Love Libraries – Seeds and reads on offer from green libraries
Free seed banks are sprouting up at a number of public libraries – and demand is growing. Seasonal vegetables, fruit, flowers and seed potatoes are on offer, along with gardening advice and resources.
The initiative is being offered across Aberdeenshire, in partnership with community growing initiative One Seed Forward. Their aim is to encourage people of all ages to grow their own food, eat seasonally and healthily, and share their knowledge and any spare crops with others.
The seed libraries are also helping to build a community of growers, help people develop gardening skills and support the growth of both local produce and a greener environment.
Popular
Area Librarian Pauline Vickers said:
The seed libraries were launched in April 2024 and have been very successful. Seeds are mainly available around spring and autumn.
The seed libraries have brought in new customers to the library who have then gone on to access wider services.
The seeds are really popular and we have struggled to keep up with demand. For example, over 10 weeks from April 2024, 791 items were taken from Fraserburgh Seed Library, including the full variety of fruit, vegetable, seed potato and flower seeds, seed trays, compost and troughs.
Feedback from users was very positive. One said: “Fantastic find in the library!” Another described the initiative as a “really good idea”, adding they “always wanted to grow vegetables but never tried”. A third person said they “couldn’t believe the seeds were free”. Local nurseries and schools have also visited to collect seeds as part of growing projects.
Pauline said that all four of Fraserburgh Library’s staff have hailed the success of the seed library and how it has benefitted the community, especially in terms of helping boost people’s mental health.
The project is supported by NHS Grampian for the benefits gardening can bring to health. They have provided leaflets, support with the monitoring and additional funding for trays and compost.
Resources
Pauline added:
Seed libraries are available in Aberdeenshire libraries in Portlethen, Turriff, Macduff, Banchory, Fraserburgh and Inverurie. Seeds and other gardening resources are available free thanks to the funding and support of One Seed Forward.
Members of the public can donate seeds so long as they are bagged, clearly labelled and with instructions. Customers can also access gardening books and online digital resources to help with the planting and any questions they may have.
One Seed Forward will be organising talks and information sessions in the coming months in the libraries.
Aberdeenshire’s libraries are part of Live Life Aberdeenshire and offer book lending services, audiobooks, printing and digital resources. Accessible services include doorstep delivery and collection points.
Pauline said:
Our libraries supply resources from doggy bags to hearing aid batteries. For our children and families we run Bookbug sessions and provide curricular resources such as story sacks and large format books. To ensure our services are accessible we provide doorstep delivery and collection points in local community facilities.
We also organise events across all libraries such as Summer Reading, author talks and literacy promotions, and support groups such as reading, Lego and coding.
Our libraries are also a resource for our many partners to use to deliver services in the community, from schools and nurseries to NHS Grampian and local community groups.
Learn more about seed libraries and what’s on at Aberdeenshire Libraries at Live Life Aberdeenshire