Growing our Vision Together: A Sustainability Community within the American Library Association

Abstract

A rich and colorful tapestry of innovative library practices, services, and engagement emerged in response to the economic, social and environmental dynamics of the 21st century, not least of which the explosion of technology, economic crises, and a growing environmental imperative driven by climate instability. In a world struggling for sustainability, libraries continue to critically evolve in order to celebrate their communities' successes and support them through hardships. Library associations bring together professionals to co-create solutions, share expertise, and bolster resilience through learning and community building. This poster reports on the formation of the American Library Association (ALA) Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT) in 2013, the result of an urgent call to action for a unified effort to address the new millennium's environmental, economic and social sustainability challenges within the library profession in the United States and Canada. This poster identifies the technologies, processes, roles and other factors that led to the founding of SustainRT, as well as providing a vision for the future based on its participatory and inclusive structure. This story offers a practical model, including tools and strategies, for others seeking to engage in dialog and collaboration within the library profession.