Libraries these days loan more than just books – many also let you take out toys, cake pans, laptops, musical instruments, even people. This ‘library of things’ is taking off in a big way, and many libraries are now storing and ‘lending’ seeds, for free.

Seeds can be donated and ‘lent’ to other patrons, with libraries hosting free gardening workshops and events, sometimes working with local community gardens to encourage residents to get back to nature and produce their own food. Particularly in urban settings, it’s easy to lose our connection to the earth, and as a library is nothing if not a knowledge-sharing institution, it seems like a perfect fit.

The seed library is also an excellent way to preserve rare, local and heirloom varieties (created when plants from the same cultivar are bred, ensuring regularity). More flowering plants is also a plus for bee populations, which have been declining worldwide. Seeing as bees produce somewhere in the realm of 25% of our food, this is a serious issue. So why not grow your own food, add colour to your garden, and help save the bees while you’re at it?

If you’re thinking of getting on board, the library might be just the place to start. Pop on down to your local branch and ask for advice, and if your library doesn’t yet have a programme going, send them on over to Gardening Know-how for information on how to get started.

Further resources:

A sharing economy for plants: Seed libraries are sprouting up by The Conversation

Simple Steps to Starting a Seed Library by Public Libraries Online

How to Grow Community with a Seed Library by Beth McGough, Communications and Creative Services Manager (at Proquest)