The IFLA Green Library Award was established in 2016 by Environmental Sustainability for Libraries (ENSULIB), a special interest group of IFLA. The award, generously sponsored by De Gruyter publishing, communicates libraries’ commitment to environmental sustainability. Moreover, the objective is  to create awareness of libraries’ social responsibility and leadership in environmental education.

In 2016, the top three submissions were:

  • 1st Place: El Pequeño Sol ecological library (The Little Sun Ecological Library), Germinalia A.C., San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, which was found to be “a project where sustainability was in the soul of the project from the first starting of the idea until to the new library.”
  • 2nd Place: City of Cockburn, Australia, which was characterized as an “excellent green building with sustainable projects.”
  • 3rd Place: La Tierra para quien la siembra (The Land is for those who sow), Columbia, which was found to be “good working for sustainability with the community!”

Please find the winning submissions on the ENSULIB website or on our Facebook page. 

The reviewing committee was impressed by the high quality of the submissions as well as the number of submission, 30 in all. Submission came from all around the world including Columbia, Germany, Australia, the USA, India, Ghana and Taiwan, to name a few. The reviewing committee also noted submissions were diverse, with green buildingsservices, information, programming and other aspects of sustainability represented.

ENSULIB also wishes to pay tribute to the following excellent submissions, listed here in alphabetical order:

  • Building sustainable communities, Public Library Kennemerwaard
    Alkmaar, Netherlands
  • Centro Cultural Pedro López
    Elías, Mexico
  • “Ernte Deine Stadt”- The Stadtbibliothek as trendsetter and location for learning and new experiences
    Stadtbibliothek Bad Oldesloe, Germany
  • Green Libraries that Host and Foster Local Digital Libraries
    Yarra Plenty Regional Library, Australia
  • A Green Library in New Taipei City
    Taipei
  • It’s time to give back, De La Salle Zobel School
    Philippines
  • Sustainable academic libraries: A campus partnership at Michigan State University
    United States of America