Green Library – Wikipedia

The ” Green libraries “, According to the online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (Odlis), they are” designed to minimize the negative impact on the natural environment and maximize the quality of the internal environment through a careful selection of the site, the use of natural construction materials and biodegradable products, the conservation of resources (water, energy, paper) and disposal of waste responsible (recycling, etc.) “. ^[first]

The “Green Libraries” movement has its roots already in 1990 with particular attention to the structure of the libraries building. When we talk about the green library, however, one should not think only of this, but also of all the processes and activities put in place by librarians, aimed at sustainable development. In particular, it can take on a strategic role in the spread of “environmental culture” by helping to improve society’s knowledge. ^[2] Each green library by definition or by inclination, in the context of its institutional role, its mission and its own catchment area, can implement effective strategies aimed at disseminating scientific knowledge and virtuous examples, offering food for thought on the main issues and problems relating to the environment, educating to respect the latter, supporting, from the document and bibliographic point of view through the update of their collections, the activities of education and environmental training.

There are several strategies that deserve to be widespread to increase the culture of sustainability. Libraries promote logic of environmental sustainability through the efficiency of buildings, management models and reasoned behaviors, always attentive to the use and reuse of resources, and that are an example for all users. More important is the role that contemporary libraries play in spreading the culture and knowledge of man-environment interactions, addressing the problem of the necessary transformations of behaviors and current methods of consumption to draw development trajectories that are actually sustainable. It is a delicate and complex task that libraries face together with other cultural institutions. In this cooperation, the role that the Library plays takes on particular importance, because it focuses on the accessibility and spread of knowledge, the very heart of the library’s mission.

Unesco recognizes the role of culture as an engine of sustainable development and presented the “Culture 2030 Indicators”, with which the importance of culture and the integration of the latter is highlighted in the 2030 agenda, an integration that took place , and therefore to achieve SDGS. The fundamental contribution of culture for sustainable development is also recognized in other important international paintings, such as the New Urban Agenda (UN-HABITAT). Libraries therefore have a great opportunity to be the protagonists and promoters of an environmental consciousness at the same time. ^[3]

The issue of the 2030 Agenda with the 17 Sustainable Development objectives (SDGS) adopted by the UN on September 25, 2015 and became operational on January 1, 2016, saw an immediate operating reaction all over the world. The 2030 agenda considers three areas of sustainability (social, economic and environmental) and is based on 17 objectives divided into 169 goals, to be monitored through global indicators and regional and national indicators that must be identified by the Member States. ^[4] Each state is invited to present a VNR (Voluntary National Report) to the UN a national sustainability report and in different countries, some cities have spread a VLR (Voluntary Local Report), which measures the local level of sustainable development. Even the universities have equipped themselves in this regard, in fact many universities have equipped themselves with specialized offices, the “green workshops”, with information sections on their websites dedicated to the actions taken with respect to sustainability, university commissions or a delegate of the Rector for sustainability. It has been noted that the most relevant activities to pursue this purpose of disseminating sustainable culture are those of Information Literacy, open access to knowledge, Book Crossing projects, number of publications on issues related to the SDG of the Teachers of the University and participation in interventions artistic and redevelopment of buildings that host libraries. ^[5]

For the rest, the other activities that emerge in universities in relation to sustainability are: the separate collection, the collection and recycling of materials, sustainable mobility, energy saving and alternative energy, rationalization of water use, etc. All certainly important activities but that are lacking to highlight the cultural specificity of the university institution, if not for the aspects related to training. With regard to the latter area, there is a large number of new training activities, the introduction of modules and extracurricular activities for students, sometimes with recognition of credits, for the acquisition of skills related to sustainability. The removal of culture is what has always slowed down any change, and there is no doubt therefore that the first of the necessary changes must be cultural. Therefore only the dissemination of the culture of sustainability as a widespread value can report the phenomenon to its most relevant dimensions, the cultural and social one, and help form an environmental awareness that must be spread through the dissemination of information, ensuring open and easy access To all the reliable and relevant information on the themes of Agenda 2030 and offering information on these issues. Once again, the fundamental role of libraries is underlined as a place to find any type of material to increase knowledge on sustainability, as well as as a place of inclusion, exchange, cohesion and social aggregation. However, there is still a lack of communication between universities and libraries, which often act independently. In 2007 the first global network for universities on sustainable development was created in 2007 and it would also be appropriate to continue in this direction (we remember the birth of Russ in Italy), since the advantages would be manifold, for example as to encourage a collaboration between universities and cities, or sharing good practices. ^[6]

IFLA is working intensely to support the inclusion of the culture and recognition of the role of libraries for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, placing on the one hand as an interlocutor towards the UN, governments, political institutions, and from Another encouraging the librarian world to form and activate on these issues, and to do so he coined the term green library. This term indicates a green library as a library designed to minimize the impact on the environment and maximize the internal qualitative yield by means of an accurate choice of the site where to place it, the use of natural construction materials and biodegradable products etc. However, in this definition all those libraries that are hosted in historic or ancient buildings would be excluded. In this case, the concept must be declined rather as friendship of the library environment within the building, in the activities and support for the community.

It also recalls that IFLA has drawn up Lyon’s declaration between January and May 2014, and made public at the World Congress of the Library and the information of the IFLA in Lyon, France, 18 August 2014, together with other partners Strategic, with which he invited the United Nations Member States to take an international commitment through the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development in such a way to make accessible to all information about sustainable development. IFLA has always promoted libraries and information services in the world, and sees in these a force of change so that information and culture are accessible to everyone. ^[7] Lyon’s declaration aims to underline that access to information is necessary and that libraries are equipped with infrastructure, skills and resources for the sustainable development of the company. In short, the declaration: libraries as cultural institutions capable of alphabolical institutions puts in the foreground; Together with other institutions they have the task of making the connection and technologies for communication available; promote collaboration; offer permanent access to cultural heritage.

• Maria Abenante and Pieraldo Lietti (edited by), Sustainable libraries: creativity, inclusion, innovation: , Acts of 59. National Congress of the Italian Association of Libraries Rome 24-25 November 2016. , Rome, Italian Association of Libraries, 2017.
• Maria Abenante, Raffaella English, Maurizio Lazzari and Anna Laura Saso (edited by), The environment in the library. Libraries for the environment: goals and other good practices , Acts Rome April 15, 2016 , Rome, Ispra, 2018.
• Libraries Association Today (edited by), Libraries and sustainable development. Actions, strategies, indicators, impact , Proceedings of the 25th edition Conference Stelline Milan 15-16 September 2020 , Milan, Bibliographic editor, 2020.
• Giovanni Di Domenico, Sustainable. Libraries in the time of ecological crisis (notes in the margin of Going Green) , in Jlis.it , January 2020, pp. 36-55.
• Anna Maria Tammaro, The IFLA declaration of Lyon and the objectives of the millennium: the role of libraries and for access to the information and development of the company , in Libraries today , December, pp. 3-5.

Ecobibilioteche, ecoyrchive, ecomusei. Practices of knowledge and action for environmental protection, edited by Waldemaro Morgese and Maria A. Abenante, AIB, Rome 2015