What is a seed library?

The Newport Seed Library is a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds that you can borrow to plant and grow at home in your own garden. By saving seeds as a community, we help create local seed stocks that are better acclimated to our unique climate and which support an abundant and genetically diverse landscape. We intend to support gardeners from beginner to expert and help you learn how to grow, harvest, and save seeds.

How does it work?

Up to 5 seed packets can be checked out per person, per year (and only 1 packet per variety, per person). Seeds are free of charge to anyone (no library card is needed) and can be picked up anytime the library is open. Again, there are NO return requirements, but, as your gardening skills grow, you can bring back saved seeds that can be replanted next season. If you are unable to save your own seeds, please consider donating a packet or two of fresh, commercially grown, open-pollinated seeds to keep our library supplied and running. If you would like to save seeds and/or donate them, please fill out a donation form. This form can be found by the seed library, at the east side of the Library near the circulation desk.

To check out seeds, you must:

Explore our seed catalog!

Our seed catalog can be found in the seed library catalog cabinet to the right of the circulation desk.

Complete a seed check out form.

These are located in the seed library catalog cabinet. Please fill out the data and seed type (both plant name and variety) and turn the form in at the library circulation.

Be sure to pick up the 4x6 growing information card for your plant and variety.

These can be found in the boxes located in the seed cabinet. Each box is labeled vegetable, flower, or herb, then alphabetized under plant name and separated by variety.

Seed saving resources

Books about seed saving available at the Newport Public Library:

	Beginning seed saving for the home gardener by James Ulager
	Saving our seeds: The practice & philosophy by Bevin Cohen
	Saving seeds handbook: A seed saving guide for gardeners to sow, harvest, clean , and store vegetable and flower seeds plus techniques to get you started by Zera Roberts
	Seed to seed: Seed saving and growing techniques for vegetable gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth
	The seed saving bible 5 books in 1: A guide to discover the techniques of saving seeds for longer period of time without any hesitation during the crisis. by Livia Green

Lincoln County Master Gardener™ Association

Gardening Advice/Help Desk

Lincoln County Master Gardener™ Association, in support of OSU Extension Master Gardener™ program, offers FREE advice and scientific-based research answers for your gardening challenges.

Located at 1211 SE Bay Blvd, Newport, OR 541-574-6534

Always 9AM to Noon—April thru October
In person: Tuesdays & Thursdays
November thru March: Remotely Answered

Disclaimer

At the Newport Seed Library, we try our best to ensure the quality of our seeds by using best practices in inventory care and labeling.

Nonetheless, seeds are alive and poeple using the Newport Seed Library have varying degrees of skill in saving seeds. Therefore, the Library cannot guarantee the viability and/or purity of the seeds donated. This is a Library run project, and we do the best we can with the time and resources we have available.

If you do have any problems with the seeds you get from the Newport seed Library, please let us know so we can try to fix it for future users!

Thank you for your interest in the Newport Seed Library.