From The Dickinson College Library Wiki
This guide provides links to resources available at the Waidner-Spahr Library and on the World Wide Web in order to support research on sustainability at Dickinson College.
Some resources are restricted to people currently affiliated with Dickinson.
Because research on sustainability can cross over many academic disciplines (such as Biology, Environmental Studies, History, Business, Sociology, Psychology or Economics) students are strongly encouraged to consult with a librarian for help with specific topics.
For subject assistance contact: Nick Lonergan, 717-245-1838.
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Search Tips
Different authors and organizations may use different terms to describe the same phenomena.
Examples:
"climate change" or "global warming"
"environmental movement" or "green movement"
As such, it is a good idea to experiment with using several different words or phrases while you are searching. You can usually do this simply by putting "OR" between the relevant phrases: a search for "climate change" OR "global warming" will retrieve results that have either (or both) of these phrases.
Books
Reference
Here are some examples of reference resources that we have in our collection:
- Environmental issues: essential primary sources REF GE105 .E5825 2006
- American environmental leaders: from colonial times to the present REF GE55 .B42 2008
- Historical dictionary of the green movement REF GE195 .P36 2007
- Renewable and alternative energy resources REF TJ808.3 .S65 2008
- Berkshire encyclopedia of sustainability REF GE140 .B47 2010 v.1-7
To find more, you can either search our catalog or browse the reference stacks.
General collection
We have many books in our collection that may be useful for projects relating to sustainability.
Some useful Library of Congress Classification Subject headings include:
You may also find it quite helpful to enter "Environmental aspects" as a subject term in our catalog and then enter the location or topic that you are interested in as a keyword.
Here are some examples of books that we have in our collection:
- Sustainability on campus: stories and strategies for change LB3223.3 .S89 2004
- The nature of design: ecology, culture, and human intention GF75 .O77 2002
- Cradle to cradle: remaking the way we make things TD794.5 .M395 2002
- Water consciousness: how we all have to change to protect our most critical resource TD388 .W248 2008
- Sustainable materials with both eyes open TA403.6 .A47 2012
- Sustainable energy--without the hot air TJ808 .M335 2009 Tome Science Library
- The green building revolution TH880 .Y634 2008
- Biomimicry : innovation inspired by nature T173.8 .B45 1997
Journals
While many articles of interest may be published in journals that do not specifically focus on sustainability, here are some journals in our collection that do focus on this topic:
You can also search our Journal Locator to find out if we have access to a particular journal.
Databases
You may use these and other databases to identify articles related to your sustainability topic.
- Covers the worldwide literature of agriculture, including journal articles, monographs, government documents, technical reports and proceedings. Coverage Range: 1970 to present
Biological & Agricultural Index
- Articles and other scholarly material published in the leading publications in agriculture, biology, forestry, and ecology. Includes a wide range of popular and professional journals about biology and agriculture.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online)
- The source for theory and research in international affairs including economic information, and map and country data. Coverage Range: 1996 to present
- Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to improve access to scientific and technical information. Coverage Range: 1943 to present
- Covers agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. Coverage Range: 1975 to present
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides access to over 30,000 technical reports and over 2,000 patents from R&D projects that pertain to renewable energy resources and energy conservation.
- GreenFile indexes scholarly and general interest titles, as well as government documents and reports. This resource offers a unique perspective on the positive and negative ways humans affect the environment.
National Geographic Magazine Archive
- Recognized for some of the highest-quality photojournalism and cartography in the world, this award-winning, iconic magazine is famous for providing unparalleled, in-depth coverage of cultures, nature, science, technology and the environment.
- Provides selective subjects and bibliographic access to periodicals, books, hearings, reports, gray literature, government publications, Internet resources, and other publications from 120 countries.
- An excellent database for locating research on people's behavior and attitudes in regards to sustainability. Some useful subject terms include: Environmental Attitudes, Sustainable development, Conservation (Ecological Behavior), Global warming.
- Databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases.
Government Resources
- Sustainability: US EPA - The Environmental Protection Agency's homepage for environmental sustainability.
- Environmental Health - The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) home for topics on environmental health.
- Promoting Environmental Sustainability: US EPA - The EPA's homepage for information about how government agencies are adopting sustainable practices.
- National Organic Program - The USDA's site for information on the national organic standards and certification program.
- Water Resources of the United States - A resource from the USGS, providing publications, data, maps, and more on water resources.
Organizations
Agriculture and Organics
- Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) - PASA is the largest statewide, member-based, sustainable farming organization in the United States.
- Pesticide Action Network of North America - An organization that seeks to find and promote ecologically sound and socially just alternatives to the use of chemicals for pest removal.
- Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture - Includes the papers, presentations, and other publications of the center. Focuses on Iowa agriculture, but also covers topics of national interest.
Energy
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Affiliated with the U.S. Department of energy, the NREL conducts research and development on renewable energy and energy efficiency. This site features news and reports related to diverse renewable energies.
- PA Office of Energy and Technology Deployment - The PA DEP's site for information on energy issues in the state.
Public Health
- Public Health & Environment - The World Health Organization (WHO) site for information on environmental factors impacting public health worldwide.
Sustainability in Higher Ed
Sustainability at Dickinson
- Sustainability at Dickinson College - A resource on Dickinson's sustainability organizations, projects, and policies.
Sustainable Development
- The United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform - A part of the UN Department of Economic and Social Development, DSD works to integrate social, environmental, and economic conditions of development on an international level. Resources include a database of sustainable development case studies, as well as sustainable consumption and production initiatives.
Urban Planning and Transportation
- Center for Sustainable Urban Development - A program of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, CSUD aims to "engage in and foster education and research for the advancement of physically and socially sustainable cities."
- Institute for Transportation and Development Policy - An organization dedicated to promoting "environmentally sustainable and socially equitable transportation worldwide." This site includes numerous reports and white papers, as well as full text of Sustainable Transport magazine.
Other
- U.S. Green Building Council - An organization dedicated to green building and design, and the creators of the LEED system for rating green buildings.
Films
Environmental Studies Films - This link provides a list of the library's documentary films on environmental topics.
Visit the films page for items on additional topics.
Sample films include:
- Thinking Green, Building Smart (electronic resource)
Internet Resources
Films
From the Story of Stuff Project. The Story of Stuff discusses the "underside" of our production and consumption system.
From the Story of Stuff Project. The Story of Change suggests ways citizens can contribute to building a sustainable world by changing their consumption patterns.
William McDonough: Cradle to cradle design [TED Talk]. In this talk the architect and designer William McDonough discusses environmentally friendly building and city construction and the "Cradle to Cradle" design philosophy focused on recycling and biodegradability.
