Victoria, BC — The Victoria Seed Library is returning to the Greater Victoria Public Library’s (GVPL) Central Branch, after a several-year hiatus, with a key change: community members no longer need to complete a seed-saving workshop before accessing seeds. The workshop requirement has been removed to make the program more accessible to gardeners of all experience levels.
Operated by LifeCycles Project Society in partnership with GVPL, the Victoria Seed Library offers free access to a wide selection of vegetable, herb, flower, and pollinator-friendly plant seeds. Participants are encouraged to take seeds, grow plants, and return seeds from successful harvests for future community use, supporting local food growing and biodiversity across the region. Printed seed-saving and gardening resources are also available at the Central Branch.
The Seed Library will be operational starting Friday, July 10, and a launch information table will be available at the Central Branch on Saturday, July 11, from 11 am to 1 pm. It will be hosted by River Stevens, from LifeCycles Project Society, who will be on hand to introduce the program and answer questions from the public.
“We wanted to make it easier for people to access seeds,” said Lisa Small, Fundraising and Communications Coordinator with LifeCycles Project Society. “When seeds are shared, knowledge, biodiversity, and community grow alongside them.”
The Seed Library is accessible during regular GVPL Central Branch hours. To help ensure everyone can access seeds, community members are asked to take no more than three seed packets at a time and to return any unused seeds.
“Public libraries play an important role in making hands-on learning accessible,” said Nina Mosallaei, Library Services Librarian, Greater Victoria Public Library. “The Seed Library connects people with practical knowledge, supports environmental learning, and helps build skills that extend beyond the library walls.”
Seed donations are accepted at all 12 GVPL branches. The library welcomes home-saved seeds, as well as unused and partially used commercial seed packets. Donated seeds are recirculated through the library, helping sustain the program and expand access to locally-adapted seeds for the community.
A seed-saving workshop put on by LifeCycles will be held on Sunday, July 26, at the Welland Community Orchard with seed farmer Rebecca Jehn. Registration is available at www.lifecyclesproject.ca.
The Victoria Seed Library is a partnership between GVPL and LifeCycles Project Society, with funding support from the Province of British Columbia, the Government of Canada, the Victoria Foundation Community Grants Program, and the City of Victoria.
Media Contacts:
Lisa Small
Fundraising and Communications Coordinator
LifeCycles Project Society
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: (778) 587-7474
Kelly Ridgway
Marketing and Development
Greater Victoria Public Library
Office: (250) 940 4875 ext. 346
About LifeCycles Project Society
LifeCycles Project Society cultivates community health from the ground up by connecting people with the food they eat and the land it comes from. Through innovative urban agriculture programs and food rescue initiatives, LifeCycles enhances food security and food literacy while helping people gain the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to access or grow their own food. By fostering biodiversity and strengthening the urban environment, LifeCycles helps cultivate healthy, empowered citizens and resilient communities.
About Greater Victoria Public Library
Greater Victoria Public Library builds community and supports literacy and lifelong learning by providing free access to information, space, tools, and expertise. There are 12 branch locations within 10 local municipalities serving more than 380,000 residents. The virtual branch at gvpl.ca is open anytime, anywhere. GVPL is your place to connect, discover and imagine.