What is the Library Farm?

The Library Farm is an organic, educational community garden located on the grounds of the Northern Onondaga Public Library in Cicero, NY. Its operation is overseen by the NOPL’s Cicero Branch Manager, the NOPL Library Farm Manager, and the Library Farm Steering Committee, which is made up of Library Farm gardeners. The mission of the Library Farm is to provide a place for the community to grow, share, and learn about food literacy, and organic, sustainable gardening.

At the Library Farm, half of the area is dedicated to a Food Pantry/Educational Garden; the other half is dedicated to our individual gardeners. Anyone can “check out” a raised bed to use for one growing season. We host approximately 35 to 40 Individual gardeners each year. All gardeners agree to follow organic, sustainable growing practices.

Picture of the Library Farm's Open House. Pictured is people from the community get a guide of plots from Library Farm staff members.
Grown pants of leafy greens

How do I get involved?

Everyone is welcome at the Library Farm! Whether you’d like to attend our garden-related events, maintain your own bed, or help out with the community garden, please let us know. You can also participate in one or more of the Library Farm Work Days, held once a month from April through October.

If you’re interested in “checking out” a bed for the season, please first read the Library Farm Rules and Responsibilities (PDF), which contains an enrollment form. Forms are also available via curbside service if needed; please call ahead. Drop off your form at NOPL’s Cicero branch to sign up!

Information for Garden Members

Library Farm Links

FAQs

Of course! All skill levels are welcome at the Library Farm. We have gardeners with a variety of skill levels.

Yes, if there are extra beds available, gardeners can request an additional bed.

Certainly! We appreciate any and all donations. Please contact the Library Farm Manager at 315-699-2032 for more information.

News & Resources

Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency

Habitat Gardening CNY

Cornell Cooperative Extension – Onondaga County

Syracuse Grows

National Gardening Association

New York Department of Agriculture and Markets

Sharable 5 ways public libraries are being used to fight food insecurity 5/10/2022

INFOSPACE: LibraryFarm of Cicero, New York, 3/8/2019

americanlibrariesmagazine.org: Library to Farm to Table: Public libraries increasingly offer food production programs, Nov/Dec 2016 Issue

New York Library Association: Sustainability Spotlight: Check Out Sustainable Garden Practices at the LibraryFarm in Cicero, 9/27/2016

Smithsonian Magazine: The Future of Libraries, 7/27/2016

ProQuest: Libraries and Summer Fun, 7/6/2016

Mental_Floss: 8 Librarians Who Lend Out More Than Books, 3/21/2016

Central New York Community Foundation News: Northern Onondaga Public Library Grows a Greener Community with its LibraryFarm Program, 12/11/2015

The New York Times: These Public Libraries Are for Snowshoes and Ukuleles, 09/14/2015

Eagle Star Review: Little Green Thumbs, 07/21/2015

ALA.org: State of America’s Libraries 2014 Report: Libraries and Community Engagement, 04/2014

LibraryTrustees.org: Library Lends Garden Plots, 4/1/2014

TakePart.com: There’s No Shushing at This Library- and You’ll Want to Bring a Trowel,03/19/2014

New York Times: Breaking Out of the Library Mold, in Boston and Beyond, 03/07/2014

Public Libraries Online: Unconference on Spaces and Places, 3/25/2013

Association for Library Services to Children: Food Literacy – Connecting Good Eats and Good Reads, 8/30/2012

Time Magazine: How Libraries Are Reinventing Themselves for the Future, 06/22/2012

Christian Science Monitor: Libraries reinvent themselves as labs of creativity, 10/10/2012

Good.is: 50 Building Blocks of Citizenship: Check out a Garden Plot With Your Books

The Post-Standard: Free plots at Cicero’s organic LibraryFarm, Clay’s community garden, 04/24/2012

Information Space: Library Farm, 09/30/2010