Heaven forfend, now those kids are eating and drinking in the library. And the librarians aren’t lifting a finger to stop it.
Food-friendly policies have taken effect throughout Vanderbilt’s Jean and Alexander Heard Library system since the recent addition of the Food for Thought Café in the Central Library. Food and drinks in covered containers are permitted in all libraries except for those areas with rare books and special materials.
Last year respondents to a Vanderbilt library survey expressed the desire to have food without having to leave the library building. The decisions to add a café and implement food-friendly policies were, in part, a response to the survey findings.
“Our libraries should be as welcoming and comfortable as possible,” says Connie Vinita Dowell, dean of libraries. “For our students who often study late into the evening, this is an especially important policy change.”
Food for Thought Café in the Central Library
