Librarians at the Leatherby Libraries are always working to ensure that the students, faculty, and researchers at Chapman University have access to all the resources they need to do the best research possible, and to be the best global citizens they can be. To that end, our Reference Librarians have recently put together two new research guides to provide resources and information for those interested in Sustainability and Social Justice.

Clip art of a plant growing in a pot. In the leftmost image, the plant is a small seedling. In the middle, it is about as tall as the pot. In the third image, the plant has grown to a large size.

Green plant in its pot in three different phases of growth (2011) Open Clip Art

Writing about the creation of the Sustainability Guide, librarian Catalina Lopez says, “I have been passionate about learning about the environmental issues facing our country and the planet, such as climate change, deforestation, rising sea levels, pollution, and more. So I suggested that I create a library guide on the subject of sustainability. I wanted to include library resources and other reliable websites that the Chapman community can use in learning what “sustainability” means. I also reached out to Chapman’s Sustainability Department to learn more of how Chapman is committed to promoting a sustainable future for the campus. I believe that we as individuals can influence change by understanding the importance of environmental awareness.”

Artistic rendering of five fists, drawn in red and black ink, raised in a gesture of solidarity and resistance.

Raised fists in black and red (2020) by liftarn. Open Clip Art

Discussing the assembling of the Social Justice Guide, Catalina writes, “The Social Justice Guide was created to share resources about racial inclusivity and diversity during a time of many social movements impacting our country. With so much information spread throughout multiple forms of media, Ana and I gathered reliable resources that the Chapman community can use as a starting point in learning about social justice.” Librarian Ana Munandar writes, “The Social Justice Guide provides a starting point for members of the Chapman community who would like to do research on and understand issues related to social justice. It includes a rich variety of sources for finding reading materials, instructional content, and research topics. By staying educated and informed, we can all be proactive participants in creating change.”