University library seeks to support the mission of the university and the library by becoming a sustainability leader on the campus and within the library community. University library will accomplish this by focusing our efforts on enhancing the environmental literacy of the campus and community through programming and collections, developing new green practices for our daily work, enhancing the scholarly communication system through the development of an institutional repository while encouraging and supporting open access initiatives, and putting into practice our commitment to equality and democracy by building a diverse, equitably compensated, and empowered staff.
Sustainability Committee
The sustainability committee reports to the director. Members serve two-year staggered terms, except for the assistant director who shall serve permanently ex officio. The committee will include one member from each department of the library, including reference, access services, archives, collection development, technical services, and each of the branches. Department heads will select a member of their staff, or themselves, to serve. No member may serve consecutive terms.
Outreach
Goal: University library will seek to make connections across campus with other groups working on sustainability issues.
Objective: University library will gain representation on the university sustainability committee.
Action Item: Contact campus sustainability coordinator to discuss the role of the library on campus and how we can contribute to the sustainability committee’s work.
Action Item: Read through minutes of university sustainability committee to become familiar with their work and what their goals are for the future.
Objective: University library will support student groups working on sustainability issues.
Action Item: Contact Student Life for a list of student groups and review which ones we should reach out to and offer programming or collection support.
Library Greening
Goal: University library will reduce its carbon footprint.
Objective: University library will schedule an energy audit with Physical Plant and will then examine the results and add objectives as needed.
Action Item: Schedule audit by Jan. 12.
Objective: University library will encourage staff and patrons to use alternative transportation to get to the library.
Action Item: Contact University Office of Sustainability to inquire about existing incentive programs for staff.
Action Item: Gather relevant bus/train schedules and make them available.
Action Item: Communicate with department heads and other managers to suggest that they work with staff to ensure that schedules are compatible with public transport.
Action Item: Develop a list of volunteers who are willing to assist if someone needs emergency transport during the day, for example, because a child is sick.
Action Item: Contact Physical Plant and ask that existing bike rack be moved to a more convenient location and repainted.
Information Economy
Goal: University library will work to build a stronger information system by supporting open access publishing on campus and off.
Objective: Create an institutional repository.
Action Item: Assemble a white paper including background information about institutional repositories, rationales for why University library should host one, and an initial budget projection.
Objective: Improve access to and visibility of open access journals in OpenURL Link Resolver.
Action Item: Contact system librarian and review which collections are turned on and off and gather a list of possible open access targets to present to reference department for review.
Equity
Goal: Improve staff development opportunities for staff at all levels.
Objective: Build a lunchtime journal club open to all staff.
Action Item: Write a proposal to present to department heads and the director including a list of publications that could be used and the history of library staff journal clubs.
Goal: Enhance staff knowledge and understanding about issues of fair use.
Objective: Offer library-funded workshop attendance at a fair use training workshop such as that at the University of Maryland or other institution.
Action Item: Consult director and ask for funding and likely candidate.
Objective: Provide opportunities for staff to attend free of charge webinars and local training events on fair use.
Action Item: Research opportunities and begin creating a list to share with staff.