The IFLA Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Section announced the 6th IFLA Green Library Award results on August 19th, 2021. Oulu City Library was announced the winner of the category "Green Library Project" with the project Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness. Any type of green library or any outstanding green library project, initiative or idea was invited to apply for the IFLA Green Library Award.
In 2019–2020, the Oulu City Library implemented the Responsible Library as Promoter of Environmental Awareness project. The libraries of Ii and Kuusamo municipalities were partners of the Oulu City library in the project. The objectives of the project were:
• promoting environmental awareness among customers and library staff
• reducing the environmental impact of library operations
• drawing up an action plan for sustainable development.
During the project, environmental communication for both the library users and staff was significantly increased. All available channels and means were used as means of communication, from social media updates and newsletters to trainings, events, environmental book exhibitions and reading tips.
Jouni Pääkkölä, Director of Libraries at the Oulu City Library, commented the following: “It’s brilliant that through this project, we were able to show how we do environmental work both locally and nationally in Finland. We are proud to carry the title of a Green Library and share the ideology of a Sustainable Library to other libraries.”
You can find the original press release and more information about Oulu City Library's award winning project on the project website.
And you can find the full award results and more information about the Green Library Award on IFLA’s Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Section’s website.