Tulsa City-County Library has had a seed library at some locations since 2014 but the pandemic hit just as Tulsa’s spring planting season began. We were completely closed until mid-May 2020. Meanwhile, everybody and their brother had taken up gardening. How could we get as many seeds as possible in Tulsa gardens while offering only curbside service?
The Evelyn Meador Branch Library's Sustainability Series, Going Green in Seabrook, is a monthly program focusing on sustainability and environmental topics. Topics are presented through Facebook videos and live virtual meetings.
The past few years have seen the rise of powerful and inspiring young activists rallying for systemic change and legislative action to address the climate crisis, with groups like the Sunrise Movement advocating for a Green New Deal and the now-famous climate striker Greta Thunberg named Time Magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year.
If you’re missing nature or feeling a little claustrophobic these days, you’re not alone. Across the world, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into springtime plans, from spring break camping trips to strolls through urban parks.Â
With the 50th anniversary of Earth Day this Wednesday, April 22, libraries can still offer ways for their patrons to celebrate nature safely. Below are some of low-risk, easy ways you can encourage your community to remember the planet this week.
The Springfield-Greene County Library District has hosted an annual How-To Festival since 2016. In 2020, the How-To Festival will be dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.Â
Enticing patrons to attend lectures on climate change and sustainability can be a real challenge. It’s hard to deny: these topics can be a real downer.
But there are ways to make learning about the environment fun. This was my goal when I set out to create my library’s Earth Day programming last year.
2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, an initiative started in 1970 to encourage action to protect the environment. Planning Earth Day programs at your library is a surefire way to show support for environmental awareness in your community and can introduce patrons to resources and skills for getting involved.Â
Swap It Like It’s Hot is a free clothes-swap program aimed at adult patrons. Patrons bring along their gently-used clothing and receive tokens. They use their tokens to swap for others' items. All remaining clothes after the swap are donated to the city mission.Â
The library also offered sewing and upcycling workshops in collaboration with Conscious Layers, a local organization that works to popularize the re-use of fashion.
