Community Building for Resilience

CMU Libraries is working toward becoming a Certified Sustainable Library through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative. Our goal is to become more environmentally sound and socially equitable using economically feasible solutions. When combined, practices that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible are known as the triple bottom line. 

 To create a foundation for improving our triple bottom line, one of our first tasks is to increase community and collaboration. Strong communities are often more resilient after disasters or emergencies. In Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, Eric Klinenberg found that in neighborhoods that were more connected socially, significantly fewer people died. Neighbors knew to check on each other and worked to keep each other safe. 

 Libraries are natural community builders, and we have dozens of ongoing projects and activities that foster community. For example, we have partnered with Interior Design and Communication classes as a client. Students gain real-world experience, and the library gains the insights of our students in designing and promoting our spaces. 

 As we build upon our strong foundation, we welcome additional ideas for collaborations that are aligned with the libraries’ mission, vision, and values. In Spring of 2025, we met with Central Sustainability for a very productive brainstorming session. Central Sustainability is a student-led office here at CMU that works toward a more sustainable campus. 

 To learn more about sustainability topics across all disciplines, visit our curated resource list.