The E.S. Bird Library will soon be offering students a cup of joe with their books. How soon remains a question.

A sign on the library’s first floor announces: ‘Future Home of the Library Caf: Coming Fall 2007.’

Though fall doesn’t officially start for a week, library officials haven’t set a completion date. Last winter, they set a goal of opening the coffee shop by summer 2007.

‘Timeframes are always a little fluid,’ said Pamela McLaughlin, director of communications and external relations for Syracuse University libraries. ‘The timeframe is what it is.’

She said there is no firm timetable for completion but assures there is no delay. McLaughlin also said other construction projects on campus have taken priority.

Demolition on the first floor of the southeast corner of Bird Library started in the spring, and construction went underway a few weeks ago, McLaughlin said.

A glass wall inside the University Place entrance has been covered up to hide scattered construction materials and tools and wires hanging from the ceiling.

When finished, the caf will be typical of those cropping up in other buildings at SU, McLaughlin said. It will feature a variety of chairs and couches, which have already arrived to campus.

Freedom of Espresso, a popular coffee shop chain in the city of Syracuse, will be the exclusive vendor at the library’s caf. Freedom of Espresso coffee is not available at any other location on the campus.

The caf will also sell a variety of snacks.

‘It’s certainly a trend of libraries,’ McLaughlin said. ‘Lots of academic libraries have cafs.’

Once the date of the opening of the caf is set, McLaughlin plans to hold a contest to name it.

Freshman Devin DePoint, who was visiting the library for his first time, said he probably would not use the caf.

Another freshman, Danielle Peck, said she would use the caf, but she was not upset that it is not open yet. She said she hopes to see croissants and bagels on the menu in addition to coffee.

Alana Hager-Johnson, on the other hand, responded incredulously, ‘Will I use the caf? Yes!’

As a senior, Hager-Johnson may know best the typical college student’s reliance on coffee and snacks that will be offered at Bird’s caf.

‘It’s comfortable and convenient,’ McLaughlin said. ‘It provides a good collaboration setting.’

In addition to the caf, Bird has also been working with a Boston-based architect to develop a master plan for spaces in the library. A self-checkout kiosk was recently added and a new art gallery, called Biblio, is on display on the fourth floor.

Once the construction of the caf is complete, McLaughlin said there are plans to open up the first floor by removing the glass walls that currently stand.

‘We’re figuring out ‘how do people do their work now?” McLaughlin said. ‘How does research look in the post-Internet era?’

Published on September 12, 2007 at 12:00 pm