?
b. Does the library create part-time jobs to avoid paying benefits or because the job makes the most sense as a part-time position?
c. What about the library’s leave policies? Are they equitable and reasonable? Consider family and sick leave carefully. Would the library benefit from a more generous policy, one that allows sick employees to stay out of the workplace or care for ill family members?
d. Consider workplace democracy. Is there a forum for all library employees to have their voices heard? Is the relationship between the library administration and the union, if there is one, good? If not, what could be done to improve it?
THE ASSESSMENT TOOL—PART 7.2: PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO READ
1. Protecting fair use
a. Is your staff well trained and do they understand both the statutory and case law surrounding fair use?
b. Are they able to communicate that information effectively to patrons when needed?
c. For academic libraries, how do the policies governing your reserve desk and electronic reserves align with the current best practices as laid out in the Code of Best Practices for Fair Use in Academic and Research Libraries?
d. Are your policies reasonably risk tolerant?
e. What about your license agreements? Are you involved in licenses that severely restrict your patrons’ fair use rights and, if so, can they be renegotiated?
2. Evolving the right of first sale for the digital environment
a. Are library staff well educated about the legal complexities involved in the lending of e-books?
b. Are they familiar with the various alternate models and do they have the tools and the time to follow news and legal cases as they evolve?
c. Has the library articulated a set of goals for what it wants in an e-book package and presented these goals to publishers as part of the negotiation process?
3. Guarding patron privacy
a. Look at your library’s privacy and confidentiality policies and consider whether your license agreements with vendors, including any hosted software systems, comply with that policy.
b. If you have hosted or cloud based systems, is everyone who needs to be familiar with how they handle subpoenas and warrants?
c. Do your state laws protect privacy and if so what happens when your data is hosted in another state or even another country?
d. Consider creating a document listing your privacy priorities and the language in vendor contracts that supports or fails to support those priorities. Use that as a starting point when renegotiating contracts and when choosing new vendors.