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  • From: David Muhl <dmuhl65@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] the evolution of lending libraries
  • Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 18:04:32 -0800 (PST)

Hi Jason,

I think the lending library concept is a wonderful idea. If I'm not
mistaken, this is a fairly common practice within many cohousing communities,
or at least that's my impression. I spent this past summer living at one,
and they had adopted this practice. Everyone I interacted with just loved
being able to walk over to the common workshop area and grab what they needed.

However, at a lending library, if I were to check out a string trimmer (for
example), I can be pretty sure I'm getting a string trimmer (likewise for any
tool). When it comes to seeds though, we are also dealing with...how should
I say it?..."genetic integrity." A common phrase which many of us have heard
tossed around (especially at the farmers' market) is "know your farmer."
With a certain level of interaction and "word of mouth," I feel comfortable
that the food I buy from them is "organic," or "non-GMO," etc. I'm curious
to hear your (or anyone's) take on how I would achieve that kind of comfort
level when someone at a library hands me a sack of seed, and I have no idea
who grew the crops they came from. What if the next door neighbors' GMO
pollen blew over the fence and crossed with the plants, or the local
pollinators did the dirty work, or some unscrupulous individual affiliated
with a national GMO seed giant walks in and "returns" some bag
of "who-knows-what?"

In the discussions you've heard about this seed lending library idea, what
controls or checks have been explored to prevent something like this from
occuring...if any?

~David

--- On Fri, 12/3/10, Jason Gerhardt <jasongerhardt@gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Jason Gerhardt <jasongerhardt@gmail.com>
> Subject: [permaculture] the evolution of lending libraries
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Friday, December 3, 2010, 12:43 PM
> In Boulder, CO the Center for
> Resource Conservation is opening a tool
> library in a few days.  Here is the web link:
> http://www.conservationcenter.org/ToolLibrary.htm
>
> There is also a new movement to establish seed lending
> libraries.  Bill
> McDorman of Seeds Trust is promoting this concept. 
> Richmond, CA has one up
> and running.  The idea is that people can borrow seeds
> from the library, but
> have to return a greater amount (by saving the seed). 
> This way the library
> grows its seed bank and seeds are adapted to the local
> climate.  This of
> course requires a lot of education for those who borrow to
> be able to save
> high quality and relatively pure seed.  A woman in
> Lyons, CO is developing a
> model for there and Boulder.
>
> The one observation I have made of lending libraries is
> that big centralized
> libraries are bound to inspire a lot of people, but when
> you really get down
> to it, it makes more sense to have lending libraries in the
> neighborhoods
> where they will be used most.  Many small community
> tool sheds for example
> are far more accessible than traveling across town to
> borrow a chainsaw when
> you only need it for 15 minutes.  All this means is
> that the big lending
> libraries will serve a huge purpose in spreading the word
> and lending the
> idea, but ideally to create many smaller ones. 
> Neighbors can often pool
> their tools together and keep them in one shed so all have
> access to them
> when they would otherwise just sit unused in individual
> garages.
>
> I agree that lending libraries are a crucial piece of a
> reslient culture.
> They just make sense.  In addition it builds a
> greater sense of community.
>
>
> Jason
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