Seed Library

The Yorba Linda Grows: A Seed Lending Library program offered users access to seeds and instructional material for starting an at-home garden. In addition, the library offered a series of healthy and sustainable living events including gardening and healthy cooking workshops, presented in conjunction with local gardening organizations and food and cooking educators. With the development of this project, it was the desire of the library to help its community lead healthy, self-sustaining lifestyles. By offering a seed lending library and a series of educational gardening and cooking events, residents of all ages found the resources and tools needed to accomplish this task. The library has maintained its relevancy in the community by offering an alternative, relevant, and functional seed collection.

Purpose: The Yorba Linda Public Library’s Seed Lending Library provided the public with an opportunity to develop healthy, sustainable lifestyles by offering resources to start their own at-home garden (including a circulating “seed library”) and a series of educational events. These services fostered healthy lifestyles through smart food choices, increased sustainable living, and gardening education. The Seed Lending Library also boosted community connections by meeting the growing interest of healthy living within the Yorba Linda community and connecting individuals at all stages in life.

Target Audience: All ages including families, parents and caregivers, and inter-generational groups in marginalized populations and underserved communities

Expected Outcomes: Program participants will have increased their knowledge of gardening and/or healthy cooking, report they attained a more healthy, self-sustaining lifestyle through the seed library and/or educational events, and will have increased their use of library services from the seed lending library by checking out more seeds, using library materials relating to gardening/healthy eating, attending gardening/healthy lifestyle events, or a combination of any of the above.

Partnerships

  • Master Gardeners
  • Cooking Clubs
  • Local Nurseries
  • County Extension Office

Budget Considerations

  • Seeds, Seed packets/envelopes/labels
  • Furniture for storage & display: storage and display items for the seed lending library included card file boxes, filing guides, and a storage cabinet.
  • Supplies for any programming needs — projector, screen, speakers
  • Print materials for promotion, display, etc.
  • Print and/or media non-fiction collection to support gardening education, landscaping, and drought tolerant gardening, etc.
  • Fees for instructor(s) for any planned programs
  • Social media boosts; print ads
  • Test Garden (optional)
  • Staffing: staff to create, set up and maintain the Seed Library; Graphic artist to create labels, promotional pieces, flyers & brochures, social media posts, etc.; Staff to coordinate promotion & marketing; staff to coordinate and host programs, if planned.

Implementation Steps

  • Co-design your project with your community: Identify potential participants, focusing on reaching people not currently visiting the library, and gauge interest in the project. Meet with them to discuss the program. Engage them in envisioning the project, planning how to proceed, what activities will take place, and how community members will be invited and encouraged to attend.
  • Develop protocols for borrowing and returning seeds(Review Yorba Linda Public Library’s Gardening Library’s guide)
  • Develop Planting Guide: Review Richmond Public Library’s Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library for a “Planting Guide” listing of what to plant each month of the year (in Spanish too).
  • Identify Project Partners: Contact local master gardeners, county extension office, or local nurseries to discuss your project and suggest ways they can support the project through their educational services.
  • Purchase supplies including
    • Seeds for the seed library: various seeds were purchased for the fall, winter, and spring seasons for southern California. (Consult with local master gardener or nursery to determine seed selection for specific region.)
    • Specialized furniture for seed display and storage Options might include repurposing of unused library card catalogs. See Pinterest for ideas
  • Promote the program: Create brochurse explaining the seed lending library and library materials available for participants to help educate them on gardening on healthy living.
  • Consider creating a website to inform the public of the Seed Lending Library and upcoming workshops.
  • Create Seed Library resource binder for staff and public use to help guide the public, including vegetable growing guides, seed saving notes, and a list of local community gardens.
  • Collect feedback with surveys and interviews of participants.

Additional Comments

As a part of the library’s outreach efforts, a series of letters were written to heirloom seed companies throughout the United States. The library sought donations and/or support for its project from companies that shared the same interest of sharing heirloom variety seeds with the community. As a result of these letters, the library received a total of $1,036.66 in heirloom seed donations to help support the project.

Suggested Titles for Collection:

Other California public library seed libraries to research: