Albany County Public Library Reopens Free High Plains Seed Library in Laramie

The High Plains Seed Library at the Albany County Public Library's Laramie branch is back open, offering free packets of herbs, vegetables, flowers, and native plant seeds to anyone who walks through the door at 310 S. 8th St.

The library announced the reopening on March 9, 2026, nearly a decade after the program first launched in 2016 and roughly three years after it went dormant due to COVID-19 disruptions and staffing changes. Outreach librarian Eli Palmer, who worked with one other staff member to package seeds for the revived collection, summed up the model plainly: "The seed library functions like a traditional library, but with seeds instead of books."

The collection is housed on the west side of the Laramie branch building, in a space that used to hold a book card catalog. No library card is required to borrow seeds, and there are no due dates or fines. Patrons pick out what they want, fill out a check-out sheet, and take an optional check-in sheet to track seedlings at home. The one ask from the library: save seeds from your harvest and return them so next year's collection grows alongside the community that plants it. Palmer explained the reasoning directly: seeds harvested by local gardeners "will then be available for other people to use and then be more suited to our climate."

The High Plains Seed Library is a partnership between ACPL and the Laramie Garden Club, which contributes both workshop speakers and financial support. Public services specialist Cassandra Hunter plans and implements seed-related programming, most of which is held at the library itself. ACPL's IT department built a database to manage patron information and seed inventory. Because the collection depends on donations, processing timelines, and community returns, available varieties will shift over time.

"We're excited to have it back," Palmer said.

The program's roots go back to January 2016, when a roomful of volunteers gathered at the library on January 23 to package seeds for the inaugural collection. "The community is integral to the success of our seed library," public services specialist Cassandra Hunter said at the time, noting the enthusiasm that surrounded the launch.

The seed library is open whenever ACPL is open. Reach the seed library directly at 307-721-2580 ext. 5436 or ssims@acplwy.org.