March 18, 2019 – The Madelyn Helling Library has announced their brand-new Seed Library! The Seed Library is free to use and does not require a library card. There are no limits on how many seeds you can take out of the Library, but please only take what you can use.
Here’s how it works:
Free Membership
The first time you borrow from the seed library, please fill out a general membership form and place it in the “Membership/Borrow ” folder at the Madelyn Helling circulation desk. Afterwards, just fill out one of the small slips the back of your membership form with your name and the name of the seeds you borrowed on that day.
Take Home Seeds!
- Assuming you’ve already filled out a membership form, find the seeds in the drawers that you’d like to borrow. Take the main seed packet from the drawer and a small envelope (in the “Empty Envelopes” drawer in the catalogue) and write the name (ex: Virginia Pickling Cucumber), days to maturity, and other information that will help you grow the variety.
- From the main seed packet, pour a small amount of seed into your hand and then transfer it to the small envelope that you wrote the information on.
- Seal your envelope and fold down the top of the original seed packet. Place the original seed packet back into the drawer that you pulled it from.
- Head over to the circulation desk and fill out the small “Borrow Slip” with your name and the seed variety’s name and put it back into the Membership/Borrow folder.
- Take your seeds home, plant them & enjoy!
How to Return Seeds
During the beginning stages of the Seed Library, the Library wants to get seeds into your hands. As plants fade and seeds show up in the garden, the Library plans to have several discussions on seed-saving, including which ones are the easiest to save and how to collect seeds from plants that haven’t cross-pollinated. Seeds will then also be collected from the public and placed in a separate box to ensure seed varieties aren’t mixed before going back out to the public.