As President and Incoming President of BCLA, we are pleased to announce the BCLA Climate Action Statement: Essential Climate Justice Responsibilities in the Library Sector, approved by the BCLA Board at our December meeting.
This statement follows on BCLA’s Climate Emergency Declaration, and is a call to action created by members of the British Columbia Library Association and informed by workers from the BC library sector. It is intended as a statement of responsibility and guidance to understand the roles that libraries can play and the many ways we can contribute positively to climate action.
The BCLA Climate Action Statement represents an ongoing commitment from BCLA and will be reviewed every 3 years. We will also be developing and sharing more specific information, resources, and ideas to support climate action in the library sector.
The BCLA Board wishes to thank the BCLA Climate Action Committee and its Statement Working Group for their work in drafting the statement, and the thorough research and consultation that informed their process.
There are many external evidence-based assessments, plans, policies, declarations, legislation, and goals that can help inform climate action in libraries; the BCLA Climate Action Statement is intended to be compatible with any other framework, such as a municipal or institutional climate plan, that libraries may be using.
We invite libraries, library associations, and other LIS institutions to adopt the BCLA Climate Action Statement and adapt it to meet their situation, or create their own statement or policy.
BCLA believes libraries have an important role to play in responding to the climate emergency, and we are dedicated to supporting and collaborating with our members and the wider library sector in taking climate action.
With thanks,
Tracey Therrien, BCLA President 2023-2025, and Suzanne Rackover, BCLA Incoming President