Using Library and Information technologies and Resources to Support Sustainability Projects

This is a case study about how libraries and librarians participate in sustainability research project, and use Library and Information technologies and Resources to Support the project. The Research Coordination Network for Climate, Energy, Environment and Engagement in Semiarid Regions (RCN CE3SAR) – is a NSF funded South Texas sustainability project. RCN CE3SAR’s goal is to develop an innovative model for conducting interdisciplinary, region-specific, sustainability research closely tied to the needs of highly-engaged local stakeholders. Texas Digital Library collaborated with Mary and Jeff Bell Library provides services to RCN CE3SAR project from the following aspects.

1. Building an innovative information platform to support the collaboration and outreach for RCN CE3SAR network institutions and members. The platform integrated serials of information technologies such as project web presence, project management system, digital repository, virtual communication system, conference management system, and wiki.

2. Supporting sustainability research by data management, bibliography, and information retrieval services.

3. Supporting sustainability education by developing a learning object repository to manage and provide open access to sustainability learning objects produced via the project.

4. Promoting sustainability practices. For example, providing technology support for using WebEx as an online conference tool for RCN CE3SAR meetings so that to reduce gas emissions from transportation; using “Save A Tree” as a slogan to encourage RCN CE3SAR institutions and members to save and recycle papers; and advertising campus sustainability innovations and practices.