Anderson County

Seed Library

The Seed Library is a partnership between Anderson Soil & Water Conservation District and the Anderson County Library System providing FREE seeds and gardening education to Anderson County residents.

About the Seed Library

The Seed Library is an educational initiative created through a partnership between the Anderson Soil & Water Conservation District and the Anderson County Library System. Designed to promote gardening, healthy eating, environmental stewardship, plant diversity, and outdoor family activities, the program gives residents free access to seeds and gardening resources while encouraging the community to learn how to grow their own food. The project was modeled after the Greenville County Soil and Water Conservation District Seed Library at the Berea Library and officially launched at the Anderson Main Library in 2020.

The Seed Library began with a “soft opening” in September 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, yet community response exceeded expectations with 793 seed packets checked out during the first season. Initial seed offerings included cool-season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and collards. Following the success of the pilot program, the Seed Library reopened in spring 2021 with a grand opening featuring nearly 40 seed varieties suited for growing in Anderson County. More than 5,000 seed packets were distributed that spring alone, followed by an additional 2,200 packets during the fall season.

As the program continued to grow, the Seed Library expanded beyond the Anderson Main Library through Pop-Up Seed Libraries hosted at smaller library branches throughout the county. These temporary locations helped increase access to free seeds while reducing travel barriers for residents outside the city center. Building on the success of the pop-ups, the program later introduced Traveling Seed Totes, mobile collections of seeds and gardening resources that rotate between library branches and community locations across Anderson County. The Traveling Seed Totes have allowed the Seed Library to reach even more residents while creating a flexible and accessible way to connect communities with gardening education and seasonal seed varieties.

In 2022, the Seed Library was redesigned into an organized card catalog system, with individual drawers dedicated to different types of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and native plant species. The updated system improved accessibility and made it easier for visitors to browse and select seeds. Community interest continued to rise, with more than 2,000 seed packets checked out within the first few weeks of reopening that spring.

Today, the Seed Library continues to serve as both an educational and community resource. In addition to providing free seeds, the program offers gardening workshops, seed packing events, educational activities, and outreach programs designed to connect residents with local food production and conservation practices. By encouraging families to grow their own food, the Seed Library promotes healthier lifestyles, saves money on groceries, reduces food waste, supports pollinators and biodiversity, and helps strengthen food security throughout Anderson County.

Our Seed Library (above) opened in 2020 at the Anderson Main Library. It has since moved from this location under the stairs to the "LEAP Station," where it currently sits.

Our Pop-Up Seed Library (above) visited the smaller Anderson County Library branches. It has since been transformed into our Traveling Seed Library Totes (below).
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Current Seed Library

Our Spring 2026 Seed Library season has ended. Our Seed Library will reopen in early July for our Summer/Fall 2026 Seed Library season.

Our Summer/Fall 2026 Seed Library will be available July 1st through September 30th.

The Seed Library is a partnership between the ASWCD and the Anderson County Main Branch Library. Any individual with a library card is able to check out 5 FREE seed packets of their choosing. Then take them home, plant them, and watch it grow!

Visit the Anderson Library - Main Branch to check out your seeds! The Seed Library is now in a new location at the Anderson Main Branch with the LEAP Station on the main floor. There are lots of helpful books and items that you can check out such as a soil testing kit to help with your gardening needs this year!

We also host Traveling Seed Totes at our neighboring library branches! The travel tote will have a variety of seeds at each location for one week. Click the schedule to see when your Traveling Tote week is.

Do you love visiting the Bookmobile? If so, you can get select seeds there too!

The below Resources are currently for Spring 2026. As resources are finalized for the Summer/Fall 2026 Seed Library season, we will update these links.
Growing Guide Traveling Seed Tote Schedule

Fall 2026 Seed Varieties

  • Vegetables

    Beans (Bush), Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Collard Greens, Eggplant, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Peas (Bush), Radish, Spinach, Swiss Chard,  and Turnips/Turnip Greens

  • Herbs

    Arugula, Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, and Oregano

  • Flowers

    Butterflyweed, Pansy Mix, Poppy Mix, and Wildflowers

  • Mystery Seeds

    Any seed variety that is not named above may be available as a mystery seed.
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Seed Library

Programs & Events

Below is a list of the Seed Library and Gardening Programs/Events that the District presents. We normally hold 1-2 programs with the Anderson Library System each Seed Library season, but any group, club, or organization can schedule one of these programs as well.
Seed Starting 101

Learn how to successfully start seeds indoors, from germination to transplanting, using practical techniques and affordable materials. This program helps gardeners improve plant success, extend the growing season, and gain confidence in growing their own food at home.     
Schedule This Program
INtro to Seed Saving

Learn how to harvest, dry, store, and save seeds for future growing seasons. This program helps gardeners preserve heirloom varieties, promote biodiversity, improve self-sufficiency, and learn practical seed-saving techniques for long-term garden success.
Schedule This Program
Raised Beds Gardening

Learn how to design, build, fill, and plant productive raised bed gardens using practical and accessible methods. This program helps gardeners improve soil quality, increase growing success, reduce maintenance, and create organized spaces for growing plants at home.
Schedule This Program
Healthy Soil,
Healthy Garden

Learn how to improve soil health through soil testing, composting, mulching, cover crops, and organic soil amendments. This program helps gardeners better understand soil structure, nutrients, and the soil food web in order to grow healthier, more productive gardens using sustainable practices.
Schedule This Program
Composting 101

Learn how to turn food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost using a variety of composting methods and structures. This program helps gardeners improve soil health, reduce waste, conserve resources, and create healthier, more sustainable gardens through practical composting techniques.                                
Schedule This Program
National Seed Swap Day

National Seed Swap Day is a community-focused event that encourages gardeners and residents to exchange seeds, share plant varieties, and promote biodiversity and self-sufficiency in local gardens. It helps preserve heirloom and open-pollinated seeds while fostering education, sustainability, and community connection through hands-on participation.                                

Join us on the last Saturday in January at

the Anderson Main Library for this event!
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Traveling Seed Totes

Our Traveling Seed Totes will visit each branch for a one week period in the Spring (February through April) and Summer/Fall (July through September). Check out the schedule below to see when it will come to your branch!
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Get Involved

Help support the Seed Library through volunteering, seed packing events, and seed donations. Community involvement helps us provide free seeds, educational programs, and gardening resources throughout Anderson County.
Seed Packing

Seed Packing Parties are community volunteer events where participants help sort, label, and package seeds for distribution through the Seed Library program. These hands-on events support local gardening education and outreach efforts while bringing community members together to expand access to free seeds across Anderson County.
Volunteer to Pack Seeds Host a Seed Packing Party
Seed Donations

Seed Donations help support the Seed Library by providing seeds that can be shared with community members throughout Anderson County. Donated seeds expand access to gardening resources, promote biodiversity, and help sustain educational gardening programs and outreach efforts year after year.
Donate Seeds
Your support through seed donations and volunteer service helps our Seed Library continue to grow and serve the community.
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Seed Library

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click the arrow beside a question to see its answer. For more information, contact us at annmarie.pauley@andersonswcd.org.
What is the Seed Library?

The Seed Library is a partnership between the Anderson Soil and Water Conservation District and the Anderson Library System that provides FREE seeds to the Anderson County community. For more information, read "About the Seed Library."
Who can use the Seed Library?

Anyone with a library card may use the Seed Library. Library cards are free and can be obtained at any Anderson Library branch.
Is the Seed Library free?

Yes! Seeds are provided free of charge. This program is made possible through generous seed donations from local seed stores, seed suppliers such as the Seed Savers Exchange, and community members who garden.
Where is the Seed Library located?

The Seed Library is generally located at the Anderson Main Library, in their "LEAP Station" on the first floor, toward the Children's section. The Traveling Seed  Library (TSL) Totes will visit each of the other library branches for a one-week period each season.
When is the Seed Library open?

In the spring, the Seed Library opens on February 1st (or the first weekday in February) and runs through April 30th (or the last weekday in April). Traveling Seed Library (TSL) Totes are typically available from mid-February through mid-April.

In the summer/fall, the Seed Library opens on July 1st (or the first weekday in July) and runs through September 30th (or the last weekday in September). Traveling Seed Library (TSL) Totes are typically available from mid-July through mid-September.
How many seeds can I get from the Seed Library each season?

Anyone with a library card can check out up to 5 FREE seed packets per day to the Seed Library. If multiple family members have library cards, each person may receive up to 5 seed packets; however, we ask that each cardholder be present when checking out seeds.
What type of seeds are available?

We offer over 40 seed varieties, with availability varying by season and seed donations. Our Traveling Seed Totes typically include 10–16 of these varieties.

Generally, the Seed Library offers a wide variety of vegetable, fruit, herb, flower, and native plant seeds throughout the year. Common vegetable seeds include Beans (Bush), Beans (Pole), Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards, Corn (spring only), Cucumber (spring only), Eggplant, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Okra (spring only), Onions (spring only), Peas (Bush), Peppers, Radish, Spinach, Squash, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Turnips/Turnip Greens, and Zucchini. Fruit varieties offered are Cantaloupe, Pumpkin (spring only), and Watermelon. Herb varieties include Arugula, Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Mint (spring only), Oregano, Parsley (spring only), and Sage (spring only). Flower and pollinator-friendly seeds may include Butterflyweed, Marigold (spring only), Morning Glory (spring only), Pansy Mix, Poppy Mix, Sunflowers (spring only), Wildflowers, and Zinnia. The Seed Library also occasionally features special “Mystery Seeds” for gardeners looking to try something new.
What if the seeds I want are unavailable?

We check the card catalog at the Anderson Main Library 2 to 3x per week during the Seed Library season. If a seed variety is unavailable today, try again in a few days.

The Seed Library also has some seeds only available in the Spring to maintain seed stock. The seed variety you are looking for may not be available in the Summer/Fall.
Are the seeds organic, heirloom, or GMO-free?

Some seed varieties are organic or heirloom, but the majority are not. Organic or heirloom seeds are labeled accordingly when available.
I'm new to gardening. Can I still participate?

Absolutely! We would love for every Anderson County community member to participate. The Seed Library promotes healthier lifestyles, saves money on groceries, reduces food waste, supports pollinators and biodiversity, and helps strengthen food security throughout Anderson County.

Since seeds are FREE to you, there's no harm in trying! Check out our Growing Guide for some great gardening resources!
What are Traveling Seed Totes? Where can I find them?

Traveling Seed Totes are traveling seed libraries. They visit each branch for a one week period, making FREE seeds more available to the Anderson County community with a shorter distance for you to travel. Being smaller, only 10-16 of the seed varieties will be available through the Traveling Seed Totes.

Check out the Traveling Seed Totes for this season's schedule.
How can I donate seeds? What seeds can be donated?

Contact the Anderson Soil and Water Conservation District at annmarie.pauley@andersonswcd.org or 864-844-8224 for seed donations.

You can either drop them off at our office (1521 Pearman Dairy Road, Anderson, SC 29625), or we can schedule a time to pick them up.

You can donate seeds either from a store or directly from your garden. Check out our Growing Guide for resources on seed saving!
How can I volunteer with the Seed Library?

Contact the Anderson Soil and Water Conservation District at annmarie.pauley@andersonswcd.org or 864-844-8224 for more information on volunteering.

We host two seed packing parties each month, but we always have seed packing kits available if you would like to pick one up to pack seeds from home.
What are Seed Packing Parties?

Seed Packing Parties are fun volunteering opportunities. Anyone is welcome to join as we sit together and pack seeds. It is a great way to serve the community while meeting new friends.

At a Seed Packing Party, you would write seed information on a seed packet, scoop a small amount of seeds into the seed packet, and seal it.

We can also bring seed packing supplies to your group if you would like to host a Seed Packing Party.
Does the Seed Library offer workshops or events?

Yes! The Seed Library holds several garden-related programs each season. The Anderson Soil and Water Conservation District usually presents 1-2 of these programs, and other organizations like Clemson Extension, Master Gardeners, etc. may present as well.

The Growing Guide has a list of Seed Library programs each season.
How does the Seed Library benefit the community?

In addition to providing free seeds, the program offers gardening workshops, seed packing events, educational activities, and outreach programs designed to connect residents with local food production and conservation practices. By encouraging families to grow their own food, the Seed Library promotes healthier lifestyles, saves money on groceries, reduces food waste, supports pollinators and biodiversity, and helps strengthen food security throughout Anderson County.
How can I stay updated on programs and events?

Join our E-Newsletter recipients list to receive the most up-to-date information on programs and events. Email annmarie.pauley@andersonswcd.org to be added to our list.
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Send us your garden pictures!

Email us pictures of your garden that you are growing from your #AndersonSeedLibrary !

We love seeing your gardens grow!
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