IFLA's Green Library Award was established in 2016 and is sponsored by De Gruyter publishing.
The winner of the 2020 Award is the Rangsit University Library in Thailand
Rangsit University Library is a private institution but also accessible to locals. It reaches out to local schools and a prison as well as teachers and students. In terms of educating the community, this library holds activities to enhance a leadership role for environmentally sustainable management. They have committed themselves to sustainability goals as a managerial framework, and this shows in their professional, systematic and well-documented approach. Sustainability permeates nearly all of their infrastructure, operations and educational goals in an exceptional way. The library monitors its energy, paper and water usage as well as other activities, thus making it possible to evaluate how well the goals are being met.
The five runners up are:
Hangzhou Public Library, China
The library uses innovative green solutions for lighting, heating, furniture, recycling and growing plants on is premises. Its staff is dedicated to educating Hangzhou’s public about local environmental challenges that are also globally significant.
Sibenik Public Library, Croatia
The library runs programmes that enhance mental and physical well-being including educational programmes focusing on healthy lifestyles.
Ezüsthegy Library, Budapest, Hungary
The library has created an teaching garden and a seed exchange serving a broad and varied audience, with an emphasis on community building, healthy lifestyle and cultural activities.
Lambaye Learning Centre, Senegal
Green thinking permeates all aspects of this library’s physical infrastructure, including rainwater collection, a waste disposal system and solar panels. Its social mission to educate the community with gardening, health and environmental knowledge, empowering rural women from nearby villages.
National Environmental Information Centre , Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
The Centre co-ordinates and organises the use of knowledge for environmental and sustainability goals and includes a wide variety of activities and community outreach.
Source: IFLA