Seed Library

if you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need   – cicero

Our seed library is about…

• Encouraging our community to dig in and garden.
• Reconnecting our community to the traditions of growing tasty, healthy food.
• Reconnecting our community to the outdoors and wildlife.
• Educating our community about growing, harvesting, and saving seeds.
• Creating a community-sustained seed collection at our Library.
• Providing information, instruction and education about sustainable gardening.

How it works:

• You must have a library card from a library in Gloucester County to participate.
• Seeds packets are “checked out” from the library with the understanding that you will grow the seeds.
• We hope that you will save seeds from the plants and return a similar package of seeds to the library at the end of the growing season.  Alternatively, you may donate some produce to your local food bank (see below for a list).
• There is no fine if the seeds are not returned.

Spring seeds 2019:

• Seed varieties are now available at the Circulation Desk!
• Seeds include: String Beans, Tomatoes, Squash, Sweet Corn, Kale, Sunflowers and many more!  Check back frequently as we will be receiving more seeds throughout the Spring!

Instructional Documents:

• Seed Library Application: Fill in this brief form and return it to the Library to make your seed request.
• Planning a Garden: This is for the gardener who is just starting out. It’s an overview of how to plan a garden, how to start seeds, a planting chart, and how to plan a harvest.  Seed and plant sources are included in this document.
• How to Save Seeds:  This document covers the seed-saving process. If you’re an established gardener, this will help you along your seed-saving journey.
• Garden Journal: This document can function as a traditional journal that you print out and write, or you can use the fill-in-form function built into the file. There are instructions in the document on how to use it as a form. If you choose to use the form function, you can submit your journal to the Library Seed Bank project which is collecting local gardening information for public reference and historic record-keeping.  There is an email link in the document if you choose to submit it. Please stop the library, check out some seeds, and browse our collection of gardening and seed-saving books. If you have any questions, please contact the library!

Food Banks: