Sustainability at Libraries Tasmania

Libraries are champions of sustainability, where it’s free for everyone to:

borrow shared resources
find information
connect with their community.

Libraries Tasmania is proud to be part of a global movement of ‘green libraries’. We’re working to reduce our impact on the environment and help Tasmanians learn more about sustainability.

We follow the Australian Library and Information Association’s Sustainable Development Goals for Australian libraries.

Our actions

Resource management

Libraries Tasmania is reducing our impact on the environment by:

managing waste, energy and transport in smarter ways.
trialling bio-based covering for books as an alternative to plastic.
making receipts optional when you borrow at the library.
using eco-friendly materials for the bags we sell and for our Little Explorers and baby book packs.

Community awareness

Libraries Tasmania is helping Tasmanians live more sustainably and build stronger communities by:

offering a wide range of books on the environment and sustainable living.
running events and partnering with others to promote climate education and green living – like plant swaps and free seed libraries.
celebrating events like Earth Day with displays and fun activities in our libraries.

Culture and collaboration

Libraries Tasmania is creating a culture of sustainability among our staff and volunteers by:

using Sustainable Purchasing Guidelines to choose better materials for our everyday operations.
supporting a staff-led Sustainability Community of Practice to share ideas and take action.
sharing unused furniture and materials with other parts of our organisation and local community groups.
aligning our efforts with the sustainability goals of the Department for Education, Children and Young People and the Tasmanian Government.