From library visitor to co-founder of Pima County’s seed library

Story times led me to weekly picture book hauls, children’s programs, and eventually to me applying for a position at the library.

I had been a stay-at-home mom and a foster parent to adults with disabilities for about 10 years when I decided that I really needed some outside stimulation. I began working at the Eckstrom-Columbus Library, 4350 E. 22nd St., in 2007. Today, I am the managing librarian of the Eckstrom-Columbus Library, and both of my grown children work at public libraries.

I love so many aspects of working at the library. Meeting the diverse youth and adult customers who visit and finding ways to connect them with resources, library programs and work opportunities is incredibly rewarding. I love watching the parade of toddlers, preschoolers and babies on their way in and out of Storytime and mitigating the enthusiasm of afterschool youth letting go of the restraints of the school day.

I have worked at nine of Pima County’s 27 branches, and at each one, I found myself working with completely unique communities. I love learning how best to work with each of them while always maintaining the core library values of access to information that I hold so dear.

While working at Joel D. Valdez Main Library, I went back to school for my master’s in Information and Library Sciences and while in school, I was incredibly privileged to be invited to be a part of establishing our renowned Pima County Public Library Seed Library.

The Seed Library has been such a gift to my library career. It has been one of my greatest library joys to watch it grow and spread throughout Pima County. We could not have existed and expanded without the rewarding partnerships we’ve made, which continue to grow every year. We have established and taken part in national and international forums and skill shares with food and seed advocates from around the globe, as well as partnered with local organizations that have helped us show our community how to grow plants from seed in our unique desert home.

Among our incredible community partners are the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Mission Garden, Native Seeds/SEARCH, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, University of Arizona Garden Kitchen, Pima County Native Plant Nursery, Las Milpitas Community Farm, Tucson Organic Gardeners, Community Gardens of Tucson, Community & School Garden Program, Santa Cruz Farmers Market, Iskashitaa Refugee Network and many more.

These partners have provided training, resources, assistance, seeds and rich programs for our friends and neighbors to learn from and enjoy. Each organization has provided us with support and opportunities beyond what we could have ever done on our own. As Cicero said, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” I would add, “If you have a garden and a library and wonderful partnerships, you have everything you need to run a Seed Library.”

Learn more about the seed library at library.pima.gov/seedlibrary.