Creating space for climate justice in library and information science

Abstract

Introduction. We already live with the consequences of climate change, although such changes are experienced by humans, non-humans and the more-than-human world in vastly different ways, even within the same geographical regions. Climate change underpins, intersects and is the context in which our everyday lives and our work takes place. While libraries and library organisations have been discussing and addressing climate change for years, in this paper, we advocate for the field of library and information science (IS/LIS) to directly acknowledge climate change and create space for climate justice across our teaching, research and practice. 

Method. Building from our own experiences in these areas, we offer four entry points to provide examples and inspiration for IS/LIS researchers, educators and practitioners to consider climate justice in their work by: (1) investigating connections between informational and environmental injustices, (2) exploring intersections among heritage, memory and cultural climate justice; (3) disaster planning and pedagogy, and (4) imagining aspirational futures. 

Results and Conclusions. Using these four entry points to create space for climate justice in IS/LIS, we offer three propositions: embed climate justice across the IS/LIS curriculum, develop a climate justice research stream, and collaborate across sectors to build community and to imagine just alternative futures.