Library MakerSpace: Seed Library
Seed Library Overview
What Is a Seed Library?
A seed library is a place with a collection of seeds which may be ‘borrowed’ by any library user free of charge for small-scale home gardening. Community members may also donate seeds to a seed library. The purposes of seed libraries include helping library users learn about gardening and promoting sustainability by preserving native and heirloom varieties of plants.
Our Mission
The Library MakerSpace’s Seed Library operates as a free-to-use, hands-on educational resource to enable the UNC-Chapel Hill community to learn about gardening, seed-saving, and native plant life. The Seed Library strives to provide users with the materials and informational resources necessary to get started with home gardening, and to preserve via circulation varieties of heirloom and native plants.
The Seed Library is supported by funding from the Student Library Advisory Board (SLAB) and by a donation from the Community Seed Library (Sponsored by the Orange County NC Master Gardener Volunteers). The card catalog was provided from the Science Library Annex.
How to Use the Seed Library
- The Seed Library is self-serve, available during MakerSpace open hours, and no formal checkout process is required.
- UNC affiliation/a OneCard is not required to borrow seeds; any community member can use the Seed Library.
- Patrons should select five (5) or fewer brown coin envelopes of seeds and note which ones they’re taking on the mini clipboard next to the Seed Library. We are limiting the number of envelopes borrowed because of the limited quantities of each variety.
- Patrons should not borrow full size commercial packets, only coin envelopes.
- Patrons should refer to the binders of emptied commercial packets (in the Growing Info drawer), LibGuide, or books for more growing information.
- Seed-saving (harvesting and ‘returning’ next season’s seeds to the Library) is encouraged, but not required especially for beginner gardeners. This is an educational resource supported by the library, but donations of open-pollinated, non-proprietary seed varieties are appreciated.
Growing Help
- Gardening Guides
- Growing Guides Southern Exposure
- Seed Savers Exchange Gardening & Growing Guides
- Search the National Gardening Association's Plant Database for variety-specific guides
- Growing Native Plants From Seed NCBG
- Regional / Climate Info
- Seed Saving Help
FAQ and Policies
Answer: The Seed Library is open during the Library Makerspace hours. Visit the UNC Libraries website for updated hours.
Answer: There is no formal checkout process and no need to visit the library desk. Just take the packet(s) of seeds you’d like and please note which one(s) on the clipboard sheet by the library. Please limit your selection to five (5) or fewer envelopes total as we have limited quantities of each type.
Answer: Nope! We appreciate and accept donations, but the Seed Library is first and foremost a hands-on educational resource and learning to save seeds can be tricky at first. There is no requirement or obligation to return leftover seeds or those of the next generation from your plants that have gone to seed, but it is always appreciated. Bringing in your leftover or saved seeds helps us maintain the collection for future users.
Answer: If you do have some seeds to donate, please take a blank donation sheet and fill out the information label as completely as you can and take the sheet with your seeds to the desk. Don’t worry if some fields are left blank. We accept open-pollinated and known noninvasive varieties of seeds. Please note we do not accept patented varieties or those under the PVPA. Thank you!
Answer: Seed saving means allowing some of the plants you grow to go to seed, and then harvesting and preserving some of those seeds for the next growing season. Seed-saving technique varies by type of plant. Check out the books and other resources listed in this guide for more information about saving seeds.
Additional Learning
Seed Libraries by
Community-based initiatives to preserve and protect our food supply Historically, seed companies were generally small, often family-run businesses. Because they were regionally based, they could focus on varieties well-suited to the local environment. A Pacific Northwest company, for example, would specialize in different cultivars than a company based in the Southeast. However the absorption of these small, independent seed businesses into large multinationals, combined with the advancement of biotechnology resulting in hybrids and GMO seeds, has led to a serious loss of genetic diversity. The public is now at the mercy of the corporations that control the seeds. In the past few years, gardeners have realized the inherent danger in this situation. A growing movement is striving to preserve and expand our stock of heritage and heirloom varieties through seed saving and sharing opportunities. Seed Libraries is a practical guide to saving seeds through community programs, including: Step-by-step instructions for setting up a seed library A wealth of ideas to help attract patrons and keep the momentum going Profiles of existing libraries and other types of seed saving partnerships Whoever controls the seeds controls the food supply. By empowering communities to preserve and protect the genetic diversity of their harvest, Seed Libraries is the first step towards reclaiming our self-reliance while enhancing food security and ensuring that the future of food is healthy, vibrant, tasty, and nutritious. Cindy Conner is a permaculture educator, founder of Homeplace Earth and producer of two popular instructional gardening DVDs. She is also the author of Grow a Sustainable Diet .
ISBN: 9780865717824Publication Date: 2015-02-01
Seeds by
An essential gardening companion complete with stunning full-color photographs and handy cross-references.
ISBN: 1585748749Publication Date: 2003-03-01
Seed Saving by
Stop wasting money on store-bought seeds and create a garden you can truly call your own. With easy-to-follow instructions for lettuce, beans, corn, onions, and much more, you'll soon be creating your very own heirloom plants that will keep your garden growing strong and your family eating well. Learn how to save only the best from all your vegetables and create a wealth of seeds your family can use for years to come.
ISBN: 9781462113422Publication Date: 2017-02-01
Container Gardening by
Discover how easy it is to grow your favorite plants in containers in this all-new guide from the garden team at Southern Living. At-a-glance charts with handy descriptions and planting information for flowers, herbs, shrubs, trees, and vegetables. Includes over 150 full-color photographs of ideas for placing and combining these plants.
ISBN: 0848722523Publication Date: 1999-02-01
The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds by
Enjoy your favorite varieties of garden plants year after year with this comprehensive guide to gathering, preparing, and planting seeds. Authors Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough provide simple instructions that clearly explain the whole process, from basic plant biology to proper seed storage and successful propagation. Gardeners of any experience level will find all the information they need to preserve genetic diversity, cut costs, and extend the life of their favorite plants to the next generation and beyond.
ISBN: 9781603425742Publication Date: 2011-07-01
