Green design is an emerging trend, defining the library of the 21st century. Many view the library as having a unique role in the green building movement due to its altruistic mission, public and pedagogical nature, and the fact that new libraries are usually high profile, community driven projects.

1. ‘Green Libraries Initiatives
at International Level and
Prospects in India.’
Ms. Pranali Gedam
Librarian,
Veer Wajekar ASC College, Phunde, Uran, Dist-
Raigad, Navi Mumbai

2. INTRODUCTION
Green design is an emerging
trend, defining the library of
the 21st century. Many view
the library as having a unique
role in the green building
movement due to its altruistic
mission, public and
pedagogical nature, and the
fact that new libraries are
usually high profile,
community driven projects.
Figure No. 1

3. THE CONCEPT OF “GREEN LIBRARIES”
The “Green libraries”
are playing a unique
role in the green
building movement
due to its altruistic
mission, public and
pedagogical nature
known as Sustainable
Libraries. Such
libraries are building
all over the world
bringing these
projects into the main
stream.
Figure No. 2 National Library, Singapore
(Source:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_library accessed on 2/5/2009)

4. PLANET GREEN
It is the duty of every person to take the
simple step for making the planet Green,
to reduce the use of water and energy by
designing the Green Libraries. In addition
to control the pollution and to work for
the betterment of mankind
Figure No. 3
(Source: planetgreen.discovery.com/.../build-a-green-library-the-omni.htm
Last Accessed on 24/06/2009)

5. GREEN DESIGN & BUILDING
Green design is a foundation
of Green Library. Green
articuture makes the library
Green.
1. Site location
2. Water conservation
3. Energy efficiency
4. Materials
5. Indoor air quality
The main objective of building the Green Libraries
are
• Global surface temperature is probably rising.
• To control the polution, global warming.
• To play a important role in becoming the planet
green.
• To work for the betterment of mankind.
• It is great for the image of the library.
• To increase the awareness on the environmental
issue.
Figure No. 4
Figure No. 5 Both Picture from following site
(Source: http://greenhome.org/building/pros/how_b.html
Last Accessed on 22/06/09)

6. 1. SITE LOCATION
The picture described
before building can
start, a site must be
chosen. Site
Location must be
Ecologically Friendly.
Figure No. 6
(Source:
thegreenlibraryblog.blogspot.com
(Last Accessed on 2/5/2009)

7. 2. WATER RESOURCES
Water resources make
the atmosphere cool of
the library.
1. To capture rainwater runoff
to be used in irrigation.
2. A storm water management
system that incorporates
native plants and grasses.
Figure No. 7
Source: thegreenlibraryblog.blogspot.com
Accessed on 03/06/2009

8. 3. ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The pictures explained
when a room is empty
turn the lights off and
shut down the PC. The
Most important thing is
that reduce the use of
Energy Efficiency.
Figure No. 8 Birkbeck Public Library
(Source: www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/greenlibrary
Accessed on 23/06/2009)

9. 4. MATERIALS
The pictures discuss with
using quickly renewable
materials such as bamboo in
place of wood whenever
possible (as a material) using
Quickly renewable materials
in the Green Libraries Figure No.9 www.ideastore.co.uk/.../libraries_your_local_idea_store_
library_bethnal_green_library
view&id=242&Itemid=157
Accessed on 15/06/2009)
Figure No. 10
(Source: culture.tw/index.php?option=com_content&task=)

10. 5. INDOOR AIR QUALITY
The picture
shows about the
simplest form, a
window opened
to cool an
overheated room.
Figure No.11
(Source: www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/greenlibrary
Accessed on 23/06/2009)

11. VEGETATED GREEN ROOF
The pictures provided the
information on Features solar
heating, a vegetated green roof
and convection cooling. There
are different type’s vegeted
roofs.
Figure No. 12
Source:http://www.greenroofs
.org/boston/index.php?page=)
Figure No.13
Aerial shot of Cardiff's new central library
showing its Sedum grass roof

12. NATURAL DAYLIGHT
Figure No. 14 (Source: birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent
?...&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=6&MENU_ID=260
Last Accessed on 15/06/2009)
The picture explains the
Natural Day Light fall
in the library that
Conserve the energy.

13. ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABILITY
The picture shows that all
the atmosphere is full of
greenery and
environmentally
sustainability.
Figure No. 15 (Source: dallaslibrary.org/forest.htm
Last Accessed on 15/06/2009)

14. RECYCLING MATERIALS
This is recycling bins
used for glass bottles, plastic
bottles, cans, batteries, paper
and plastic for unwanted
materials.
Figure No. 16
(Source: www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/greenlibrary
Accessed on 23/06/2009)

15. RECYCLE ALL PAPER
It is recycle all paper (white
and colored), magazines,
newspapers and envelopes
in the small blue bins in
the Library. There are also
Several large blue
recycling bins for bottles
(plastic and glass)
throughout the Library.
Figure No. 17 (Source:
www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/greenlibrary
Accessed on 23/06/2009)

16. • Reduce the use of Water
Resources
• Ensure that drips from
taps or showers are
stopped.
Figure No. 18
(Source: www.bbk.ac.uk/lib/about/greenlibrary
Accessed on 23/06/2009)
REDUCE THE USE OF
WATER

17. ENVIRONMENT GREEN
The picture
discuss that
making the green
environment
around the
library.
Figure No. 19
(Source: thegreenlibraryblog.blogspot.com
Last Accessed on 16/06/09)

18. SUSTAINABLE LIBRARIES
As Designing of
Sustainable Libraries,
Consider the three
things-
1. Economy,
2. Ecology
3. Equity
Figure No. 20
(Source:prairielibrarian.wordpress.com/green-libraries/
(Last Accessed on 15/06/2009)

19. Figure No. 21
(Sourcehttp://connect.ala.org/node/7171)
(Source: www.sla.org/content/SLA/pressroom/pressrelease/08pr/pr2801.cfm)
ALA (American Library Association) and SLA (Special Library
Association) are such leading organizations
working for environmental sustainability
GOING GREEN

20. LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
LEED is a rating system for
Green Libraries categorized is
developed by United States
Green Building Council
(USGBC). Their point based
rating has a total of 69 Points
possible, and buildings can be
categorized as certified (26
points). Figure No. 22
(Source: http://www.green.ca.gov/GreenBuildings/leed.htm
Accessed on 25/06/2009)

21. GREEN LIBRARIES INITIATIVES AT
NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
The picture shows many
Libraries in the world are
Going Green.
Figure No. 23
(Source: library20.ning.com/photo/dnl-tech-assistant-go-green?...
Last Accessed on 20/06/09)

22. GREEN LIBRARIES INITIATIVES AT
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
It seems that the Green
Libraries are building mostly
at International level as
America , Canada ,
Atlanta, England etc.
Figure No. 24 Santa Monica Public Library

23. Green Libraries Initiatives at International Level
Sr.
No.
Name of the Libraries Project
Started
Country
Belong
LEED
Certific
ation
Projects Ongoing
1 Ballard Branch Seattle
Public Library Seattle WA
Top Ten
Green
Projects for
the 2006
America
(Washing
ton)
Green Roof, Seven skylights , restrooms
feature waterless urinals, Recycled carpet,
glass, and ceiling tiles were used
2 Blair Library Fayetteville
Public Library Fayetteville,
AR.
Estd.
Oct. 2004 &
completed
in 2006
America LEED
Silver
NC
Rainwater for irrigation, a white membrane
roof, cork flooring, recycled content
furnishings, waterless urinals low VOC
finishes and fabrics etc
3 Bozeman Public Library
Bozeman MT.
America LEED
Silver
Natural daylighting, green materials,
photovoltaic system, waterless urinals,
landscaping requiring low irrigation
4 Broward Community
College/South regional
Library Pembroke Pines, F
Opened
February 1,
2007
America Leed
certifie
d
Bookshelves and furnishings made from
sustainably harvested wood, carpet made
5 Budlong Woods Branch
Chicago Public Library
Chicago, IL.
America Receiv
ed
LEED
Photovotaic system wall and roof insulation,
lighting controls, and windows
6 Central Library Seattle
Public Library Seattle, WA.
America LEED
Silver
Uses automatic lighting, Construction waste
was recycled, Planting trees, Rainwater
7 Candler Library Emory
University. Atlanta, GA.
America LEED
Silver
60% recycled materials and 43% of raw
building materials low flow water etc.
8 Eden Prairie Library Eden
Prairie, MN
America To use a natural gas fuel cell , the reuse of an
existing building
9 Jay Johnson Public Library
Quinter, KS.
America A wheat board front desk and office fixtures,
A 3kw photovoltaic system , Windows
10 Lake View Terrace Library
Lake View Terrace, CA.
Started 2004 America Platinu
m
LEED
landfills to local recycling facilities.

24. Sr.
No
.
Name of the Libraries Project
Started
Country
Belong
LEED
Certificati
on
Projects Ongoing
11 Malletts Creek Branch, Ann
Arbor District Library Ann
Arbor, MI.
Stated 2004 America Features solar heating, a vegetated green
roof and convection cooling.
12 Minneapolis Central Library
Minneapolis, MN
America Features energy-efficient design, , and a
storm water management system
13 North Adams Public
Library North Adams, MA.
Started 2007 America Two geothermal wells for heating a cooling.
14 Oaklyn Branch Library
Evansville Vanderburgh
Public Library Evansville,
IN
Started 2003 America 1. Green roof.
2. The soil from the hill, and the runoff
water from the roof drain into a rain garden.
15 Ossining Public Library
Ossining, NY.
America Pursuing
LEED
1.Uses geothermal energy, Sunlight used
2.Used native plants in landscaping that are
drought and pest-resistant.
16 Pittsfield Branch Ann Arbor
District Library Ann Arbor,
MI.
America Recycled material in the roof, walls, window
frames, carpet, and insulation.
17 Portsmouth Public Library
Portsmouth, NH.
Started 2007 America Heating, cooling and ventilation system
Natural lighting features to save electricity.
recycled content and low emitting fumes
18 Rosemary Garfoot Public
Library Cross Plains, WI.
Opened in
2006
America LEED
Silver
Natural daylight, recycled materials.
19 Seattle Central Library Opened in
May 2004
Washingt
on
Rainwater runoff, used to irrigate the
landscape. triple glazed glass
20 National Library, Singapore Opened in
July 2005
Singapor
e
Light shelves, to dim or brighten the lights,
and raise and lower the shades
21 Public Library of Charlotte
and Mecklenburg County
2005 America LEED
Silver
Concrete, wood, drywall, metal, and paper
were all sorted onsite and recycled locally.

25. Sr.
No
.
Name of the Libraries Project
Started
Country
Belong
LEED
Certificati
on
Projects Ongoing
22 Santa Monica Public
Library Santa Monica, CA.
America LEED
Gold
2006
Underground parking, solar electric panels, and a
storm water management system , building
materials recycled content,
23 Utah Valley State College
Library Orem, UT
Opened July
2008
America high-performance glass; motion sensors and
panels that block light in the summer
24 West Valley Branch
Library San José Public
Library System. San
José, CA
America Received
LEED
By using a drought-tolerant landscape, recycled
products, such as soda bottles. It also uses natural
day lighting
25 The Oldham County
Public Main Library
LaGrange, Ky.
Started 2008 America LEED
silver
Green elements, a storm management and
rainwater system for toilets and irrigation,
26 Ritter Public Library
Vermilion, Ohio
Expect to
Completed
in 2010
America Gold
LEED
low-emitting and recycled-content materials,
Rainwater management systems include a green
roof, a bioswale, open-grid pavement
27 Canmore Public Library
Canmore, Alberta
Moved to
1996
Canada "HUB of Sustainability," , coal-fired electricity
28 Crowfoot Branch Calgary
Public Library Calgary,
Alberta
Canada Natural and daylight harvesting, exterior
sunshades, and a white 'Energy Star' compliant
roof to, To reduce the use of water
29 City of North Vancouver
Public Library
Canada Striving
for LEED
Gold
Sunshades span, 3 sets of solar hot water panels
installed on the roof of the monitor,
30 Collingwood Public
Library (Ontario)
Canada Striving
for LEED
Silver
Environmentally friendlyDesign, LEED Silver
Certification, Natural light, Green roof
33-38 Silver points
31 Coquitlam Public Library
Poirior Branch (British
Columbia)
Canada Following
LEED
environmental sustainability, such as water and
waste-water systems, public transit and
environmental energy improvements.

26. Sr.
No.
Name of the Libraries Project
Started
Countr
y
Belon
g
LEED
Certifica
tion
Projects Ongoing
32 Edmonton Public Library Lois
Hole Branch (Alberta)
Canada LEED
Gold
A storm water retention pond, 50% roof is
sloped, Allowing the light to penetrate deeper
33 Langara College Library
(British Columbia)
Canada Striving
for LEED
Gold
Significant energy savings was derived from
tempering supply air by using an earth-
tempered system combined with an earth-
source energy heat-pump.
34 Regent College Library (British
Columbia)
March 6,
2007
Canada Striving
for LEED
Gold
1.This project took the Net-Zero design
approach originally intending to use solar
panels to produce hot water
35 Selkirk-St. Andrews-St.
Clements regional library
(Manitoba)
2006 Canada funding
approval
to
establish
a LEED-
certified
library
Eligible projects include construction
/improvements to recreation and wellness
facilities such as libraries, recreation centres,
community halls, parks, arenas and pools.
36 Semiahmoo Library and RCMP
Facility
Canada LEED
Silver
Comfortable seating for relaxing and reading
37 University of Toronto Hazel
McCallion Academic Learning
Centre (HMALC) (Ontario) -
January
2005
Registered
to LEED
Canada Seeking
Silver
LEED
The HMALC was actually designed by our
architects, Shore Tilbe Irwin & Partners, using
the USGBC (US Green Building Council) LEED
requirements
38 Vancouver Public Library
Green Roof Monitoring Project
(British Columbia)
1995 Canada Striving
for
LEED
Gold
Green Roof and vegetation
39 Waterloo Public Library
(Ontario)
Canada Striving
for LEED
Silver
Strong commitment to sustainability and
environmental best practices

27. Sr.
No.
Name of the
Libraries
Project
Started
Country
Belong
LEED
Certifica
tion
Projects Ongoing
40 Emory University Atalanta LEED
Certified
1. built the Chandler Library, it used 60 percent
recycled building materials
41 The Massachusetts
Institute of
Technology's
Hayden Library
Cambridg
e
relies on rooftop solar panels to generate 15,000
kilowatt-hours of electricity annually
42 Ann Arbor District
Library
Environmental sustainable library the help of recycling
and greening.
43 Birkbeck Library England remove up to 87% of indoor pollution with the help of
recycling and greening , cotton bags, turning off the
computers
44 Marston Green
Library
2005 England Have a IT Lab
45 Bethnal Green
Library
2008 England Wide range of fiction and non-fiction books Small
reference and information collection
46 Morgan Green
Library
Sustainable electronic services such as Electronic
Reserve and Local Document Delivery.
47 Taipei's green
libraries
2006 Japan LEED The aim of Green Library to minimize harm to the
environment through the use of recycled or renewable
materials,
48 Public Library of
Charlotte and
Mecklenburg County
2006 silver
level
Green libraries aim to use of recycled or renewable
materials
49 Children's Museum
of Pittsburgh
2004 silver
LEED
sustainable techniques and guiding principles thereby
earning silver LEED-
The above table shows that there are number of Green Libraries initiatives at International level, especially
America and Canada are leading countries. Apart from these, other should have participated in the
environmental movement. This is need to aware among the countries

28. PROSPECTS FOR GREEN
LIBRARIES IN INDIA
The awareness among libraries
in India about the Green
Libraries are least. Hence,
there is a need of building
the Green Libraries more and
more. A very few Green Libraries
in India are going Green.
Figure No. 25 Green Library is Being Built in Himalayas
www.bizaims.com/.../green+library+being+built+himalayas

29. Sr.
No.
Name of the
Libraries
Projec
t
Starte
d
Country
Belong
LEED
Certification
Projects Ongoing
1 Perma Karpo
Library, located in
Ladahk in Indian
Himalayas.
Finish
in
2010
India Ventilated Trombe Walls, wool
insulation, a roof made of mud
and timber paneling.
2 National Library of
India
India
(Situtated
Kolkata
Trees whisper, the road gets
strewn with green and yellow
leaves.
Prospects for Green Libraries in India
The table shows about the least number of Green
libraries initiatives in India need much more awareness in common people.

30. GREEN LIBRARIAN
1. Ecolibrarian handles the budgets
in supporting the institutions
2. Good humor
3. The three most important Economy,
Ecology and equity things for
making health and prosperous
sustainable libraries
Figure No. 26
(Source: http://ecolibrarian.org/ Last Accessed on
06/06/09)

31. OFFERING GREEN LIBRARY SERVICES
WITH THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
• Internet Services,
• OPAC Services,
• Information Services
• Databases services
• Circulation Services.
Figure No. 27
(Source: http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk/uploaded/forweb/
43f069d485989.jpg Last Accessed on 10/06/09)

32. CONCLUSION
The fact that humans are having a negative impact on
the environment is no longer seriously questioned. This
is our responsibility to do plantation for gobal climate
change. Libraries are an investment in the future of our
society. Libraries have a responsibility to not contribute
to the destruction of the environment, to educate the
people regarding our current situation, and empower
them to make a difference. Libraries are discovering that
their green building gives them a great opportunity to
educate the citizenry. As libraries continue to take a
more progressive stance on improving the human
condition, sustainability will have to be a central theme.
The developed countries like America proceeds such
Green library projects and in other countries also take
part in it. There are very lack of awareness in India and a
very few projects are initiated in India.