The Chronicle: Colloquy: Responses

While certainly the academic library should provide an atmosphere conducive to study, the discussion on allowing (or providing) food and drink in it should not divert us from our primary mission. Whether or not we have food and drink in the library may make some difference as to how many people come to the library, but it probably will not make much difference as to the contribution of the library to the education of students. I have trouble imagining our colleagues in the classroom having a similar discussion (should we provide food and drink in class) in order to attract students to a particular class or a particular major. Many factors determine student use of the library, but the primary factor remains the creativity and imagination of the classroom faculty in developing and following through on intellectually challenging assignments requiring students to use the library.

: -- Larry Hardesty, college librarian (posted 11/13, 5:20 p.m., U.S. Eastern time)

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