Hi folks,
Below is the collection of responses I received from a request I posted to
two listservs - MEMO-L and LM_Net. I asked for librarians' experiences in
placing coffee shops (or services) in school library media centers.
My original interest stems from looking at how other institutions have
responded to competition from the Internet (if one can buy a book online,
why go to a bookstore?), and to see if any of these strategies might work
with school library media centers. I'm doing this in preparation for a new
talk "E-Books, E-Learning, E-Gads!" debuting at the SCASL conference this
week. <http://www.doug-johnson.com/pres.html#ebook>. And yes, I got a
picture of student's enjoying coffee in a Minnesota high school library!
Obviously, there are already better minds than mine working along similar
lines as you can tell from the responses below, including Shonda Brisco who
wrote an article on the topic over a year ago and Gail Dickinson who has
prepared a bibliography for her classes.
Thanks to all who responded. Here goes...
Doug
Doug Johnson
Director of Media and Technology
Mankato Area Public Schools
Box 8713, 1351 S Riverfront Dr.
Mankato MN 56001-8714
507-387-7698 x 473
dougj@doug-johnson.com
www.doug-johnson.com
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments
that take our breath away." -- George Carlin
___________
Article in Jan 2004 Library Media Connection by Shonda Brisco, ³Dewey or
Dalton? An investigation of the lure of the bookstore.²
___________
Oh my goodness! coffee machines in the school library.....is it used as a
fund-raiser? who runs the business? volunteers? or? what happens when
someone is burned by hot coffee? who is liable? do we need to create
"social hours" to get students to use a library? makes one wonder what this
world is coming to? are the public libraries and university libraries
offering the same? for years I have heard from college librarians that the
public schools are not teaching "library etiquette" regarding talking,
eating, socializing, now what will they say? uffda!!
___________
Though not explicitly stated in Information Power (1998), a coffee shop and
services in the media center would (might?) fit appropriately in Chapter 5
³Information Access and Delivery² under Principle 3 ³The library media
specialist provides a climate that is conducive to learning.² (Please see
pages 87-88) Also note the statement from page 88, ³The library media
specialist exercises leadership in making students feel welcome ‹ both
because their physical surroundings are appealing . . . ³
___________
I am also interested in this, since we are planning a new high school
library. The principal and I are very interested in a coffee shop in the
library plan. The shop would be administered by our business students.
___________
We opened an LMC at our High School recently, and have plans to expand in
the next three years. Our Superintendent told us to dream big, so my dream
(in addition to a full computer lab actually adjacent to the LMC ‹ capable
of all document and media production) is to have a coffee shop either
adjacent or in the LMC. Please send me everything you find out about the
endeavors of others in the area. I want to have a solid presentation when
I approach the planning committee ‹ I¹ve dropped hints, and I think it seems
like a fairytale to the administration, but I see it as a reachable,
common-sense goal to improve the atmosphere of my Barnes and Noble-esque
intellectual gymnasium that they call the Library Media Center.
___________
Ah ha, the Barnes & Noble strategy. Interesting short term tactic, but does
not address how we must redefine our role or the role of our program if we
wish to continue being relevant......it don't take no master's degree to
pour java...or check out a book. If the best we can do is serve coffee, we
deserve to fade away. O.K., I am off the pulpit....good luck with your talk!
___________
Doug, I would like to see your findings on this when you compile your
responses. We have a teacher¹s coffee group that has its base in our Media
Center ³back room². We have an annual fundraiser once a year (I got this
idea from SLJ) called ³Thanks A Latte². We (parent volunteers help) sell
pretend lattes (hot cocoa with LOTS of marshmallows) for middle school kids
and a cookie for $1.00 in our Media Center turned into ³Starbooks Café². We
do this in conjunction with having the book fair set up so it¹s a Barnes and
Noble type of atmosphere. The kids love it! We just did this last week,
with every student visiting through their Language Arts or Reading classes,
and had our most profitable day ever.
___________
The first year I was in this library, I allowed food and drink, and it was a
fairly horrible experience. Students stuffed leftover food in the stacks,
drinks were spilled on tables and never properly cleaned up--maybe it works
in some places, but I am much happier this year allowing only water.
If a student wants, however, I let them finish a drink in my workroom,
because that's where I let myself drink. I enforce the rule equally for
staff, faculty, and students.
Maybe I had so many problems partly because I work alone, without an aide.
Maybe if there were more of us patrolling, or if I had a separate area for a
coffeehouse, it would work.
___________
....students are not allowed to eat or drink in the library (per orders by
the administration and the maintenance staff). The one time that I did have
EVERYONE in the library--using it, browsing for books, sitting and
reading--was my first year here when I invited everyone to the library to
see all the new materials that had been added. It was just before the
holidays in December...we had food, drinks, books...and not ONE spill by the
students!
___________
I have an "almost" - my library is located just above the student center,
which has a small deli/coffee shop. There are two sets of stairs directly
from the student center into the library. When I started this job last
August I had every intention of allowing students to bring in their cafe
goodies because I thought it would make the library more appealing - fewer
rules. I quickly found out that my policy meant that I became Mom, cleaning
up all of the empty cups, muffin wrappers, crumbs, you name it. The are now
"no food in the library" signs posted all over, particularly at the top of
the stairs and on the tables where kids sit. This means they only bring food
in sometimes, and at least they know why I harass them when they bring food
in. That being said, I am pretty tolerant of coffee in the morning and I
rarely say anything about it. How can I criticize a student who comes in
early or sits at break writing a report and drinking coffee? I do draw the
line at pizza/fries/yogurt/cup of noodles however, and I'm not fond of
Gatorade and Snapple bottles because they leave sticky rings on the tables.
So far there has only been one major spill, and it was the assistant
librarian who did it! I don't think it is a bad idea at all, but there are
issues to deal with as a result.
___________
We have a coffee machine in our library - but we don't have photos of
students using it, yet. Good idea.
___________
I noticed that there will be a session at the Texas Library Association
conference on this very thing. You probably will not be attending, but often
after the conference the handouts are available online. Some of the
librarians that are participating are Lucile Dade (Carrollton Public
Library), James Lutz (Texas Christian Univ.), John Witmer (Alief ISD). You
might be able to contact them personally about this. I know that the former
director of the Texas A&M libraries, Fred Heath, opened a coffee shop at the
entrance to the main library several years ago. I think it has been a great
hit. I have thought this might be fun to try too, but have been preoccupied
with other needs. I look forward to watching for the posts
___________
All the High Schools in Irving ISD do it. We were the last to get on board.
Some of the middle schools do it - some for students and some for staff
only. The Middle schools have a Saturday program at Barnes and Noble called
"Java Makes Me Jump."
___________
I opened up a shop after Christmas break, and it's been great! It was super
busy for the first two weeks, but things have leveled off now. It's brought
MANY kids in who wouldn't normally darken my door in the mornings.
Here are a few details: open from 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. only, sell cappuccino
(mocha, vanilla, praline), hot chocolate, hot teas, and a flavored regular
coffee, prices range from fifty cents to a dollar, one student volunteer per
week helps out (paid in drinks), and all drinks stay in the coffee shop (a
former storeroom) or head out the door (no drinking in the main library).
I have chess, checkers, and a jigsaw puzzle spread out on the tables for
kids to work on while they sip. I also have a wonderful student artist
painting a mural for me on one wall.
It's definitely a work in progress (a little dinky right now), but I love
that it's created more traffic all day! People come in at all times to see
the latest on Miguel's mural or work a few minutes on the puzzle.
___________
When you get replies to this could you pass them on to me? I'm thinking of
doing the same thing. Last year I found a company that would supply the
machines and supplies to the library for no cost--just take their money from
the machines. Our public library does this and it has been good for them.
They have more than 30,000 patrons a month--I'm sure it isn't the coffee,
but I'm sure it doesn't hurt the traffic there either.
___________
I am in the midst of working towards placing one in our SMALL media center
on a trial basis. (We are renting the equipment and borrowing small round
cafe tables from the drama dept. that we will cover with vinyl tablecloths.)
I am convinced this will draw more students into the IMC. I have had a
couple of teachers come up to me in a very negative fashion and am expecting
more as word gets out. However I do have full support from my head
principal.
We are currently waiting for an estimate on the water line which must be
installed so have not formally announced plans to the students or staff. We
will then rent a cappuccino machine with two flavors and a third head for
hot chocolate. If thing work out well, we will purchase our own equipment
and fun seating. If our plans become reality I will email you again.
___________
I attended your sessions at the joint KLA/KSMA conference in September at
Louisville, Kentucky and thoroughly enjoyed them. We started a coffee shop
this fall at Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Kentucky and are thrilled
with the addition! This was the brain child of my partner, Amber,
and our clerk, Cindy. Amber has pictures, not staged, of students
reading in the coffee shop area so I will pass your query on to her. In
the mean time, tell me exactly what you would like to know and I will
respond. I could probably write a 500 word answer with no sweat, but I
want to couch my response in terms of what you need to know. I
respectfully submit our experience proves a coffee shop is a GOOD idea.
___________
We have been hosting a monthly morning coffee in the library. WE don't have
coffee machines. Each time (Jan & Feb) the coffee was sponsored by a student
fundraising event. In Jan we raised $1200. for the Tsunami project (21,000
school total), and Feb the German club raised $300.00 for their trip to
Germany. Unfortunately I don't think anyone took any digitals. We are
planning another on April 1 for the Red Cross. Will take some then if you
still need them. The coffee has been a very positive activity. We see kids
who don't ordinarily come to the library. We also play music, seems to get
them into the area. It runs from 6:55 - 7:25. We serve Krispy Kremes (3
kinds), coffee with flavored creams, and cocoa. We always sell out of cocoa!
We sell each item for $1.00. Let me know if you want any more info.
___________
A Bibliography of Coffee in the Library Resources compiled by
Gail K. Dickinson, PhD School Library Media Program 249-6 Dept of
Educational Curriculum and Instruction Darden College of Education Old
Dominion University Norfolk, VA
Libraries with cafes
Hastings, Texas
http://www.alief.isd.tenet.edu/hastings/library/update/Lit%20cafe1/literary_
cafe1.htm
Lexington, Ky
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/living/education/k_12/9597679.htm
Las Vegas, NV
http://ccsd.net/schools/mojave/library/pdf/chuckwallastogo.pdf
Shawnee, Kansas
Knop, Kathi and Chris Larson. ³Coffee, Anyone?³ Book Report 21.1 (May-June
2002): 24. Wilson Web Database. Online. 21 Mar 2003.
<http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/shared/shared_main.jhtml>
OTHER RESOURCES
PLA conference session 2003
Carts, Cafes, and Coffeehouses: A Report on Food in the Library
Trelease, Jim, and Stephen Krashen. ³Eating and Reading in the Library.²
Emergency Librarian EBSCO Database. Online. May-June 1996: 27.
Kornman, Becky. ³Café Middle School.² School Library Journal Feb. 1998: 49.
Stewart, Ken W. ³The Library Blend: One Media Center¹s Alluring Brew.²
School Library Journal Aug. 1997: 26-29
___________
Thanks again to all who responded. - Doug
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