News

Macdonald Campus Seed Library Breaking New Ground March 20

Published: 15 March 2017

On March 20, 2017, the first day of spring, the Macdonald Campus Library at McGill University will officially launch a seed library. The Macdonald Campus Seed Library is the first academic seed library of its kind in Quebec and third in Canada. The library serves the entire McGill community. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni are able to obtain seeds, as well as resources and support from the library and its associated collection.

The main purpose of the seed library is to serve as an opportunity for the library to form connections with the community based on topics and activities of central importance to McGill such as biodiversity in food production, local food growing, health and wellness, and sustainability. 

The library offers more than 125 varieties of fruit, vegetable, herb and flower seeds. The Macdonald Campus Seed Library is also the destination for hands-on knowledge sharing on a wide range of topics including seed starting and saving workshops and resources on small spaces and container gardening. 

This project is supported by Macdonald Student-run Ecological Gardens (MSEG) and was made possible thanks to funding from the McGill Library Innovation Fund and seed donors West Coast Seeds and Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm.

For more information visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/library/branches/macdonald/seed-library/

Questions? Feedback? Email Dana Ingalls, Liaison Librarian, Macdonald Campus Library at: dana [dot] ingalls [at] mcgill [dot] ca


Launch information

The McGill community is invited to attend the launch of the Seed Library on Monday, March 20th from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Macdonald Campus Library. Come learn about how the library works, sign up to borrow seeds, or take part in a special prize draw. Refreshments and snacks will be served. No RSVP required.


How the Macdonald Seed Library works

  • Labeled seed packets are filed in a card catalogue at the Macdonald Campus Library. An online catalogue listing all seeds will be available for users to access.
  • Users can take out seeds as they would a book – through the use of their McGill ID card (students, staff, and faculty) or via an alumni membership card.
  • Like a book, seeds can be “taken out” online and picked up at different branches across the library system. Seeds can also be picked up on site during opening hours.
  • In the Fall, users can return a few seeds in the original packet they came in.
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