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K-State Today

February 28, 2012

Librarians present at international sustainability conference

Submitted by Donna Ekart

Ellen Urton, associate professor and visual literacy librarian, and Stephanie Cold, instructor and undergraduate specialist, both of K-State Libraries' undergraduate and community services department,  presented "Embedded Librarianship: A Model for Promoting Sustainability on Campus" at the Eighth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability in Robson Square, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.

Urton and Cold's presentation outlined their involvement in sustainability efforts at Kansas State University as embedded librarians and provided suggestions for how members of a university community can partner with librarians to further sustainability initiatives. Embedded librarianship is a growing movement in the profession that encourages librarians to proactively collaborate with faculty and instructors to advance teaching and research goals as well as campus and community initiatives. In addition to a librarian’s traditional role of providing access to resources that support educational goals, librarians at K-State and elsewhere increasingly seek opportunities to step outside the library and become more visible partners in classrooms and other campus venues. Because their work by its very nature crosses a variety of disciplines, librarians are in a unique position on college and unversity campuses to support sustainability efforts as both advocates and partners.

Conference attendance was partially funded through a Faculty Development Award granted to Urton by the office of research and sponsored programs.