The seed library, a program that allows patrons to check out and take home a large variety of free vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, returns to several Indianapolis Public Library locations on March 21, 2022.

This year, the program has expanded to four new branches and includes a core collection of seeds designed to address issues of food equity while being inclusive of diverse diets and cooking styles.

"A lot of patrons don't know that they can use their IndyPL library card to checkout free seeds and try growing their own food," said Melissa Wooton, IndyPL's adult services manager. "The seed collection varies a bit by location, but our core collection will be available at any branch you visit while supplies last."

Wooton helped launch the first seed library at the Glendale Branch in 2014. Today, the program has expanded to seventeen locations with dozens of options including flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

You can check out seeds at Beech Grove, College Avenue, Decatur, East 38th Street, Garfield Park, Glendale, Haughville, Lawrence, Nora, Pike, Southport, Spades Park, West Perry, Franklin Road, Outreach, Wayne, and West Indianapolis.

Converting seeds from bulk orders to small seed packets couldn't have been completed without the assistance of over 155 community volunteers from corporations such as Corteva, Salesforce, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, and Clif Bar Baking Company, civic groups like Downtown Indy Rotary Club, Butler Alpha Phi Omega, and AmeriCorps RSVP, and an army of Master Gardeners from Purdue Extension.

For more information on the seed library, stop by your nearest branch or visit indypl.org.

IndyPL's Seed Library 2022 Core Collection: