25 Ready-to-Use Sustainable Living Programs for Libraries

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, library patrons of all ages are becoming ever more interested in sustainability and self-reliance topics. And libraries are enhancing their programming to embrace these timely concerns by organizing instructional workshops, forming gardening clubs, creating community gardens, building beekeeping exhibits, teaching patrons about reducing waste and sustainable food sources, and more. Drawing on real-world initiatives from public, school, and academic libraries across the country, this all-in-one guide walks you through how to plan, organize, and run sustainable living programs at your own library. Complete with a materials and equipment list, budget, and recommendations for age ranges and type of library, the programs youll learn about include Mason jar hydroponic gardening, straw bale gardening, growing vegetables outside in winter, and a variety of other gardening activities; sharing fixing skills and fostering sustainable culture through repair events; family-friendly programs such as how to make rolled beeswax candles and glycerin soap; upcycled jewelry for teens and adults; a hands-on canning workshop; making herbal tea blends; how to start a food waste collection, the basics of composting, raising chicks and chickens, and more homesteading programs; and coordinating gardening and sustainability programs with local experts.