We do a mix of both at Clarkston Independence District Library! I purchase outright from the suppliers listed on our Seed Library webpage, but the following are my preference:

-Michigan Wildflower Farm : based in Portland, Michigan, highly diverse wildflower/native grass blends with over 30 different habitat specificities.

-MIGardener : Based in St. Clair, Michigan who also runs great seasonal sales.

-Everwilde Farms: Based in California, great prices and actively run sales.

-Eden Brothers: Based in North Carolina, but also great prices and sales.

CIDL Seed Library accepts community donated seeds! While I don't actively solicit donation,  folks do offer, and I accept them for the most part. We have an active gardening community which helps. For example, we had a huge hollyhock seed donation when I first came on board in 2024, and I'm still getting through them! 🙂 I identify which seed packets are "Community Grown", similar to how Tierra Sagrada Seed Library in Las Cruces, NM identifies on their seed packets (Brita Sauer, who founded Tierra Sagrada for LC has set up a few seed libraries in her time, and is a great resource). CIDL just ran our first Sunflower Showdown program, and the sunflower heads from this year are being dried and stored to supply the seeds for next year...and the year after that! 

Please feel free to reach out if you'd like to chat more! 

Best,