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Memory Rising: March 2024
In this month’s edition:
- Free webinar series on New York City, climate change, and libraries
- Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage
- National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries
- This month’s recommendations
Happy Spring! Here in the Ohio River Valley, we’re used to having a “fake spring” weeks before the official date. During “fake spring” the daffodils bloom and the trees begin to bud out and we have some warm days—and then the temperatures drop again. Ohio River Valley weather has always been a bit wonky at this time of year, and I was taught that you wait until Mother’s Day weekend to put in new plants to avoid any frost risk. With first bloom days coming earlier and earlier, it seems our local planting timelines will move up sooner.
There are a number of climate change efforts flowering in the cultural heritage and library spaces—keep reading below to learn about some new mapping and strategy planning resources from some of our largest professional associations.
I’m spending some time these days thinking about the parallels between extractive attitudes towards the Earth and our plant and animal relatives, and the extractive attitudes prevalent in business—that we also direct towards ourselves (see also this month’s recs at the end). I recently experienced some significant medical and family issues that took me offline for a few weeks and which will take some time to fully resolve. It’s a bit of a cliché that when people leave traditional employment for self-employment, they find that they work twice as hard for half as much. As I transition back into the daily rhythms of work, I’m thinking about how to do so sustainably, not just for the long-term viability of my business, but because I need periods of regenerative activity—just as much as the soil that is supporting all the blooming spring plants outside. -Eira
*(Image credit: WPA Illinois Art Project poster, 1936-1941, *[*Library of Congress*](https://www.loc.gov/resource/cph.3f05175/)*)*
# Free webinar series on New York City, climate change, and libraries
[Memory Rising recently partnered with METRO](https://metro.org/climate-change-exposure-metro) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of climate change exposure and adaptation strategies for libraries within New York City and Westchester County.
On [Tuesday March 26 at 1:00 PM](https://metro.org/events/rescheduled-climate-change-exposure-metro-region-part-2-what-can-libraries-do) I’m doing a second webinar of a two-part series with METRO to discuss the report and takeaways that librarians can use to drive climate change planning at their institutions (whether they live in New York City or elsewhere). The first webinar is [now available to watch on YouTube](https://youtu.be/OKkki5_WtCg?feature=shared).
# Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage
I have the honor of serving on the advisory board of [Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage](https://www.resilience.culturalheritage.org/) (CRR), and the resource is now available!
CRR is a suite of free resources to help build climate resilience and develop strategies to protect cultural heritage, created by the [Foundation for Advancement in Conservation](http://culturalheritage.org/) (FAIC) and made possible in part by support from the [National Endowment for the Humanities](http://neh.gov/) (NEH). Key components of CRR include:
- a guide to developing a resilience strategy, available in English & Spanish
- an interactive mapping tool to explore the risk of current and future climate hazards
- information on forming and sustaining community learning groups
CRR grew from findings shared in [Held in Trust](https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-us/foundation/programs/held-in-trust), FAIC’s four-year collaboration with NEH to address how cultural heritage conservation and preservation can evolve to confront pressing issues the country faces today and build a more resilient future. To bring together diverse perspectives in the climate and cultural heritage fields, as outlined in Held in Trust, FAIC partnered with [Environment and Culture Partners (ECP)](https://ecprs.org/) to guide the development of CRR. I was involved with the creation of CRR and I’m thrilled to see this resource go on to support cultural stewards across the country as they work to build climate resilience.
You can learn more about the launch of CRR and share FAIC’s [press release](https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-us/press), whichis available in [English](https://www.culturalheritage.org/docs/default-source/resources/administration/public-relations/climate-resilience-resources-press-release.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=eb521120_3) and in [Spanish](https://www.culturalheritage.org/docs/default-source/resources/administration/public-relations/es_climate-resilience-resources-press-release.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=f2521120_3).
If you’re interested in learning more about CRR, you can join the webinar series, “Building Climate Resilience for Cultural Heritage,” on March 20 and April 3, 2024, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET. Registration details and the focus of each webinar [can be found here](https://learning.culturalheritage.org/p/climate-resilience-resources).
# National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries
If you’re a library worker, please consider participating [in this survey](https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NCASWG24) concerning the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries. This is a joint effort between the American Library Association and Sustainable Libraries Initiative. I am serving on the working group for this effort, and responses from this survey will help us with finalizing the strategy in time for the ALA summer conference. You could win a National Parks Annual Pass!
# This month’s recommendations
[Power grab: the hidden costs of Ireland’s datacentre boom](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/15/power-grab-hidden-costs-of-ireland-datacentre-boom) (article) - This article by Jessica Traynor has it all AND passes the [Tansey test](https://eiratansey.com/2018/05/29/the-tansey-test/) (an article that mentions archives that quotes an actual archivist): the environmental footprint of data centers, electric grid stability, over-retention of data, digital preservation, and Ireland’s deference to big tech companies.
[When the nonstop urgency of climate work collides with your body begging for rest ](https://gendread.substack.com/p/when-the-nonstop-urgency-of-climate)(Cass Hebron, GenDread newsletter) - GenDread is one of my favorite newsletters and covers climate-related mental health issues. This recent interview with a young climate activist really resonated with me:* “We talk about staying within planetary boundaries and needing to transition to regenerative societies and economies. Yet we’re treating ourselves like expendable resources.”*
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