Arts Council England has awarded £163,000 to CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, to launch the Green Libraries programme, which aims to help libraries address their environmental impact.

CILIP will be supported in delivering the programme by the British Library, public library membership organisation Libraries Connected and environmental charity Julie’s Bicycle. Developed in response to COP26 and the long-term climate commitments made by libraries and local authorities across England, the project aims to reduce the carbon footprint of library assets including physical and digital content, buildings and vehicles, enable libraries to help their users engage with environmental issues, and position libraries at the heart of local environmental programmes.

Starting in February, the programme will begin by exploring the different ways that libraries are already tackling environmental issues, and considering how these good practices can be shared more widely, as well as examining how approaches from other sectors could be used to help libraries achieve their environmental goals.

The programme will then share and build on this knowledge in various ways, including developing a Green Libraries Partnership hub where libraries can access information and support on environmental issues, establishing a £40,000 Green Libraries Grant Fund to support environmental activity in libraries, and commissioning research into environmental issues affecting libraries and their users.

CILIP will also publish an evaluation report, summarising the lessons learnt from the programme, and providing evidence-based recommendations to inform future policies in the area.

Sue Williamson, Director, Libraries at Arts Council England said “Libraries are at the heart of communities throughout the country, and we’re delighted to fund this programme which will help position them as hubs for the local action that will be vital in making England’s society and economy sustainable and fit for the future.”

Nick Poole, CEO of CILIP said “I am delighted that CILIP is leading on this exciting and important initiative to support libraries achieve their environmental goals, engage the public and take a lead role in our national response to the climate crisis. Sustainability is a major theme for CILIP over the next five years, and we are pleased to be working with partners such as the Arts Council England, Libraries Connected, Julie’s Bicycle and the British Library to establish this ambitious Green Libraries programme.”

The programme will help libraries respond to the Arts Council’s 10 year strategy, Let’s Create, which requires the organisations it funds to address the environmental impact of their work.

For more information please contact:
Nathan Dean, Communications Officer, Arts Council England
Tel: 0207 268 9648 / Email: Nathan.Dean@artscouncil.org.uk

Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. We have set out our strategic vision in Let’s Create that by 2030 we want England to be a country in which the creativity of each of us is valued and given the chance to flourish and where everyone of us has access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences. We invest public money from Government and The National Lottery to help support the sector and to deliver this vision.

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the Arts Council developed a £160 million Emergency Response Package, with nearly 90% coming from the National Lottery, for organisations and individuals needing support. We are also one of the bodies administering the Government’s unprecedented £1.96 billion Culture Recovery Funds.

CILIP
CILIP, the library and information association, is the leading voice for the information, knowledge management and library profession. Our goal is to put information and library skills and professional values at the heart of a democratic, equal and prosperous society. CILIP is a registered charity, no. 313014.

The British Library

We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.

We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we’re always open online, along with more and more of our digitised collection.

Libraries Connected is a membership organisation, representing heads of library services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We take a leading role in the development of public libraries through advocating for the power of libraries, sharing best practice and helping to shape the public library service now and in the future.

Julie’s Bicycle is a pioneering nonprofit organisation, mobilising the arts and culture to take action on the climate and ecological crisis. Founded by the music industry in 2007, JB now works across the arts and culture, in the UK and internationally, focusing on four themes: justice and fairness; decarbonisation; nature; and circularity and a regenerative economy.

Working alongside over 2,000 organisations, NGOs and governments worldwide, Julie’s Bicycle blends cultural and environmental expertise and delivers research, training, consultancy, policy development and international advocacy.

JB leads strategic responses from the arts and culture sector and develops resources, networks and unique methods to scale and accelerate the movement and transform the conversation. Clients and partners include: Arts Council England, Universal Music, Curzon Cinema Group, Festival Republic; National Theatre, V&A and Somerset House.