Santa Barbara Public Library receives state sustainability grant

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara Public Library has been selected by the California State Library to join 14 other local library systems in receiving the inaugural Sustainable California Libraries grants for 2024.

The state grants were issued for local library systems to focus on climate education, environment-focused civic engagement, water conservation, air quality improvement, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and supporting local climate action and resilience plans explains the California State Library.

Here at the Santa Barbara Public Library, the grant will be used for bilingual hands-on gardening programs, mending workshops, hosting educational lectures, expanding the Library of Things collection, and more detail the Santa Barbara Public Library.

“We are thrilled to receive this sustainability-focused grant and develop programs for all ages to learn about and gain hands-on experience with topics that complement sustainable lifestyles, such as gardening, native plants, repairing, and mending,” said Santa Barbara Public Library Director Jessica Cadiente.

The Library of Things is expected to expand to include household goods and tools, but you can tell the Library what you would like to see added to the collection of rentable items through this online survey.

In May, the Santa Barbara Public Library will complement these expanded sustainability programs with a Sustainability Monthly Challenge series where Library staff will highlight local resources, reading lists, as well as free, awareness-raising Library programs each month.