Friends of New Orleans Public LibrarySeed Library at Mid City Branch
Have you had a chance to visit our “seed library”? It’s an exciting and useful resource funded by the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library. The Mid-City branch (4140 Canal St.) has a seed library where patrons can check out more than 400 kinds of vegetable, flower and herb seeds for free. And of course you can find plenty of reference materials about starting a garden.
The seed library specializes in heirloom herbs, vegetables and flowers. Heirloom seeds are adapted to specific growing regions, so having heirlooms means that there will be more success in growth from these seeds.
According to Brian Morin, Mid-City Librarian, in a little over two years, the seed library has checked out 2,800 packets of seeds to at least 750+ patrons. In addition, library patrons have donated 80 different varieties of seeds that supplement the collection. These donations have included seeds from the Native Plant Initiative, allowing us to include a variety of Louisiana natives in our offerings. More than 40 people have applied for library cards with the express purpose of acquiring seeds.
We hope you’ll “check it out” next time you’re in the neighborhood!