As I write this we are observing Earth Day. This international event began more than 50 years ago and it now prompts conversations as wide ranging as how to reduce the use of plastics to how to prepare for sea level rise. The Scarborough Public Library is serious about being a good steward of our Earth every day and one of our community roles is to provide current information and examples of this stewardship.

The most obvious renewable and reusable resource we offer to the community is the library collections. It’s so obvious that we forget to consider the thousands of items that are shared each year. Together as a community, we are the ultimate recyclers. The collections increasingly incorporate virtual text, audio, and video resources that do not require paper, plastics or metals to hold the content.

We have other visible examples to share with the community. Roof top solar panels, technically called photovoltaic, help offset the electricity we use. A section on our Library website shows the real-time generation of power and more details about our installation, including that we have provided the equivalent benefit of planting more than 1,040 trees.

An electric vehicle charger, which will accommodate two cars at a time, is located in our parking area. It also incorporates solar panels and is the type of charger, known as Level 2, that is most typical for today’s EVs. The installation was made possible by grants and sponsorships and there is no charge to use the station.

Less obvious are the decisions made as part of our ongoing building and grounds maintenance. We are entering the season when dandelions carpet the front lawn to remind us that we are a chemical-free property. As we landscaped the parking area, we requested native species and non-invasive plants. The gardens include berries that attract birds. The large windows are draped with bird saver strings to prevent birds from crashing into the glass. Our bluebird house attracted interest within an hour of being installed this spring.

The building was built over 30 years ago. As with any home, upgrades and refurbishing have occurred and this has presented opportunities to incorporate more environmentally friendly products. The carpeting is made from recycled materials and can be recycled when removed. Our parking lot lighting is LED and is controlled by motion, timer, or the light level required. The interior lighting is on motion detectors so if an area of the building isn’t in use, the lights go out. Paint is “low VOC” which has reduced amounts of volatile organic chemicals and won’t “off gas” as much as traditional paint. Our windows have high efficiency ratings. The heat for the building is provided by natural gas.

If you are ready to take your own stewardship to a new level, the Library can help you. We loan watt meters that will monitor the electrical use of your appliances. Our collections are updated constantly on topics ranging from the practical to the philosophical. We can provide books that discuss conscientious diets, making your lawn into a meadow, preventing Lyme disease, composting with worms, or installing photovoltaic panels. We can stretch your perspective with memoirs, opinionated treatises, or poetic and photographic works.

For the next several weeks, we will display relevant items from our collections in the adult and youth areas. We have also developed a list of selected titles in a variety of formats that you may refer to long after this Earth Day. You may find that list on our website under Earth Day Resources.

If you’d like to enjoy our resources outside, we have a new StoryWalk, “One Duck Stuck” by Phyllis Root, that has been posted on the windows around the perimeter of the building. We have also collaborated with Scarborough Land Trust and posted our StoryWalk, “The Secret Pool” by Kimberly Ridley, on Eleanor’s Trail at the Pleasant Hill Preserve through May 3.

The Scarborough Public Library — your ultimate renewal resource — is open for browsing Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, 10 a.mm. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Curbside delivery is available — with books delivered in a recyclable paper bag!

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