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Seed Library

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Discover the joy of growing your own food at home with the Seed Library. 

Learn how to cultivate plants and food at home, share seeds with our community and grow your gardening knowledge at the same time. Gardening is great for mindfulness, health and well-being. The Seed Library also helps strengthen food security in our local community.

Borrowing from the Seed Library is easy – all you need is your library card!

  • Borrow up to two packets of seeds
  • Grow the seeds in your garden
  • When it’s time to harvest, save some seeds
  • Return collected seeds to the Seed Library to continue the cycle


Each seed packet is clearly labelled with the seed type, and includes a picture of the plant, as well as information for sowing and plant care. You can explore our shelves to unearth a variety of great books to help you on your gardening journey!

Books to get you started...

You can explore the Seed Library at Oak Flats Library.

Oak Flats Library is your destination for Home & Garden resources, it also provides a hub for our Green Living programs such as Green Thumb.

The mural on the exterior wall of Oak Flats Library, by Sarah McCloskey is based on the concept of providing for future generations – “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit”. There is also a ‘green theme’ within the library itself through the green colour palette.

All you need is your library card! You can borrow two packets of seeds each time you visit Oak Flats Library.

If you’re not a member, you can join the library today. Membership is free!

We currently offer 42 different types of seeds, including vegetables, herbs and flowers. 
 
These seeds have been selected because they are easy-to-grow and suitable for our area. We expect our seed offerings to change over time as we discover what our local community prefers. 

Our seeds are old traditional open pollinated non-hybrid varieties and have no chemical treatment, and no genetic engineering. Old varieties produce over an extended period and are generally easier to grow for the home gardener.  

Please note that each seed variety is only displayed and made available according to their sowing season.

The seeds expiration date is stamped on the packet. All seeds have been refrigerated prior to packaging to ensure optimum shelf life. You may wish to store your seeds in the fridge at home too!

Yes! After growing in your garden, harvest and return seeds for others to borrow. Seed donations are only accepted at Oak Flats Library.  We only accept donations of vegetable, herbs and perennial flower seeds. Donated seeds must be presented in a clean/dry container or zip lock bag.

We only accept;

  • clean, healthy looking seeds
  • all the same species rather than a mixture


We don’t accept;

  • anything that looks mouldy, furry, mildew or slimy
  • rotting with excess soil
  • seeds with debris


Library staff will ask you to complete a seed donation envelope which needs to include;

  • date collected
  • seed name
  • seed type
  • area/location grown

You are not obligated to donate seeds. Sometimes growing from seeds does not go as planned but we encourage everyone to contribute to the Seed Library to complete the cycle. 

Home & Garden magazines!

Discover all the latest gardening and growing tips and trends by browsing through the great range of Home & Garden physical magazines in our libraries. Alternatively, explore our digital magazines to help you be inspired!

Seed Library at Home

Email us a photo of your garden goodies to be featured

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with UOW on a range of Paint Shellharbour REaD initiatives. Paint Shellharbour REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD network, dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with The Man Walk to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local, social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library programs space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Smith Family to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading. 

QBD

Shellharbour City Libraries have worked with QBD Shellharbour as the preferred bookseller at all of our Author Talk events. 

Shellharbour City Libraries sponsors Project Bucephalus in their facilitation of the Shellharbour Robo Club. The club teaches youth to form robotics teams and particulate in the FIRST LEGO League tournament. 

Shellharbour City Libraries collaborates with Paint the Gong REaD in conjunction with the Paint the Town REaD network. This partnership promotes early childhood literacy across the Illawarra through multiple reading events and activities. 

Shellharbour City Libraries has partnered with NSW Health to facilitate Independent Living Skills sessions aimed at teaching foster children health and wellbeing skills, in collaboration with the William Campbell Foundation.

The Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra attends Warilla library to utilise the 2528 community room. This is used for exercise and light physio sessions with senior community members.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Living Connected to offer drop-in Tech Help sessions to our customers at Warilla, Albion Park and City Libraries. These short one-on-one sessions are designed to assist customers in their digital skills development. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Legal Aid NSW to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Kiama Community College to deliver Tech Savvy Seniors sessions at our libraries. Tech Savvy Seniors is a NSW Government and Telstra partnership coordinated by the State Library of NSW. The program aims to teach seniors digital skills and knowledge.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Junior Einsteins to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Judi Sandilands-Cincotta to bring Ollie and Shiko the therapy dogs to a range of children’s and youth programs. These programs aim to promote positive mental health and social connection.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Illawarra Legal Centre to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with HARS to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library program space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries organises Sensory Experiences with Greenacres Disability Services at Warilla Library.

Shellharbour City Libraries and the Youth Services team partnered with Fitness Cartel Albion Park to deliver a Youth Fitness program at Warilla Library. This program engaged local youth and taught them about health, personal fitness, and respect.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Ed U Play to facilitate programs and activities that bring young people together. These programs support social and emotional wellbeing amongst youth. The libraries support the Girls Only Project which aims to provide young women with knowledge of and access to positive activities in their own communities. Ed U Play are funded by the Communities for Children Program.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Bunnings to deliver free monthly Craft Workshops at City Library. In these sessions, experts from Bunnings teach our customers a range of crafting skills. These workshops include, Kokedama Balls, Painting Art Canvas and much more!

For Library Lovers Day, Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Belladonna Book Club to produce a series of Book Review videos. 

These reviews were released on the Libraries’ Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the Belladonna Book Club’s social media channels.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Barnardos to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Aruma Disability Services to deliver Library Links. Library Links is a program that aims to invite disability services groups into their local branches to utilise craft and puzzle kits as well as getting to know our collections. Aruma is the first group at the Warilla branch and comes monthly to utilise space, kits and collections with their joined organisation library card.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the William Campbell Foundation to deliver the Independent Living Skills Program. This program involves teaching foster children integral health and wellbeing skills and knowledge. Additionally, the City Library hosts WCF’s fortnightly Homework Club.

Sydney Writers Festival

Every year, Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the Sydney Writers Festival to deliver author panel livestreams and local events as part of the festival’s Live and Local programming. 

Paint the town read

Shellharbour City Libraries leads Paint Shellharbour REaD, which is part of the Paint the Town REaD network. This initiative aims to promote early childhood literacy by connecting local early childhood education stakeholders and providers and collaborating with them to deliver reading events and activities. 

Little Zaks Bee connected

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Little Zaks Academy to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Paint Shellharbour REaD

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Big Fat Smile to deliver Transition to School programs to prepare pre-schoolers for their move into primary school. Big Fat Smile is also a part of the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative, which organises events that promote early childhood literacy.