Seed Lending Libraries Bloom
PrintSan Francisco Public Library’s Potrero branch has opened a seed-lending library, making it at least the fourth public library with such a program.
Seed libraries allow patrons to “check out” carefully organized vegetable seeds to plant on their own. After harvesting the crops, they save and return seeds to be used in the next growing season.
“Potrero Hill residents love gardening, and there are a number of burgeoning private and community gardens on the hill,” said Lia Hillman, manager of the Potrero branch. “The Seed Library offers the library the opportunity to promote urban sustainable organic gardening in our neighborhoods by disseminating seeds.”
The branch’s seed-lending program is a partnership with Transition SF and the San Francisco Permaculture Guild. Those organizations provided the seeds to start the program, and will be giving programs at the library on seed saving, the technique that will allow gardeners to recover and return seeds for next year. The library is “providing the space and circulation expertise for the project, on a pilot basis,” SFPL Public Relations Officer Michelle Jeffers told American Libraries. The branch also has a collection of gardening books and can offer reference advice on gardening.
Other public libraries that house seed-lending programs include Richmond Public Library and Alameda Free Library in California, and the Fairfield Woods branch of Fairfield (Conn.) Public Library.
4/13/11 update: PC Sweeney reports that East Palo Alto branch of San Mateo (Calif.) Public Library is also starting a seed library.
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Comments
What a fantastic idea, soon
What a fantastic idea, soon the economy will turn against the value of the dollar only to be replaced with something more sustainable, seeds are a perfect replacement being a valuable commodity yet easily grown. The perfect way to barter.
Lending Libraries
On a similar note, my library just started a craft supply lending library… http://www.rochesterlibrary.org/craftsupplies/ It’s been pretty successful so far and was actually easier to put together than we had thought. I’d recommend it to any library. Maybe craft supplies, maybe seeds…whatever your patrons are passionate about!
Our library in Rutland,
Our library in Rutland, Vermont has a seed library collection, which we use to promote community food security, volunteerism, and gardens around town. It’s pretty easy to get donations from seed distributors and partner with community gardeners. Thanks for the article!
Create your own seed library - resources
Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library created our model as one that can be easily replicated by other communities as noted by the libraries you mentioned in the article. Visit our “Create a library” page on our website, http://richmondgrows.org, to read about how we got started and to download organizational material, seed saving resources (English and Spanish) and orientation material (English and Spanish). We also have a page under “contacts” listing sister libraries. As people take the model and make it their own, we can learn from each other and share resources. For example, the Alameda City library is translating our seed saving resources into Mandarin, Tagalog and Mandarin. These will be made available to everyone. Check out the sister libraries for more ideas and resources and also to collaborate with libraries in the same bioregion as you. This summer we will be creating a website concentrating these resources and organizing it by bioregions.