How to Build an Herb Library

If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge of herbs, there are a variety of books and other reference materials available to help you build your fund of knowledge. Sometimes the selection of herbal information can seem overwhelming. If you want to create a useful herb reference library of your own, here are some tips on building an herb library without spending a fortune:

Start With Your Public Library

Spend an afternoon exploring books on herbs in your local public library. Check out ones that interest you and spend time flipping through them. Write down the names of titles you’d like to add to your herb library in a notebook. This is an excellent way to find books that meet your needs and interests before spending money on them. Your library can also get almost any book you request through their interlibrary loan system. If there’s a book you’d like to preview that they don’t have, ask them to get it from another library for you.

Locate Old, Out-of-Print Books on Herbs

Some of the early books on herbs offer invaluable insights into how herbs were used in the past. Look for old books written by American authors but also ones written by British writers also who frequently have insights you won’t find in books written in America. Many of these books have gorgeous illustrations of herbs that are suitable for framing or other art applications. A good place to find old books on herbs is at local estate sales or used book sites online. Old herbals can often be found inexpensively at estate sales but will cost you a bit more online.

Herb Encyclopedias and Field Guides

You’ll want to have at least one comprehensive herb encyclopedia in your collection that illustrates each herb and shows you the basics of how to use it from a culinary and medicinal standpoint. To find a good herb encyclopedia, go to Amazon.com and do a search. Read the reviews before purchasing one for your own library. You’ll find yourself referring to this resource again and again.

Field Guides

You’ll need at least one field guide that allows you to identify herbs at a glance. These are useful to take along on trips to your local farmer’s market to identify herbs at a glance. You can also use a field guide to determine which herbs grow in your particular area and how to identify them.

Herbal Medicine Books

You’ll probably want to add a comprehensive encyclopedia of herbal medicine which you update every few years as new research comes out on the use of herbs for preventing and treating disease. You may also find books on Chinese herbal medicine to be of interest.

Herb Cookbooks

The addition of healthy herbs can transform an ordinary recipe into a true culinary experience. Start a small collection of cookbooks that focus on the use of herbs and spices. Don’t forget to look for old, out-of-print herbal cookbooks when you go to estate sales.

Beyond Books

Two excellent non-book resources on herbs are The Herb Companion magazine and The Herb Quarterly Magazine. These will provide you with timely, up to date information on how to use herbs in your daily life.

Building an herb library can be lots of fun and will give you a valuable resource for expanding your herbal knowledge. Why not get started today?