Bainbridge Island Seed Library
Kitsap Regional Library, 2013
Gardening and microfarming are incredibly popular in my small, semi-rural community. Local, sustainable food is a regional passion. Because of that, I had wanted to start a seed library at my public library for some time. However, staff time and resource constraints had always kept it just a few items down on my to-do list. When a community member recieved a surprise large donation of seeds, just after he had acquired a few old library card catalogs from Craigslist, he also realized how beloved a seed library would be on Bainbridge Island. When he started looking for a public, accessible, mission-compatible place to house the library, I jumped on it! I knew right away that our library, with its award-winning gardens tended by legions of volunteers, was the perfect place. The community member agreed, and brought hundreds of packets of seeds and the card catalogs to me.
I researched other seed libraries, especially Richmond Grows, and spoke with local gardening experts to settle on the best taxonomy for our seed library. I built the structure, sorted the seeds into it, and created several indices (by use, common name, and family) so that users could find just the right seeds in the way that made the most sense to them. Since the seeds are not in our online catalog (yet!), I also created a simple circulation system, and adapted the freely-shared materials from Richmond Grows into two pamphlets to explain the process for using the seed library and the basics of saving and returning seeds.
We continue to involve the community in many ways. An Eagle Scout is working on a custom shed so that we can house the seed library outside in our garden, furthering the library garden's educational mission and making the seed library available at all times. Further donations of seeds are already rolling in, and people have started inquiring about donating gardening tools and supplies as well. Local farmers have agreed to teach seed-saving workshops in the spring and fall, so that we can keep the seed library vibrant well into the future.
I researched other seed libraries, especially Richmond Grows, and spoke with local gardening experts to settle on the best taxonomy for our seed library. I built the structure, sorted the seeds into it, and created several indices (by use, common name, and family) so that users could find just the right seeds in the way that made the most sense to them. Since the seeds are not in our online catalog (yet!), I also created a simple circulation system, and adapted the freely-shared materials from Richmond Grows into two pamphlets to explain the process for using the seed library and the basics of saving and returning seeds.
We continue to involve the community in many ways. An Eagle Scout is working on a custom shed so that we can house the seed library outside in our garden, furthering the library garden's educational mission and making the seed library available at all times. Further donations of seeds are already rolling in, and people have started inquiring about donating gardening tools and supplies as well. Local farmers have agreed to teach seed-saving workshops in the spring and fall, so that we can keep the seed library vibrant well into the future.
