Are there any seed libraries or seed exchanges in the Seattle area?
Yes, there is the King County Seed Library which currently has several locations:
At the Northeast Seattle Tool Library 2415 NE 80th St Seattle, WA 98115
At the Phinney Neighborhood Center Tool Library 6532 Phinney Ave NE Seattle, WA 98103
Seattle Farm Co-Op 1817 S Jackson Place Seattle, WA 98144
Pickering Garden 1730 10th Avenue NW Issaquah, WA 98027
Hillman City Collaboratory 5623 Rainier Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98118
You might also look out for local celebrations of National Seed Swap Day, which happens on the last Saturday of every January.
The best-known national organization devoted to seed-saving and distribution is the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. Another example is the Hudson Valley Seed Library in New York State. Both of these organizations sell heirloom and unusual seed varieties.
You might see if your local public library (the kind which lends books and other materials) is interested in following the example of Tucson, Arizona’s Pima County Public Library, which maintains a seed exchange.
Some local horticultural organizations have organized seed exchanges among their members, such as the Hardy Plant Society of Washington and the Northwest Perennial Alliance, but these are primarily seeds of ornamental plants. You can also start your own informal exchange by learning about seed-saving and passing along that knowledge (and its fruits–that is, seeds!) to your friends. The Miller Library has many excellent books on saving seeds. You can search the online catalog, using keywords such as ‘seed saving.’You can also check the calendar of plant sales and gardening events that the library maintains, as sometimes there are seed-sharing opportunities posted.