What is a seed library?

How seed libraries work:

• Seed libraries collect and store seeds from regional seed companies, gardeners, and other sources.
• Gardeners can “borrow” seeds from the library at planting time.
• At the end of the growing season, gardeners can save seeds from their plants and return them to the library.

Seed libraries are important because they: 

• Increase biodiversity
 Seed libraries help preserve local varieties and wild seeds, which increases biodiversity.
• Improve food security 
Seed libraries help build a more secure food supply by encouraging the use of local varieties.
• Support pollinators 
Seed libraries can help support endangered pollinators by providing seeds for wildflowers that serve as nectar and host plants. 
• Educate the community 
Seed libraries can help educate the community about gardening, seed saving, and urban agriculture. 
• Promote community
 Seed libraries can help build community by encouraging people to learn and practice gardening together. 
• Preserve food heritage 
Seed libraries help preserve food heritage by saving and sharing locally adapted varieties.
• Combat seed monocultures Seed libraries help combat seed monocultures, which threaten the world’s food supply.  

In January 2024, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay President Marlene Smith became aware of a seed library in Maryland, the Talbot County Free Seed Library. Intrigued by the idea, she approached the staff at the St. Mary’s County Library (SMCL) to see if they were interested in starting a local seed library. Learning that they were in the early stages of planning a seed library, Marlene pulled together all of the resources she could find and connected Nicole Bega, St. Mary’s County Library, with Mikaela Boley, University of Maryland Extension Home Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator for Talbot County. Mikaela leads the Talbot County Free Seed Library and was happy to answer our questions and share her experiences with us.

Following several months of planning, the St. Mary’s County Library S.E.E.D.S. Library (Seed Endowment for Education, Discovery, and Sustainability) was opened on April 1, 2024, at all three branches (Charlotte Hall, Leonardtown, and Lexington Park). The program launched with 1800 individual seed packets, including 22 varieties of native and pollinator plant seeds donated by Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay.

Opening day was huge success! Nicole Bega reported, “We had a great first day with 60 people coming to get their seeds packets. That is over 400 seed packets distributed! We hope to cultivate a flourishing network of gardeners, plant enthusiasts and avid learners who are dedicated to the sharing of seeds and knowledge.” 

Megan Friend, coordinator of the Charlotte Hall Branch S.E.E.D.S. Library, shared her insights into being a part of the S.E.E.D.S. team: “Starting this seed library has been a rewarding project, and it’s been especially fulfilling to create valuable connections within our community—particularly with Marlene from Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, who generously donates native seeds. It’s a reminder that even small actions—like sharing seeds or ideas—can lead to something bigger and more impactful over time.“

“We started this seed library because we believe everyone should have the chance to grow their own food, regardless of their budget or experience. Seeds may seem small, but they’re a simple way to make a meaningful contribution to a more sustainable future. By sharing them, we can help each other build resilience—one plant at a time.” – Megan Friend

Read Megan’s article about her experience on the West Coast Seeds website.

Fast forward to Fall 2024. Having witnessed the successful launch of the SMCL S.E.E.D.S. Library, Marlene reached out to the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), her alma mater, to see if they had any interest in opening a seed library. With four campuses in the three southern Maryland counties, Marlene thought this was another excellent opportunity for collaborating on additional seed libraries with Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay members, Tracey Stuller and Maddie Kaba, both of who work at the College of Southern Maryland.

Tracey Stuller, Professor of Biology and Bee and Bird Campus Committee Co-Chair, wrote, “I was intrigued by the seed library idea when I first heard about it from Marlene at Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay.  The idea was too good to pass on and I hoped that CSM’s library staff would embrace the idea.  They did.  Special Thank you to Mary Johnson, CSM Library Director, who knew to point us to Maddie Kaba (CSM Library Assistant) whose enthusiasm for the project is infectious!  The staff at the Charlotte Hall Public Library (Brittany Cornish and Megan Friend) have been extraordinarily helpful and generous with their time in helping us get started. And, of course, Marlene Smith has gone above and beyond to help facilitate meetings, donate seeds, give advice and just be generally encouraging about the whole thing, all of which is a testament to her dedication to the Wild Ones cause.“

“This project is about planting seeds for plants, that’s true.  But we’re planting other kinds of seeds too.  I hope the partnerships and collaborations that have been started with this initiative continue to grow and flourish as well.” -Tracey Stuller

Working with Tracey and Maddie has been very rewarding. They both jumped in with both feet, including coordinating events leading up to the opening of the CSM seed library. We held a garden cleanup day in the fall that included collecting seeds from their Bee Campus/Bird Campus pollinator garden, a seed cleaning workshop in mid-winter, and will have a winter sowing workshop in celebration of the opening of the seed library scheduled for March 2025.

“I was thrilled to be approached by Library Director Mary Johnson and Professor Tracey Stuller to start a seed library here at the CSM La Plata Campus Library. I was already aware of seed libraries as a concept, but I never thought I’d be in a position to start one myself! I think they are a fantastic resource for a community to help fight food insecurity and reconnect us in a time where we are increasingly separated from the source of our food. Establishing this seed library has been a very fulfilling and educational experience so far, and I am hoping that this initiative will be a grand unifier of plant enthusiasts and experts in all corners of Charles County! I have had wonderfully inspiring conversations with folks at the La Plata Farmer’s Market, who have farms and gardens of all shapes and sizes and will be essential in connecting us with community members outside of CSM. Marlene and Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, Julia and the UMD-Extension Charles County Master Gardeners, and Megan and the St. Mary’s County Public Library were all endlessly welcoming and generous in sharing wisdom, resources, and native plant seeds to get us started! I am also excited to involve the CSM Eco-Hawks: Students for Environmental Sustainability Club in our seed library operations, since our students are the heart of everything we do here. We are still in the early stages of getting this seed library up and running, but if the overwhelming community support is any indicator, I think it is going to be a very successful and enriching addition to our campus.” ~ Maddie Kaba, Library Assistant

Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is proud to collaborate with the St. Mary’s County Libraries and College of Southern Maryland not only on establishing their seed libraries, but also on holding workshops and assisting with native gardens. Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay is deeply rooted in native plants and promotes native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action. Seed libraries will help us fulfill our mission of native plants and natural landscapes thriving in every community. The seed libraries will ensure genetic biodiversity of native plants in our community by sharing native seeds harvested, cleaned, and stored onsite.