Sustainability Guide

Sustainability at the Library

A priority of the Teton County Library Strategic Direction is Organizational Excellence, including ensuring operations are more sustainable. 

As a result of this goal, in 2024, library staff formed a Sustainability Committee whose charge is to make recommendations towards best practices for the library and its operations to become increasingly environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically and resource feasible.

  • Library staff are working towards making both facilities as sustatinably sound as possible. The following is in place at the Jackson location.
    • Solar Panels: 31.8 KWp (kilowatt peak) 197-panel solar array installed on the library roof in 2008.
    • Water Heater: A gas fired hot water heater was replaced with a high efficiency electric heat pump water heater in September 2025.
    • Lighting Controls: Automated interior and exterior lighting control system to optimize energy use during occupied and unoccupied building hours.
    • Building Automation Control System (BAS): Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems controlled by Long Building Technologies software optimizing unoccupied/occupied building hours, economizer controls (using cool outside air for summer cooling), and fan and pump speed controls to optimize energy use.
    • The HVAC system has 2” MERV 8 pre-filters and 12” MERV 15 final filters to provide the cleanest possible air circulation.  MERV is Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value.
  • Goals for the future include replacing Jackson’s gas fired fireplace with electric virtual fireplace. Both locations will undergo a project of replacing fluorescent lighting system with LED lighting.
  • Electric Vehicle (EV) Experience program: Thanks to Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities (YTCC), individuals can borrow a Ford F150 Lightning EV truck from the library parking lot for free in three-day increments.
  • Book Bike: Library staff use an Icicle Tricycles-made cargo bike to haul books to various outreach events around town during the warmer months. Come find us at the People’s Market or Grazing Rights food truck rallies to get a free book!
  • The library advocates for use of local public transportation via the bus stops outside of the library.
  • Staff at the Jackson library share a bike that can be used for transportation around town during the workday, alleviating the need for a car on short trips.
  • In 2026 the library will be installing two level 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers at the Jackson parking lot for patron use, with capacity to install more stations if the demand arises. One EV station will be installed at the Alta location.
  • In 2025 staff toured both library facilities with the Jackson Hole Fire/EMS Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator to assess the exteriors and landscape for wildfire mitigation. Working towards fuels reduction is an extensive and costly project. Thus far, staff have accomplished the following:
    • Cutting back materials within the first 5 feet of the Jackson building
    • Limbing up conifers 6 feet from the ground to prevent surface top ground fire extension at the Jackson location.
    • Replacing old wooden outdoor furniture with those composed of ignition resistant materials when possible.
  • The library is part of the Teton County, Wyoming and Town of Jackson Emergency Operations Plan Emergency Services Function #6, Mass Care Services. In the event of an emergency, the library can help with shelter needs, field kitchen, coordinator and provide Internet access as well as other resources and needs. 
  • The library participates in recycling of as many types of materials as we can. The library has a weekly pickup service for glass, cardboard, plastics, paper, magazines and newspapers. Recycle bins are also available for the public at both facilities. The materials are taken to Teton County’s Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling Center (ISWR). Library staff also take electronic, battery and metal waste to the ISWR for recycling. Hazardous waste is also taken to ISWR for proper disposal.
  • Materials from the library collections are also recycled. The plastic cases from CDs and DVDs that become usable are sent to a plastics recycler. Books that are damaged and worn are brought to ISWR for their paper recycling. Books that are removed from the collection and still in good condition are given a second life, being sold in the Library Foundation & Friends Book Nook, or sent to vendors for sale. All profits are then utilized by the Foundation & Friends to fund other library activities.
  • The Jackson facility participates in a Teton County food composting program. Staff are encouraged to bring their food waste from home, which is then picked up weekly for composting by ISWR. Library staff are hoping to provide collection of food waste to the public in the future.
  • Teton County employees are encouraged to have zero waste events. Library staff strive to eliminate use of paper goods during internal events and work towards zero waste when hosting public events.
  • The library has a wide variety of materials relating to sustainability in our collections. Check the catalog to find your next sustainability-related reads. In the Search box, type “Sustainability,” and change the Keyword dropdown option to Subject. You can also narrow your search to age group under the dropdown for Audience.
  • Our Library of Things has a wide variety of useful objects (games, tools, craft supplies, recreation equipment, etc) for 1-week checkout. Borrow today!
  • Library staff try to find sustainable options for office supplies and other materials used in the library. Recently, library staff purchased receipt paper that is 100% free of BPA and BPS and is 100% recyclable. Making choices for purchasing of other sustainable products, such as cleaning supplies, is ongoing. 
  • Check out our Seed Library (available spring through fall at the Jackson location), where you can take free wildflower and vegetable seeds for your garden at home.
  • We have another seasonal program, the Plant Propagation Station located in the lobby of the Jackson library. Take a houseplant cutting and leave any cuttings you want to donate to another plant-lover.
  • In the spring, Alta has an annual Plant Swap program. Participants share plant cuttings, pass on unwanted house plants, and from a Master Gardener, participants learn how to transplant house plants to help make them thrive
  • In partnership with the Spread the Love Commission, we host seasonal clothing collection and distribution drives to help make sure local families have the clothing and hygiene supplies they need for every season. Keep an eye out in our events calendar to see when our next clothing drive will be.
  • We have a Satellite Food Pantry stocked regularly by One22 Resource Center in the lobby of the library for anyone who needs no-cost groceries.
  • In the summer of 2025, the Jackson location collaborated with several organizations for Youth Summer Food Access. The library was a weekly stop for Hole Food Rescue’s Sprout Summer Lunch Program, where lunches were available to Teton County families regardless of income, no questions asked. The library was also a distribution location for the Teton County School District’s Free Summer Meals for qualifying families. Library staff are hoping to have this partnership again in 2026.
  • When the Jackson facility was renovated in 2013, the building achieved LEED silver certification.
  • The Teton County Library is a member of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI), an organization comprised of libraries around the country that help libraries strive to be economic feasible, environmentally sound, and socially equitable organizations.
  • Plans include undergoing the SLI’s Sustainable Libraries Certification Program to improve our organizational sustainability. Library staff will also be participating in training related to sustainability and libraries when available.