The green libraries in digital environment: Conceptualization and study vectors. (Part 1. Theory)

What the library in the future will look like? What the modern library has to be to have a future ? To answer these questions, we are to imagine the library of the future based on modern realty and prospects for social advancement. Today, the concept of “green libraries” as the libraries of the future has become increasingly popular in the world. The researchers discuss enthusiastically and conceptualize the key ideas and characteristics of “green libraries”. The article logically breaks up into two parts. In Part 1, the authors discuss the key lines and findings of their study of global trends of developing “green libraries’, as well as the related practice specific for Russia. They analyze the libraries’ efforts in ecological education and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and examine the approaches to establishing “green libraries” in the Russian Federation with the examples provided. Through monitoring accessible materials (library websites and subject-related digital resources in ecology and sustainable development), and survey analysis, the authors conclude on the need for the list of “green libraries”, e-libraries and digital information resources on ecology and sustainable development, and, in the long run, the national standard for “green libraries”, and professional development educational course.