News flash: stupid things happen outside of SillyCon Valley. Not news to most of you, I know. But this one's a doozy, in my eyes.

Recently, we visited my husband's hometown on the north shore of Long Island. Our archivist-friend told us about a new feature of the Port Washington library, inspired by a similar idea in neighboring Great Neck. Right after you walk in the library, you not only can look at books, but you can order a latte.

Yes, the library has a coffee bar.

If I'm not mistaken, though, the place is a library. Whatever happened to "don't eat or drink around the books for fear of destroying archival material"? You can take your cup o'joe with you, anywhere in the library.

They say the idea comes from our infamous mega-book stores. Fine for them: first, they need to turn a profit somehow, given that most people browse and don't buy. Secondly, they have multiple copies of each book, and they can generally afford to toss a damaged book out on occasion. A library, as a non-profit place, doesn't need to worry about subsidizing its bottom line.

But coffee, in a library? Come on, now. Some of the items there are delicate and rare, as it is. Let's give the public one more chance to destroy the material, just so we can look better than our neighboring rich community..
06 July 02 bey