Published on February 7, 2024
For Immediate Release
February 7, 2024
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative Announces the Appointment of Two New Board Members
Suffolk County, New York - February 7, 2024 - With great delight, the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) is pleased to announce the expansion of the Advisory Board by adding two new board members, Nardia Cumberbatch and Hazel Onsrud. Bringing on Nardia and Hazel comes at a perfect time as the SLI kicks off a busy new year filled with partnerships, workshops, a growing membership, conference appearances, and more. The appointment of these two talented and hardworking professionals was unanimous amongst current Board Members, who are very familiar with both candidates' accomplishments and beliefs in the SLI’s mission and dedication to the Triple Bottom Line definition of sustainability. Both Hazel and Nardia actively assisted their libraries in achieving certification through the Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP).
Nardia Cumberbatch is a tenured librarian at Valencia College, in Orlando, FL, where she has worked since 2014. Valencia College Library was the second academic library to achieve certification through the SLCP. Besides her librarian duties, Nardia has also been an adjunct professor since 2017, teaching courses in health science research methods. She also authored the chapter “Exploring UN SDG Target Goals Through a Research Poster Project” in The Sustainable Library’s Cookbook.
Hazel Onsrud is a public librarian in Brunswick, ME, at the Curtis Memorial Library, the first library outside of NY to complete the certification program through the SLI. Hazel works on community programming and collection development, including an extensive library of things focused on the sustainable development goals. Prior to joining Curtis Memorial Library, Hazel co-founded the Maine Tool Library. In her free time, she likes to create things, eat curries and design gardens.
Through their passion and foresight, Hazel and Nardia provide a revitalizing force, enabling the SLI to grow and bring about a change in libraries. Along with the existing Advisory Board members, they will help champion libraries as beacons of resiliency in our communities and encourage action in the face of adversity and the destabilization of our climate.