Consistent with Connecticut College’s status as an early implementer of an environmental studies major (initially founded as the “human ecology” major in 1968) and with solid library holdings in environmental studies (collections include the Linda Lear Collection of Rachel Carson Books and Papers; Nature Conservancy papers; Connecticut College Arboretum Bulletins and records; and the faculty papers of the ecologist William A. Niering, the conservationist Richard Hale Goodwin, and the ornithologist Robert A. Askins), Shain Library is also involved with small-scale digitization projects that center the global climate crisis with a focus on the local.
With this initiative, Connecticut College Libraries are literally open for climate justice (the theme of this year’s Open Access Week). Some examples of this openness can be found in the obscure state and local publications that we have dusted off and digitized for online access worldwide, while other less obvious examples include the many state, local, and nonprofit born-digital reports that we have backed up for long-term safekeeping on issues ranging from Amtrak’s climate vulnerability assessment to health equity and watershed management.
Read on for short summaries of, and links to, some of our open climate resources:
The Citizens’ Bulletin was a monthly publication of the newly formed Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection that began operations in the heyday of environmentalism in 1973 and continued until 1991. The pages of Citizens’ Bulletin present us with an inspiring array of new ideas about how to live on a changing planet, from air pollution, cars, and land trusts, to recycling, solar energy, and wetlands protection. Virtually all of the major environmental issues of today can be traced back to the now decades-old pages of Citizens’ Bulletin. Set the search filter to “text contents” and you can keyword search through this unique collection online: https://archive.org/details/citizens-bulletin
The Garbage Gazette was a state-issued periodical from 1982 until 2005 that focused on waste minimization and recycling in Connecticut. A range of waste crisis issues are addressed within the pages of Garbage Gazette, including asphalt, bottle and can recycling, composting, construction, discarded clothing, discards, disposal costs, education, electronic waste, energy efficiency, environmental protection, garbage, hazardous waste, landfills, materials recovery, mattresses, old tires, participation rates, refuse, roofing shingles, school and town contests to reduce waste, trash-free festivals, waste paper, and more. Set the search filter to “text contents” and you can keyword search through this unique collection online: https://archive.org/details/garbage-gazette
Recently Digitized CT Documents: Shain Library has been creating digital archives of noteworthy state and local government publications related to the climate crisis. These mostly born-digital documents can now be found in our library catalog as well as backed up in the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine online. Browse our catalog of recently saved Connecticut documents at the following URL: https://conncoll.libguides.com/NL/digitized
Some of the documents in this “collection” include:
- 2018 Connecticut Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (2021)
- Amtrak NEC Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment: Phase II Pilot Study (2015)
- Bank Street (New London) – South Water Street Project (2018)
- Citizen’s Guide to Creating Pollinator Habitat in Connecticut (2017)
- City of New London Best Management Practice Guidelines for the Treatment and Control of Invasive Plant Species (2018)
- City of New London Community Resilience Building Workshop (2018)
- Climate Action Plan, Save the Sound (2022)
- Climate Change and Health in Connecticut (2020)
- Connecticut Active Transportation Plan (2019)
- Connecticut: Our Changing Climate (2020)
- Connecticut Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility (2017)
- Connecticut Watershed Response Plan for Impervious Cover: Effects of Stormwater on Water Quality (2015)
- Environmental Quality in Connecticut (2021)
- Envision Plum Island: A Connecting Landscape of History, Nature, Research (2020)
- How Effective Are Bring Your Own Bag Laws? (2020)
- Initial Survey of Plum Island’s Marine Habitats (2020)
- Integrated Resources Plan: Pathways to Achieve a 100% Zero Carbon Electric Sector by 2040 (2021)
- Strengthening CT’s Organics Recycling Mandate (2016)
- Taking Action on Climate Change and Building a More Resilient Connecticut for All (2021)
- Towards Health Equity in Connecticut (2020)
- Watershed Management Framework Plan, City of New London (2020)
- Who’s Influencing Connecticut Climate and Clean Energy Politics? Five Questions (2021)
