Browsing by Author "Fitzpatrick, Ashley"

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    Academic Libraries Join the Fight Against Climate Change
    (2020) Spiro, Lisa; Fitzpatrick, Ashley
    In 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped over 50 inches of rain on Houston, causing approximately 100 deaths and $125 billion in damage. Research indicates that Harvey’s impact was worsened by climate change. More recently wildfires, floods, and droughts - as well as concerted action by climate activists - have demonstrated the urgency of fighting climate change. The library community is beginning to take action; for example, the American Library Association (ALA) recently adopted sustainability as a core value and launched the “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” grant program. Rice University’s Fondren Library is one of five academic libraries to have won this grant. Fondren’s core grant-funded activities include organizing a panel discussion featuring four Houston women at the forefront of climate justice work, screening a documentary on queer responses to climate change, becoming a climate resilience hub, and developing a workshop for middle school students focused on understanding air quality data in their neighborhood, a frontline community. The grant is part of a broader series of sustainability initiatives at Fondren, including the development of a sustainability plan, the formation of a staff “Green Team,” and the appointment of a student “eco-rep.” This interactive presentation will examine how and why academic libraries should prioritize sustainability initiatives, using Fondren’s experiences as a model for community and student engagement around climate change. Participants will then engage in discussion about how the library community can come together to fight climate change. https://library.rice.edu/sustainability
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    Rice University: Fondren Library Sustainability Plan
    (Rice University, 2019) Fitzpatrick, Ashley; Borodina, Svetlana; Spiro, Lisa; Fondren Library
    As awareness of climate change and other environmental and social problems grow, many libraries and librarians are dedicating themselves to sustainability, “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”3 We call upon Fondren Library to practice and promote sustainability through its wise building practices, reductions in resource consumption, support for research and teaching, targeted collection development, and outreach activities. These recommendations were formulated in support of the global community’s response to climate change, the American Library Association’s embrace of sustainability as a core value of librarianship, and Rice University’s pledge to reduce its carbon footprint through the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. By implementing sustainability strategies and collaborating with other on-campus sustainability initiatives, Fondren Library can reduce environmental pollution and contribute to learning and knowledge on Rice University’s campus and beyond. To implement the proposed changes, we recommend developing an action plan, creating a library-based group focused on sustainability, appointing a sustainability liaison, and hiring a student “eco-rep” for Fondren.