Patrons will be able to carry drinks around with them in the new facility.
By GRACE CHENG
Published June 16, 2005
LARGO - Spilled coffee on keyboards and bacon-strip bookmarks sound like a librarian's worst nightmare, but Largo is willing to risk it in the interest of customer service.
After some debate, the Largo City Commission has decided to allow a cafe in the new library building, and patrons will be able to carry drinks around at will.
"We have some pretty conscientious patrons," said Bonnie Porter, a librarian at the Largo Library. "I don't think it would be too crazy."
At Tuesday's work session, Largo city commissioners discussed the cafe in the library's new building, which is scheduled to open July 31. Some commissioners were concerned for the safety of the library's materials if guests were allowed to carry drinks throughout the building.
The commission had originally suggested restricting food and drinks to the cafe area, but Assistant City Manager Henry Schubert said doing that would greatly limit the cafe's business.
After all, Schubert told the commission, people read books at the dinner table at home.
"I don't think the environment is any different in the library. In fact, they're probably safer in the library," Schubert said.
The 1,000-square-foot cafe would offer coffee, soda, juice and other drinks, as well as sandwiches, baked goods, salads and soup. Library director Barbara Murphey said she had some concerns about the cafe at first, but now believes that it would be beneficial.
"Operating a coffee shop in a library is in the interest of customer service, and that's always been my bottom line, far more that than it is profit," Murphey said.
Murphey said she discussed the cafe idea with several librarians at other libraries with cafes. They indicated that accidents are rare.
"Books come in contact with food and drink when they leave this building," Murphey said. "In fact, I once found a strip of bacon used as a bookmark. What I will say is that most people are careful. I have seen books that have gone out more than 50 times, and they are almost in pristine condition."
Murphey said that patrons would be allowed to bring their own drinks in as well, as long as they were in proper containers. No food will be allowed other than in the cafe.
Commissioner Patricia Gerard expressed concern about allowing drinks around special sections such as the genealogy and reference sections and the computers.
"I have firsthand experience to what happens when you spill orange juice on your laptop computer," Gerard said.
Schubert said the library staff will discuss whether restrictions will be necessary in some sections. However, he said, keeping drinks away from computers would be difficult because computers will be everywhere in the new building.
Clearwater and Seminole libraries already have cafes. In Clearwater, patrons may carry drinks elsewhere, but food is restricted to the cafe.
"We had done some research of other libraries. . . . Patron satisfaction overweighed the possibility of spills," said Michael Bryan, library director at Seminole.
The new Largo Library building will open on July 31. The current library will be closed from June 20 through July 30 to allow for moving.
