Our Mission
The Macdonald Campus Seed Library is an initiative of the Macdonald Campus Library, offering seeds and gardening resources to members of the McGill community. Our goal is to promote local, small-scale food production and to preserve and propagate heirloom seeds, especially local varieties adapted to our environment.
Borrowing Seeds
The seed library is a free program, open to all members of the McGill community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni and McGill Library members. In order to join, you only need valid McGill ID or borrowing card, plus this completed form. You may fill the form out either online or in person. When you have filled out the form, please bring it to the staff member at the desk in the Macdonald Campus Library, or email it to macdonald-seed.library [at] mcgill.ca. The seed collection is housed at the Macdonald Campus Library, and you may either select your seeds in person, or use the online order form. There is a limit of 25 seed packets and a limit of 1 pack per variety, per user.
Returning Seeds
Once you’ve taken your seeds home, grown them, and enjoyed your homegrown vegetables, herbs and flowers, we ask that you consider saving some of your seeds and returning them to the Macdonald Campus Seed Library. By doing this, you will be helping the library maintain its seed collection, as well as making an important contribution to the seed library’s mission to propagate rare heirloom food plants and make them available to other members of the community. Resources on how to save seeds can be found on the Seed Library’s Libguide.