Leading Though a Green Lens: Sustainable Thought Leadership in Libraries

Claire Heilman

School of Information Science, Dominican University

LIS 707: Leadership, Marketing, and Strategic Communication

Melissa Bernasek
October 20, 2022
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Introduction

In Rebekkah Smith Aldrich's book, Sustainable Thinking: Ensure your Library’s Future

in an Uncertain World, libraries are described as “empowerment engines” (2018, p. xviii) that

are positioned to provide people not only a place in which they can obtain access to new ideas,

but also a place that fosters resilience that transcends across personal needs into meeting the

needs of the larger community (pp. 17-20). Often, when one thinks of sustainability, they think

about it from an environmental standpoint; however, simplified, sustainability is the “capacity to

endure” (Aldrich, 2018, p. 41). It is people-centric and driven by a “triple bottom line”

framework governed by environmental, economic, and social equity factors (pp. 79-84). If the

library and its librarians are to uphold the Core Values of Librarianship set forth by the American

Library Association (2019), then they must begin to think and lead in ways that are future-

oriented and consider the economic, political, environmental, and social factors that impact the

sustainability of services provided to their patrons (Aldrich, 2018). Through engaging in

sustainable thinking libraries, and thus librarians, can cultivate services that endure and evoke

resiliency within communities.

Community Forward

The 2015 adoption of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations

“provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the

future” (n.d., History section, para. 1). Through making use of a storytelling platform, the

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) has acted as an early

adopter of this blueprint and utilized it to establish, advance, and advocate for the role that

library institutions have in assisting society in its forward thinking attempts to achieve SDGs

(“About, SDG Stories”, n.d.). One of the many United Nations SDGs that the library can play an
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active role in is quality education. This goal aims to ensure that all persons not only receive an

equitable education but also that people are positioned to pursue lifelong learning (n.d., 17 Goals

section). Through a quality education that begins in childhood, people are able to develop the

necessary information literacy skills required to assist in the advancement of a more sustainable

future (Repanovici et al., 2021). Through this development of literacy skills, people become

empowered to generate innovative ideas that lead to actionable solutions for combating many of

the issues that our world faces today.

Systems thinking is a form of sustainable thinking that recognizes the interconnectedness

of multiple moving parts that make a cohesive whole. System thinkers see the big picture,

understand the need for iterative thinking, are interested in learning, and act upon new

information (McClam & Kennedy, 2018; Rogers, 2011). This analysis of a system requires

leadership that engages the larger community and reconfirms the crucial functions of the library

within. Systems thinking as a form of sustainable thinking begins with a catalyst. This does not

have to be an event or disruption that forces change and innovation. Rather, librarians can be the

starting point in procuring systems-driven changes that nurture the advancement of a more

sustainable future (Aldrich, 2018). Furthermore, the belief that the library is at the center of a

community must be supported with proactive advocacy made by librarians on behalf of the

community that they serve. An essential duty of a sustainable library leader is to actively seek

out opportunities present within the community to be included in that fall outside of the library’s

perceived domain (Aldrich, 2018). Conversely, by taking a more passive role in events or

legislation occurring at the state or regional level, libraries neglect to uphold their values

(American Library Association, 2019).

Greening the Library

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Although sustainability can be thought of in terms of economic sustainability (e.g.,

budget), socially equitable sustainability (e.g., maintaining multiple means to access technology

and information), and decision-making sustainability (e.g., the longevity of implemented

solutions) it would be remiss to not address the underlying connotation of the word. When

considering Aldrich’s (2018) idea of sustainability as “the capacity to endure” (p. 41) we must

consider the current state of earth’s environmental endurance.

According to the Global Footprint Network (2022), this year’s Overshoot Date was July

28th. This means that on this date the ecological resources that the earth is able to regenerate in a

given year were completely expended. Even more startling, if the entire world’s population were

to live and use the earth’s resources in the same way that the United States does, the Overshoot

Date would have been on March 13th. Our over-consumption of the earth’s resources is

notoriously having a lasting impact on the world by contributing to the furtherment of climate

change, which we are currently experiencing as more extreme natural conditions (e.g., extreme

heat and cold, and an uptick in the number of natural disasters). The decisions that society makes

regarding expenditure of the earth’s natural resources are only going to continue to have a

negative lasting impact. Ultimately, it is up to humanity to forage a way into the future that

utilizes the earth’s natural resources in a way that lessens the impact of our footprints.

Librarians are in a unique position in that they have the ability to act as leaders at the

forefront of society. Community-based leadership in libraries can be accessed in this front-facing

way through demonstrating active support for those connected with the creation of policies,

enabling research, providing education to communities through the continual development of

current resources, and creating programs with experts in various fields that employ sustainable

thinking (Mindum, 2020). Moreover, since libraries act as a central hubs within communities,
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sustainable thinking must be employed, so that the library can maintain its prominence. Kumar

and Sofiya (2019) suggest that all libraries should have a dedicated “Green Group” charged with

cultivating environmentally aware initiatives throughout the library such as ensuring energy

efficiency in lights and technology, environmentally friendly purchasing policies, and educating

the public on ways in which they can help (p. 20). Additionally, Kumar and Sofiya’s (2019)

findings in libraries throughout Thiruvananthapuram, India demonstrates that sustainability is an

ongoing global issue and steps to mitigate the impact of our previous inefficacies must be taken

by all persons regardless of geographical location.

Another essential element to consider when implementing green initiatives is the library’s

strategic plan. Zaugg (2015) states that a “strategic plan provides guidelines for moving into an

uncertain future” (p. 1). Through strategic thinking, another form of sustainable thinking,

described by Aldrich (2018) as operating on deliberate choices that are made with the idea of the

uniqueness of the community in mind (p. 40), library staff, as well as community members, can

have an influence on future decisions and projects that the library will undertake. The role that

library staff have in ensuring a sustainable future for the library, and thus the community, in all

senses of the word—economic, environmental, and equitable—is immense, and the importance

of the need for a future-oriented plan need not be lost within the confines of the perceived place

of the library within a given community. In developing a strategic plan that focuses on

sustainability, library leaders must remember that an equally important factor in the creation of

said plan is marketing and transparency of the library services and goals. Without ample

promotion, the work that the library does in supporting the sustainability of the community will

be unrecognized.

Sustainable Leadership Qualities

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Sustainable leadership focuses heavily on the future of the organization, community,

workforce, and the multitude of other variables that feed into the overall well-being of the

establishment. Sustainable leaders are transparent in that they openly discuss the reasons behind

their future-oriented decisions (McClam & Kennedy, 2018; Aldrich, 2018); form collaborative

partnerships that aid in the development of programs and policies for sustainable communities

(Michael, 2010); and develop new mental models for thinking about change while engaging staff

and stakeholders in the process (Marcum, 2009; Aldrich, 2018). These aforementioned qualities

present within sustainable thought leadership only begin to skim the surface of what makes

someone a good leader. It must not be forgotten that a good leader does not have to hold a

specific title. Rather, a leader is someone who takes initiative, speaks up when they notice an

area in need of improvement, upholds and acts upon the mission of the institution, and

collaborates with others. However, in order for organizations to move in a forward projection,

there must be people in leadership positions that are willing to see the lasting impacts that every

decision, big and small, has on society. In considering the sustainability of a given decision,

people in leadership positions must bear in mind the challenges that come with initiatives

devoted to sustainable changes.

Change is hard on all parties impacted, but through sound leadership change is obtainable

for any institution. Aldrich (2018) makes the case that there are three phases for leaders to

champion in order to successfully effectuate change within an organization. The first phase

requires that leadership makes a positive case for change; the how and why behind each decision

must be supported, and transparency must be obtained in order for people to buy into the ideation

of the impending change. The second phase asks leaders to translate the vision and goals for

change clearly and concisely into results-driven initiatives that have measurable outputs. Lastly,
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the third phase requires people in leadership roles to identify the organization as a community

leader and make its initiatives visible to the larger community who may not be completely aware

of the various things that the organization is doing to create a positive impact on the community

(pp.111-114). Change-driven, sustainable thinking and strategizing is just one of many

leadership qualities that libraries and their staff must employ to effect positive lasting impacts on

society.

Conclusion

Sustainable thinking requires nothing more than the average person to look towards the

future and ask themselves if the systems that they interact with encourage growth, or at the very

least, can be maintained without overconsuming and dissipating resources. Sustainable thinkers

must ask themselves the following questions: is the budget being spent on items that can

(mostly) stand against the test of time? Are resources provided being utilized and if not, how can

they be upcycled rather than discarded? Are there policies in place that reflect the institution's

stances on their environmental and economic impact on the community? How is the institution

acting upon social inequities present within society in a holistic manner? How is the institution

making its services known?

These questions act as a starting point in the process of building sustainable thought

leadership skills. Although they do not fully encompass every nuanced thought or question that

can be asked, they encourage one to consider their place in the development of a more

sustainable future. The reality is that the state of the world rests on our shoulders. I say this not to

instill fear, but rather to encourage LIS professionals to utilize the knowledge that has been

uncovered by years of people thinking sustainably to consider the big picture impacts of daily

decisions. It is up to librarians as community leaders to reflect on existing standards with an

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inquisitive mind and a strong desire to play an active role in the development of a resilient

community with the hopes of creating a more sustainable future for all.
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