Staff from the Indianapolis Public Library talk about how they started a seed library in a few of their branches.

1. Seed Libraries
Supporting our Communities & Building
Partnerships Through Gardening
Presented by Indianapolis Public Library (Indianapolis, IN)
March 5, 2019

2. “…Books are like seeds. They
can lie dormant for centuries
and then flower in the most
unpromising soil.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

3. Why Seeds?
• Many communities are food deserts.
– By giving away seeds, you can help to solve much larger
societal issues.
• Seeds are inexpensive and it is possible to replenish
some types indefinitely with a very small beginning
investment.
– Engages the community through encouraging donations.
• Organic, heirloom, and especially “Native” seeds can
be hard to find at urban box-type stores.
• Environmental education is no longer a focus in public
school systems and many children and adults do not
know how the food production system works.

4. Why Libraries?
• Libraries are uniquely intersectional
clearinghouses of information and providers of
community services.
– Other organizations are often keenly interested in
partnering with us.
• Libraries represent a judgement-free zone where
adults can “catch up” on education that they feel
they previously missed.
• Our patrons know that they can come to us to
find quality vetted collections.
– Why NOT include seeds?

5. Considerations When Starting a Seed
Library
• Staffing
– Do you have someone with plant/seed knowledge on staff or actively
volunteering who can take the lead and commit to the seed library
program?
• Reach out to the Master Gardeners at your local County Extension Office
– Entire US: http://npic.orst.edu/pest/countyext.htm
– Indiana: https://extension.purdue.edu/about#counties
• Collection Development
– What types of seeds will you stock?
• Flowers…Herbs…Vegetables…”Native” Plants
– Think about your library’s mission when choosing your seeds…are you seeking to solve a
specific problem such as food insecurity or urban monoculture/lawn culture?
• Access to the Collection
– What classification system do you want to use to organize the
collection?
• Could shelf by plant type…by plant name…etc.
– Where will the seeds be “shelved” or stored long-term?
• Make sure seeds aren’t exposed to heat or moisture
– Will the seeds always be available to patrons or only during the
“growing season?”

6. More Considerations
• Statistics
– Do you want to generate statistics?
• If so…how (example: barcoding individual seed packets)
• Programming
– Will you provide programming year round?
– Who will provide programming?
• Library staff vs. Cooperative Extension staff or other volunteers
• Special Topics in Seed Library Development
– Are you concerned about people using the seeds they check out “for profit”?
• Example…at Prophetstown Heirloom Seed Library seed library users sign a form that they
will not sell products grown from the library’s seeds at the Farmers’ Market
– Can you teach your seed library’s patrons to harvest and donate seeds to help
measure program success and off-set some set-up costs?
• Have a donation form for official record-keeping of donations
• Yearly programming on seed harvesting
– Is someone available on staff to ensure that all seed library stakeholders are
aware of your State’s “Seed Laws” and potential requirements for
registration/licensing?
• Indiana State Chemist Office (Seed Section):
https://www.oisc.purdue.edu/seed/index.html
• See: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/12/08/seed-libraries-and-state-laws/

7. IndyPL
Currently has 2 operating seed
libraries in the system
(encompasses all of Marion
County, Indiana):
https://www.indypl.org/services/s
eed-library
Glendale Branch (opened 2016)
• Has a wide variety of
seeds on offer.
• Has some of the seeds in a
database.
• All packets are barcoded.
• Must be a library
card holder to
checkout.
• Provides programming
throughout the year.
• Staffed by Purdue
Extension Master
Gardeners.

8. Spades Park Branch (opened
2017)
• Has a smaller variety of
seeds on offer than
Glendale Branch.
• Has some of the seeds in
a database.
• Some packets are
barcoded.
• Some seeds are available
self serve via bulk bins.
• Do NOT have to be a
library card holder to
checkout.
• Provides some
programming.
• Some staffing by Purdue
Extension Master
Gardeners.

9. Note the increase of food insecurity in Indiana!

11. IndyPL Seed Collection
Circulation
Glendale
2018
March 346
April 498
May 385
June 188
July 137
August 96
September 34
October
TOTAL 1684
Glendale
2017
March 460
April 823
May 394
June 256
July 118
August 115
September 83
October 10
TOTAL 2259
Glendale
2016
March 2
April 935
May 684
June 324
July 142
August 123
September 71
October 19
TOTAL 2300
Spades Park
2018
March 35
April 195
May 98
June 19
July 0
August 2
September 0
October
TOTAL 349
Spades Park
2017
March 305
April 293
May 123
June 32
July 1
August 11
September 0
October 0
TOTAL 765

12. Potential Obstacle
Container
Size
Plant Type Spacing/Planting
Recommended
Varieties
Half-Gallon Parsley 1 plant
Dark Moss Curled,
Paramount
One Gallon
Cabbages 1 plant Any
Cucumbers 2 plants
Salad Bush, Bush
Champion, and
Spacemaster
Green Beans 2-3 plants
Topcrop, Tendercrop,
Derby
Leaf lettuce 4-6 plants
Green Ice, Salad Bowl,
Red Sails, Black Seeded
Simpson, Buttercrunch,
Oakleaf
Spinach
direct seed, thin to 1-2
inches apart
American Viking, Long
Standing, Bloomsdale,
Melody
Swiss chard 1 plant Fordhook Giant, Lucullus
Cherry and Patio
Tomatoes
1 plant Pixie (cherry); Patio (patio)
Two Gallon
Beets thin to 2-3 inches apart Ruby Queen
Carrots thin to 2-3 inches apart
Little Finger, Danver's Half
Long, Nantes Half Long
Eggplant 1 plant Dusky
Pepper 2 plants
Lady Bell, Gypsy, Crispy,
New Ace, Red Chilli
Radishes thin to 1-2 inches apart
Champion, Comet,
Sparkler, White Icicle,
Early Scarlet Globe
Three Gallon
Standard
Tomatoes
1 plant
Jetstar, Celebrity, Super
Bush
What if your patrons live in apartments or do not have access to garden space?
• Stock seeds specific to plants for Container Gardening (info from University of IL
Extension)

13. Local/Community Partners
• Master Gardeners and Extension Educators
– See your State/County’s Extension Office
• Entire US: http://npic.orst.edu/pest/countyext.htm
• Indiana: https://extension.purdue.edu/about#counties
• Community Gardens
• Local Colleges and Universities
• Garden Clubs
• Municipal Government Agencies and Public Health
Departments
– Make sure you are aware of your State’s “Seed Laws” and, if
necessary, have your seed library officially registered/licensed.
• Indiana State Chemist Office (Seed Section):
https://www.oisc.purdue.edu/seed/index.html
• See: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/12/08/seed-
libraries-and-state-laws/

14. Opportunities for Funding
• Free Seed Donations
– Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company
– High Mowing Organic Seeds
– Seed Savers Exchange
– Whole Foods
• Grants
– Cooperative Extension Offices (State and county)
– Lowe’s

15. How Do You Measure Success?
• Circulation statistics
• Recently, several seed libraries have announced closures
– San Diego Seed Library (CA) (losing 2 seed libraries at different
branches…Central and Imperial Beach)
– Greensburg-Decatur Public Library (IN)
• Reasons:
– Lack of participation (by circulation)
– Closure of branches housing the collection
• How can you avoid closure?
– Providing on-going programming focusing on all ages
– Don’t overextend yourself
– Develop community partnerships
– ADVERTISE!!!
• Facebook and Social Media
• Your library’s webpage
• Speak to potential partners and get the word out!
• Advertising ‘in house’ vs. county-wide

16. Seed Libraries in Indiana
City County Status Year Library Name
1 Batesville Franklin/Ripley PLANNING Batesville Memorial Public Library
2 Bloomington Monroe Open 2016Wylie House Seed Library
3 Carmel Hamilton Open 2018Carmel Public Library
4 Fishers Hamilton PLANNING
Hamilton-East Public Library: Fishers
Branch
5 Ft. Wayne Allen Open 2017
Allen County Public Library: Little Turtle
Branch
6 Greencastle Putnam Open 2016Putnam County Public Library
7 Indianapolis Marion Open 2016
Indianapolis Public Library (Glendale and
Spades Park Branches)
8 Madison Jefferson Open 2018Jefferson County Public Library
9 Mitchell Lawrence Open 2014Mitchell Public Library Seed Library
10 Nashville Brown Open 2017Brown County Seed Library
11 New Castle Henry Open 2014Shared Harvest Seed Library
12 Pendleton Madison Open 2014Pendleton Community Library
13 Prophetstown Tippecanoe Open 2018
The Farm at Prophetstown Heirloom
Seed Library
14 Zionsville Boone PLANNING
Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public
Library

17. Resources
• Colley, Micaela. The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving. Decorah,
IA: Seed Savers Exchange, [2015]
• Conner, Cindy. Seed Libraries: And Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of
the People. Gabriola, BC: New Society Publishers [2014].
• Heistinger, Andrea. The Manual of Seed Saving: Harvesting, Storing, and Sowing
Techniques for Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2013.
• Jeffery, Josie. Seedswap: The Gardener's Guide to Saving and Swapping Seeds.
Boston, MA: Roost Books, 2013.
• Public Library Association
– http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2015/01/simple-steps-to-starting-a-seed-library/
• Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance
– https://rockymountainseeds.org/resources/seed-libraries/about-seed-libraries
• Seed Library Network
– http://seedlibraries.weebly.com/
– https://www.facebook.com/SeedLibraries/
• Syracuse University iSchool
– https://ischool.syr.edu/infospace/2012/05/21/seed-libraries-what-they-are-how-to-start-one/

18. Contact Information
Deb Ehret
Manager
Spades Park Branch
1801 Nowland Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46201
(317) 275-4520
dehret@indypl.org
Melissa Wooton
Area Resource Manager
The Indianapolis Public
Library
6101 N. Keystone Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 275-4303
mwooton@indypl.org
Anika Williams
(Marion County Master Gardener
Association)
Public Services Librarian
Pike Branch Library
6525 Zionsville Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46268
(317) 275-4480
awilliams@indypl.org