Library to Add Coffee Shop
June 27, 2009 by Marye Audet
Filed under Coffee News
With various types of funding being cut and libraries being closed, Fargo, ND has come up with an innovative plan. They will rent space and help to open a coffee shop in their downtown library.
The library will contribute 10,000 dollars to get the coffee shop up and running and then the coffee shop with pay rent every month. They will carry pastries, cookies and various coffee drinks.
Now, I ask you, how cool is that? I love libraries. Many times in my life I have used the library in the various places we have lived as a refuge. A place to enjoy quiet, the smell of the books, and recharge my spirit. The coolest library ever was the one near us in West Windsor New Jersey back in the late 1960s. We lived in a new, upscale housing development in the midst of fields and countryside. The library was about 3 miles away but I was allowed to ride my bike there because my mom could watch me the whole way thanks to the fields.
The library was old, I want to say it was in an old house but my memory may be foggy on that. The children’s section was upstairs and there were plenty of nooks and crannies to curl up and read a good book in. It was at this library that I discovered Edgar Eager’s books, Obscure writings by Louisa May Alcott, and other books that continue to by my favorites to this day. Books that I have shared with my children…books that my daughter shares with my grandchildren.
The idea of being able to go to the library, check out a few books and enjoy a latte or an espresso intrigues me. I think it is brilliant. Kudos to Fargo and all involved for thinking outside the government subsidy box.
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I was happy with bookstores having coffee shops inside them, a library would be even better.
WOuldnt it be cool? I love this idea
Our new (5 year?) library in Eugene Oregon has a coffee place outside (yet inside the building itself) and they also serve bagels, tofu pate on bagels, muffins etc. At first I thought this was weird but when I started to come to the library close to lunch time and didn’t want to leave (and was starving) this was a good place to go. Right next to the coffee place is a used book store that the library owns – people donate books to the library and the better ones that are not needed in the library itself are sold for pennies on the dollar. It is always very busy and I like seeing people enjoying that part of the library also. Most people buy the books, read them and then donate them back. I think cookbooks and travel books are the biggest sellers, followed by how to raise children. You only need those for awhile. Then you just give up. (just kidding!)
Winne that is awesome. I think it is a brilliant idea!
My library had a cafe that they closed down and turned into a used bookstore.
That’s a great idea too!
The only tiny problem with that is they may very well have to invent a new fee for coffee spills on materials. I would absolutely LOVE to find a coffee shop in the library up here! They already have like a dozen computers. I could just give the baby to my mom and go to ‘work’ at the library……. Yummy……
The University of Virginia’s main library has a Greenberry coffee shop in the lobby.
My UVa grad claims it exists because the university hasn’t figured out a way yet to have a caffeine iv drip for the grad students…
Kathy, that is probably true!