DELMAR — As part of an ongoing effort to seek sustainable solutions, Bethlehem Public Library is teaming up with students in the UAlbany G3: Going Green Globally initiative to identify green practices that also benefit the library’s bottom line.
The students, who are wrapping up their first year of the full-time MBA program at UAlbany, recently toured the library to get a preliminary sense of the space and the library’s sustainability goals. They will be returning the second week in May for an intensive look at ways to make green practices an economically viable part of the library’s future.
The G3 team will prepare white papers with research and global benchmarking of sustainability issues relevant to the library and follow up with a final presentation on May 17 outlining their findings, along with best practices suggestions resulting in an expected $50,000 to $100,000 in savings.
Bethlehem Library Director Geoffrey Kirkpatrick said he is looking forward to hearing the team’s sustainability recommendations.
“They are an enthusiastic group of highly motivated students,” said Kirkpatrick. “Bethlehem library is always seeking best practices to reduce our carbon footprint, but as a public entity, we have to mindful of the cost to taxpayers. Our G3 team is going to provide a fresh perspective on finding that balance. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.”
Last year, the New York State Library Association took part in a G3 evaluation, but Bethlehem Public Library’s participation marks the first time an individual public library has done so. Additional G3 clients this year include Adirondack Beverage, City of Saratoga Springs, Hilton Albany, Mazzone Hospitality, New York Power Authority, Palace Theatre and Proctors.
G3 student teams work with experienced executives and university faculty coaches. The program was developed in 2007 and received the UAlbany President’s Award for Exemplary Community Engagement in the spring of 2013.
Located in Delmar, Bethlehem Public Library serves a community of more than 26,000 in the Bethlehem Central School District. It provides access to the collections of all 29 libraries in the Upper Hudson Library System, as well as meeting room space, Internet access, technology and a variety of programs and services for all ages.
— Kristen Roberts