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CHICAGO — The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ is pleased to announce a unique new learning opportunity offered in collaboration with the. Sustainable Librarianship: Core Competencies and Practices will provide library staff with access to expert instruction on the subject.

and the course begins on Feb. 13. The course is four weeks long.

In 2019, ¾«¶«´«Ã½Council added “sustainability” as a core value of the profession, adopting the triple bottom line definition of sustainability to ensure balanced decision-making that respects environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic feasibility. As community leaders and facilitators, libraries should be modeling sustainable practices among their staff and within their facilities.

In this special eCourse, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, president of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, will lead participants through the principles and practices of sustainable librarianship along with a group of expert speakers, lecturers and writers.

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (MLS, LEED AP) is the executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System (NY). She is the co-founder and current president of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). For more than twenty years, Aldrich has worked with public libraries across the globe to ensure library services are relevant and responsive so that our communities thrive. She is an active member of the ALA, most recently chairing the Nominating Committee and ALA’s new Council Committee on Sustainability; serving on the board of the Center for the Future of Libraries; and was a founding board member of their Sustainability Round Table.

Aldrich has been recognized by Library Journal as a Mover & Shaker and was presented with the New York Library Association's Outstanding Service to Libraries Award. Aldrich is an adjunct professor at the Palmer School of Library & Information Science at Long Island University, serves as Library Journal's Sustainability columnist, and has written or co-edited three books for ¾«¶«´«Ã½Editions: Sustainable Thinking; Resilience; and Libraries and Sustainability: Programs and Practices for Community Impact. Aldrich is a frequent national and international presenter and writer on the topic of leading libraries forward in smart, practical, and effective ways.

Questions or requests regarding accessibility may be directed to ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

¾«¶«´«Ã½ (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, ¾«¶«´«Ã½has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit .

ABOUT SUSTAINABLE LIBRARIES INITIATIVE

The Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) is a national volunteer-led organization empowering library leaders to advance environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible practices to intentionally address climate change and co-create thriving communities. To learn more: