29th August 2024 bulletin

Did you know that libraries are eco-friendly?  And in lots of different ways!  On the books front they obey the dictums of reuse and recycle – one book can be read by hundreds of different borrowers.  And of course they offer loads of books on eco-topics.  Most libraries now have a Green Books display or corner, offering titles about climate change, nature conservancy, eco-activism and the like.  Libraries are also green from a wider perspective - the central concept of the library is one that our civilisation needs to embrace to become sustainable.  Borrowing from a central store, using as necessary, and returning for someone else to use, is a key plank of sustainability.  
 
Not everyone is comfortable with this line of thinking, and it has sparked some remarkably extreme reactions and wilful misinterpretations (listen to this amazing Jon Ronson podcast).  
 
Wingnuts aside, libraries across the country are exploring the 'Borrow, Don't Buy' approach by offering 'libraries of things' (such as steam cleaners, DIY tools and sewing machines).  For example, Gloucestershire Libraries have a handy explainer page here.  Look online for your local authority library, to find out more about what's on offer there.