Going Green @your library

Two Week Online Course: Sustainability Movement on Campus…

filarwilliams — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:23:11 +0000

The Sustainability Movement on Campus: Forming a Library Action Plan for Engagement

June 3-17, 2013.

This course focuses on the role of the academic librarian in the sustainability movement which is sweeping across U.S. campuses. A proliferation of sustainability courses, programs and related activities bears witness to a paradigm shift in our society. You will end up with an action plan that matches the needs of your library and institution and suits your comfort level for professional involvement.

Increase your knowledge, find your allies, be part of the change!

Space is limited. Registration and other details here:
http://libraryjuiceacademy.com/029-sustainability.php

Presenter: Madeleine Charney, UM Amherst

Green Book Festival Winners

filarwilliams — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:50:06 +0000

The overall winner at the Green Book Festival this year was “Life Everlasting” by Bernd Heinrich which ”focuses on the fascinating doings of creatures most of us would otherwise turn away from – field mouse burials conducted by carrion beetles; the communication strategies of ravens; and the inadvertent teamwork among wolves and large cats, foxes and weasels, bald eagles and nuthatches in the cold-weather dispersal of prey. The judges awarded top honors because of the book’s original vision and keen scientific eye. “

There were winners in many other categories, one to note is the winner of the Business Category was Greening Libraries – edited by Monika Antonelli/Mark McCullough – congratulations! There are many great chapters in this book (including one I wrote so I hope you check this award winner!

Tagged: green book festival

RESOURCE: Global Plants

filarwilliams — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:48:54 +0000

Global Plants is a community-contributed database with more than two million high resolution plant type specimen images found worldwide, many digitized from glass slides. These contributions are through the Global Plants Initiative (GPI), an international undertaking by leading herbaria to digitize and make available plant type specimens and other holdings. It also includes expedition travelogues, letters, photographs, botanical paintings and drawings, a nd reference works, with links to related research articles on JSTOR. The image viewer feature examines and measures plant specimens and savable in “MyPlants.” It does cost and use you use their calculator to estimate the cost for your institution. (note: did you know JSTOR resources are free in Africa and many other developing countries!)

Tagged: jstor, plants

Free streaming in May for film Mother

filarwilliams — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:57:16 +0000

On Earth Day and continuing throughout the month of May, the film by Tiroir A Films entitled Mother: Caring for 7 Billion (2011) will be FREE online to view! Find out more about this 69 minute film throuhg facebook, twitter or the website.

Their Synopsis… After being pushed into the shadows by converging societal forces, Mother: Caring for 7 Billion connects the dots between population growth and humanity’s most pressing social and environmental problems. In the film, Beth, a children rights activist and mother, helps the audience navigate through the complexities of the population issue and its barriers. Grounded in the theories of social scientist Riane Eisler, Mother is a gentle treatment of a complex issue that urges humanity to work together to bring about a peaceful, just and sustainable world.

Watch the trailer:

Mother Caring for 7 Billion – Teaser from Tiroir A Films on Vimeo.

Tagged: film, mother

Happy Earth Day!

filarwilliams — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:16:49 +0000

Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22 since 1970. Read more about whats happening for earth day or ideas on what you can do today such as getting outside for a walk, turning off all electronics for at least an hour (cell phones too!) or, any one of these ideas I posted in the past.

other resources:

earth day network - the key place to go to find out what’s happening!
organized reading events/ideas
epa’s earth day events page
artists’s work with recycled materials
Library of Congress’ Earth Day science guide
earth day in your neighborhood

Tagged: earth day

Looking for Column editor for EGJ!

filarwilliams — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:17:23 +0000

Flora Shrode has been compiling the list of books and websites on environmental topics for the Electronic Green Journal for years and is now looking for others who might be interested in taking over the column. If you are interested contact Flora directly at flora.shrode [ at ] usu.edu

The Electronic Green Journal (EGJ, e-ISSN: 1076-7975) is a peer-reviewed digital journal that provides open access to scholarly, international environmental information. It was launched in 1994 and is published semiannually by the UCLA Library. Maria Anna Jankowska, Librarian for Economics/Data Services and Government Information at the UCLA Charles E. Young Research Library, is the founding editor of the EGJ and is currently the general editor. The journal’s site is: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/uclalib_egj

Tagged: column, electric green journal

Going to ACRL? Meet up for walk/drinks!

filarwilliams — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:54:54 +0000

Join us for the SustainRT: Culture Trail Walk & Green Drinks Meet Up in Indy (at ACRL 2013)

Calling all librarians (not just academics but anyone of the local library community interested in joining us!)who have interest in sustainability for Cultural Trail Walk and/or Green Drinks. Chat with other like minded librarians while we take a walk along the beautiful Indianapolis Cultural Trail (map: http://www.indyculturaltrail.org/map.html) – the Canal Walk route, toward the Central Library. We plan a 30+ minute walk toward the north end, followed by a Green Drinks at a local place The Rathskeller

This is sponsored by the NEW round table of ALA - SustainRT!

When: Friday April 12 at 5:15pm.

Cultural Trail Walk Meetup: corner of Washington St and Capital Ave, on the lawn of the Capital by the trail (map)

Green Drinks Meetup: by 6pm at Rathsekller
401 E. Michigan St.

UPDATE:

Thanks to all who rallied out in the wind and chill to walk along the beautiful cultural/canal trail Friday at ACRL! Especially thanks to Joe Fox for being our local tour guide and Susan Sharpless Smith for the lovely group photo (see more here!)

Credit and thanks for photo – Susan Sharpless Smith!

Tagged: ACRL

BioOne’s Adopt an Acre giveaway

filarwilliams — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:59:54 +0000

Going to ACRL in Indy? Check out this great idea from BioOne - A dopt an Acre Giveaway! The Nature Conservancy offers an Adopt an Acre program (a great gift idea!) and BioOne is offering you a chance to adopt an acre in your name. Simply download and fill out their entry form, select an area to preserve and drop if off at the ACRL 2013 BioOne booth #1139

Tagged: ACRL, bioone, nature conservancy

Sustainability Funds in Libraries

filarwilliams — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:36:11 +0000

University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries is a great example of libraries as key players in sustainability on their campus. First of all they actually have a Sustainability Studies Librarian who teaches library research classes and consults with individuals – even local community members, and a great resource guide on the topic. With sustainability integrated widely throughout the campus (currently there are 74 courses related to sustainability!) the library decided to take the next step. Starting in 2012 the Libraries working with the campus’ Annual Giving Office created the “Second Ask” campaign with students making the calls and asking for donations for library, in particular for sustainability efforts. They have received gifts from more than 3,300 donors totaling $150,000 so far. This Sustainability Fund will be used for collection development, curriculum mapping, training for faculty, earth day speakers/events, mini grants for smaller ideas and opportunities - all related to sustainability. Read more in the ALA’s College Library Section newsletter (page 4)!

Update 4/3/13:

Congratulations to U Mass Amherst Libraries for winning the Gale Cengage learning Financial Development Award for their sustainability fund! “The award is presented annually to a library organization that exhibits meritorious achievement in creating new means of funding for a public or academic library.”

Tagged: ALA, CLS, newsletter, sustainability fund

MOOCs on Climate Literary and Climate Change

filarwilliams — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:30:41 +0000

MOOCs can be a great way to learn more about a subject or topic from your own home or offer/suggest as a resources or extra learning opportunity to your students, staff or patrons. Check out these 2 offerings through Coursera:

Climate Literacy Navigation Climate Conversations, taught by Sarah Burch and Sara Harris of the University of British Columbia, in May 2013. Its broken into 10 modules: the first half of the course dealing mainly with climate change science and models and the second half about climate change impacts, response options, and polices.

Climate Change by University of Melbourne faculty Jon Barnett, John Freebairn, David Jamieson, Maurizio Toscano and Rachel Webster, in August 2103. This course develops an interdisciplinary understanding of the social, political, economic and scientific perspectives on climate change.

Tagged: MOOCs