{"id":164,"date":"2014-01-28T17:39:54","date_gmt":"2014-01-28T17:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/?p=164"},"modified":"2014-01-29T15:12:58","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T15:12:58","slug":"libraries-acquire-an-environmental-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/libraries-acquire-an-environmental-gem\/","title":{"rendered":"Libraries Acquire an Environmental GEM"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The Libraries’ David Avery takes a moment to “fuel” the new vehicle in an outlet at the loading dock.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"GEM<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The new GEM light utility electric vehicle takes up residence at Babbidge Library.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Student<\/a>

Student workers load books into the new vehicle for delivery on campus.<\/p><\/div>\n

The UConn Libraries are leading the charge in a new environmentally conscious initiative on campus with the acquisition of a new light utility electric vehicle.\u00a0 \u00a0The vehicle, a GEM, manufactured by Polaris, will replace the Libraries\u2019 15-year-old gas powered delivery vehicle and is the first of six similar vehicles acquired through Transportation Services for use by campus departments. Delivered in mid-January, the new vehicle will continue to be used to make daily deliveries of interlibrary loan books and books from Circulation to the Music & Dramatic Arts Library, the Pharmacy Library, and the Dodd Research Center, as well as to pick up materials on campus destined for the Libraries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really pleased with it because we\u2019ll no longer be faced with the mechanical repairs of an aging gas-powered vehicle.\u00a0 Plus, it\u2019s green, so we\u2019re adding yet one more environmentally sound element to the University\u2019s environmental stature,\u201d said David Avery, Facilities\/Security Librarian.<\/p>\n

Last year, UConn won the top spot as Sierra<\/i> magazine\u2019s Coolest School nationwide for its efforts to encourage sustainability, green technology, and environmental stewardship. Other familiar green features at the library include bicycles loaned through the campus \u201cUConn Cycles\u201d program, and recycling containers for consumer products such as used sneakers and computer electronics.<\/p>\n

Classified as a low-speed vehicle, the vehicle has a top speed of 25 mph, a cargo capacity of 1,100 pounds, and boasts zero emissions. \u00a0Similar vehicles are used by cities, municipalities and government offices, other colleges and increasingly by athletic and recreation venues, which use them to transport injured players off the field.<\/p>\n

Equipped with six regular car batteries that charge via a regular 110 volt outlet with power provided by UConn\u2019s own energy generation plant, the new vehicle\u2019s mileage is the equivalent of the high 30s mpg to 50 mpg, and costs the about 2 to 3 cents a gallon to operate, according to Charlie Grab, Business Services Supervisor, of UConn\u2019s Transportation and Motor Pool, who coordinated the purchase. In addition to those impressive operating statistics, Grabb says, the vehicles also hold their value.\u00a0 Although relatively new to UConn, early reports by users are positive.\u00a0 The vehicles will be routinely maintained by the campus Motor Pool mechanics, Grab says, and will go to the dealer for more specialized service. The purchase was offset by a grant from Connecticut\u2019s Clean Energy Fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all around cool,\u201d Grab observed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UConn Libraries are leading the charge in a new environmentally conscious initiative on campus with the acquisition of a new light utility electric vehicle.\u00a0 \u00a0The vehicle, a GEM, manufactured by Polaris, will replace the Libraries\u2019 15-year-old gas powered delivery … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":198,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions\/198"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}