Environmental Sustainability for Public Libraries in Portugal: a first approach

Abstract

Why environmental sustainability for libraries in Portugal?In 2013 Gary Strong stated:The Library provides the capital necessary for us to understand the past and plan for the future. It is also our collective memory, as history and human experience are best preserved in writing. The Library is dedicated to the needs of its diverse communities, its advocacy and support of appropriate technology, the excellence of its collections, the commitment of its staff to its costumers, and the very highest ideals of library service. (p.27)Currently change is inherent to the world we live whether in social, economic or political scene. The environmental issue is also a sensitive structure of mutability and in most cases. Society will have to make a greater effort in order to follow international recommendations of the scientific field, so that the issue of sustainability isn't just a simple concept and ideology. Libraries shouldn't be an exception to this effort. This Portuguese study is based on the perception on the need to discuss and reflect the applicability criteria and environmental practices to public libraries in Portugal, a theme not discussed until today.The study intend to assess whether there are municipal libraries that apply environmental criteria in its daily management. Also, the study answered what was the understanding of the library's professionals to the importance for beginning the creation of work groups or discussion forums on the topic and sharing ideas through foreign organizations. The concept of sustainability is currently considered as a motto for subsistence and generalized affirmation for all organizations. The environmental problematic appears in the course of new global concerns, what cannot be separated from regional and local life. New appeals to the environmental democracy and the access to information are made about the environment. Citizenship and respect for a space shared for all, requires a new social attitude.In the final document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, 1992 - The Future we want, is recognized by the international community that a good governance and a sustainable economy requires the participation of the public whether in the form of whom acts or in the form of whom judges the action. Regarding public libraries and considering the goals established to serve the community and encourage the training of active and participative citizens through the creation of reading habits and access to information, we consider the need to reformulate the extent and the training of these new audiences. The Agenda 21 for culture assumes in 2015 a new important strategy: the integration of culture and the access to information as the fourth pillar for sustainability.For this analysis it became necessary to understand the Portuguese reality and how libraries behave on this topic. Considering that their mission is to inform and educate the local community, we question if this education/information at the environmental level is actually being made and taken into account in library management day to day basis. The goal of this study is not only to raise questions and debate about the importance of these matters but also to present alternatives and solutions, to this universe of libraries which are intended to be ever more intervening and participative in society. Verify the existence of environmental policies which are being applied in management context of libraries and simultaneously, present a procedure guide applicable to the municipal public libraries.299 municipal libraries participated in this study that were organized and contacted by Portuguese district. Municipal libraries can demonstrate its actuality and plans for the future by practicing more sustainable and environmentally friendly behaviors. Through the implementation of the Local Agenda 21 (1) the local government can also assert its position on environmental sustainability via its municipal libraries. …