Starbucks Coming To Library

Students currently have only two choices for dining on campus-the cafeteria and the Wildcat Den, which offers a variety of sandwiches, cookies and smoothies.

But that will be changing soon with the addition of a new Starbucks in Carl Swisher Library. 

Rumors have been rampart around campus for quite some time about plans to open a Burrito restaurant, Panda Express and a Starbucks located at the Parlin Center.

This is not the not the first time that Starbucks has opened up on campus.

"We had a Starbucks about two years ago and it was extremely successful located in the Parlin center,' said Scott Willis, a spokesman for Sodexo, the campus food service provider.

Willis said officials decided to put it in the library. "We came up with a concept "coffee and studying" and we think it will be a big hit with the students," he said.

Students can apply for jobs if they have Barista experience, Willis said. The hours of operations have yet to be set.

The Starbucks, meanwhile, will be located in a spot currently known as the "Bibliographic Instructor/ reference room." Library official say there should be little noise, if any, because plans call for redesigning the space so that students will enter Starbucks through its own door from the outside.

"The only noise that will be present is the construction but we will make sure that it is a minimum and be considerate of when most students come to study, said Dr. Tasha Youmans, dean of the library. As you enter the building and head to the right, the office labeled "Bibliographic Instructor/ reference room" is holding the spot for the future coffee shop, according to Yeomans.

The library is partnering up with Sodexo, which currently operates the WildCat Den, after receiving the green light from university President Grimes, Willis said. 

Daisy Grimes, the president's wife, helped pushed for this idea. Besides being the first lady of the campus, Grimes also is a special assistant to the dean of the library for legacy and protocol. She also formerly operated Imani Foods, a campus foodservice provider, here for several years prior to the arrival of Sodexo about five years ago. Officials expressed confidence that the coffee shop located in the library should disturb the work environment, but to enhance it.

Students like Lakiah McBride, however, question the decision.

"I would love for Starbucks to be a part of our campus even though I do think it would be more beneficial to the student body if it was in a different place," McBride said. "We don't have enough space in the library for something this major. The Parlin Center would be a better fit with all that space in the back."

Other than the space issue, Starbucks will be not only beneficial to the students but to the school as well. We can use our wildcat bucks and real money when we run out because the majority of people have no problem with spending their own money for a popular drink place." McBride said.