Difference between revisions of "Urban sustainability library"

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This fall we're working with students from Wayne State's School of Library and Information Science to develop our urban sustainable library. Our work is below.

geocentric model of universe vs. Copernicus' heliocentrism

What is an urban sustainable library?

• Wikipedia defines sustainability as the capacity to endure 1. Most models incorporate 3 pillars essential to sustainability: economic, environmental and social. We likewise defined sustainability for the Green Garage as having 3 necessary components: environmental integrity, economic justice and community well-being. 2 If any of these elements are missing, it is not considered sustainable.
• So our library will be sustainable as defined above, and will obviously be urban as defined by the location of the building and the surrounding community.
• It will be a source of environmentally sustainable information for the community.

What are our beliefs?

• We believe in a new model of information: that people manage their own information from a variety of sources, as opposed to the traditional model of coming into a library to receive information. The person is, so to speak, the center of their own information universe (as in Copernicus' heliocentric model) vs the library as the traditional center of the information universe (the older geocentric model).
• We believe that information on environmental sustainability should be freely available to all.
• We believe that the combined efforts of a group will result in the best information we can offer.
• We believe that as information specialists, we can offer information, but not advice. For advice, there will be other groups at the Green Garage that can help.
• We believe in the principles of the Earth Charter 3.
• Our goal is to make it easier for people to make more sustainable choices in their lives.
• We believe that ...
  • everyone has a right to the information needed to make these more sustainable choices.
  • choosing more sustainable ways of living is more likely to be successful when the person is connected to an encouraging community.
• Our purpose is to connect people to the information and people (encouragers) who can help them successfully make these more sustainable choices.

Who are we serving?

• We are serving the tenants of the Green Garage.
• We are serving the immediate neighborhood.
• We are serving the Midtown area.
• We are serving Detroit.
• Fundamentally, we are serving anyone who needs our help, but our priorities are listed above.

What are the components of our library, media-wise?

• Physical materials: books, periodicals, computers, archived posters.
• Online: wiki, Flickr for pictures, YouTube for videos, blog, Facebook, Twitter...and the entirety of the Internet.

How will we provide consultation services?

• General format for service
  • Reference service for those working at the Green Garage (entailing research on topics, summary answers, organize info for the building on daily basis, develop content and scheduling for classes, organize information learned)
  • Provide free information (example: CAT)
    • information pages (like geothermal systems or rain barrels)
    • 10 most frequently asked questions
    • online forms for questions
  • Reference service for visitors
    • 1st 2 hours of research free....then a nominal charge beyond that
    • Could provide something like surgery sessions at CAT, where you can sit down with an expert for a nominal fee and discuss your project/issue
    • Provide referrals to experts
• Information vs advice (covered above in Beliefs)

Current website tasks

• one more edit of One Earth Patterns pages
• navigation issues (can people find what they want?)
  • ask people what they need on site)
  • develop index (front page) that helps
• develop page for Deconstruction process

Components of library

• kiosk
• physical library (design, lending process)
• book club
• intranet (information source for people working in the building)
• designing process by which we consult with others

Student Projects

• Maria Williams: Maria Williams' Proposal
• Brianna: Brianna Reilly's Proposal

Process of developing the library

• Gather group of people interested in library discussions
• Develop bibliography and finding aids (Det Pub Lib, MEL, Google sources, GLGI material, GG material) for library
• Contact Judy Field about practicum student for next semester
• Research material from proposals:
  • Koha Project
  • The Evergreen Project
  • Library 2.0 (from Wikipedia)
• Develop consultation service
  • Contact Jim Muir at Southfield Public Library (energy optimization inc)

Resources

• The future of libraries, with or without books CNN. Retrieved Sept. 7, 2009.
• CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) in Wales. Tom and I visited this place a couple of years ago, and they have a good way of looking at consultation services.
• Great Lakes Green Initiative Resource Center idea for catalog of useful websites
• Great Lakes Green Initiative Library books and reviews on line
• Urban sustainability librarian position, as advertised
• Urban Sustainability Initiative at University of Nevada, Las Vegas