Green (Environmentalist) Approaches to University Libraries: A Research Across Turkey

Üniversite Kütüphanelerinde Yeşil (Çevreci) Yaklaşımlar: Türkiye Genelinde Bir Araştırma

Demet SOYLU, Serap KURBANOĞLU, Müge AKBULUT, Nilay CEVHER, Banu Fulya YILDIRIM, Tubanur BÜYÜKÇOLPAN, Erdinç ALACA

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to identify green (environmentally friendly) practices in university libraries in both institutional and individual contexts. Within the scope of this research, descriptive method was used, and This study was carried out in order to identify green (environmentally friendly) practices in university libraries in both institutional and individual contexts. Within the scope of this research, descriptive method was used, and also two questionnaires were used as data collection tools from library directors and librarians. Within the frame of the study, online questionnaire was sent to 165 directors and 1614 librarians working in 165 university libraries (out of 182 in total) in Turkey. 45 directors and 341 librarians responded to the survey. The directors’ survey has six main sections including sustainable environment, water saving, energy saving, sustainable resources and materials, indoor air quality, innovation in design and implementation, and aims to collect information on an institutional basis. The librarian survey consists of three main parts which are demographic information, environmental awareness and attitude in daily life, and green libraries. The obtained data were analyzed by IBM Statistics SPSS 23.0 software package. In the study, it was found out that even though university libraries in Turkey fulfill some criteria such as proximity to public transportation, use of alternative options in transportation and water-efficient plumbing, monitoring water use, turning off electrical appliances when not in use, use of double glazed windows, taking precautions against paper waste with recycling or donation of printed resources, there are still deficiencies. Also, differences between universities have been identified in terms of green approaches /implementations and some libraries such as Atılım, Bilkent, Başkent and Yaşar University libraries have been observed to be greener than others within sustainable environment, water and energy saving, sustainable materials-resources, indoor air quality and design and application innovations. Although librarians have a low level of perception and awareness in green libraries and environmental sustainability issues, they have positive opinions about the initiatives promoting education and awareness.also two questionnaires were used as data collection tools from library directors and librarians. Within the frame of the study, online questionnaire was sent to 165 directors and 1614 librarians working in 165 university libraries (out of 182 in total) in Turkey. 45 directors and 341 librarians responded to the survey. The directors’ survey has six main sections including sustainable environment, water saving, energy saving, sustainable resources and materials, indoor air quality, innovation in design and implementation, and aims to collect information on an institutional basis. The librarian survey consists of three main parts which are demographic information, environmental awareness and attitude in daily life, and green libraries. The obtained data were analyzed by IBM Statistics SPSS 23.0 software package. In the study, it was found out that even though university libraries in Turkey fulfill some criteria such as proximity to public transportation, use of alternative options in transportation and water-efficient plumbing, monitoring water use, turning off electrical appliances when not in use, use of double glazed windows, taking precautions against paper waste with recycling or donation of printed resources, there are still deficiencies. Also, differences between universities have been identified in terms of green approaches /implementations and some libraries such as Atılım, Bilkent, Başkent and Yaşar University libraries have been observed to be greener than others within sustainable environment, water and energy saving, sustainable materials-resources, indoor air quality and design and application innovations. Although librarians have a low level of perception and awareness in green libraries and environmental sustainability issues, they have positive opinions about the initiatives promoting education and awareness.

Özet

Bu çalışma gerek kurumsal gerek bireysel bağlamda üniversite kütüphanelerindegerçekleştirilen yeşil (çevre dostu) uygulamaları belirlemek amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir.Betimleme yönteminin kullanıldığı bu araştırma kapsamında veri toplama tekniği olarakkütüphane yöneticilerine ve kütüphanecilere olmak üzere toplam iki adet anketten yararlanılmıştır.Türkiye’deki 182 üniversite kütüphanesinden 165’inde görev yapmakta olan toplam 165 yöneticive 1.614 kütüphaneciye çevrim içi anket gönderilmiş, 45 yönetici ve 341 kütüphaneci anketiyanıtlamıştır. Yönetici anketi, sürdürülebilir çevre, su tasarrufu, enerji tasarrufu, sürdürülebilirkaynak ve materyaller, iç mekân hava kalitesi, tasarım ve uygulamada yenilikler olmaküzere altı ana bölümden oluşmakta ve kurumsal bazda bilgi toplamayı amaçlamaktadır.Kütüphaneci anketi ise demografik bilgiler, günlük yaşamda çevresel farkındalık ve tutum,yeşil kütüphaneler olmak üzere üç ana bölümden oluşmaktadır. Anket aracılığıyla elde edilenverilerin değerlendirilmesinde betimleme yönteminden yararlanılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler IBMSPSS Statistics 23.0 paket programı aracılığı ile analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda, Türkiye’dekiüniversite kütüphanelerinin yeşil kütüphane olma yolunda bazı kriterleri (toplu taşıma araçlarınayakınlık, ulaşımda alternatif seçeneklere yönelim, su tasarruflu tesisat kullanımı, su tüketiminintakip edilmesi, elektronik araç gereçlerin mesai saatleri dışında kapalı tutulması, binalarda çiftcam özelliği, basılı kaynakların bağış ya da geri dönüşümü ile kâğıt israfına karşı önlem alınması)sağlamakla birlikte önemli eksiklerinin bulunduğu, çevresel yaklaşımlar/yeşil uygulamalaraçısından üniversiteler arası farklılıklar olduğu ve bazı kütüphanelerin (Atılım, Bilkent, Başkentve Yaşar Üniversitesi kütüphaneleri gibi) sürdürülebilir çevre, su ve enerji tasarrufu, sürdürülebilirmateryaller-kaynaklar, iç mekân hava kalitesi ve tasarım ve uygulamada yenilikler kapsamındadiğerlerinden daha yeşil olduğu görülmüştür. Kütüphanecilerin yeşil kütüphaneler ve çevreselsürdürülebilirlik konularında algı ve farkındalık düzeyleri düşük olmakla birlikte bu konulardaeğitime ve farkındalık artırıcı girişimlere sıcak baktıkları belirlenmiştir.