Privacy policy
Last updated:
This page explains what Seed Library Map stores about you and why. “We” and “the operator” mean the operator of this site; you can reach them through the contact page. This text describes how the site software behaves today. It is a draft and will be reviewed legally before launch.
The short version
There are no accounts, no sign-in and no saved lists. You can look up seed libraries without giving us anything. Your location is used only in your browser to show distances; it is never sent to us. We do not sell personal information, send marketing email or take payments. Whether analytics cookies are set depends on how this site is set up; see “Analytics and statistics”. Where the listings and map data come from is listed under “Data sources”.
Who is responsible
The party responsible for data processing on this site is the operator of Seed Library Map. You can reach them by email at support@seedlibrarymap.cc or through the contact page.
What we collect
The pages you read need no personal data from you. In detail:
- Search words you type appear in the page address, like any web request. The site does not keep a search history.
- If you email us, we receive the address and the message you send, and we keep the conversation for as long as it is needed to answer you. Please do not include personal information in a correction.
- The site software can write a technical request log (time, method, path, status, duration, request id; no query string, cookie or IP address). The server or network that hosts the site may keep its own standard logs.
Your location
“Use my location” asks your browser for your position. If you allow it, the position stays in this browser tab (sessionStorage) and is used only to calculate straight-line distances on the page. It is not sent to our server and not shared. Sorting by distance downloads the coordinates of listed seed libraries and sorts them in your browser. “Change” or closing the tab removes the position.
Data sources
Seed Library Map shows seed libraries in the United States that are recorded in published listings. This section says where the information comes from, under which license, and what it does not offer.
- Seed library listings: the listings, the borrowing rules they state and the map positions given for them come from the seed library guide of Open Agriculture Technology (openagriculturetechnology.com, page “Seed libraries”). © 2012–2026 OpenAgricultureTechnology.com. Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Reuse and adapt freely, with attribution to OpenAgricultureTechnology.com. We changed the material: we reformatted the entries, grouped them by place, counted them and show the rule values in our own wording.
- States, counties and cities: a listing with a map position is assigned to a state, county and city using the U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 states, counties and places). For a listing without a map position, the state and city names given in the listing are matched to Census names and codes, and the county stays unknown.
- Map tiles: OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles · Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL): https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright . Your browser loads the tiles from tiles.openfreemap.org whenever a map is shown. The credit also appears on the map itself.
What you should know about the information:
- Seed libraries are run by others and their listings can be out of date, incomplete or wrong. Not every seed library is listed.
- A rule is shown only when the listing states it. “Not listed” means the listing does not say; it does not mean there is no rule. A shared program is not expanded into its branches.
- The checked month on a page is the listing’s own claim about when it was checked against the library’s page. It is not a visit or review by us.
- Map positions are the ones given in the listing and are not verified by us. Not every listing has one. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving or walking routes.
- We show no opening hours, stock, phone numbers, ratings or reviews.
- Images on the site are illustrative photos and do not show the library named.
- We reload the data from time to time, about once a month. Whatever has changed in a listing in the meantime appears here only after the next reload.
Reporting a mistake: if a listing is missing or a detail is wrong, use the “Email” line on the page or the contact page. We read every message. The listing itself is maintained by its publisher.
Why we use it
We do not use your data for marketing email.
- To answer your messages.
- To protect the site: the software limits and logs requests in the way described above.
- To count aggregate usage (see “Analytics and statistics”).
Our reasons
- Answering your email: you wrote to us and we reply.
- Protecting the site and the technical request log: a working, protected service.
- Google Analytics and the cookies it sets: switched on by default so the operator can see how the site is used; you can object at any time with the control under “Analytics and statistics”, and we then stop it in your browser.
- Location: you trigger the location request yourself and your browser asks you first. The position stays in your browser and is not sent to us.
Who processes data
- Google: if analytics is set up and you have not objected, Google Analytics receives page views. Google handles that data under its own policies and may process it in the United States and other countries.
- Site statistics service: the site can send the operator’s own statistics service one daily aggregate (the site identifier, the domain and constant zero counts, because there are no accounts). It contains no visitor data.
- Maps: when a page shows a map, your browser loads map tiles from tiles.openfreemap.org (OpenFreeMap). OpenFreeMap receives the usual request data (such as your IP address). Your shared location is not sent with these requests. Your browser also asks us for the seed libraries on the map; we do not store those requests.
- Hosting: the server or network that hosts the site may keep its own standard logs.
- The “Directions in Maps” link opens Google Maps, a third-party service with its own privacy policy, only when you click it.
Advertising
The site shows no advertising and loads no advertising network. If that changes, this policy will be updated before any advertising is shown.
Analytics and statistics
Analytics cookies are not active on this site, so no request is made to Google Analytics. If this changes, this page will say so first.
Separately from Google Analytics, the site sends the daily aggregate described under “Who processes data”. It contains no personal data.
How long we keep data
- Emails to the support address are kept for as long as needed to answer them and for a short time afterwards.
- Request logs are kept briefly and rotated.
- Google Analytics keeps data according to its own retention setting, which the operator chooses in the Analytics property.
Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights over personal information about you, such as:
- knowing what is stored about you and getting a copy,
- correcting inaccurate information,
- deleting it,
- opting out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell personal information),
- not being treated differently for using these rights.
For requests about your data, use the contact page or write to support@seedlibrarymap.cc. No automated decision-making takes place.
You can change your analytics choice at any time with the control in “Analytics and statistics”, and you can clear cookies and tab storage in your browser.
Children
This site is aimed at adults and families planning to garden, and not at children under 13. It collects no personal information from anyone.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the site changes. The date at the top shows when it was last updated. See also the terms of use.