Public Libraries Going Green (Ala Public Library Handbook Series) - Softcover

Kathryn Miller is assistant vice president of academic resources at Argosy University in Orlando, Florida. Her educational preparation includes a BA in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana, a JD from the University of Akron, an MLS from Kent State University in Ohio, a Library Media Specialist certification from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, and an EdD in Adult Education from National-Louis University, Chicago, where she worked on staff until 2009. She also engaged in professional development in 2007 at the ACRL/Harvard Leadership Institute for Academic Librarians and has an extensive background in presentation and publication, covering topics ranging from copyright to online learning styles to library weeding projects. Dr. Miller worked in Michigan as a librarian at the Detroit Public Library and the West Bloomfield Public Library.

Some would say that public libraries are inherently green, as they provide resources that are reused by many individuals. Author Miller acknowledges this while going over ways that libraries can become even more environmentally friendly. The first chapter contains a very basic outline of an action plan to become a community environmental leader and promote that status to the public. The next section covers more specific ways the public library can become even greener. Some are applicable to all businesses. Others are specific to libraries and, for many, are already standard practices, for example, purchasing electronic databases and downloadable books, movies, and music. Some of the suggestions for weeded materials are not really practical for most libraries, although Miller discusses several online resources for discarded books that are interesting alternatives. Finally, she offers crafts and programming ideas that could be used in both small libraries and in large library systems. An appendix lists environmental fiction and nonfiction for different age groups. Probably of most use to smaller libraries. --Elaine Lindstrom