Seed Libraries Survey

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The purpose of this survey is to gather information about different seed libraries and how they are structured with the intention that you can connect with other libraries. We truly appreciate you taking time to share your information and thoughts. The information you share will help us to create a robust and dynamic resource for the seed lending library movement. We would love it if you could email any files you created to richmondgrows@gmail.com. You can also let us know if there are any on-line resources that you would like to share. We'd love a photo of your seed library.

If you are still in the process of opening you can indicate that in the date opened and answer the questions that seem relevant at this moment and time.

Most of the boxes in the survey are "check all that apply." Please read all the options as many may apply. Feel free to add comments in the "other" box. We will also have a section at the end of the survey to share additional things that we may have forgotten to ask.

If you know of other seed libraries that are open, please forward the survey to them or email me so that we can make sure they are in on discussions and sharing of resources.

Peas,
Rebecca Newburn
Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library

Name of library *

What is the name of your library?

Website

If you have a web address, please share that.

Contact email

Please enter a primary contact email for your group. This is for internal use only.

What state (US), provence (Canada) or country are you in? *

Location *

In what type of place is your seed library located?

public library

community garden

place of worship

museum

school

Other:

Required

Opening date

When did your seed library open or when do you anticipate opening?

Organizers

Who organized your library? (Check all that apply)

public librarians

non-profit

individuals

transition town initiative

seed savers group

garden club

master gardeners

local sustainability group

organization (not a non-profit)

Other:

Name(s) of organizing group(s)

If your library was organized by a group or organization please specify the name(s) of the organization(s).

Hours of operation

When is your library open?

Open when the facility (ex. public library) is open.

Open during work parties or member meetings.

Other:

Availability

Does someone oversee the checkout of seeds?

No, our library is self-serve on an honor system.

Yes, people can borrow seeds during work parties or meetings.

Yes, we have a librarian or volunteer who checks out seeds to members.

Other:

Collaborating organizations

Besides the initial organizers, what other organizations or groups have you reached out to support the maintenance of your library and/or its collection? (Check all that apply.)

master gardeners

garden clubs

community college or university horticulture departments

community college or university departments, besides hort. dept.

local schools

transition town initiatives

local sustainability group

Other:

Membership structure

What would best describe your membership structure?

Free and open to the public

One-time membership fee

Yearly membership fee (cash)

Yearly memberbship fee (cash or volunteer)

Yearly membership fee (cash, volunteer or seed donation)

Other:

Sharing membership forms

What forms have you created that you would be willing to share? (Check all that apply.)

We used the membership form from Richmond Grows.

We used the membership form from Richmond Grows but made some changes (besides name of organization).

We created our own membership form and would be willing to share it.

We have other membership information, such as bylaws and guidelines, that we would also be willing to share.

Some of our membership information is translated into other languages.

We created our own membership form, but do not want to share it.

Other:

Orientations

How do you educate members about expectations and how to use the library? (Check all that apply.)

Membership is explained during member meetings.

Orientations for members

On-line videos orienting members

Explanation of membership expectations on web.

Some of our orientation material is translated into other languages.

Handout explaining guidelines of membership

Other:

Organization of library

Explain how your library is organized.

We used the basic structure provided by Richmond Grows by organizing by families and seed saving level.

We created our own structure. Please make a few comments in the "other" section below.

Other:

Cabinet for seeds

What would best describe the furniture that your seeds are housed in?

used cabinet or chest of drawers

artistic: painted or handmade

bookshelf

old library card catalog

new cabinet or chest of drawers

Other:

Borrowing seeds: system

What guidelines do you have for people to borrow seeds? (Check all that apply.)

People log what they borrowed onto a sheet. We used the basic form created by Richmond Grows.

People log what they borrowed onto a sheet. We created our own form.

People log what they borrowed into a database provided by Richmond Grows.

People log what they borrowed into a database we created.

Our database is on-line.

Some of our borrowing information is translated into other languages.

Other:

Borrowing seeds: on-line system

If you use an on-line database, please add a link below.

Borrowing seeds: envelopes

How and what do people write on the envelopes?

We created our own envelope information form.

We used the envelope form from Richmond Grows.

We used the envelope form from Richmond Grows but made changes (besides our name). Please make comments by clicking "other" below.

Our envelope form is downloadable on our website.

Other:

Borrowing seeds: seed saving diffculty

Are there criteria on the type of seeds people can borrow? (Check all that apply.)

People can borrow any type of plant, regardless of seed saving difficulty, and are encouraged to only return seeds that they know how to save properly.

People can borrow only seeds that they know how to save seeds from.

People can only borrow seeds that they intend to return seeds from.

People need to take a class or demonstrate mastery before checking out seeds.

People are not expected to return seeds to the library.

Other:

Borrowing seeds: amounts

What guidelines do you have for people to borrow seeds? (Check all that apply.)

People can borrow as many varieties as they want.

People can borrow as much of a variety as they want.

People can only borrow about 2-3 seeds for every plant they intend to grow this season.

Other:

Seed quality

How do you check the quality of the seeds? (Feel free to click "other" to add comments.)

We don't check the seed quality.

We require members to take seed saving classes before they return seeds.

We require members to do germination tests.

The organization performs germination tests.

We encourage members to pull seeds from the collection that were not as labeled or had poor germination.

Other:

Seed Savers Expertise

Who are the seed saving experts in your organization? (Feel free to click "other" to add comments.)

We don't have any experts. We're learning as we go.

Some of our organizing members have been saving seeds for years.

We work with master gardeners or horticulturalists.

At least one of our organizers has attended Seed School.

We consult with outside experts if we have questions about seed saving.

We consult local universities for support on seed saving.

Other:

Returning seeds

How do members return seeds? (Feel free to click "other" to add comments.)

Members are responsible for filing their own seeds.

Members return seeds and organizers/volunteers file seeds.

We do not ask members to return seeds at this point.

We encourage members to pull seeds from the collection that did not turn out "true to type."

Members have to log onto a computer or on a sheet what they are returning.

Other:

Seed storage

How are the seeds stored?

glass jars

paper envelopes

a mixture of glass jars and paper envelopes

desiccant packages added to jars

Other:

Seed protocol

Do you have a document or web explanation describing your seeed saving protocol? (ex. "Only save from the healthiest plants.")

No.

Yes, we have a handout.

Yes, we have information on-line.

Yes, we have a video.

Other:

Quality of seeds

How do you ensure the quality of seeds in your collection?

Provide education.

Require some seeds be tested.

Source of seeds required.

Have mentors.

Require people know/specify the size of the population on seed package or some other way.

Require people specify if hand-pollination or caging was done, where appropriate.

Have crops that require large populations grown by the library or others with large tracks of land.

Other:

Quality of seeds - your thoughts

Please share any other things you do or recommend so that we can keep the quality of our seed collections robust and "true to type."

Education

What type of education about seed saving do you offer?

handouts

on-line resources

videos

in-person classes

on-line classes

brochures

list of library books

self-published booklets

lending library for members

mentorship

Other:

Sharing resources

From the above list, what resources have you created that you would be willing to share with others?

Translated educational materials

Are any of your educational materials translated? If yes, specify what is translated and into which languages.

Special projects

Does your seed library have any special projects? We'd love to hear what you're up to.

seed exchanges/swaps

mentoring programs

community seed gardens

dye plant project

grow out programs

education in local schools

outreach

Other:

Special projects explained

Please take a moment to share some of the projects you are doing.

Fundraising

How do you keep your project running financially?

paid public library staff

paid non-profit staff

rely on volunteers

membership dues

sell seed packets

tax-deductible donations

non-tax-deductible donations

grants

seed exchange entrance fees

Other:

Demographics

Give us a picture of the community you serve.

lower soci-economic

middle class

higher socio-economic

diverse income range

mostly native English speakers

mostly Spanish speakers

mostly English and Spanish speakers

mix of multiple languages

another primary language besides English also spoken, click on "other" to specify

Other:

Seed swap and exchange

Does your organization host a seed swap?

Yes. Monthly.

Yes. Seasonally.

Yes. Annually or biannually.

No. Don't plan on it.

No. Hope to do one or more a year.

Other:

Clear selection

Seed swap structure

If you have a seed swap, click all that apply.

It's free.

There is an entrance fee (cash).

There is an entrance fee (cash, seeds, volunteer or potluck).

It's only open to members.

Seed saving education is provided at the swap.

It's open to the public.

Other:

Seed swap structure

Please take a moment to explain how your swap is organized. (Click all that apply.)

Seeds randomly put on table.

Seeds organized by family.

Each section is organized by the person or group who donated the seeds.

We have signage for tables.

Other:

Reasons for starting a library

What was the primary reason(s) you started a seed library?

food security

getting people to garden

getting people to save seeds

genetic preservation

proactive response to climate change

local resilience and reskilling

community building

economics

social justice

Other:

Other comments

Let us know what your vision is for your library, the seed library movement or share anything else that we may have forgotten to ask.

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