[LM_NET] HIT: Coffee Shop/Cafe in high school media center

[Cheryl Youse <cyouse@GMAIL.COM>]

Thought I'd better get a hit out, considering the amount of interest this
seems to be generating and the number of people who requested it.

At Colquitt County High, we plan to start small with a test run between
Thanksgiving and Christmas, beginning with a 'free' day for the teachers.  The
Café will only be open before school.  We'll see how it flies to decide if
we want to expand on it.

 Thanks to Doug, Shonda, and all who helped me out on this.

Again, here is Doug Johnson's Blog page which has a LOT of information:

http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2005/10/13/a-jolt-of-java-your-library.html

 and, which mentions Shonda's article :  Article in Jan 2004 *Library Media
Connection* by Shonda Brisco, "Dewey or Dalton? An investigation of the lure
of the bookstore."

Other responses:

The article Nancy Dickinson posted about the Cougar Café at Centennial High
School in Franklin, Tennessee

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071101/NEWS04/711010390/-1/NLETTER01

____________________

 From:

Laura Strathman
Library media specialist
Maplewood Richmond Heights LMC
St. Louis, MO



I do have a permanent cafe area in my library that serves hot coffee and hot
chocolate as well as cold water, flavored water, Gatorade, and cold
coffeedrinks (no soda).  In answer to your questions:

1.  I am responsible for refilling the hot machine with coffee product and
cleaning it out weekly.  The cold machine is owned by Pepsi, and they come
once a week to stock it.  I take care of minor spills, and buildings and
grounds are called for more major mop-ups.  Our head custodian does the
yearly taking apart and cleaning the inside of the hot machine.

2.  We have two machines.  The cold machine we rent from Pepsi - they do all
the service and filling.  The hot machine is the full vending machine sized
kind where the cup drops down, then the coffee fills the cup.  They bought
it before I was here with non-library funds.  I know it was in the thousands
of dollars, but I'm not sure how many thousands.  The idea was that it would
pay for itself within a couple years.  I'm not sure that will happen because
the cold machine is so much more popular than the hot machine.  Part of the
reason is that the cold drinks have lids, so the students can take those
with them.  The hot drinks do not, so they have to stay in the cafe area.
Students love the flavored waters and the cold coffee drinks.  If I were
designing this area now, I would only have the cold machine.  I don't like
the cleaning aspect of th hot machine, and the kids would be just as happy
with only the cold one.  Having lids makes such a difference in how many
spills there are.  Plus, I don't have to monitor like a hawk so that they
don't take the drinks out of the library.

3.  The board of health does not inspect.

4.  We do not collect taxes.

Overall, it does add a relaxing atmosphere to the library.  I like that
students like to come here.  I would definitely not do away with it
entirely.

 _______________________


- We do something like this once a year but not on a permanent basis. You
might want to check with your cafeteria staff for rules & regs regarding
this. They should be able to answer most of your questions.



My question would be: How will this affect your collection? Will it attract
mice and bugs? Will your regular rules be relaxed in that area to include
talking, etc...



The Elmira College Library is just getting ready to install a coffee bar.



Will wireless be available in your cafe?

_______________________



We had planned to do this, got the okay from the superintendent, the
board of health, our principal, buy in for business students to man it
before and after school and during lunches.  Our culinary arts classes
were all set to make the baked goods.  Before we opened in the library
(we were in the final stages of planning) the business classes started a
coffee cart out of doors to pique the interest of the student body...the
cafeteria personnel had them shut down within two weeks.  Said it
infringed on their profits and we were stopped in our tracks.  EVERY
single person went back on their word to us. Luckily we hadn't actually
sent the purchase orders in to replace the carpet with tiles, put in
plumbing, purchase table and chairs (I did have a grant and they allowed
me to modify the grant and use it for something else).


_______________________

From:

Tracie Pruitt
Jayhawk-Linn High School
PO Box D
14675 KS Hwy 52
Mound City, KS 66056
tpruitt@usd346.k12.ks.us

I do cappuccino and hot chocolate in my library.  I keep a plastic tub for
discards instead of using the trash and a rag/rug cleaner for spills as they
happen.  I used to have a donated hot water dispenser from a teacher who's
husband bought it from McDonald's but it has worn out and I use a large
coffee urn I bought at an auction for a dollar.  I use large glass jars with
lids from Target and make my own mixes with dried milk, cocoa, flavored
creamers, instant coffee, sugar, etc.  I use small cups and only charge a
quarter.  It was very popular the first year and then kinda toned down as my
library became busier.  This year I have moved across the hall and 2 classes
have been moved into the old library.  I still have a sink thank goodness,
but the cooks are lovely to let me run my stuff thru the dishwasher.  It can
be kind of a pain if you need to be helping kids but it also provides a bit
of an intellectual setting and is a great reward for kids as I've made up
cute little cards for a free coffee.  I usually change flavors every month
or so and do not have it until the weather starts cooling off and kids are
settled into the year.  I don't make a big deal about it and no health
official has ever darkened my door yet.  It is great for kids on a block
pass or a class who scored high on a test or have earned a reward.  I have
chrome bar tables and stools that I ordered with a grant so they always keep
the drinks in the library.  I try not to provide more work for the
custodians.
-- 
Cheryl Youse, MLS
Media Specialist
Colquitt County High School
cyouse@gmail.com

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