By Richard Fahlander — Correspondent
On your next visit to the Concord Free Public Library, along with a bestselling novel and a few DVDs, you can take home seeds of local plant life and an induction cooktop to try in your kitchen.
After years of work by the staff Green Team, the library has been designated the state’s first “Certified Sustainable Library” by the Sustainable Libraries Initiative. The international program provides resources and guidelines for libraries to shift toward a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future.
Concord joined the program in 2022 as a component of its five-year sustainability plan. It’s the twenty-second public library overall to complete the Sustainable Library Certification Program.
“The library has made sustainability a priority since 2020,” said Green Team Chair Reni Cunningham. “We saw the certification process as the perfect framework for our sustainability goals and as an opportunity to set an example here in Massachusetts.”
Library Director Emily Smith added, “We look at everything through the lens of sustainability — from the programs we offer to the products we purchase.”
Cultivating conservation
As part of the initiative, the Green Team has focused on daily practices — eliminating single-use plastics, reducing aerosol sprays, installing water filters to replace bottled water, purchasing paper with recycled content, and implementing recycling and composting within the library. Library officials hope to replace their aging minivan with an all-electric delivery van.
The team also initiated sustainability-oriented programs at the library to involve patrons in conservation. The library has hosted a community climate festival, a tree-planting seminar, milk jug greenhouse construction events, and the West Concord Bike Fest.
The Fowler Branch houses the Concord Seed Lending Library, where residents can pick up seeds from local plants and eventually return seeds from what they grow. And in the Main Library’s makerspace workshop, patrons can take classes to learn to patch clothes and make beeswax food wraps as an alternative to plastic.
Tools and tech trends
In addition to creating their own environmentally sound materials, patrons can borrow all sorts of tools and technologies, including an induction electric cooktop for those who want to try out the latest sustainable kitchen tech.
The library is also bringing sustainability beyond its stacks.
In its announcement, the Sustainable Libraries Certification Program highlighted Concord’s outdoor spaces as “a model for similar projects elsewhere,” citing library grounds with Wi-Fi-accessible seating areas for visitors to enjoy time in nature.
That includes a children’s garden of native plants, a pollinator garden at Fowler, and a demonstration garden for patrons to learn about sustainable lawn alternatives. In addition, these spaces are used for outdoor programming and serve as a center for community activities.
Behind the scenes, the Concord Free Public Library Corp. (which owns and maintains library buildings and grounds) is progressing toward reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.
Engineering sustainability
Sustainability was integral to the main library’s expansion and renovation, which was engineered to use 80 percent less energy per square foot than a baseline library project in the United States. The building systems are high efficiency and entirely electric.
“Creating a sustainability plan for the Library that aligns with the Town of Concord’s plan is a priority for the Corporation. The library staff has embraced it and exceeded our expectations,” said Corporation President Sherry Litwack.
The next engineering challenge is retrofitting systems into the nooks and crannies of an older, historic structure. Upgrading windows while retaining their traditional appearance poses a particular challenge.
Library officials might consider using geothermal heat pumps and a solar array. An implementation committee meets quarterly to track progress and a facilities manager has been hired to ensure systems are operating at peak efficiency.
Litwack said SLI’s recognition of the Green Team’s educational and community-building efforts will help garner support for such long-term investments — and that the Library will back that with financial support.
“The Library Corporation plans to provide significant funding for infrastructure to meet our sustainability goals,” she said.
