A seed library is an institution that lends or shares seed. It is distinguished from a seedbank in that the main purpose is not to store or hold germplasm or seeds against possible destruction, but to disseminate them to the public which preserves the shared plant varieties through propagation and further sharing of seed.[1]
The Seed Library of Los Angeles: checking out seeds at a monthly meeting.Seed library shelving, USA
The first contemporary seed library was created in 1999 at the Berkeley Ecology Center. It was called the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL).[2] The first seed library to be established in a public library was at the Gardiner Public Library in Gardiner, New York and was developed by Ken Greene in 2004.[2] Since then, the number of seed libraries has grown to over 450 across the globe, with most being established in the United States.[2]
Functionedit
Seed libraries usually maintain their collections through donations from members.[3] but may also operate as pure charity operations intent on serving gardeners and farmers.[4] A common attribute of many seed libraries is to preserve agricultural biodiversity by focusing on rare, local, and heirloom seed varieties.[5]
Seed libraries use varied methods for sharing seeds, primarily by:
seed swaps otherwise known as seed exchanges, in which library members or the public meet and exchange seeds
seed "lending," in which people check out seed from the library's collection, grow them, save the seed, and return seed from the propagated plants to the library
Seed libraries may function as programs of public libraries, such as the programs of the Richmond Public Library in California (the "Richmond Grows" program is the "unofficial spiritual center of the [public library seed library] movement"[6]) and the New Port Richey Public Library (Florida).[7] Seed library initiatives in public libraries garner patron participation as a novelty supplement to book check-outs. Seed packets are usually located next to everyday circulated items like books, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs. Seed libraries in public libraries have been successful because they catch patron hobby curiosities.[8] Public libraries are an appropriate space for seed libraries because they make seeds and plants available to everyone.
They are also located in college libraries, such as Hampshire College's seed library;[6] museums, such as the Hull-House Heirloom Seed Library, a program of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.[9] or as membership based online programs like the Hudson Valley Seed Library. Some have developed as programs of botanical gardens, such as that of the VanDusen Botanical Garden, or from gardening associations and research institutes, such as the Heritage Seed Library of Garden Organic. Other seed libraries have evolved from community sustainability or resilience efforts, such as the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library (BASIL) (the United States' oldest seed library, which developed from the Berkeley, California Ecology Center); and still others from the Slow Food movement, such as Grow Gainesville's seed program.[10]
While "lending" is straightforward, "returning" or re-depositing seeds presents a challenge, since the new seeds are not necessarily well-described, and may be inadvertent hybrids.[6] Some libraries, like the Live Oak Public Library in Savannah, Georgia, do not accept returns or unsolicited donations to ensure quality control.[11] Other libraries, like the Live Oak Public Library in, Live Oak, Florida, ask that borrowers return seeds if possible but there is no penalty for not doing so, and they will not accept hybrid or GMO seeds.[12]
Seed libraries complement the preservationist activities of seedbanks, by collecting local and heirloom varieties that might otherwise be lost, and by collecting new local varieties. In theory, lending and returning seed libraries will also promote local agriculture over time, by growing collections of seeds locally adapted to the region.[6]
^Wang, Joy C. (October 6, 2010). "A Seed Library for Heirloom Plants Thrives in the Hudson Valley". The New York Times.
^ abcPeekhaus, Wilhelm (2018). "Seed Libraries: Sowing the Seeds for Community and Public Library Resilience". Library Quarterly. 88 (3): 271–285. doi:10.1086/697706.
^MacVean, Mary (June 18, 2011). "Seeds of hope and change". Los Angeles Times.
^Sweeney, PC (April 2, 2012). "Seed Libraries Crop Up". BoingBoing.
^Hageman, William (March 23, 2012). "Nurturing plant legacies: Two groups lend seeds and plants to gardeners". Chicago Tribune.
^ abcdHartnett, Kevin (March 9, 2014). "'Seed Libraries' Try to Save the World's Plants". Boston Globe.
^Orth, Carl (August 23, 2013). . The Suncoast News. Archived from the original on 2015-04-15.
^Runyon, Luke (February 2, 2013). "How To Save A Public Library: Make It A Seed Bank". Weekend Edition Saturday (Radio broadcast). NPR. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
^. Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Archived from the original on 2015-05-03.
^. Grow Gainesville. Archived from the original on 2017-03-13.
^"Welcome to the Seed Library". liveoakpl.org. Live Oak Public Library. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
^"Seed Lending Library". srrlib.org. Suwannee River Regional Library System. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
Further readingedit
A Seed Library Thrives, New York Times
The Seed Library Movement from Roots to Bloom
Sowing Revolution: Seed Libraries Offer Hope for Freedom of Food
"Seed lending library sprouts in West Concord", Boston Globe, Massachusetts, July 10, 2013
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seed libraries.
Seed Library Network
Bay Area Seed Interchange Library, Berkeley, California
Seed Library of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
Richmond Seed Library, Richmond, California
BFPL Seed Library, Vermont
Seed Library of Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ
. Archived from the original on 2018-08-05.
. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10.
January 01, 1970
seed, library, seed, library, institution, that, lends, shares, seed, distinguished, from, seedbank, that, main, purpose, store, hold, germplasm, seeds, against, possible, destruction, disseminate, them, public, which, preserves, shared, plant, varieties, thro. A seed library is an institution that lends or shares seed It is distinguished from a seedbank in that the main purpose is not to store or hold germplasm or seeds against possible destruction but to disseminate them to the public which preserves the shared plant varieties through propagation and further sharing of seed 1 The Seed Library of Los Angeles checking out seeds at a monthly meeting Seed library shelving USA Contents 1 History 2 Function 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe first contemporary seed library was created in 1999 at the Berkeley Ecology Center It was called the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library BASIL 2 The first seed library to be established in a public library was at the Gardiner Public Library in Gardiner New York and was developed by Ken Greene in 2004 2 Since then the number of seed libraries has grown to over 450 across the globe with most being established in the United States 2 Function editSeed libraries usually maintain their collections through donations from members 3 but may also operate as pure charity operations intent on serving gardeners and farmers 4 A common attribute of many seed libraries is to preserve agricultural biodiversity by focusing on rare local and heirloom seed varieties 5 Seed libraries use varied methods for sharing seeds primarily by seed swaps otherwise known as seed exchanges in which library members or the public meet and exchange seeds seed lending in which people check out seed from the library s collection grow them save the seed and return seed from the propagated plants to the library Seed libraries may function as programs of public libraries such as the programs of the Richmond Public Library in California the Richmond Grows program is the unofficial spiritual center of the public library seed library movement 6 and the New Port Richey Public Library Florida 7 Seed library initiatives in public libraries garner patron participation as a novelty supplement to book check outs Seed packets are usually located next to everyday circulated items like books audiobooks CDs and DVDs Seed libraries in public libraries have been successful because they catch patron hobby curiosities 8 Public libraries are an appropriate space for seed libraries because they make seeds and plants available to everyone They are also located in college libraries such as Hampshire College s seed library 6 museums such as the Hull House Heirloom Seed Library a program of the Jane Addams Hull House Museum 9 or as membership based online programs like the Hudson Valley Seed Library Some have developed as programs of botanical gardens such as that of the VanDusen Botanical Garden or from gardening associations and research institutes such as the Heritage Seed Library of Garden Organic Other seed libraries have evolved from community sustainability or resilience efforts such as the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library BASIL the United States oldest seed library which developed from the Berkeley California Ecology Center and still others from the Slow Food movement such as Grow Gainesville s seed program 10 While lending is straightforward returning or re depositing seeds presents a challenge since the new seeds are not necessarily well described and may be inadvertent hybrids 6 Some libraries like the Live Oak Public Library in Savannah Georgia do not accept returns or unsolicited donations to ensure quality control 11 Other libraries like the Live Oak Public Library in Live Oak Florida ask that borrowers return seeds if possible but there is no penalty for not doing so and they will not accept hybrid or GMO seeds 12 Seed libraries complement the preservationist activities of seedbanks by collecting local and heirloom varieties that might otherwise be lost and by collecting new local varieties In theory lending and returning seed libraries will also promote local agriculture over time by growing collections of seeds locally adapted to the region 6 See also editHeirloom plant Kokopelli Seed Foundation Library Navdanya Seed savingReferences edit Wang Joy C October 6 2010 A Seed Library for Heirloom Plants Thrives in the Hudson Valley The New York Times a b c Peekhaus Wilhelm 2018 Seed Libraries Sowing the Seeds for Community and Public Library Resilience Library Quarterly 88 3 271 285 doi 10 1086 697706 MacVean Mary June 18 2011 Seeds of hope and change Los Angeles Times Sweeney PC April 2 2012 Seed Libraries Crop Up BoingBoing Hageman William March 23 2012 Nurturing plant legacies Two groups lend seeds and plants to gardeners Chicago Tribune a b c d Hartnett Kevin March 9 2014 Seed Libraries Try to Save the World s Plants Boston Globe Orth Carl August 23 2013 NPR launches seed exchange community gardens The Suncoast News Archived from the original on 2015 04 15 Runyon Luke February 2 2013 How To Save A Public Library Make It A Seed Bank Weekend Edition Saturday Radio broadcast NPR Retrieved 2017 03 12 Hull House Seed Library Jane Addams Hull House Museum Archived from the original on 2015 05 03 Southern Heritage Seed Collective Grow Gainesville Archived from the original on 2017 03 13 Welcome to the Seed Library liveoakpl org Live Oak Public Library Retrieved 28 October 2022 Seed Lending Library srrlib org Suwannee River Regional Library System Retrieved 28 October 2022 Further reading editA Seed Library Thrives New York Times The Seed Library Movement from Roots to Bloom Sowing Revolution Seed Libraries Offer Hope for Freedom of Food Seed lending library sprouts in West Concord Boston Globe Massachusetts July 10 2013External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Seed libraries Seed Library Network Bay Area Seed Interchange Library Berkeley California Seed Library of Los Angeles Los Angeles California Richmond Seed Library Richmond California BFPL Seed Library Vermont Seed Library of Pima County Public Library Tucson AZ Seed Library Locator Map Archived from the original on 2018 08 05 Valley Permaculture Alliance Seed Library Archived from the original on 2016 08 10 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Seed library amp oldid 1207150183, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
