UCC is a world-leader in Green Campus/Sustainability initiatives and UCC Library has been at the vanguard of this work. As part of these measures UCC mapped its research, learning and teaching to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) in late 2022. Taking our cue from Emma Horgan’s long-term role in UCC Library’s Green team and Elaine Harrington’s increasing drive to engage with the wider community we sought to implement the SDG Mapping on a local scale. To maximise use of UCC Library’s Special Collections & Archives’ collections we will show why and how mapping our unique and distinctive collections (UDCs) to the SDGs will promote use of the collections by the UCC community and further afield. This work will also tie into UCC’s current research programme ‘Futures’ which “mines the frontiers of curiosity and inquiry at the intersection of disciplines.”
In this presentation we describe how we applied the models established by UCC to evaluate SDG coverage in our collections, visualise that coverage and potential gaps, and reflect on how we can enhance SDG integration into our collections. We know that some uncatalogued/unlisted collections will be excluded but many collections already show a longitudinal perspective in developing this area. We will also give recommendations for how this activity and creating a specific Green UDC aligns with UCC’s 2023-2028 strategic plan and goals, as well as the Connected University framework. We address the opportunities for research and teaching that this activity will build on the fruitful collaboration between the University’s Sustainability Team and the Library’s Green Team locally. Integrating this SDG mapping to UDCs will enable students, staff and researchers to futureproof research, teaching & learning needs. Significantly, this interdisciplinary activity offers a benchmark for all library collections, not limited to UDCs alone, as this activity has the potential for worldwide application.