An Introduction to the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries
Free and available exclusively to ALA members
Climate change is one of the grandest challenges facing our generation. The National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries was announced in 2024 by the American Library Association in partnership with the award-winning Sustainable Libraries Initiative in order to provide guidance and tools to help expedite climate action work in libraries. From working to reduce the impact library operations have on future climate change, to the pressing need for work to adapt in the face of the predicted impacts of climate change, to how to ensure climate action is done through a justice lens—the strategy helps library stakeholders better understand the context of decisions that will be made at your library in the coming years and how you can be a catalyst for positive change at your library and in your community. In addition to rolling out the strategy itself, a practical implementation guide with definitions, examples, and simple steps to get started was also released. This webinar will explain both the strategy and the implementation guide and help any library stakeholder identify a path forward on this important topic.
You may also like Getting Started with Climate Action Planning in Public Libraries, a webinar on April 30, 2025.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Explain the triple bottom line definition of sustainability, the newest core value of our profession;
- Identify the three core areas of the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries; and
- Identify their next steps locally towards climate action at their library in the context of the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries.
Who Should Attend
This webinar is intended for all public library stakeholders: directors, library workers, library trustees, and Friends Group members. Registration is free, but ALA membership is required.
Panelists
Rebekkah Smith Aldrich (she/her), MLS, LEED AP, is the executive director of the Mid-Hudson Library System in New York, co-founder of the award-winning Sustainable Libraries Initiative, and chair of the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries Working Group. For over twenty-five years, Rebekkah has worked with public libraries across the world to help them connect with their community needs to help create viable, vital, and vibrant library services that strengthen social cohesion, serve as a catalyst for civic participation, and ensure that our communities thrive into the future. Rebekkah is the principal author of the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program; the recently released National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries; handbooks for both library trustees and new library directors in New York State; and she’s also written three books on how libraries contribute to sustainable, resilient, and regenerative communities.
Important Registration Information
An ALA eLearning account is required to register for this free webinar. Don’t have an account? Create one for free by going to the “Log in” menu located at the top right corner of your screen. Although no membership is required to create the account, you must be an ALA member to register for this ALA member-exclusive webinar. If you encounter any issues registering for this event, then please email ce@ala.org for assistance.
Accommodations
This live webinar will be captioned in English (United States). Zoom desktop client or mobile app is required to access captions.
Attendees using screen readers are advised to turn off speech prior to joining the Zoom event because PLA webinars make extensive use of chat functionality. Attendees who find chat distracting may wish to disable it in the Zoom event, as PLA moderators will verbally highlight important topics raised in chat and chat transcripts will be provided post-webinar.
If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your participation in this webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) at least two weeks prior to the webinar. Without prior notification of need, we may not be able to provide appropriate accommodations for the live event.
Archived Recording
If you're unable to attend this live webinar, an archived recording will be available to all registrants typically within 1–3 business of the live event. Access to closed captions will be provided in the event recording.
Tech Requirements
This webinar will be presented using the Zoom platform. Please review Zoom technical requirements and support information, and test your connection.
Once you've joined the webinar, there are two ways to connect your audio: via computer or via telephone. No microphone is required. PLA works with its webinar platform provider to assure the highest quality audio is being delivered to attendees. However, variables over which PLA has no control—such as the speed of your Internet connection or traffic on your local network—can affect the end quality of the webinar audio delivered by your computer. Each webinar’s audio is also available by telephone via a toll number, so we recommend you have access to a long-distance enabled phone as a backup in case you experience audio issues with VoIP. If you do encounter any problems during the webinar, you will receive a link to its archived recording within a week of the live event and can review anything you missed.
Contact
This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).
PLA members make it possible for us to provide continuing education opportunities like this webinar at no cost. We thank our members for their continuous dedication to the advancement of the public library field and our association.
Questions about this webinar? Please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).
