For Immediate Release
September 29, 2022
Brentwood Public Library is Certified Sustainable
Sustainable Libraries Initiative recognizes the Brentwood Public Library as a leader in sustainability.
New York – September 29, 2022 – Brentwood Public Library in Brentwood, New York has been certified as a "Sustainable Library" through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative's award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program. This innovative program guides libraries through a step-by-step process to infuse Triple Bottom Line sustainable decision making into their library's policies and practices. Brentwood Public Library is the thirteenth library to earn this designation and the eighth in the Suffolk Cooperative Library System (SCLS). Kevin Verbesey, SCLS Director, reflected on the leadership in sustainability shown through the work of Brentwood and SCLS member libraries,
"It is heartening to see the strong commitment to the tenets of sustainability that is being made by Suffolk County's public libraries. Congratulations to the Brentwood Public Library on their Sustainable Libraries Initiative certification. The Library's commitment to environmentally sound practices and community engagement is something that we can all admire and learn from."
Their impressive 450-panel solar array has already produced over 800 Megawatts of electricity. Their community can observe the power output through their website's Green Library page, where their environmental sustainability efforts are broadcast to their community. They found energy, material, and cost savings by consolidating and reducing the number of printers in their building. They also created study rooms using floor-to-ceiling glass panels that allow natural light to brighten the space while allowing for quiet working areas that can be easily monitored by library staff. In addition to meeting the environmental standards for Green Business Partnership Certification in 2019 they have also focused on social equity and financial sustainability to achieve a balanced and thoughtful foundation for sustainable decision making in their library. Library Director, Thomas Tarantowicz, states:
"Sustainability is an essential and conscious decision when doing business today. As a public library, through staff and community interaction we have developed new ways to explore sustainability. As we look to the future, we will continue to implement sustainability in the workplace. As we develop library programming for the community and plan future building and property renovation projects, we will incorporate environmental sensitivity into our design."
They have shown their community that they are dedicated to establishing and maintaining partnerships that will allow the library to provide expanded services. These partnerships and the continual dialogue and outreach that they provide give the library a broad view with which to quickly identify any emerging needs. They regularly host coordinators for the Nassau Suffolk Law Services, an organization that provides limited legal help. Responding to the need for English Language skills, they established a Learning Center where individual and small group lesson are offered. This allows learning plans to be tailored to each student's goals and offers flexible scheduling. Their volunteer tutors allow them to fill a gap left by the limited hours that classes are held in local school-based English language classes.
International Impact
Brentwood Public Library is among the first libraries to participate in the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program, the first of its kind in the world. This benchmarking program was developed to assist libraries of all kinds - public, academic, and individual school librarians - to create opportunities to make better choices on behalf of the local and global community. The program has been recognized by the International Federation of Library Associations at their 2019 World Congress in Athens, Greece, becoming the first program in the United States to be honored through their "Green Libraries" Award.
Comprehensive Approach
With categories of actions focusing on each of the three pillars of triple bottom line sustainability such as Energy, Indoor Spaces, Social Cohesion, and Resilience Planning, this comprehensive process leads a library toward institutional change that shifts the rationale for every decision to consider the local and global impacts. Through this program, libraries work with their communities to listen and learn, allowing local needs to be identified and addressed. Strengthening the relationship between the library and the community they serve builds resilience through stronger connections with many organizations and increased access to information. The path to certification through the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program is flexible for libraries of different types, sizes, and budgets and guided by the communities they serve. Each library that completes the program will select the benchmarks that best fit the needs of their library and community, resulting in a uniquely sustainable organization.
The Sustainable Libraries Initiative is expanding to enroll libraries throughout the United States, with nearly seventy public libraries currently enrolled in the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program. For more information, see the Sustainable Libraries Initiative website, Congratulations, Brentwood Public Library! page or contact: sliadmin@suffolknet.org.
For more information, please contact:
Annemarie Gordon, Sustainability Coordinator
Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Suffolk Cooperative Library System
631-286-1600 x1355
sliadmin@suffolknet.org
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Annemarie Gordon
Sustainability Coodinator
Suffolk Cooperative Library Sytem
She/Her/Hers
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