With the spring planting season underway, area libraries are inviting patrons to check out something other than the latest new bestseller or DVD — seeds.
Housed in paperback catalogs, seed libraries feature herb, vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds donated by participants and seed companies, as well as some stock purchased by the libraries.
At the Homewood Public Library, the seed library was inspired by the son of adult services librarian Jill Postma, a master gardener who has worked for the Field Museum, Morton Arboretum and the Save Bell Bowl Prairie project in Rockford, among other plant-inspired and volunteer work. position
“He was always talking about native species,” Postma said, “and recommended a new state flower (the Kankakee Mallow). So he said native species should be planted. I’ve seen other libraries do it like Flossmoor and Midlothian.”
Although Postma is not a gardener herself, it runs in her family. “My mother was a rose tester from Jackson Perkins, so she skipped a generation. It’s a well-known company that specializes in roses,” he said.
Homewood’s seed library started in 2019, just before the pandemic took hold, explained Nathan Hare, head of adult services. “For a while we put a cart in our entrance area that was covered, so the books were given out, and we put the seeds so that people could take them.”
Postma and another adult services librarian, Margaret Novak, run the seed library. “I do the dirty work,” Postma said. “We’re both keeping an eye on it and the signage.”
The catalog, located on the main floor of the library, offers several varieties of seeds. “It depends a lot on what’s available,” Postma said. “Recently a volunteer donated a bag of pea seeds, and someone donated marigolds.”
Both she and Hare noted increased participation with employers this year. “That’s what’s taken off this year — donations,” Hare said.
“This is the whole idea of the seed library. You want people to take the seeds, but also to give them back,” explained Postma, adding that he likes to promote more than native plants, “so it keeps our plantings safe from those who take”.
Hare noted that has been a trend with the library grounds, although they contain more native plants.
They hope to expand the offer with a propagation station, which was Novak’s idea. “If the seed library is ‘Take a seed, leave a seed,’ the propagation station is ‘Take a cutting, leave a cutting.’ More along the lines of a swap or exchange,” Hare said, adding that they are working on some shelves for it. “We hope to get it this year.”
Participants do not need a library card for Homewood or any other library. “We don’t check,” Postma joked.
Sustainability is also important at Park Forest Public Library, which also started its seed library in 2019. “Seed donations are a collective effort between library staff, the Office of Sustainability and the Commission on ‘Park Forest Environment,’ said Carrie Malfeo, sustainability coordinator. for the village of Park Forest.
“The library maintains and publicizes the seed library. The Office of Sustainability publicizes and solicits seed donations. The Environment Commission hosts a local food systems exhibition to connect farmers and eaters to support local food systems “, he said. “A raffle is held at that event, and all proceeds go to buy seeds for the library.”
Malfeo said people can get involved by picking up a free packet of seeds, growing local produce, herbs or flowers and telling a friend. An important part of the cycle is harvesting some seeds at the end of the season to donate back to the seed library.
The seeds fill a real need in the community, he said, adding that fruits and vegetables are the most popular seeds “as Park Forest is a food desert.”
The Seeds at the Blue Island Public Library, which have been available for a few years before the pandemic, are maintained by Leah Rozendaal, who works in the circulation department and describes herself as “adjacent gardening.”
“I have people in my life who garden, so I know a decent amount about it, but I don’t currently have a garden,” he explained. “I’ve had gardens in the past. We tried tomatoes and different things like that around the house.”
Rozendaal would inventory the existing seeds and the new donations, which would be placed in a special box. “I will stop by here and repack if necessary. If someone gives a large donation, I will take it back,” he said. “For example, I have a couple of ziplock bags of radish seeds, which would be too much for one person. So we will put them in seed bags. …If we do an inventory, I will ask for donations. We have companies that give us donations.”
She organizes the drawers in the catalog, which has been repurposed for the seed library. “The envelopes fit really well. It’s a throwback to the card catalog days,” he said.
Rozendaal has little place for radishes at the top of the drawers because they can be planted first. She also cools the low stock, as when the flower seeds are scattered. “It’s exciting in the spring because you can put things in the ground, especially with the mild spring we’ve had,” he said.
“Flowers are very popular, especially native flowers,” he added. “We have some native herbs, anything from radishes, corn, pumpkin. Many times you buy a package of pumpkin seeds and you only need half of them. People will bring them.”
The library sometimes starts seeds indoors, like cucumbers and tomatoes, and gives them out in the spring. “Maybe I’ll do the tomatoes. It’s good to give them a head,” said Rozendaal.
He practices what he preaches, like with the library’s butterfly garden. “We partnered with the Brookfield Zoo, so we harvest the seeds outside. I cut off the dead heads and I sort things out and put them in packaging as well,” he explained. “This is the idea of the seed library is that people plant them and when they harvest they can bring them back and donate that. So we will do this work from our butterfly garden.”
The library has held a spring kickoff day the past two years in conjunction with the community gardens that the Park District manages. “Someday it would be fun to have a garden plot where we plant pumpkins for people to use in the fall,” thought Ronzendaal, adding that the University of Illinois Extension Service runs a children’s gardening program at the library in spring and summer.
The seed library is free to use. “It’s supported by Friends of the Library, so there’s a way to sign up to be in Friends if you want to provide a little extra support,” Rozendaal said. “We assume that people will take as many seeds as they will use this season and harvest them and bring them back.”
Sometimes the seed garden yields unexpected blessings. “The local Montessori school brought some packets of seeds that they collected and drew art for the packets. I found it so nice – the school gets together and makes the packets. It’s a really fun way to connect with the community “, he said. “I am a fanatic for children’s drawings.
Other seed libraries can be found at the Flossmoor, Palos Park and Evergreen Park public libraries. They welcome participants from all over the area.
Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
