Self-Sustainability

Without seeds coming back through patron returns, seed libraries need ongoing partnerships with seed suppliers or a dedicated budget to buy seeds. Per the interviews and surveys, most seed libraries are getting their seeds from commercial donations. Although seeking seeds through commercial partners works well for many seed libraries, it creates an additional barrier for program implementation that could be removed with a self-sustaining model.

Self-sustaining supply

To be self-sustainable, seed libraries need to either grow their own seeds or have patrons return seeds. From the institutions interviewed, in many cases, growing seeds in-house is the option that has provided higher yields. Having a home-grown supply of seeds is beneficial for many reasons (beyond saving money by not buying seeds). Seed libraries encourage patrons to return seeds, but the message is far more impactful when the library is leading by example and saving its own seeds. Further, seed libraries can attest to the success of a seed in the local climate when the seeds were harvested on or near campus. If they are involved in the maintenance of the seed plot, librarians will have direct experience and knowledge of how the plants grow and can provide guidance to or connect with patrons on a deeper level.

Seed libraries seeking space to grow could also help to advocate for more on-campus gardening options. Many of the colleges and universities interviewed did not have community garden plots on-campus. To encourage the campus community to utilize the seed library, gardening space needs to be accessible. Seed libraries could work with the institutions to offer more land for gardens, which would support their own interests and benefitting their users.

Investing in seed saving

It would be great if all seed libraries could grow their own seeds, but that is simply not the reality of many libraries. As an alternative, seed libraries can invest in patrons saving seeds and change the way the seed library operates. To complete the seed library cycle and have patrons return seeds, there has to be support and education to do so. Further, patrons need to want to return seeds. Seed saving requires time and effort, so patrons have to be invested in the seed library and return the seeds willingly. However, as two research participants pointed out, one single vegetable can often produce a large volume of seeds, for example a tomato or cucumber. For this reason, even if a percentage of patrons return seeds, it might be sufficient to maintain an ongoing supply of seeds for the larger program. 

The benefits of a self-sustaining seed library may not be immediately visible, because libraries need time to educate and change the culture on seed saving. One interviewee viewed the seed library as requiring a philosophically different relationship with patrons than an academic library. They went on to explain that there is a level of knowledge and resources required by a user before they can access seeds, and then the library has to foster a long-term relationship in order to have enough success with seeds that they can be returned. Seed saving is a skill that may take several seasons to hone and develop because seed harvesting cannot be done year-round in most Canadian climates. Motivating borrowers will take a concerted effort on the part of the librarians, who already feel as if they are not or cannot do enough.

Seed librarians have ambitious ideas and objectives, all of which require dedicated resources. Without institutional support to spend more time and resources on the seed library, the informants may continue to feel unsatisfied with what is offered to patrons and how the seed library is implemented. The survey results highlighted that only half of the institutions provide financial support to their seed libraries. Institutions might be providing sufficient resources to maintain the seed library’s status quo, but not enough resources to further expand programs to the extent that seed librarians have envisioned. Libraries are venues to encourage learning and exploration, but a self-sustaining seed library demands patrons hold knowledge, and will only succeed if patrons succeed and continue to engage with the seed library. This may require the role of seed librarians to be re-evaluated. Seeds can provide a basis for a garden, but for seeds to be continually returned, users might need more involvement, support and specialized expertise from librarians.

Offering culturally significant seeds

A drawback of the current seed donation model is that there is limited strategic oversight into which seeds are offered. Institutions cannot be intentional about the kinds of seeds in their library if they have limited decision-making abilities around their supply. Several institutions that do not grow their own seeds mentioned that they would like to or that this is something the library is working to implement. In-house seed production could be a positive expansion of the seed library, as it would give the librarians more control over their seed offerings.

From the information I gathered, most institutions are not engaging patrons or the local community to determine what should be included in the seed library, but rather offering seeds that are easy to obtain or “the regular stuff,” for example, tomatoes, kale, beans and peas. The problem is that the regular stuff is determined by the growing and eating norms of predominantly privileged white settlers and does not consider the broader and diverse campus population. If seed librarians are only asking the existing users of the seed library for input, then the program will not grow to meet the needs of those for whom the seed library is currently inaccessible. This is where a curated offering can bring value by seeking out local heirloom seed varieties, and those that have cultural significance.

Sustainability in action

The University of Toronto Scarborough Campus seed library is successfully growing their own seeds in a dedicated plot at an on-campus farm. The garden requires some work, however because the plants are grown to go to seed, they require less maintenance than other gardens. The academic librarian, campus farm coordinator and paid students tend to the plot and are supported by an Indigenous youth work program who are engaging in land-based learning with an Elder. Growing seeds has opened up partnerships for the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, for example by meeting people and diversifying supply through seed swaps. Providing home-grown seeds is also a point of pride for the seed library and offers librarians the chance to interact with and have a personal connection to the seeds offered, which can only be a benefit to users and the library.