Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Our Commitment to Sustainability
At Clinton Public Library (CPL), we believe that libraries play an important role in creating a healthy, resilient, and sustainable community. Sustainability guides our decisions, services, programs, and partnerships as we work to meet the needs of today’s residents while helping ensure future generations have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
We embrace sustainability through three interconnected pillars: environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic resilience. By reducing waste, encouraging lifelong learning, supporting community well-being, and making responsible use of public resources, we strive to be a leader in creating a more sustainable Clinton.
The Clinton Public Library Board of Trustees, Administration, and staff recognize the important role libraries play in community conversations about resiliency and a sustainable future. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and promoting environmental stewardship across all levels of the organization. Our goal is to minimize our impact while maximizing future generations’ ability to live, work, and thrive in a healthy shared environment with equitable access to clean air, clean water, and natural resources.
To guide this work, the library embraces the triple bottom line approach to sustainability: practices must be environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable. These principles help ensure that our decisions support long-term resilience, responsible stewardship of public resources, and a thriving community for generations to come.
How We Put Sustainability into Practice
Clinton Public Library demonstrates its commitment to sustainability through responsible facility operations, educational programs, and community partnerships. We work to reduce waste, use resources efficiently, and expand access to digital services while providing opportunities for lifelong learning and environmental awareness.
Our programs encourage creativity, reuse, repair, and hands-on learning through makerspace activities, STEM education, literacy initiatives, and skill-building workshops. We also collaborate with local schools, organizations, businesses, and community groups to strengthen community connections and support a more resilient future.
The library promotes social and economic sustainability by providing free access to information, technology, educational resources, and welcoming spaces where all community members can learn, connect, and thrive.
Sustainability in Action
Examples of sustainability-focused programs and initiatives include:
- Boomerang Bags – Community-created reusable bags made from repurposed materials that can be borrowed by patrons in place of single-use plastic bags.
- Make, Mend, Repair – Workshops that teach practical repair skills, helping extend the life of clothing, textiles, and household items.
- Fiber Friends Craft Club – A weekly gathering that promotes creativity, skill-sharing, and the continued use of fiber arts traditions.
- Puzzle Exchange – Encourages reuse by allowing community members to exchange gently used jigsaw puzzles.
- Halloween Costume Swap – Gives costumes and accessories a second life while reducing waste and saving families money.
- FrankenPlush – A teen makerspace activity that repurposes donated and thrifted stuffed animals into new creations.
- Emergency Preparedness Programs – Educational presentations that help individuals and families build resilience and prepare for emergencies.
- Sustainability Club – Hands-on opportunities for community members to participate in sustainability projects, including creating reusable Boomerang Bags.
- Waste Audits and Operational Improvements – Library staff regularly evaluate waste streams and recycling practices to identify opportunities for improvement and reduce environmental impact.
Visit our Programs & Events page to view all our upcoming activities. Sustainable programs will typically be marked as "Sustainability Club" or "Sustainable Libraries Initiative", or include the "Living Well with CPL" logo in their promotional material.
BOOMERANG BAGS ARE LAUNCHING SOON!
In our ongoing commitment to sustainability, we’re saying goodbye to single-use plastic bags and hello to reusable options made from post-consumer materials. These eco-friendly bags are designed to reduce waste and support a cleaner environment for our community.
We’re also proud to join the Boomerang Bags movement—a global initiative that encourages communities to create reusable bags from recycled fabrics. By participating, we’re helping to keep textiles out of landfills and promoting a culture of reuse.
Next time you visit, consider bringing your own bag or check out one of our reusable options. Together, we can make a big difference—one bag at a time!
Our First Waste Audit!
Selena, Liz, Kate, Jeanne, Rachel, and Susie completed the Sustainable Libraries Initiative Waste Audit on Friday, August 22nd, 2025. Overall, we saw food waste and recycling in the trash and learned what things are not actually able to be recycled in our city pickup.
Living Well With CPL
Clinton Public Library's sustainability journey has been guided by participation in the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI). Following sustainability-focused sessions at the 2023 Iowa Library Association Conference, the library joined a statewide effort in 2024 that provided interested Iowa libraries with access to SLI membership opportunities.
In November 2024, library staff formed a sustainability committee to lead this work. The committee held its first meeting on March 13, 2025, and continues to meet monthly. During 2025, the library completed sustainability training, engaged staff and trustees in sustainability planning, received Board approval to pursue certification, and began implementing initiatives that align sustainability with library operations, collections, programs, and services.
Today, the Living Well with CPL initiative continues to advance sustainable practices throughout the organization while encouraging community members to learn, participate, and make positive changes in their own lives.
Looking Forward
Sustainability is an ongoing journey. Clinton Public Library is committed to continually evaluating our practices, exploring innovative solutions, and strengthening partnerships that support environmental responsibility, community well-being, and economic vitality. By working together, we can help create a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable future for Clinton.
The Board of Trustees pledges its ongoing commitment to supporting sustainable principles grounded in the triple bottom line, ensuring that the Clinton Public Library continues to foster a responsible, equitable, and sustainable community through its collections, programs, and services.
Clinton Public Library is dedicated to serving as a sustainable community resource—connecting people, ideas, and opportunities while caring for the environment, supporting equitable access, and investing in the future of our community.