The dream of a community library has always been in the back of my mind. Even further back is a vision of a speciality library that focuses on environmental sustainability. In my version of this dream there is a bright colorful facility powered by renewable energy that stores a physical and an electronic collection of materials that focuses holistically on the movement.
This library would encompass the environmentalist movement, the conservation movement, green architecture, organic farming, and renewable energy. Basically I would like to see the creation of a scholarly library surrounding the environmental sustainability issue. Maybe the facility could have a round skylight right in the middle of the building with herbacious plants vining up the support timbers, and knowledgeable librarians who serve mixed drinks.
Mixed drinks may be an idea ahead of its time, but the library is not. In fact it is with much pleasure that I announce that a grant has already been secured for starting the Resource Center for Environmental Sustainability (RCES). In April of 1999 a grant from the Sustainable Communities Coalition was applied for and received to officially create a collection. The SCC is dedicated to promoting all kinds of sustainable development, focused for the most part in rural areas.
We have focused the beginning of the collection on a smattering of the topics we hope to, some day, have comprehensive collections of at the RCES. Materials already gathered include biographies of great naturalist , conservationist, and environmentalist. On this particular subject we have titles available for all ages. If people are looking for heros I want the RCES to be a place they can find them.
AN OFFER TO PARTICIPATE: If you have any suggestions for materials we should include please drop Jacob a line. If you have books or a collection of periodicals you would to donate that of course would be appreciated too.
With over 300 visitors a year to Dancing Rabbit, the RCES is sure to get used. And judging by the amount of books I have loaned to neighbors already, the RCES will be a welcome friend to Scotland County, Missouri.
Intentional Community Bookstore