As spring blooms, UBC’s Seed Lending Libraries invite communities to grow gardens, share seeds, and cultivate a movement rooted in sustainability and connection.
By Brian Helberg
UBC News
Apr 9, 2025
Excerpt:
As spring blossoms across Vancouver, UBC’s Seed Lending Libraries offer more than just a chance to grow your own garden—they’re part of a growing movement of sustainable gardening and community-driven initiatives.
A seed lending library is an innovative concept that’s sprouting up around the world. It works much like a traditional library, but instead of borrowing books, you borrow seeds. Once your plants grow and produce seeds of their own, you return them to the library for others to borrow.
“Patrons can borrow seeds, grow plants, and, when the time comes, return seeds from their crops for others to borrow. It’s a circular system that promotes sustainability, education and community sharing.” said Helen Brown, co-founder and librarian at UBC’s Woodward Library. “It’s a community-driven way to grow your garden, while also sharing knowledge and resources with others. We are open to the public, meaning anyone can come in and borrow our seeds.”
Since its founding in 2017, UBC’s Seed Lending Libraries have grown into five locations across both campuses—Woodward Library, Education Library, X?wi7x?wa Library, Asian Library and UBCO Library. Thanks to a grant from the University Neighbourhood Association, the project began with a vision of making gardening more accessible while strengthening connections between the university and the surrounding community. You don’t have to be a UBC student or staff member to borrow from the seed lending libraries, as all five locations are open to the public.
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