CURRENT POSITION Librarian, Valencia College, FL DEGREE MLIS, University of South Florida, 2013 FAST FACT “I’m an extremely slow reader, so discovering the joy of audiobooks five years ago was a game changer. I listen while gardening, cooking, walking, and during breaks.” FOLLOW linkedin.com/in/nardia Photo by Michael A. Foley

Sustainability Success Story

Thanks to Nardia Cumberbatch’s leadership, Valencia College in Orlando, FL, was the first library in Florida (and second academic library overall) to complete the Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP). The SLCP provides library leaders with a tested, structured path to increase libraries’ commitments to environmental stewardship, economic feasibility, and social equity. This work addresses more than 140 items across 12 categories, enabling the library to apply sustainability practices to choices made within the institution.

Reflecting on her experience, Cumberbatch notes, “My knowledge has increased through the SLCP process, particularly in regard to the socially equitable work that Valencia libraries do in serving historically underrepresented and vulnerable student populations.”

Cumberbatch’s work through the certification program has intersected with off-campus agencies and institutions, including Covenant House, an international nonprofit that supports homeless youth; Florida’s Winter Park Library and Orange County Library System; and Second Harvest Food Bank. Cumberbatch also mentors others in SLCP’s peer-led program, helping academic libraries in the U.S. and Canada improve their sustainability programs.

Cumberbatch is a proponent of Open Educational Resources and Textbook Affordability initiatives and has leveraged the Sustainable Library Certification process to advocate for reevaluation of pay grades to ensure a living wage for library staff.

Looking ahead, she aims to have a greater impact on local children, recognizing community colleges’ role in shaping lives. “I’m constantly reminded of why community colleges exist,” Cumberbatch says. “We make a difference in the lives of our local students, and this extends to our future students.”