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Would you like to see the new Lawrence Public Library building include a coffee shop in the lobby?
“Sure. They’re working hard to stay relevant, and I say bully for them.”
“I don’t drink coffee, but if I did, it would be relaxing. I think it’s a good idea. ”
“I think it’s a good idea. If you were there for a long time, you wouldn’t have to leave to get food and drinks. ”
“I think having a coffee shop in the library is a good idea — if it’s owned by a small business. ”
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Comments
Liberty275 1 year ago
Sure, lets have a coffee place. And a gelato stand.
A latte is $5, they pay rent.
oneeye_wilbur 1 year ago
Want to take bets on how soon the library board comes back for money to remodel after the p ace stays dirty?
kernal 1 year ago
I've never ever spilled anything on a library book, not even when I was a child. But, I've certainly checked out a lot of books from the Lawrence Library that had drink, food and what appeared to be blood stains (assuming a user must have had a terrible problem with nosebleeds). Never noticed anything like it at other librarys over the decades. I really hate checking out a book that has such a heavy food dropping on it that you have to use a knife to scrape it off.
none2 1 year ago
What an obnoxious idea. Some people do NOT like the smell of coffee, and they are proposing putting it in the lobby area where all have to deal with the stench when they walk in to the library?
At least when Borders had a place for such, it was tucked away in the far back corner so that you didn't have to deal with it if you didn't go near that area.
hedshrinker 1 year ago
Topeka Public library is a model of this....a restaurant with delicious food, worthy of an outing in and of itself and also has a great gift shop which raises 4$$ for the Library....also sells used books. I don't think anybody is suggesting it would be free.
Leslie Swearingen 1 year ago
The coffee shop will be in the lobby which is quite common in libraries around the world. The library will not become dirty. The coffee will not be free so the homeless will not be lined up to drink it and then spill it all over the tables and books.
No, this will happen, people will adapt, and life will go on.
Did you never check out a book from the library, drink coffee while you were reading it at home and spill coffee on it? That is a much more likely scenario.
No worries, it's all cool.
rockchalker52 1 year ago
Sure, make up some coffee. Maybe a cuppa joe can keep me awake while I study some on them great works o' litter-a-chur.
I be workin' on 'The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Conner' & lemme tell ya, taint no easy chore keepin' the eyelids up while tryin' to figger whut that Georgia gal be talkin' 'bout.
Some of y'all got some perty rigid thinkin' on how things oughta be.
Russell Fryberger 1 year ago
If so many people were not such lazy slobs I would say yes, but having worked in the service industry most of my life I can safely say that it's a bad idea to have snacks and beverages in the public library. Too many kids running around with no discipline also makes that a very bad idea. I say stick to the water fountains.
NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED IN THE LIBRARY.
L7 1 year ago
Great idea. It should be entirely staffed by homeless people who need and want the work. Maybe bringing in people from the shelter every day would help restore their sense of self worth and the profits could benefit the shelter (and thus the workers). On the job training. Seriously, I don't mean this in a bad way.
thefisherman 1 year ago
Bad idea. Cups, napkins, stir sticks left everywhere. Who gets to clean up the mess? It had better not be the library staff.
The_Original_Bob 1 year ago
Aren't there something like six dozen coffee shops within a couple blocks of the library?
50YearResident 1 year ago
A new homeless attraction for downtown to keep the homeless downtown. What is next? Coffee and a roll, while you browse the free internet?
CWGOKU 1 year ago
Sure. Coffee would make the place perkier
trinity 1 year ago
The Topeka library has a very nice coffee shop/food area. Just putting that out there. :)
oneeye_wilbur 1 year ago
Just another area that will be dirty in month's to come!
g_rock 1 year ago
I said the other day.....BAR. Duh.
cathywpoc 1 year ago
I think it's a good idea but the mess that it could make if not careful, spelling coffee on the books would not be good. Maybe if keep in one area so the main area would not have spills on the tables. You know that people don't clean up after themselves.
autie 1 year ago
Amy makes a good point. If that happens it should be a contracted concession to a private for profit entity that is let on a competitive basis.
costello 1 year ago
No. Coffee shops don't belong in libraries.
make_a_difference 1 year ago
Absolutely not.
ridikkulus 1 year ago
Heck, yeah! The only thing better than a good book is a good book with a cup of coffee! Amy Young is right, though. It should be owned by a small business. It would have to be GOOD coffee, though... Not "Gas Station Brown Water".
ljreader 1 year ago
no. When I want coffee, and I want to go out for it, I will patronize a business in the private sector. As a taxpayer, I do not want to own or operate a coffee shop. If the project comes in under budget, I want to save money.
Wayne James 1 year ago
Just think of all the books with coffee stains! I think it would be a waste of taxpayer $$.
milkman_dan 1 year ago
Why sure! I love coffee. In fact, when I was in Amsterdam, I spent A LOT of time in coffee shops; I'm better now, but I think I might have been addicted to Dutch coffee back then.
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