The public library in Mystic, Conn., is one of many libraries across the country that have added seeds to the library's holdings. Anyone with a library card can take seeds home to plant in their garden. It gets people outside, gets children involved with gardening, and we're pushing to address food insecurity with it, says Leslie Weber, the youth services associate at the Mystic library. By offering patrons free seeds, libraries can also combat hunger insecurity and biodiversity lossall while building community resilience. Librarians often replenish their seed stocks by soliciting donations from nonprofit organizations and seed companies. Some libraries have gone beyond distributing seeds, creating community workshops, events, and other programming to educate the community about seed saving, seed sovereignty, gardening, and urban agriculture.
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