Green Libraries Week 2023: how libraries are focusing on sustainability and climate change

2 October 2023

Immersive reality - CGI artwork of Oakley Library development

This year’s Libraries Week, run by CILIP, focuses on celebrating how libraries can advocate for positive climate action and will showcase what libraries are doing to support sustainability in their communities.

Throughout Green Libraries Week, libraries across the country will curate displays, workshops, recommend reads and run events raising awareness of important climate change themes, including:

Hampshire Libraries will be offering tips to reduce food waste and how to transform your garden into a haven for nature.
Start Up Bromley (a business support resource through Bromley Libraries) is running a workshop that will focus on environmental and sustainability projects for businesses. It will also provide an overview about current funding opportunities and address the needs of a range of groups that need funding and support.
Weybridge Library is running a drop in to make a recycled book hedgehog and children can learn how to make a bug hotel at Leatherhead Library.
Waltham Cross library’s regular Storytime for pre-school children will take on a green theme, with stories and songs that celebrate sustainability and the climate.
Barnsley’s Lightbox is running a workshop on how to build a wormery with Amazelabs.

Sherwood Forest Up Close Exhibition at Worksop Library

Many library services are already working on projects that have a green element, including:

Inspire, the library service for Nottinghamshire and an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation, has an exhibition at Worksop Library entitled Sherwood Forest Up Close running until 18 October. Alongside associated workshops, it celebrates local wildlife and eco-systems helping to inspire a love and appreciation for the local environment.
In a City of Flowers opened at Crosby Library on 23 September with a discussion about different species of butterflies, their changing habitats and how we can improve our natural spaces to help wildlife thrive. The library also holds regular nature-based play sessions and Stitch Club helping people to repurpose and re-use old clothes.
In June Gloucestershire Libraries used a £250,000 Libraries Improvement Fund grant to open a digital immersive library space in Oakley which hosts screenings, workshops and exhibitions promoting eco-friendly initiatives.
South-Western Regional Library Services received a National Lottery Project Grant to support a tour of diverse writers and artists to libraries across the region, including events with Emmy-winning and BAFTA-nominated wildlife cameraman James Aldred who discussed his filming and writing career about nature and the environment.

A family enjoying a nature based play session at Bootle Library — Chamomile Circle, a regular drop-in session for parents to come and engage in nature-based play sessions with their little ones at Bootle Library

Library gardens can inspire a love of nature and provide a habitat for wildlife. Nottinghamshire’s Inspire received £2,500 from CILIP’s Green Libraries Grant programme to utilise green spaces at its Bilsthorpe and Harworth and Bircotes branches. Bilsthorpe has gained an environmental classroom garden with space for green activities, growing vegetables and family workshops. Harworth and Bircotes Library uses a large planter for growing activities with children and families and also held an Environmental Clay Tile workshop for local primary school children whose work is now on display at the library.

The planter in the garden at Bircotes Library, decorated with environmental clay tiles created by local primary school children — Bircotes Library planter featuring environmental clay tiles decorated by local primary school children

At Sefton Library service, progress is being made on Bootle Library’s Arts Council England supported L-shaped Garden. Planting and construction workshops have taken place and billboards have been installed for exhibitions. A community gardener will be recruited and lots of great environmental activities are planned.

In 2022 we awarded a grant of £243,000 to CILIP to support the Green Libraries Partnership, a collaboration that also includes the British Library, Libraries Connected and Julie’s Bicycle. The partnership aims to help libraries in England to reduce their carbon footprint and build environmental action within their communities and our funding included grants to libraries to prototype green initiatives.

Ensuring that library buildings are sustainable and fit for the future is another key focus for the sector. The Libraries Improvement Fund is one resource that libraries have used to ensure that their buildings and digital infrastructures are optimised for environmental sustainability.

Dodworth Library in Barnsley recently reopened following work to improve the environmental impact of the space with air source heat pumps, new double-glazing and smart electric lighting being installed. Hampshire Libraries also recently received funding to support improvements to include new rooftop solar panels, an updated heating system enabling the use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicle charging points.

New space at Dodworth Library — Green space at Dodworth Library

Libraries are also using innovative new ways to provide environmentally friendly services to communities. Last summer, thanks to funding from the National Lottery, Bristol libraries launched ‘Words on Wheels’ a book bike project using electric cargo bikes around the city, and Portsmouth Library and Archive Service received funding for two Tukxi Electro vehicles to provide environmentally sustainable library delivery services.