Library Sustainability

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https://hdl.handle.net/1911/109551

Fondren Library embraces the American Library Association’s value of sustainability, affirming that “(l)ibraries play an important and unique role in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change and a sustainable future. They are also leading by example by taking steps to reduce their environmental footprint.”

As the library’s Sustainability Plan (written in 2019) explains, Fondren aims to:

  • Promote sustainable approaches to library spaces, including energy efficiency, reduced water usage, and an orientation toward wellness
  • Reduce resource consumption
  • Deepen library support for research and teaching in sustainability
  • Collect and preserve environmentally-focused information and materials, especially those produced by Rice faculty and students
  • Engage with the Rice community to foster a culture of sustainability

Additional information about sustainability at Fondren can be found on the library’s website.

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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.
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    Sustainability at Home Guide
    (Rice University, 2020) Fondren Library Green Team; Fondren Library
    Tips for integrating sustainable practices at home.
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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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    Justice and Transformation: Houston Women on Climate Action
    (Rice University, 2020-10-28) King, Denae; Howe, Cymene; Dinn, Amy Catherine; Gonzalez, Iris; Fondren Library; Rice's Center for Environmental Studies
    From fires to floods, the consequences of climate change are increasingly evident, and underserved communities often face the most severe impacts. Inspired by Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson’s All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, this virtual panel discussion brought together four Houston women whose work addresses climate justice: Dr. Denae King (TSU), Dr. Cymene Howe (Rice), Amy Catherine Dinn (Lone Star Legal Aid), and Iris Gonzalez (Coalition for Environment, Equity & Resilience (CEER)). Co-sponsored by Rice’s Fondren Library Green Team, Rice’s Center for Environmental Studies, Houston’s Citizens’ Environmental Coalition (CEC), and Rice Environmental Society. This event took place on Zoom. Fondren Library hosted this event as part of its participation in the ALA's Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change grant.
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    Fire & Flood Panel Discussion
    (Rice University, 2021-04-01) Raditz, Vanessa; Loftin, Kennedy; Gupta, Kristin; Fondren Library; Rice's Center for Environmental Studies; Rice's Administrative Center for Sustainability and Energy Management; Rice University Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality; Rice Environmental Society; Houston's Citizens' Environmental Coalition
    Recording of a virtual panel discussion about the documentary “Fire & Flood: Queer Resilience in the Era of Climate Change.” Panelists included Vanessa Raditz, director of the documentary; Kennedy Loftin, chief development officer at the Montrose Center; and Rice anthropology graduate student Kristin Gupta. Fire & Flood examines two climate-related disasters from 2017-- Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the fires in Santa Rosa, California – through the viewpoint of LGBTQ individuals that experienced them first hand. The documentary focuses on the perilous situations that many LGBTQ communities face relating to climate change and also provides hope for resilience for these communities. Co-sponsors include Rice’s Center for Environmental Studies, Rice’s Administrative Center for Sustainability and Energy Management, Rice University Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Rice Environmental Society and Houston’s Citizens’ Environmental Coalition. This panel and documentary screening were made possible through the American Library Association “Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change” pilot grant program that Rice University’s Fondren Library won in Fall 2020. Fondren’s project focuses on intersectionality and environmental justice, reflecting both Houston’s status as one of the most diverse cities in the US and its ongoing struggles with environmental racism.