webinar slides seed library - New Dream · April 11, 2013 2:00pm EDT . Our Mission ... •...

Webinar Series: How to Start a Seed Library at

Your Public Library

April 11, 2013 2:00pm EDT

Our Mission

The Center for a New American Dream helps Americans to reduce and shift their consumption to improve quality of life, protect the environment, and promote social justice.

Program Areas: Redefining the Dream Beyond Consumerism Collaborative Communities

An institution that lends or shares seeds! •  U.S.: 60 seed libraries in 23 states (and counting!)

What is a Seed Library?

Credit: San Francisco Seed Library

Today’s Speakers

•  Stephanie Syson Manager Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute (Basalt, CO)

•  Justine Hernandez Seed Librarian

Pima County Public Library (Tucson, AZ)

•  Kelly Becker Seed Library Coordinator La Crosse Public Library (La Crosse, WI)

Basalt Seed Library Project

Opened: January 23, 2013

City: Basalt, CO

Structure: Nonprofit + Public Library Partnership

Packets checked out so far: 1500

Number of Locations: 1

Staff: 2 part-time

Pima County Seed Library

Opened: January 28, 2012

City: Tucson, AZ

Structure: Public Library

Packets checked out so far: 8000

Number of Locations: 7

Staff: 2 full-time, 2 part-time

La Crosse Seed Library

Opened: February 23, 2013

City: La Crosse, WI

Structure: Public Library

Packets checked out so far: 350

Number of Locations: Various

Staff: 2 part-time

Let’s Begin!

•  Brief Presentations •  Stephanie Syson •  Justine Hernandez •  Kelly Becker

•  More Resources

•  Questions for Speakers •  Please chat questions

privately to Leaders & Assistants during webinar

•  Slides and recording will be available online starting next week

Basalt Seed Library

Basalt Seed Library

Getting Started •  Partnership •  Implementation •  Launch Party

Going Forward •  Seed Garden •  Community Buy-in

A Partnership

A Library •  Community Meeting Room •  Seeds are Public •  Organizational Skills

An Agricultural Nonprofit •  Knowledge of Plants & Seeds •  Access to Volunteers •  Continued Support

Implementation

Gather Materials •  Seeds •  Baskets •  Packets & Labels

Gather Volunteers! •  Seed Sorting Parties •  Pot Luck Style

Launch Party!

January 23rd, 2013 •  Press – Print & Radio •  E-Mails •  Flyers

The Event •  Intro & Tour •  Video of Vandana Shiva •  Potluck & Music •  Raffle •  Seed Swap

Going Forward

Foreseeable Challenges •  Maintaining the Inventory •  Seed Saving Education

A New Partnership •  CRMPI •  The Town of Basalt

Seed Garden •  Regional Adaptation •  Education •  Public Outreach •  Local Seed Source

Seed Library of Pima County Public Library

We are…

Pima  County,  AZ  •  Roughly  9,000  square  miles       of  Sonoran  Desert  •  Culturally  diverse  popula?on       of  ~989,569  Public  Library  •  27  Branches  throughout       Pima  County:  metro-­‐Tucson  &  rural  Seed  Library  •  7  Seed  Library  loca?ons:       6  metro  &  1  rural    •  Seeds  are  catalogued       and  searchable  online  •  Reservable  •  6  packet  limit  per  month       with  library  card  

A Growing Interest… In  the  spring  of  2011  a  seed  was  planted  

 Taking  our  cues  from  our  community  •  Community  gardens  •  Farmers’  markets  

Getting Started: Creating a Web of Support Sister  seed  libraries  •   Richmond  Grows  •   Westcliffe  Seed  Library  

 Leverage  Community  Resources  •   GeWng  “experts”  in  the  community  on  board  

Getting Started: Creating a Web of Support Community  advisory  groups  •   Gardening  groups  •   Experienced  seed  savers  

Create  volunteer  base  

Funding: Seed Money…

State  library  grant,  first  year  start-­‐up  of  $5000  

•  Supplies:  envelopes,  labels,  books,       seed  saving  &  cleaning  materials  

•  Training:  Seed  101  with       Na?ve  Seeds/SEARCH  for  staff       and  volunteers  

•  SWAG:  PCPL  Seed  Library  Buaons  using     teen  created  logo!  

…and Seeds

Solicited  dona?ons  from  Na?onal  and  local  seed  companies  •  Baker  Creek  •  Seed  Savers  Exchange  •  High  Mowing  Organic  Seeds  •  Bounty  Beyond  Belief  

Dona?ons  from  local  seed  savers  

Access: Search & Reserve Online Easy,  Medium,  &  Advanced  

Access: Check-out

Access: Just Dig In

People Power

Staff  •  Repacking  seeds  •  Cataloging  •  Outreach  •  Educate    

Volunteers  •  Repacking  seeds  •  Outreach:  Farmers’  

Markets,  Docents  •  Monitor  &  maintain  

collec?on  

The Physical Space Repurposed  •   Card  catalogs,  filing  cabinets,  makeshif  drawers  

Informa?onal  •   Books,  plan?ng  guides,  how-­‐to,  seed  saving  guides,  events  

Opening the Doors

January  of  2012  •  5  branches  •  ~4000  packets  to  start  

January  2013  •  7  Branches  •  ~7000  seeds  have       checked-­‐out  •  ~430  varie?es  of  seeds  •  Seeds  are  being  returned!  

Building Community: Connect Facilita?ng  opportuni?es  for  people  to  engage,  connect  and  support  •  Seed  repacking,  farmers’  market,  community  gardening  events,  

family  events  

Building Community: Engage Finding  crea?ve  ways  to  bring  seeds  and  people  together  

Building Community: Support

Sharing  stories  

Embracing the Growing Community of Seed Libraries and Seed Savers

Being a part of the ongoing discourse •  Seed  Library  Social  Network  @  

ww.seedlibraries.org  •  Seed  Savers  Exchange-­‐  Fora  •  Na?onal  Heirloom  Expo—Seed  

Summit  •  Community  Advisory  Groups  •  Gardening  Community  

La Crosse Seed Library

Getting Started

Research 2012 •  Richmond Grows, CA •  Pima County, AZ

Testing the Water •  Partnered with one of our Reference Librarians who is involved with some of the local Sustainability groups •  Held a Perennial Exchange to publicize opening 2013

Getting Started Educating Ourselves •  Seed Savers Exchange •  Seed saving classes •  Advisory Committee

How can we make this happen? •  Applied for a grant through the La Crosse Community Foundation •  Applied for a Seed Saving Toolkit from Seed Matters

Tackling Logistics

When to open? •  Date/growing season

Where and How? •  Self serve or controlled check-out •  Packets or bulk •  Storage considerations •  Labeling format

Tackling Logistics

Acquiring Seeds •  Choosing seed varieties •  How many seeds •  Where from?

Supporting Workshops •  Topics •  Speakers •  Plan orientation sessions

Tackling Logistics Publicity •  Seed Library Poster •  Brochure •  Workshop Schedule •  Orientation Schedule •  Library Display

Orientation •  Register •  Seed saving considerations •  Get seeds

Opening the Doors Opening Day 2013 •  Kick-off Speaker •  Media •  Garden clubs •  Posters in targeted locations

After •  Speak at community organizations •  Network, network, network! •  Changes

Getting in Touch

•  Stephanie Syson stephanie@crmpi.org Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute

•  Justine Hernandez Justine.Hernandez@pima.gov

Pima County Public Library

•  Kelly Becker k.becker@lacrosse.lib.wi.us La Crosse Public Library

More Resources New Dream’s Community Action Kit

Guide to Sharing: guidetosharing.org

More Resources

•  Seed Savers Exchange: www.seedsavers.org •  The Seed Library Social Network:

www.seedlibraries.org •  Organic Seed Alliance: www.seedalliance.org •  Saving Our Seeds (Mid-Atlantic & South):

www.savingourseeds.org

Other seed libraries worth checking out: •  Richmond Grows (Richmond, CA) •  Manitou Springs Seed Library (Manitou Springs, CO) •  Chicago Seed Library (Chicago, IL)

More Resources Pima County Seed Library Brochures

Questions?

Thank You!

Next Steps •  Webinar survey –

Watch for it! •  Recording and

resources available online next week

•  Join New Dream’s mailing list

•  Go forth and start your seed library! (and tell us about it)

Contact New Dream •  E-mail Wen Lee: wen@newdream.org