Sponsored by de Gruyter Saur
(14 February 2017) What is a Green Library?
“The consideration of the role of humanity in climate change and the notion of sustainable development are core concerns of society, and consequently of libraries.”
According to the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS), Green Libraries are “designed to minimize negative impact on the natural environment and maximize indoor environmental quality by means of careful site selection, use of natural construction materials and biodegradable products, conservation of resources (water, energy, paper), and responsible waste disposal (recycling, etc.)”
They also focus on related services, activities, events, literature and projects, demonstrating the social role and responsibility of libraries as leaders in environmental sustainability.
Objectives of the IFLA Green Library Award
- To reward the best Green Library submission that communicates the library’s commitment to environmental sustainability
- To create awareness of libraries’ social responsibility and leadership in environmental education. Libraries of all types are encouraged to participate
- To support the worldwide Green Library movement, concerned with
– environmentally sustainable buildings
– environmentally sustainable information resources and programming
– conservation of resources and energy - To promote the development of Green Libraries initiatives locally and worldwide
- To encourage Green Libraries to actively present their activities to an international audience
Relevance to IFLA’s goals and values
Following the IFLA Key Initiative 4.1: Promoting libraries within the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the award will help to advance the profession through illuminating the role of libraries and librarians in the advancement of sustainability standards and the promotion of specialized knowledge within professional practice.
Guidelines for submissions
- Any outstanding Green Library project, initiative or idea may apply for the IFLA Green Library Award. The project, initiative or idea may be presented in any suitable way, for example, through an essay, a video, a poster, an article or a set of slides
- The presentation of the project, initiative or idea should be submitted to the ENSULIB award reviewing committee
- The quality and relevance of the project, initiative or idea will be evaluated by the ENSULIB committee in terms of
- the applicability to the goals and the scope of ENSULIB
- the contribution of libraries to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- the quality of the overall presentation
- the relevance to IFLA’s goals and values (Key Initiative 4.1)
Applications must be submitted before 30 April 2017 to the following address:
Dr. Petra Hauke, ENSULIB secretary
Hochkalterweg 3a
D-12107 Berlin, Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Submissions will be reviewed by the ENSULIB award reviewing committee and will be unbiased and neutral. See IFLA Green Library Award 2016’s Winners.
The finalist will be recognized for his/her outstanding submission. The award includes € 500, sponsored by De Gruyter Saur, and will be presented at the 83rd IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.
On behalf of ENSULIB,
The Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Special Interest Group of IFLA
Petra Hauke, ENSULIB secretary.
Download the application form: [English – MS Word]
The announcement is here.
