Is it greener to borrow ebooks from your local library?

When Daniel Goleman and Gregory Norris published their life cycle analysis (LCA), comparing e-books and physical books (How Green Is My iPad?, NYT), they wrote that at "all in all, the most ecologically virtuous way to read a book starts by walking to your local library."

Now, how about staying and home and getting an e-book from your local public library?

I got thinking about it after hearing a report on NPR's Marketplace about libraries in Birmingham, Atlanta that offer users to check out e-books ('iPad and Kindle users can't borrow from e-book libraries'). This is a growing trend, and it seems that libraries find it an interesting channel that will keep them connected with readers in the digital age.

For readers it's very convenient (cheaper than buying e-books and "there are no late fees, no trip to the library, the book expires after the date.") and of course the big e-readers sellers don't like it too much (Library e-books don't work with two of the biggest e-readers - the Amazon Kindle and Apple's iPad) as it means less business for them.

But what about the environmental side of this option? I mean, leaving the e-book vs. physical book debate aside for a moment, is it "greener" to borrow a book from a library than buying it online? I'm not sure. I can't think actually of any reduction of your environmental impact if you choose to use e-library over buying online.

I mean, this sort of activity, can eventually change the way libraries operate and probably influence their current public functions (will we be able to afford and support big brick and mortar libraries if most of their activity will be online?), but I can't think of any advantage from an environmental perspective for borrowing e-book comparing to buying it.

I'll be happy to hear your thoughts about it!

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Promoting sustainable reading!

An update from Philly: A Judge is (temporarily) stopping the closure of 11 library branches

We reported two weeks ago on the fight to leave 11 branch libraries in Philadelphia open following the decision of Mayor Nutter to close them as part of a massive cost cutting effort of the city. Today we have an important update on this fight.

I firstly heard it on NPR and later on found it on the website of Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia (http://www.libraryfriends.info):

This just in from Chris Brennan from the Daily News at 1:15 p.m.: Court of Common Pleas Judge Idee Fox just ordered Mayor Nutter and the Free Library of Philadelphia to halt their plans to shutter 11 branch libraries after 5 p.m. tomorrow. A group of seven library patrons, along with the union that represents librarians, sued Nutter and the Free Library, saying that a 20-year-old ordinance prohibits the mayor from closing city buildings without approval by City Council. Three Council members — Bill Green, Jannie Blackwell and Jack Kelly — filed a similar lawsuit. In November, Nutter announced plans to shut 11 of the city’s 54 library branches as part of a massive cost cutting effort to shore up a $1 billion budget gap in the city budget over the next five years.

I also heard that Mayor Nutter wants to appeal on this ruling, so it looks likes we'll hear more updates from the court. In any case, it will be interesting to see if the Judge's ruling will make any difference or it's just going to delay the closing for some time and that's it. I definitely hope the time out given by the Judge will be used to find creative ways to keep these branches open!

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!

Help to stop the closing of 11 library branches in Philadelphia

I'm a strong supporter of public libraries, not to mention the fact that my mother is a librarian for almost three decades. Unfortunately libraries are also taking the hit of the economic slowdown, including in Philadelphia where 11 Library Branches are slated for closure at the end of the day on December 31st.

Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia, an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to support the Free Library of Philadelphia, is leading a struggle to keep these branches open. We would like to share with you an email with an update (including an important call for action) we received on this matter from fellow SBN member, Ruth Schanbacher. The email Ruth forwarded us was written by Amy Dougherty, Executive Director, Friends of the Free Library.

So here it is:

Dear Library Friends and Supporters:

Eleven Library Branches are slated for closure at the end of the day on December 31st. The city's financial crisis is of real concern. However, as reported on NBC News, the demand for library services and the number of library card holders are up 40%, reaching an all time high. The Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia and our affiliate Friends Groups believe that we should and can share in the sacrifice by reducing library operations equally throughout the entire 54 branch system through the current school year and not permanently shutter these 11 branches. We believe that this is a more equitable and viable option to solving this crisis and one that does not target low income households, children, students of all ages, the elderly, and job seekers in communities where unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy and those living on the wrong side of the digital divide are among the nation's highest.

My op-ed on the front page of the Currents Section in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer, Alternatives to Closings, and the endorsement by the editorial board on page C4, Schools and Libraries: Those Nagging Details, describe why we should not support such a hasty, behind closed doors decision. Instead, we want to do our part and are pleading for time to help the city to preserve our wonderful library system that is a true American story and belongs to all of us.
We ask you now to write to the Mayor and voice your opinion.

Mayor Michael Nutter
City Hall, Room 215
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215.686.2181
Fax: 215.686.2180
E-mail: mayor.nutter@phila.gov or send a message via the web: http://www.phila.gov/mayor/

I truly hope that these branches will stay open and urge everyone to get into the website of Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia (http://www.libraryfriends.info) for further information and updates.

Below you can find a video from the Friends of the Free Library Philadelphia's website on the rally that took place two weeks ago (Dec 6):




Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris
www.ecolibris.net

The economy is weak? public libraries provide a solution

When prices are rising and over all the American economy doesn't do that well, there's at least one institution that has more customers and its volume of operation is growing significantly: the public library.

NPR reported two weeks ago on this interesting phenomenon - more and more people are finding, either for the first time or back after many years of absence, the great advantage of libraries: access to books, newspapers, magazines and cultural activities for both adults and kids, and it's all for free.

According to the NPR story, librarians all over the country report that many people are checking out books rather than buying them. Libraries are also reporting on significant growth in the usage of many of their (free) services, such as computers, magazines, newspapers, etc.

From my own experience with the library in Newark, DE, I can't really say whether it's also true here or not - the library, which I go to in the last couple of years, always seems busy to me and the parking lot is full most of the times.

By the way, and this important point is also true here in Newark, a big advantage of many libraries is their accessibility. Many of the libraries are within a walking distance or next to a bus station and don't require a long and expensive travel with a car to get there.

My hope is that even when the economy will get back on its feet, people will keep going to libraries and find out that libraries have a great value on both difficult and easy times. There's an important place in our communities and cultural life for both bookstores and libraries and I hope both will thrive and provide us with access to these little treasures called books!

Yours,

Raz @ Eco-Libris

Plant a tree for every book you read!