Published on November 22, 2023
For Immediate Release
November 22, 2023
Sustainable Libraries Initiative partners with the Massachusetts Library Association
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative partners with the Massachusetts Library Association
to cultivate library leadership for community resilience
New York – November 22, 2023 – The Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) and the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA) have announced a new partnership to provide resources and tools to all MLA members that will accelerate work in libraries to build communities that will thrive when faced with the challenges of climate change.
Through this partnership, MLA members will join a nationwide community of practice who are using tools created or compiled by the SLI and its members to uncover ways that their libraries and communities will understand, lessen, and adapt to the effects of climate change. These include a custom CO2 calculator to help them estimate their current institutional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so they can measure progress in reducing GHG emissions; a vendor list to source more environmentally-friendly products and services; policy examples; a webinar archive and the Road Map to Sustainability resource to help with planning. MLA members will also receive a 20% discount on the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program.
“MLA looks forward to our partnership with SLI and the seeds of sustainability that will grow in all our Massachusetts communities.” said Michelle Filleul, President of the Massachusetts Library Association.
“We applaud the Massachusetts Library Association for seeking this partnership to enable all of their members to accelerate their adoption of sustainable thinking,” said Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Board President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, “Positioning Massachusetts’ library community as leaders in the conversation about climate change mitigation and adaptation is a strong move to ensure libraries contribute to their community’s resilience and remain relevant and responsive institutions.”
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative and the one-of-a-kind Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP) provide tools and resources for public and academic libraries, library systems and school librarians to shift their policies and practices to align with the principles of triple-bottom-line sustainability: environmentally sound decisions, advancing social equity, and considering the economic feasibility of all choices. The certification program is designed to guide participants to look to their communities to identify needs and potential partners, adjust their current practices to align with the triple-bottom-line definition of sustainability, and reflect on how these actions are having a real impact in their organization and community.
MLA members will receive a message directly from the MLA regarding how to access SLI resources.
Sustainable Libraries Initiative
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is a member-driven organization that empowers library professionals to be leaders in triple-bottom-line sustainability (environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic feasibility) both within their organizations and in their communities. The Sustainable Library Certification Program is now enrolling public and academic libraries, and library systems nationwide, as well as school librarians.
Massachusetts Library Association
The Massachusetts Library Association strengthens the Massachusetts library community with a diverse and active membership engaged in advocacy, connection, and collaboration The MLA is a private, non-profit organization funded primarily by its members that works for the advancement of the Massachusetts library community.
For more information, see the Sustainable Libraries Initiative website https://sustainablelibrariesinitiative.org or contact
Alex Blend, Sustainability Coordinator
631-286-1600 ext. 1355
sliadmin@suffolknet.org