A Commitment to the Triple Bottom Line
In 2025, the Gates Public Library enrolled in the Sustainable Libraries Initiative’s Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP) to increase the library’s commitment to the “Triple Bottom Line” of environmental stewardship, economic feasibility, and social equity. This webpage will document our progress as we work through the certification process.
- Frequently Asked Questions about the SLCP
- Have questions or feedback? Fill out our Contact Form
Certification Progress
Winter-Spring 2026 — Activities include:
- Installing bottle fill stations on the drinking fountains and installing metered water faucets in the restrooms.
- Collecting energy, fuel, mileage and water usage data for the past two years.
- Creating a communication strategy to report on sustainability initiatives to the staff, board, and public.
- Completing continuing education on sustainability topics, including presentations at the March staff workshop.
Summer-Fall 2025 — Activities included:
- Presentations to the library board and staff.
- Creating Sustainability, Purchasing, and Programming policies.
- Staff completing a detailed sustainability survey.
- Submitting energy and waste audits. The energy audit, which was completed several years ago before the library enrolled in SLCP, suggested retrofitting the library’s fluorescent fixtures with LED lighting; this was done in 2024.
- Adding signage to recycling totes and cans to make it easier for patrons and staff to recycle eligible items.
June 2025: The Library enrolls in the SLCP and forms a Sustainability Committee of 8 library staff, which eventually enlarges to 12 because certification is an ambitious project!