SPROUTING SUCCES. This season marks the 10th year the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library has provided its free Seed Library. The offering allows families to acquire one order of seeds per household – no library account or card required.

“Did you know there’s an itty bitty library inside the big library? It’s called the seed library, where you can pick up seeds, bring them home, and plant them – for free,” Mike Paulus, digital services and marketing specialist of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, said in a recent social media video.

The promo video concludes with Programming & Communications Services Coordinator, Katie Kruth, giving viewers a tour of the seed library (in sync with a rap song about planting seeds and photo-syn-the-sizing.)

This season marks the 10th year the local library has provided the free Seed Library, according to Stephanie Schulz, a reference services coordinator at the local library. She has coordinated the offering since 2021, which includes one order of seeds per household – no library account or card required.

Curated seed bundles, pictured above.

“This year, there are three new theme bundles, based on feedback from last year’s seed users,” Schulz shared. “ 'Pickling Plants' focuses on veggies and ingredients used to pickle; 'Guardians of the Garden' has seeds that attract pollinators and repel invaders; and 'Salad Sampler' provides seeds for the freshest salad ever.”

“A la carte choices include a 'Wildflower Mix' that is deer-resistant and popcorn (seeds),” she added.

The Seed Library would not happen without the treasure and talent of the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Library organization, Schulz said. Funds from the group are used to purchase seeds from Annie's Heirloom Seeds, the J.W. Jung Seed Cmpany and R.H. Shumway.

Friends of the L.E. Phillips Library volunteers package the seeds into bundles, affixing special labels on each one, to guide future gardeners.

Last year, 3,131 packets of seeds were picked up by 321 households and in 2024, 3,160 packets of seeds were picked up by 301 households. That’s a lotta seeds!

The Seed Library will close by the end of May, since all of the seeds must be planted by then. So, if you can dig it, get on over to the Seed Library today.

Check out these baby sprouts of cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and more! At the Eau Claire public library, locals can pick up beans, cilantro, basil, mustard and other seed varietals before the end of May.

For more information on the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library's (400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire) free Seed Library, head to www.ecpubliclibrary.info/the-seed-library-returns/.