The Green Library Model for Sustainability: Toward New Horizons in Higher Education.
Date
2019
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Abstract
Poster presentation title:
The Green Library Model for Sustainability: Toward New Horizons in Higher Education.
Abstract
Green libraries serve as a vehicle for long-term visibility and sustainability, and The University of the West Indies (UWI), Medical Sciences Library (MSL), has positioned itself to support green libraries while championing the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the steps taken at the MSL to support green libraries initiative:
• Energy conservation: by turning off the lights, air condition units, printers, and computers, and monitors when the Library is closed; using LED light bulbs
• Recycling: keeping “one-sided used” prints to write on; re-using of envelopes; using old books to make decorations
• Automation of services: Ask-a-Librarian; booking of study rooms and computer labs; discontinuing the use of reserve slips
• Purchasing of e-journals and e-books, instead of print journals and books
Implementing “going green” strategies have resulted in the following:
• 10% reduction in the use of paper
• 15% reduction in the cost of office supplies
• 50 % reduction of in the cost of purchasing print journals and books
• Reduction in printer and copier usage
Budget cuts has caused the MSL to revisit its expenditure. One of the expenditure items removed was the rental of plants. However, to replace this expenditure a project is being developed to encourage staff to volunteer for an in-house library beautification project.
Overall, staff supported the activities at the MSL for the green library model. Additionally, the library was able to save in the cost of expenditure by employing these “going green” strategies.
Description
This poster was presented at the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) held in Aruba, June 2-6, 2019.
The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus.
The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus.
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Green movement -- Trinidad and Tobago