Libraries will allow food and drink on trial basis starting in March

For years, students have been sneaking food into McKeldin Library because of a policy that prohibited food and drink anywhere besides Footnotes Cafe.

Until now.

Starting around March 1, the university will enter into a trial period of allowing food and drink throughout all of McKeldin and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Library. If that goes well, students could see the no-food policy overturned at all eight university libraries as early as next year, officials said.

"We will use the spring semester as a period to understand the problems — if indeed there are  — with permitting food and drink in those two facilities," a proposal distributed to library staffers read. "Other libraries will have the advantage of that experience to gauge whether they want to permit food and drink."

The initiative is one objective of new dean of libraries Patricia Steele, who joined the university in September. Steele found success allowing food in the libraries at Indiana University, where she also served as dean of libraries, said Jane Williams, the director of planning and administrative services for the libraries.

For about a month, library officials and Director of Building and Landscape Services Harry Teabout have been meeting to make Steele's goal a reality, Teabout said.

"We gave [the libraries] our proposal — our model — that we thought was needed and we came up with a compromise," he said.

His proposal included trash and recycling stations he called "one-stop shopping" for students to easily dispose of their waste and the addition of a housekeeper to deal with spills.

For the change to become permanent in all eight of the university's libraries, Teabout said students will have some simple responsibilities throughout the rest of the semester.

"If students are very diligent about how they clean up after themselves, ... I think they will make this very successful," he said. "A lot is hinging on them, and that's what we're going to be observing."

Williams said she hopes students recognize the benefits and responsibilities that will come with the change.

"It's a plus for students to be able to have food and drink with them," Williams said. "And I hope they acknowledge that by keeping the libraries clean."

Students generally welcomed the adjustment.

"If I can go to the fourth or fifth floor and bring food, that's great," senior government and politics major Elizabeth Flamm said. "If you're here all night, you need to keep fueling yourself."

But some were worried the policy could bring additional noise and chaos to a facility that requires quiet and calm to allow students to focus on their studies.

"That would be a huge distraction if people brought full meals into the library," senior communication major Cassie O'Connor said. "It would be really weird."

O'Connor added that her other concern with large amounts of food in the library was cleanliness, whereas before this change students were more inclined to just sneak snacks into the stacks.

"It's going to be a disgusting place to study if people leave trash everywhere," she added.

Despite some concerns, come March, students will no longer need to hide full cups of coffee, sandwiches and midnight munchies in their bags before coming into the library.

"We can feel more relaxed about doing something we already do," senior communication major Carolina Peña said.

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