Green Initiative and Environmental Sustainability in South South Nigerian Academic Libraries

Abstract

Green initiative is a global phenomenon and one of the UN 2030 sustainable development goals on environmental  sustainability. The green library is gradually being popularized because of the eco degradation that is ongoing  globally. This study explores the level of awareness of librarians, availability and strategies employed by libraries for  green initiatives. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design  method was used for the study. The population of the study is 102 librarians in South South federal University  libraries using census sampling technique. The instrument (GIESAL) questionnaire was used to elicit information  from the respondents. Data collected from the study were analyzed using weighted mean scores to determine the  respondents' level of agreement on a particular item for the research questions. The hypotheses were tested using the z  test at 0.05 significance level l. The findings revealed that the level of awareness of greening library among librarians  is low, insufficient fund, lack of initiative and absence of sustainable policies. In conclusion the green initiative for  environmental sustainability available in the libraries are sustainable sites, indoor environmental policy, innovation  in design, water efficiency, solar and wind energy, which enhances sustainability of library resources.. The study  recommended among others that there is a need to create more awareness for greening in libraries generally and  employ strategic methods and planning sessions to ensure sustainability