Comments on: Why am I in a coffee shop and not a library?

By: Why am I in a coffee shop and not a library? | Librarians Matter — ahniwa olywa

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:23:42 +0000

[...] Read the rest at http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2009/09/09/why-am-i-in-a-coffee-shop-and-not-a-library/ [...]

By: ormd

ormd — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:55:12 +0000

stay away from coffeshops. I go there to actually talk to people.

By: The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: September 25, 2009

The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: September 25, 2009 — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:05:03 +0000

[...] With everyone talking about future book technologies, the future of libraries is swiftly coming into doubt, but few people ever stop to wonder why libraries are so unpopular now. Kathryn Greenhill reflects on a few reasons in Why am I in a coffee shop and not a library? [...]

By: Kathryn Greenhill

Kathryn Greenhill — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:19:03 +0000

So sorry I didn’t answer the comments on this post. I wrote replies a week or so ago, but must have closed the window without saving.

I think it is definitely the built atmosphere that is attractive, but a huge attraction is also the staff and the fact that they care about the job they are doing, and go out of their way to make me feel comfortable and welcome. Libraries can replicate that.

I guess libraries have lots of purposes, whereas it is much easier to define what you do when you run a coffee shop. The majority of coffee shops, though, don’t live up to the standards of my fave and I would probably take my coffee to a quiet back in my house instead.

By: snail

snail — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:16:42 +0000

I s’pose the other difference between cafes and libraries is that people pay directly to be in a cafe whereas anyone can hang out in a library. To some extent, that “tax” contributes to the sort of clientele a cafe attracts, or doesn’t attract. We pay for library services through our taxes certainly, but it’s not the same as forking over moolah on the day. Whereas going to the local library can sometimes be a challenging experience and a very different sort of clientele.

With that said, I’m having a hard time remembering the last time I was in a library (other than as a tourist) whereas I’m in a cafe every other day: to have coffee, to read the paper, and watch the world go by…occasionally I’ll run the laptop and hop on the free wifi. Cafes are my home outside my home. I can’t think of a library where the same is true.

I say all that as a “books, books and more books” sort of person

By: Fiona

Fiona — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:04:48 +0000

On the point Emily makes about lighting, I wonder if cafes are subject to the same strict standards libraries are for lighting, accessibility, and so on. This of course, limits what libraries can do to an extent. I’ve been to more than one crowded cafe that I could hardly navigate or read in because it was so dark.

By: MJ Ray (mjray) 's status on Thursday, 10-Sep-09 09:31:50 UTC - Identi.ca

MJ Ray (mjray) 's status on Thursday, 10-Sep-09 09:31:50 UTC - Identi.ca — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:32:03 +0000

[...] http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2009/09/09/why-am-i-in-a-coffee-shop-and-not-a-library/ a few seconds ago from xmpp [...]

By: Emily Lloyd

Emily Lloyd — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:27:52 +0000

Industrial stain-concealing carpeting. Fluorescent lighting. These are the two biggest library atmosphere-killers, imho, and ones you don’t see at a coffeehouse. The library I work in has gorgeous, comfy furniture, and a nice large skylight–we’re very lucky. But even so, with the fluorescent lighting and the carpeting, it will always feel more like an office than a coffee shop–probably even if we offered coffee. And who wants to feel like they’re in the office when they’re not?

By: Twitted by rcooper

Twitted by rcooper — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:07:35 +0000

[...] This post was Twitted by rcooper [...]

By: Jim Peterson

Jim Peterson — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:03:08 +0000

Public libraries in America are changing rapidly, even here in a conservative, rural town in Southern Kentucky. We are often shushed by our patrons and are becoming known as a good place for Wi-Fi access. Digital initiatives are underway or in planning to make us more relevant in a new age, and those are viewed as critical to our mission.

Atmosphere is everything, and yes, libraries are outer space compared to a coffee shop. However, along with digital transitions comes new ways of thinking — fewer “old-skool” librarians and more young, “hip” librarians are showing up these days. The youngsters are making inroads to the youth population that has been long overlooked, resulting in an increase in lifelong patrons. These youngsters are also getting to design and implement surroundings that complement programming and today’s lifestyles, resulting in modern, up-to-date rooms that feel more like home…or a coffee shop!