Climate Action
Libraries are Guardians of Green Knowledge
November 24, 2025
Environmental activism is often associated with protests, grassroots efforts, or policy advocacy. Yet some of the most effective environmental work can happen in spaces we might overlook — such as public libraries.
Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life.
Sidney Sheldon, (1917-2007. American writer and producer)
These community institutions, dedicated to education and public service, are emerging as important allies to the environmental movement. By disseminating knowledge, creating spaces for community engagement, and sharing resources, libraries are helping to build the informed and connected communities that environmental progress requires. As environmental problems intensify, it’s worth examining how libraries contribute to environmental activism and why their role in this movement matters more than ever.
The Unique Role of Libraries
Public libraries occupy a distinctive place in communities around the world. According to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), in 2023, there were around 2.8 million libraries worldwide. Public libraries account for 410,000 of these locations. Notable public libraries include the New York Public Library in New York, the Bodleian Library in Oxford, UK, and the Boston Public Library in Massachusetts.
Libraries are community leaders and change agents, serving as nonpartisan spaces where neighbors can gather, where diverse perspectives can be shared, and where civic participation flourishes. Libraries defend intellectual freedom, provide access to materials and resources, and promote literacy.
PULL QUOTE: “Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities.” R. David Lankes, (Professor and Director of the School of Library & Information Science at the University of South Carolina)
Catalysts for Climate Action
Libraries are uniquely positioned to act as catalysts for climate action by fostering social cohesion, an important factor in effectively responding to climate change impacts. Through diverse programming — such as workshops that bring community members together, services that connect individuals with vital resources, and welcoming spaces that encourage interaction across social divides — libraries cultivate the collaboration and collective energy essential to turning climate action plans into reality. Their presence generates the trust, buy-in, and partnerships necessary to drive meaningful environmental change.
Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities.
R. David Lankes, (Professor and Director of the School of Library & Information Science at the University of South Carolina)
Catalysts for Climate Action
Libraries are uniquely positioned to act as catalysts for climate action by fostering social cohesion, an important factor in effectively responding to climate change impacts. Through diverse programming — such as workshops that bring community members together, services that connect individuals with vital resources, and welcoming spaces that encourage interaction across social divides — libraries cultivate the collaboration and collective energy essential to turning climate action plans into reality. Their presence generates the trust, buy-in, and partnerships necessary to drive meaningful environmental change.
The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.
Albert Einstein, (1879-1955. Theoretical physicist)
The American Library Association (ALA) recognizes the important role libraries play in promoting community awareness about resilience, climate change, and a sustainable future. In 2019, the ALA adopted sustainability as one of the core values of librarianship.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) supports libraries in designing institutions and communities through its certification program. Together with the American Library Association (ALA), SLI uses a “triple bottom line” framework to define sustainability as encompassing environmental soundness, social equity, and economic feasibility. The ALA and SLI have identified four characteristics of “sustainable libraries”: they embody their values through action; actively reduce their carbon footprint to mitigate climate change; foster civic engagement by bringing communities together; and build resilience to climate impacts within their communities.
Information Hubs Rooted in Truth
At their core, libraries serve as information hubs, defending the right to intellectual freedom — by making access information easy. The proliferation of false and misleading information online has become one of the biggest challenges of our time. The World Economic Forum identifies misinformation and disinformation as the biggest short-term global risk of 2024. According to the United Nations, libraries play an essential role in providing access to trusted, fact-based knowledge, information, and data.
You want weapons? We’re in a library. Books are the best weapon in the world. This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!
Russell T. Davies, (screenwriter and television producer, science fiction series Doctor Who)
Plus, libraries can make access to climate education that empower individuals to learn about environmental problems and solutions easier to find and navigate. Because librarians are information professionals, well positioned to combat misinformation and disinformation, they can empower people by teaching them the skills to analyze the credibility of online sources.
Our Libraries Are Green Role Models
By lending books and other materials, libraries reduce the need for individual ownership, minimizing consumption and waste. Communities with strong library systems exhibit lower rates of consumption, not just of books but of goods more broadly, and waste generation.
Many libraries have expanded beyond traditional book sharing models and leveraging their outdoor spaces to meet local food security goals through community gardens. For example, Northern Onodaga Public Library created “library farms,” Emmaus Public Library implemented edible landscaping, and Greenwich Free Library established a “Farm-2-Library” program. These initiatives foster connection to the land by promoting land stewardship and supporting local food systems.
Libraries can also implement green building design, renewable energy systems, and sustainable operations, demonstrating climate change mitigation technology. For example: the Hendrick Hudson Free Library boasts a solar array and battery storage, rain garden, and composting; the Chrisney Branch of the Lincoln Heritage Public Library was the first net-zero energy library in the nation; and the Concord Free Public Library created greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and prioritized indoor air quality and ecological restoration. Sustainable libraries can serve as “exemplars, educators, and enablers” to their communities.
When you absolutely positively have to know, ask a librarian.
American Library Association
Supporting Environmental Justice
Environmental issues do not affect all communities equally, and libraries are working to address these disparities. For example, the Detroit Public Library collaborated with local environmental justice organization Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice to raise awareness about the impact of environmental racism on local BIPOC residents.
Libraries can facilitate dialogue and collaboration, providing neutral spaces where diverse perspectives can be shared. This is especially important for ensuring that marginalized voices are heard in environmental decision-making processes.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative and American Library Association’s National Climate Action Strategy encourages libraries to advance climate justice through education and community partnerships that connect climate stewardship with human rights.
By connecting community members to reliable information, fostering community bonds, and ensuring equitable access to environmental information, libraries are helping to build the foundation for meaningful climate action. In doing so, they remind us that environmental activism looks different in every community, but always begins with knowledge, connection, and the belief that collective action can create change.
EARTHDAY.ORG’s environmental legacy is a testament to this — that environmental progress depends on informed, connected communities working together. Please consider donating to EARTHDAY.ORG to support our global advocacy and education efforts, protecting the planet and all who call it home.
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