Community Sustainability Initiatives

We believe that active participation from our communities is essential for building a truly sustainable approach to academic librarianship. Our multifaceted approach to partnering for sustainability involves education, community engagement, and the dissemination of knowledge.

By hosting diverse events and workshops focusing on biodiversity, sustainable practices, and awareness, NUS Libraries actively contributes to sustainability efforts. These initiatives are crucial in fostering a culture of environmental consciousness and promoting research and understanding of ecological dynamics. Here's a look at some of our past sustainability-related events:

Leopard Cats in Singapore

This event highlights the efforts to educate the public about the conservation of leopard cats, the last remaining wild cats in Singapore. Organized by librarians Herman Felani and Gladys Toh, in collaboration with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM), it showcases the importance of biodiversity and conservation. Featuring experts like Marcus Chua, LKCNHM's mammalian curator, the event took a deep dive into the survival challenges faced by leopard cats as a result of increasing urbanisation. Beyond raising awareness, the event also encouraged active participation through interactive activities, helping participants develop a more profound understanding of biodiversity conservation.

Celebrate World Civet Day

Organised by librarians Herman Felani and Gladys Toh, in collaboration with NUS' Department of Biological Sciences and NUS ToddyCats, this event shined a spotlight on the common palm civet, an integral part of NUS' campus biodiversity. Featuring educators Xu Weiting and N. Sivasothi from the Department of Biological Sciences, the event emphasized the role of civets in urban ecosystems. The event integrated research insights with public education, fostering an appreciation for local wildlife. Activities like interactive games enhanced community engagement, promoting coexistence with wildlife and stewardship of natural resources.

The Heartland Market

This hands-on workshop helped support Singapore's journey towards sustainable agriculture. Librarians Patrick Pu and Jamila Osman used event to connect participants with urban farming practices such as growing microgreens. The event brought together local producers, regulators, and consumers to discuss sustainable agriculture, reflecting the library's role in facilitating crucial dialogues that support Singapore's "30 by 30" initiative. By encouraging participation in workshops and the farmers' market, NUS Libraries fostered a deeper understanding of local food systems and sustainable practices.

Are Plants Our Saviour?

This talk, led by Dr. Amy Choong, explores the evolution and importance of plant diversity on the NUS campus. By highlighting the dependency on plants and their potential in solving modern problems, the event underscores the vital role flora play in sustainability. NUS Libraries supported this initiative by providing resources and recommended readings, enhancing sustainability knowledge dissemination.

Collaborative Experiential Space

A partnership with NUS Graduate School, the Collaborative Experiential Space at NUS' Central Library is an initiative that looks at building personal sustainability. The space features seasonal exhibitions, programming and activities that take the NUS community through "4 seasons" of self-discovery and learning. Some examples of activities that have been held in this space include:

• An exhibition on the mind-gut axis, wellness, gratitude and the NUSGS Student Life and Wellbeing Framework
• Gratitude Trees, a community activity where students and staff can write notes of gratitude which are then hung and displayed on the eponymous Gratitude Trees
• Curated Lists and Book Displays on topics related to the mind-gut axis, gratitude and related topics

Environment Week 2016

GreenSprouts, the library's green action team (affectionately and colloquially known as the Taugeh team), kicked off the inaugural NUS Libraries Cares for the Environment Week on 6 June, through a series of activities:

• inviting staff to undertake an online pledge to perform sustainable actions. These include measures like reducing aircon usage at home, to using less water during mundane tasks as teeth brushing
• soliciting old spectacles from staff in a well-received spectacles donation drive
• developing a simple Green Policy that will become the basis of NUS Libraries continued commitment to environmentally-responsible activities
• hosting a mini exhibition of posters on environmental sustainability, held in partnership with NUS' Office of Environmental Sustainability
• inviting Mr Tan Yi Han, co-founder of PM.Haze, to deliver the illuminating "Stop the Haze" talk