SEYMOUR – The Jackson County Public Library wants to help meet needs with its Seed Library.
The Seed Library is a collection of heirloom seeds (flower, fruit, herb, vegetable) that anyone can take to plant and grow at home.
A library card or library district residency is not required to participate.
The Seymour Library seeds are housed upstairs near the Second Street window in an old card catalog that was purchased in September 2018 by the Friends of the Library from a former downtown Seymour antique shop. Prior to that purchase, suggestions of a Seed Library had come from several library visitors.
Last year another Seed Library was started in Crothersville and is also housed in a donated old card catalog near the Adult Nonfiction section.
Medora’s new Seed Library is in an index card box behind the Checkout Desk.
The initial collection had heirloom seeds purchased with funds from the library’s endowment with the Community Foundation of Jackson County. Since supplies are limited, there is a limit of one envelope per seed variety, and there is no guarantee of availability.
Anyone interested in participating or with questions about the Seed Library may visit information services upstairs at the Seymour Library, 303 W. Second St. You also may visit the Crothersville Library at 120 E. Main St. or the Medora Library at 27 W. Main St.
You also may email seeds@myjclibrary.org or call information services at 812-523-4636.
A web page also is available at myjclibrary.org/seeds, and a Facebook group has been started: Seeds and Reads Garden Group. Seeds can be sent to the Discovery Bus on request.
At this time, the library does not accept donations or saved seeds due to state seed laws and regulations.
The seeds in the Jackson County Public Library’s seed library may not meet germination or varietal purity standards as prescribed by Indiana state seed law.
The Jackson County Public Library will not give away or accept patented seeds or seeds that are protected by the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Act.
