Community Seed Library

We are now accepting donations for our seed library!

The Community Seed Library is accepting seed donations from June 21 - December 21, 2023! Please share the open-pollinated seed you have saved and dried, filling in a form, opens a new window for every kind of seed you donate and bringing the seed in a sealed envelope with the form inside to any branch of RDPL.

About the Community Seed Library

What is the Seed Library?

The Red Deer Public Library Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated seeds available to library cardholders completely free! Members come to the library and borrow up to three packets of seeds for their garden. They grow the plants in their garden and at the end of the season, they let a few plants ‘go to seed.’ From those plants, they collect seeds and return one or two packets of seeds to the library to keep the collection growing. Since seed is a living thing, it must be renewed each year somewhere by someone or unique varietals can become extinct. Even growing one seed and returning it to the library makes a difference.

What is the Purpose of the Community Seed Library

The purpose of the seed library is to educate our community on the importance of seed saving while fostering a culture of sharing, self-reliance, and community resilience, preserving and perpetuating Red Deer’s agrarian roots.

How Can I Donate Seeds?

Please fill in a Community Seed Library Donation Form, opens a new window for every kind of seed that you wish to donate and bring the seed in a sealed envelope with the form inside to any branch of Red Deer Public Library. Donation forms can also be picked up at any branch of Red Deer Public Library. We will be accepting donated seeds from June 21 - December 21, 2023.

What Types of Seeds Can I Donate?

The library accepts donations of open-pollinated seeds like beans, peas, lettuce and tomatoes as well as other types of seeds that are easy to save and adapted to urban spaces, particularly if they are adapted to the Red Deer area, or have ties to this community.

When Can I "Borrow" Seeds from the Seed Library?

The Seed Library is now CLOSED for the season! This was our very first year offering a Seed Library collection, and it was so popular that all of our seeds have been handed out. With your support, we hope to expand our Seed Library next year to offer even more seeds! Please see the seed donation form and consider donating.

Browse the Seed Library Collection

Please note that our Seed Library is now CLOSED. If your received seeds from us this year, browse the seed library catalogue below to find important information about your seeds!

Beans

Tomatoes

Leafy Vegetables

Other Fruits & Vegetables

Herbs

Flowers

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Bee Helpful

Bees, butterflies, wasps, moths, beetles and hummingbirds are some of our native pollinators and these books will help you help them.

Gardening

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Community Events

Gardening Tips

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