[Web4lib] WSU To Go Paperless || Social Networks For A Green Campus

[McKiernan, Gerard [LIB]]

Colleagues/

 

Earlier this week, The Chronicle of Higher Education / Wired Campus
reported on a recent initiative at Washington State University:

 

"Internal Communications at Washington State U. Go Paperless" / Steve
Kolowich / February 10, 2009

 

As noted in the story: "Washington State University has decided to go
paperless for all internal communications on its four campuses, moving
all memos, fliers, posters, and its weekly newspaper to cyberspace.
'Experts have been predicting a transition to a paperless society for
years,' wrote Elson S. Floyd, the university's president, in a statement
this afternoon. 'Meanwhile, it seems that the piles of papers that cross
our desks keep growing. We plan to reverse that trend.'

 

The decision, made official last month, comes amid an effort to trim
$10-million from the university's budget by June, with further cuts
anticipated next year. [snip]

In addition, the article reports that  "[w]hile the budgetary impact of
going paperless might be largely symbolic, university officials note
that the switch also has environmental benefits."[snip]

She also said that quitting paper cold turkey would encourage the
university to integrate Web 2.0 technologies-such as blogging and social
networking-into its internal communications. [snip]

For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/b7otw5 ]

She further elaborated stating  ... 'it is really exciting to deliver
the news in a new format," he added. "We have to learn to use the tools
of the Web and Web 2.0 effectively.'

For More Details and Link See [ http://tinyurl.com/daf8ge ] 

BTW: During the breakout session at our Sustainability Symposium held
earlier this week, I had planned to suggest that various interlinked
university social networks be created to facilitate communication,
coordination, and cooperation amongst/between various individual,
departmental, and administrative efforts but thought that The Idea would
be considered Too Radical ... Little Did I Know That WSU Would See The
(Potential) Benefit of Social Networks For Its Green Initiatives [:-)]

Enjoy!

/Gerry

Gerry McKiernan
Associate Professor
Science and Technology Librarian
Iowa State University Library
Ames IA 50011

gerrymck at iastate.edu    

There is Nothing More Powerful Than An Idea Whose Time Has Come / Victor
Hugo 
[ http://www.blogger.com/profile/09093368136660604490 ]

Iowa: Where the Tall Corn Flows and the (North)West Wind Blows 
 [ http://alternativeenergyblogs.blogspot.com/