Princh Library Lounge Ep.7: Libraries and Sustainability with Madeleine Charney and Gabrielle Griffis

Have you ever wondered how libraries can encourage people to be more aware and active regarding sustainability? Tune in to episode 7 of the Princh Library Lounge to find out more.

Sustainability and Climate change are two closely related topics discussed in this episode with our host, Marc Lapointe and two library professionals, Madeleine Charney and Gabrielle Griffis.

When speaking about sustainability, Madeleine has found it nearly impossible to separate the issue from the socioeconomic environment. In 2019, the main resolution of the American Library Association (ALA) was presenting sustainability as a core value for librarianship. Many libraries in the US are now becoming more aware, not just about sustainability, but also the significance of climate change.

Gabrielle encourages everyone to checkout Madeleine’s work towards sustainability and also mentioned that a handful of library systems started a very important partnership, in 2019, with the Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW) whose main goal is to prepare communities for extreme weather events. CREW’s most recent project is to turn libraries and other community entities into climate resilience hubs, where the only criteria to join is a willingness to offer at least one climate change and/or extreme weather-related program each year.

For some inspiration, Gabrielle mentioned a few initiatives at Wellfleet Public Library towards climate change and sustainability, which are a great example.

Madeleine highlights the International Federation of Library Associations who have been working on sustainability for many years following the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals. She perceives librarians as Agents of Change and recommends for all to be experimental, because that is how change happens.

Gabrielle shares a few of the initiatives and partnerships taking place Wellfleet Public Library. These groups have the power to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together to work towards sustainability. All activities are volunteer based which promotes community involvement. Because the library is an open and welcoming space it provides these vital opportunities for community engagement.

For Madeleine, the Climate Resilience Hubs are a great idea and libraries should join the initiative, because having at least one event each year about extreme weather could make a difference. Librarians should all be part of a network, putting their heads together in order to learn from each other.

Gabrielle mentioned that no one is immune to the effects of extreme weather, and when disasters happen, like it did last August in Wellfleet, people should be prepared, well informed and at the very least, know where to go for information.

Madeleine also adds, it’s important for libraries to help people find the information they need and let them know what to do when things are not at their best. Even though, she is a fan of face-to-face interaction, she also recommends that libraries be more present virtually, so people don’t necessarily need to physically be present to participate in the conversation or brainstorming experiences, including everyone while also reducing the need to travel.

Madeleine – Email address: mcharneymcharney@library.umas.edu

Gabrielle – Email address: ggriffis@clams.net.org

We will be back with another interesting article from the library world soon!

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