It’s taken two years, but I am finally getting a battery recycling tube rolling in the library!

I had this idea back in 2014. I started working at my alma mater part-time in 2013, half a year before I got a full-time position at Merced College, and I noticed that they had a battery recycling tube. I asked about it, and they let me know that someone in the facilities department comes to collect it, as they handle recyclables. After my first full-time semester at the Los Banos Campus, I found out that this is exactly how it’s handled at the community college as well. I talked to our chemistry lab technician, who handles the batteries on our campus, and he was all for the library serving as a collection spot. However, I had issues trying to order the tube. Faculty in my community college district are allotted $200ish every year for supplies, so this is coming from that account. It would have been loads easier if I had just bought it myself and then gotten reimbursed, but I didn’t really want to do that.  The battery recycling idea just kind of sunk for a while, and then when I wanted to inquire again, our technician got a new job.

Because of the upcoming changes in my work life, this term I am focusing on finishing projects, not starting new ones, but just as I was about to hit the delete button on the old emails, I thought I should at least try one more time. I talked to our new chemistry lab technician, and she was all for it. Initially, I wanted to order this. The purchasing department recommended some cheaper, smaller tins, but once they found out what I was trying to do, they suggested this, which is similar to what I wanted but with handles! Kudos to all! I am pleased to check that off another small project during my time at the little library.

When I started, we didn’t even have paper recycling! During that first semester, I got a big bin for the faculty/staff end in the library and one for students. The students took right to it. I’m hoping the battery recycling goes equally as well.