Getting Started with Climate Action Planning in Public Libraries

***BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THIS ON-DEMAND WEBINAR PLEASE REVIEW IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW***

Climate action requires a focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions combined with increasing community resilience, all through a lens of climate justice. In this on-demand webinar, find out where your time and energy can be best spent in the face of the overwhelming nature of climate action. Learn from library practitioners who have been early adopters of climate action through the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program to help organize your own thinking on how to implement a climate action plan at your library that will have the biggest impact locally and globally.

Recorded live on April 30, 2025.

If you're an ALA member, you may also like An Introduction to the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries, a free webinar exclusively available to ALA members, on April 22, 2025.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain the difference among the terms climate change mitigation, climate adaptation, and climate justice;
• Translate current services and programs into a sustainability framework to better brand their library as a climate action leader; and
• Identify new programs, services, messaging, and potential partnerships to better position their library as a climate action leader.

Who Should Attend

This on-demand webinar is intended for all public library stakeholders: directors, library workers, and library trustees. 

Panelists

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MLS, LEED AP, is executive director of Mid-Hudson (NY) Library System, co-founder and president of Sustainable Libraries Initiative, and principal author of the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries. She is author of the books Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library’s Future in an Uncertain World and Resilience (both ALA Editions, 2018) and co-editor of Libraries and Sustainability: Programs and Practices for Community Impact (ALA Editions, 2021).

Margaret Woodruff is the director of the Charlotte Library in Charlotte, VT, a rural community of about 3,800 people located outside of Burlington. She has worked at the library since 2003 and served as its director since 2011. Since 2019, she has served as chair of the Vermont Library Association Government Relations Committee and, in 2022, she started the Vermont Sustainable Libraries Working Group. She currently serves on the Sustainable Libraries Initiative Advisory Board. During her tenure as director, the Charlotte Library completed a renovation project that resulted in a net-zero building as well as a model site for storm water mitigation. Margaret sees all work at the library, from improving technology facilities to planting pollinator gardens, as confirmation of the library’s commitment to Sustainable Library Certification and to creating a welcome and accessible environment for all.

Lisa Kropp is the director of the Lindenhurst (NY) Memorial Library, which was the third library in the country to achieve Sustainable Library Certification. She currently serves as secretary on the Sustainable Libraries Initiative Advisory Board, and was the coordinator of the Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT) for ALA. Lisa has co-authored chapters on sustainable practices in public libraries and is a frequent presenter on the topic. She is currently serving on ALA's Core Values Task Force on Sustainability, and is leading her library through its strategic plan that is aligned with the National Climate Action Strategy and the UN sustainable development goals. Lisa is also the immediate past-president of the New York Library Association.

Important Registration Information

Log into or create your ALA eLearning account

An ALA eLearning account is required to register. 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. No membership is required to create the account. If you encounter any issues registering for this webinar, then please email ce@ala.org for assistance.

Redeem your signup code to complete your registration

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Accommodations

This on-demand webinar is closed captioned in English (United States).

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.

Tech Requirements

To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.

Contact

This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

If you have questions or problems accessing a recording, send a message to plawebinars@ala.org or call 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).