The Sustainable Lightness of the School Library
A library, regardless of its nature (public or school) only exists because of human beings. The “sustainable lightness” of a library may also represent its ability to adapt and evolve over time while maintaining its essence as a place of free access and the sharing of ideas, a space that connects people within a community while preserving its ethos.
This is the story of how a group of individuals from Palmela County, through their educational work, is making a difference in their community by promoting environmental awareness. The group comprises ten teachers-librarians and a public librarian from Palmela Public Library, and a representative from the Portuguese School Libraries Network. They have been active since 1996, and in 2017 a new partner has joined, an environmental engineer from the Agência da Energia e Ambiente da Arrábida (ENA – Energy and Environment Agency of Arrábida).
Their most recent project is the creation of a Guide to Good Environmentally Sustainable Practices in School Libraries which is described in this paper. This group has been working as a task force with a core purpose: to contribute to the preservation of the local environment and well-being of the local community. They firmly believe that preserving Nature should be achieved through education, one small but firm step at a time.
Margarida Chaves, Portuguese school library network, Portugal
Olga Cidades, Palmela Public Library, Portugal