Sharing Sustainability Data and Information: Role of Libraries and Library Networks

Purpose and Goals:

University, public, government agency, and school libraries work actively to improve and sustain the communities they serve and the communities in which they are found. Libraries plan and initiate special projects; develop and provide new collections and services, information projects and publications; and help facilitate and organize major community initiatives. Library missions and activities have not been routinely defined as part of the "sustainable communities movement." However, libraries' services, facilities, functions, and missions clearly support and enhance many aspect of community involvement with issues related to sustainability. 

This session will draw heavily from the results of a successful, two-year, USAID-funded program of the American Library Association, Libraries Build Sustainable Communities. The session will provide an overview of the ALA LBSC program and its training programs that have reached thousands of librarians in more than 30 states. Commentaries and discussions will provide the basis of a statement on the use of library resources and their established information infrastructures as communication vehicles and resources sharing networks for disseminating information about sustainable communities.

Desired Outcomes:

This session will provide participants, NCSE, and others a description of the resources, services, facilities, capabilities, and outreach options provided by existing, extensive library networks from local to international levels. Specific activities, actions, and outcomes will be addressed. A greater understanding of libraries' and librarians' potential as active participants in the decision-making process for community sustainability issues. This includes discussion on the empowerment of librarians to "sit at the table" along side planners, developers, managers, administrators, citizens, and other stakeholders involved in making, implementing, evaluating, and promoting sustainability initiatives at the community level. Resources identified by the ALA LBSC project will be made available for sharing among NCSE and conference participants.

Potential Presenters:

• Fred Stoss  (Moderator), Coordinator Social Responsibilities Round Table/ALA, Libraries Build  Sustainable Communities/ALA, Advisor to CNIE/NCSE, Biological Sciences Librarian University at Buffalo    
• Jeffrey Brown (Panel Presenter), Principle Investigator Libraries Build Sustainable Communities/ALA, NJ Sustainable Schools Network, Executive Director Global Learning, Inc.    
• Terry Link (Panel Presenter), Founding Chair Task Force on the Environment/ALA, Director Office of Campus Sustainability, Environmental Studies and Urban Planning Librarian    
• Patricia Bonner (Panel Presenter), Manager Public Involvement Policy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Project Manager EPA National Dialogues

Session Format:

The format for this proposed session will be three presentations followed by open discussion among session participants. 

Jeffrey Brown will provide an overview of the American Library Association's Libraries Build Sustainable Communities and the efforts in providing [number] training programs to [number] of librarians in [number] states. Terry Link will discuss his role in leading a university-wide sustainability program on a large university campus. Patricia Bonner will describe the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency's recent National Dialogues as effective communication tools to engage the public-at-large in dedicated, directed, online discussion forums. Fred Stoss will introduce the topic and moderate the session. 

The ensuing dialogue among participants will serve as the basis for further action and ideas to be explored, promoted, and implemented by NCSE and others. 

Members of the American Library Association, the Special Libraries Association, and other professional library associations will be notified of this session, if approved, and encouraged to attend the NCSE Conference. Other environmental information and data sharing communities will also be made aware of this event and asked to participate in the discussion at the breakout session and other venues of the 2^nd NCSE Conference. Contacts to the various local, state, national and international communities developed during the ALA LBSC project will also be notified of the conference and this specific break out session.

Session Organizer: 

Frederick W. Stoss, M.S., M.L.S.
Associate Librarian
Science and Engineering Library
University at Buffalo
State University of New York

Questions? conference@NCSEonline.org