Sustainability
York Public Library is committed to a sustainable future.
Fulfilling our mission requires intentional examination of best practices to ensure we’re here to support the York community for years to come.
Sustainability is a core component of our mission and values. We are committed to reducing the Library’s carbon footprint, curbing waste, and providing resources for York citizens as our town works toward the goals outlined in the York Climate Action Plan.
To that end, York Public Library enrolled in the Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP) in October 2022, an ambitious commitment to over 100 action items to help the Library practice and promote sustainability in our community. The program, created by the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, divides the action items across twelve categories: Organizational Commitment; Energy; Materials Management: Waste & Recycling; Materials Management: Purchasing; Transportation; Land Use; Water; Collective Impact; Social Cohesion; Community Resilience; Financial Sustainability; and Collections.
The Sustainable Library Certification Program focuses leadership to enable the library, and ultimately the community, to become more environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically feasible.
Program Goals:
- Create an organizational culture that asks the right questions about operational and outreach decisions
- Engage administration, staff, and board members/administration in a new way of thinking and collaborating
- Inspire our colleagues and community to join our efforts
- Reduce our greenhouse gasses, energy intake, and waste output
- Help to future proof our organization, our profession, and our community
Current Action Items In Progress:
- Board approval of Sustainability and Purchasing Policies
- Appointment of Library Sustainability & Implementation team
- Collect energy, fuel, mileage and water usage data for the past two years
- Overall Progress 7%
Last Update:
Completed Action Items:
- Complete Energy Audit ✔
- Perform Trash Audit ✔
- Develop Sustainability Policy ✔
- Amend Purchasing Policy to prioritize environmental and socially responsible purchasing ✔