Sustainability Round Table Members Community

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A working space for the Sustainability Round Table.

  • 1.  June Monthly Sustainability Discussion Thread

    Posted 8 days ago

    Hi all!

    We're back with another monthly discussion of questions and topics related to sustainability in your library, brought to you by the Publicity and Outreach Committee.

    Our discussion topic for this month is:

    Does your work have a seed library? If so, what impact have you noticed in your community? What are the challenges and benefits of starting a seed program within your library?

    Comment below to let us know! Do you have a sustainability topic you would like to ask members? Email them to the Publicity and Outreach Committee chair, Elisa Coghlan  (elisa.coghlan@marquette.edu).



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    Aja Bettencourt-McCarthy
    Librarian
    University of Cincinnati Main Campus - Cincinnati, OH
    She/Her/Hers
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  • 2.  RE: June Monthly Sustainability Discussion Thread

    Posted 7 days ago

    Hi All- 

     

    I am posting this on behalf of my colleague Lydia who runs our Seed Library.


    Does your work have a seed library? If so, what impact have you noticed in your community?  

     

    It's difficult to say what the impact has been, since we're only able to quantify how many packets of seeds are checked out and how many patrons use the seed library. That being said, we have seen steady growth in both of those metrics. Anecdotally, it's been lovely to see parents use the seed library to teach their children about gardening. Just today, a patron was telling me that they love watching their plants grow that have come from seeds they checked out. 

     

    What are the challenges and benefits of starting a seed program within your library? 

     

    Our biggest challenges initially were getting donations of seeds and prepping packets of seeds for checkout. We were lucky to find a few nurseries and seed companies who were willing to donate seeds (usually "less desirable" seeds that had been packaged for the year before), and a couple staff members volunteered to help out with packaging during quiet moments in their normal work schedule. 



    Julie Finch
    Iowa Library Association President 2024
    ALA Sustain RT



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