10th IFLA Green Library Award 2025 Results
20 August 2025
IFLA’s Environment, Sustainability and Libraries Section (ENSULIB) is pleased to announce the winners of the IFLA Green Library Award 2025. The IFLA Green Library Award was established in 2016 by ENSULIB (SIG). The Award 2025 is generously sponsored by Library Juice Academy and De Gruyter Publishing.
The award was presented at the IFLA World Congress in Astana on August 19, 2025.
Winners of the IFLA Green Library/Grand Scale Project Award 2025
1st Place: James Baldwin Library, Paris, France
“James Baldwin Library: SDGs Inside a Sustainable Project”
The James Baldwin Library in Paris’ 19th district exemplifies sustainable and inclusive urban renewal. Located in a hybrid, eco-designed facility shared with the Refugees Home, it serves as a vibrant community hub promoting reparative justice and supporting marginalised groups, including refugees. Its environmentally conscious design features green roofs, solar panels, and bio-sourced materials, earning labels such as E+/C– and Rénovation BBCA. The library offers inclusive programmes for diverse communities, including deaf and LGBTQIA+ people, and partners with organisations such as Emmaüs and Singa. While further operational improvements are possible, the library stands as a model of low-carbon design and social engagement.
2nd Place: Shenzhen Yantian Library, Guang Dong Province, China
“The Growth Library: Reading without Borders, Growth with Sustainability”
Located in Shenzhen’s Yantian District, the Growth Library was established in 2024 by transforming Vanke Group’s former HQ into a sustainable cultural hub. Spanning 120,000 square metres, it runs on 85% green energy, cuts energy use by 60%, and houses 180,000 books—97% digital. It serves 20,000 permanent residents and attracts over 20 million visitors annually. It hosted over 150 green-themed events in 2024. Through the “Yantian Initiative,” it united 2,721 libraries across 141 cities under a 4E action plan for sustainable development. Backed by strong partnerships, the library serves as a pioneering and replicable model of green community and library transformation.
3rd Place: Nashville Public Library, Donelson Branch, Tennessee, United States of America
“Retro Roots, Green Future: A Midcentury Marvel in Sustainability”
Opened in June 2024, Nashville Public Library’s Donelson Branch anchors the revitalised Donelson Plaza as a model of sustainable, equitable development. Housed in a LEED Gold-certified building with a geo-exchange system, rooftop solar array, and recycled materials, it integrates green design with public education through features like a sustainability display wall and workshops on native bee farming and food drives. Initiatives such as the Library of Things and Repair Fairs promote reuse and economic access. With strong community links and transit accessibility, Donelson Branch demonstrates how libraries can lead in environmental and social transformation.
Winners of the IFLA Green Library Project Award 2025
1st Place: Thammasat University Library, Bangkok, Thailand
“From Waste to Wealth: Green Library through Circular Economy”
Thammasat University Library’s “From Waste to Wealth” project exemplifies how libraries can serve as sustainability learning hubs by applying circular economy principles through six innovative initiatives. These include environmental education, upcycling workshops, green consumption, and real-time impact tracking using Jak Reward Technology. The project has diverted over 6,000 kilograms of recyclable waste and cut more than 20,000 kilograms of CO₂ emissions. With strong community and institutional collaboration, it demonstrates measurable environmental and social impact, fostering sustainable habits and awareness. This holistic approach offers a replicable model for libraries committed to sustainability and transformative learning.
2nd Place: Maison de l’Environnement, Lyon, France
“”Lire pour Agir”: The Prize of the Socioecological Transition Book”
The library has successfully combined literature with environmental action, promoting both ecological awareness and cultural engagement. Its flagship initiative, the Lire pour Agir prize, rewards a book of socio-ecological transition chosen not for popularity but for its power to inspire environmental commitment. Each year, six diverse titles—two comics, two novels, and two essays—are selected and displayed across library and partner sites. With author events, workshops, and engaging materials, the prize fosters shared environmental culture across Lyon Metropole. Through inclusive programming, eco-design, and strong community involvement, the library sets a powerful example of sustainable development and cultural leadership.
3rd Place: Manuel Viegas Guerreiro Foundation, Loulé, Portugal
“Our Common Home, heart of the Little Naturalists of Querença”
“Our Common Home,” founded in 2020 in partnership with Loulé City Council, is a children’s library inspired by the Manuel Gomes Guerreiro Eco-Botanical Trail. It fosters environmental awareness through freely accessible books that encourage young readers to know, create, and care for biodiversity. The project includes the “Little Naturalists of Querença” and “Bem-Querença Readers” initiatives, featuring animal-assisted reading to boost literacy. Rooted in community collaboration, it nurtures curiosity, responsibility, and resilience, helping sustain the local school and inspiring children to live in harmony with nature and culture.
Special Recognition Award 2025
Public library “Ivan Goran Kovačić” Karlovac, Croatia
“Green Festival – Karlovac Green Story”
The library excels at connecting communities and professionals to raise environmental awareness through initiatives like local farmer events and a recycling scheme that collected over 3,600 bottles. Featuring sustainable infrastructure such as a green roof and planned solar panels, it exemplifies eco-friendly practice. Its annual Green Festival, running for six years, engages the community with activities from lectures to farm fairs, using electronic marketing and outdoor venues to ensure sustainability. With a growing global impact and timely themes, this cost-effective, replicable project drives lasting environmental and social change.