Here are some of the ways our Library contributes to the University's environmental sustainability agenda...
Our Natural & Built Environment
- The Library overlooks one of the University's eight 'mini meadows' - which are specifically designed to support biodiversity - and is surrounded by trees including include beech, hornbeam and silver birch.
- A number of 'windcatchers’ on our roof allow large parts of the first floor to be ventilated naturally.
- Ceiling lights are motion-activated in most areas of the building.
- Much of the building has underfloor heating (over 2 miles of pipes!), which is more energy efficient than other forms of heating.
- Toilets in the building are flushed with rainwater, with mains water only being used when the rainwater tank runs dry.
Responsible Consumption & Recycling
- Recycling bins are located throughout the building and we take cardboard to a central recycling point on campus.
- We routinely send withdrawn books to a company based in our city who sell them on and give them a new life.
- We re-use parcel packaging, envelopes and all order cards supplied with new books from our main book supplier, and have a scrap paper tray by our photocopiers to encourage students to recycle unwanted paper.
- We use cardboard box lids to organise documents and paperwork.
- We operate a scheme whereby graduating students are encouraged to donate their old textbooks, which are given away to new students at the Freshers' Fayre.
Resources & Processes
- We routinely carry out repairs to extend the life of old or damaged library resources.
- We have stopped requiring that paperback books are supplied to us with plastic coverings.
- We make sure our library freebies (pencils, notebooks etc) are plastic free.
- The availability of online resources means we don't buy as many print resources as we used to.
- We have compiled a reading list on climate change and environmental issues.
- The vast majority of communication to library users is electronic (unless face-to-face), and library documentation and records are mostly maintained and stored electronically.
read more about the University's work in this area.
