ELPL Sets Sights on Earning Environmental Certification
The East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) is continuing its legacy of sustainability trailblazing, as library staff has set a goal to become the first library in Michigan to earn a Sustainable Library Initiative certification.
Collections Team Leader Chrissie Evaskis-Garrett gave a presentation at the April 16 ELPL Board of Trustees meeting about the library’s journey toward sustainability, emphasizing that at every level—individual, institutional, and community—there is room for growth.
On the individual level, this might mean adopting practices that reduce waste. At the institutional level, it could involve integrating sustainability into policies, operations and collections. As a community, it’s about nurturing partnerships that inspire action.
“Libraries are trusted spaces where education meets action,” Evaskis-Garrett said. “We are not just book lenders—we are leaders and models for how institutions can operate responsibly, equitably, and with future generations in mind.”
Becoming the first library to receive this certification feels like a natural step. Director Kevin King noted that ELPL earning the certification would be another example of the city being a leader on environmental progress.
After the meeting, City Sustainability and Resilience Manager Cliff Walls explained to ELi that East Lansing was an early adopter of several recycling initiatives, including curbside recycling.
“We were among the first cities in Michigan to launch municipal recycling, had the first hybrid recycling truck in the state, were the first in the U.S. to deploy on-truck AI for contamination reduction,” Walls wrote in an email to ELi.
“It’s not about racing to be first, of course, but it does show that recycling has long been a core value for the City and an area where we’ve helped set the pace,” he continued. “We just had someone from a Lake Michigan community out here this morning checking out our new polystyrene densifier, which I believe is another municipal first for Michigan and is inspiring others to pursue their own similar efforts.”
Evaskis-Garrett added that the library hosted a week-long energy-focused event all the way back in 1980.
“We brought people in and talked about solar panels,” she said. “We have a long legacy of trying to be leaders in the city of East Lansing for initiatives like this. I think it’s cool that everything old is new again.”
The timeline for a project of this scale is typically projected to take between one and thirteen years, but ELPL is ambitiously aiming to earn the certification in just 18 months.
STEAM activities, fundraiser and more discussed by library board.
The MSU Society for Applied Engineering Sciences (SAES) recently volunteered at one of the library’s Maker Monday programs—a weekly event where children ages 6 to 12, along with their parents, take on engineering challenges using everyday materials.
SAES members helped families build scribble bots using Pringles cans and simple DC motors. A scribble bot is a robot that has a writing utensil attached to it and scribbles or draws on paper. SAES members also shared their personal experiences in engineering.
To further support the library’s STEAM programming, SAES hosted a pickleball tournament to raise money for the Maker Studio, collecting $880.
In keeping with the theme of community, the annual Books, Bites, and Bids fundraiser was a resounding success. Local businesses—including Pizza House, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Marco’s, Sultan’s, and Edible Arrangements—donated food, and the event raised $11,000 with 96 baskets or large gift certificates available for bidding.
Additionally, Friends of the Library not only matched the amount raised—they also donated an additional $43,000 to support the library and its staff.
“We have an incredibly supportive friends group and community, financially and emotionally, they use the library, and it’s wonderful,” Experience Team Leader Elizabeth Kish said.
Technology Team Leader Scott Drapalik attended the Innovative Users Group (IUG) conference in Denver earlier this year and shared highlights from his experience.
“I networked with librarians from across the world, participated in group sessions with other library systems, evaluated the newest offerings from vendors, and gained a wealth of information on library system administration,” Drapalik said.
Eager to implement new ideas that would improve security, accessibility and operations at ELPL, Drapalik has already begun putting some of what he learned into practice.
Upgrades include making library accounts more accessible, simplifying staff tasks, adopting preferred names, enhancing security through updated password policies and user group structures, and establishing new procedures for system cleanup.
“IUG is always an eye-opening experience,” Drapalik said. “It not only allows me to expand my responsibilities as our system administrator here at ELPL, but also opens new avenues for improving the technology we rely on.”