Home Library & Information Science, Book Studies 14. More Than Just a Green Building
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

14. More Than Just a Green Building

Developing Green Strategies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
  • Louise Jones and Winky Wong
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Going Green: Implementing Sustainable Strategies in Libraries Around the World
This chapter is in the book Going Green: Implementing Sustainable Strategies in Libraries Around the World

Abstract

The slogan “Go Green” has been embraced by a range of organisations including businesses and universities in recent decades. Within higher education, academic libraries are key service units in their parent institutions and have an important role to play in supporting their missions. We have seen many academic libraries striving to go green by designing a green library, whether a new build or renovation. However, there are very few academic libraries in the United States that are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. We argue that pursuing a green building may not be the strategic focus for many academic libraries; in taking a more holistic approach to sustainability through practical measures, academic libraries need to formulate and develop wider green strategies beyond a green building. Going green impacts not only our attitudes towards the environment but also changes the way academic libraries serve their users and the community. This paper discusses how the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Library formulates, develops and implements its green strategy as well as how the strategy has gradually reshaped its services. First we consider how the concept of sustainability has affected services provided by academic libraries, as well as why green strategies are a practical and feasible approach. We then use CUHK Library as a case study, siting the development of its green strategies in the context of the university’s approach to sustainability in the wider CUHK community and ultimately the library’s overall strategic plan. The third section describes how the library implements its green strategies in different areas, from the daily operation of library offices and services offered to users to the planning of a library extension and broader sustainability initiatives. Issues of evaluation are discussed and we conclude the paper with future plans.

Abstract

The slogan “Go Green” has been embraced by a range of organisations including businesses and universities in recent decades. Within higher education, academic libraries are key service units in their parent institutions and have an important role to play in supporting their missions. We have seen many academic libraries striving to go green by designing a green library, whether a new build or renovation. However, there are very few academic libraries in the United States that are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. We argue that pursuing a green building may not be the strategic focus for many academic libraries; in taking a more holistic approach to sustainability through practical measures, academic libraries need to formulate and develop wider green strategies beyond a green building. Going green impacts not only our attitudes towards the environment but also changes the way academic libraries serve their users and the community. This paper discusses how the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Library formulates, develops and implements its green strategy as well as how the strategy has gradually reshaped its services. First we consider how the concept of sustainability has affected services provided by academic libraries, as well as why green strategies are a practical and feasible approach. We then use CUHK Library as a case study, siting the development of its green strategies in the context of the university’s approach to sustainability in the wider CUHK community and ultimately the library’s overall strategic plan. The third section describes how the library implements its green strategies in different areas, from the daily operation of library offices and services offered to users to the planning of a library extension and broader sustainability initiatives. Issues of evaluation are discussed and we conclude the paper with future plans.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. About IFLA IX
  4. Preface 1
  5. Part 1: General
  6. 1. A Garden on the Roof Doesn’t Make a Library Green 5
  7. 2. Libraries Sow the Seed of a Sustainable Society 22
  8. 3. Contemplative Pedagogy 32
  9. 4. Public Libraries’ Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals 46
  10. 5. Environmental Responsibility in Brazilian Libraries 60
  11. Part 2: Public Libraries
  12. 6. The Green Corner at Vaggeryd Public Library 77
  13. 7. Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impact 86
  14. 8. The BookboXX 94
  15. 9. Garbage Hero 103
  16. 10. From a Green Library to a Sustainable Library 110
  17. 11. Urban Gardening, Foodsharing and Makerspaces 122
  18. 12. Green Library of the Neighbourhood 135
  19. 13. The Green Story of the Public Library Užice, Serbia 142
  20. Part 3: Academic Libraries
  21. 14. More Than Just a Green Building 155
  22. 15. The Awareness of Young African Students to Protection of the Environment 173
  23. 16. Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing a Sustainable Approach at Academic Libraries 181
  24. 17. Information Dissemination is Not Enough 197
  25. 18. Going Green to Embrace Aesthetic Reflections and Sustainable Library Buildings 210
  26. Appendix
  27. Abbreviations 229
  28. Contributors 232
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110608878-016

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. About IFLA IX
  4. Preface 1
  5. Part 1: General
  6. 1. A Garden on the Roof Doesn’t Make a Library Green 5
  7. 2. Libraries Sow the Seed of a Sustainable Society 22
  8. 3. Contemplative Pedagogy 32
  9. 4. Public Libraries’ Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals 46
  10. 5. Environmental Responsibility in Brazilian Libraries 60
  11. Part 2: Public Libraries
  12. 6. The Green Corner at Vaggeryd Public Library 77
  13. 7. Action to Combat Climate Change and its Impact 86
  14. 8. The BookboXX 94
  15. 9. Garbage Hero 103
  16. 10. From a Green Library to a Sustainable Library 110
  17. 11. Urban Gardening, Foodsharing and Makerspaces 122
  18. 12. Green Library of the Neighbourhood 135
  19. 13. The Green Story of the Public Library Užice, Serbia 142
  20. Part 3: Academic Libraries
  21. 14. More Than Just a Green Building 155
  22. 15. The Awareness of Young African Students to Protection of the Environment 173
  23. 16. Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing a Sustainable Approach at Academic Libraries 181
  24. 17. Information Dissemination is Not Enough 197
  25. 18. Going Green to Embrace Aesthetic Reflections and Sustainable Library Buildings 210
  26. Appendix
  27. Abbreviations 229
  28. Contributors 232
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 6.12.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110608878-016/html
Scroll to top button