I am cheered by this, as I would be inclined towards this type of regime.  When I worked in a Victorian building on an HE campus, at the end of an evening shift we would occasionally find the remains of a fish and chip supper in the furthermost recess of the library, which no doubt also encouraged the regular attendance of the library cat.  This was in spite of notices forbidding the consumption of food and the Head of Department's hatred of cats.

Here food is also forbidden in the education centre outside the restaurant, but it is nevertheless consumed in the library in moderation.  On a recent visit, our new Director of Finance noted that the library would be a good place to encourage hot desking and enquired if refreshments were allowed.  As other Trust Directors have been known to comment that the library is a waste of space, this comment was welcome and if it takes a more relaxed attitude to food and drink to keep libraries in existence, then I'm all for it.

Margaret

Margaret Rowley BSc MA MCLIP DMS
Head of Knowledge Management
Worcestershire Health ICT Services
Rowlands Library
Charles Hastings Education Centre
Worcestershire Royal Hospital
Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
WR5 1DD

Tel: 01905 760601 (direct)
    01905 763333 ext 33765
Mob:07788 415799

-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rey Patricia
Sent: 24 June 2011 12:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Library as telephone booth

That's a bit harsh, Colin. I'm not advocating the consumption of 3 course meals but a lot of our staff work in theatres and have a short break, if lucky, for lunch. They value being able to bring their sandwich & coffee into the library to consume whilst they read the latest issue of a journal, catch up on their reading or research, check their emails, etc.

In addition, as we have no staff room/work room/office we library staff sit at our desks to eat our lunch. It's rather difficult to tell people they can't eat & drink in the library if we're doing it ourselves. For us it's a choice between leaving the library unstaffed for a while or eating our lunch in the library. Most of our users seem to prefer our presence, albeit with sandwiches, at a time when they're free to use the library to arriving at the library with a question to be asked and no one around to deal with it.

I don't see the need to zone for food consumption. No one has yet objected to someone drinking a cup of coffee when sitting next to them. We're very open here and tell everyone on induction that they can eat and drink in here but to consider others (and no curry). That usually elicits a laugh and a murmur of appreciation. We also have a comments book available and no one has yet complained about the food. If they did, we would have a survey and, perhaps, introduce zoning. However, anyone who really objected to the food could move to another area to get away from it. After all, we have a large Quiet Study Area, a small Quiet Study Room (with soundproof door), an annex to the large Quiet Study Area, a main library room and 2 corridors.

Once a year we hold an open week where we provide nibbles and music and this is much appreciated. We also provide a small dish of boiled sweets (Fox's Glacier fruits) which are also much appreciated. They are preferred by far to the fruit & nuts or glacier mints that I tried. The down side is that I don't have a budget to pay for these so I do so out of my own pocket. A small price to pay for making the library that little bit more welcoming.

If I felt the need to zone for food, I could & would but, in practice, the freedom to eat food in the library seems much appreciated by busy people with only a small amount of free time for CPD and study.

I didn't mention damage to stock, which is usually given as a reason for not allowing food in. My view is that if I lend a book people are likely to take it home and read it at the dinner table, with a cup of coffee or even in the bath. Here, they're under my nose. Also, in 10 years of permitting food & drink in the library I have lost, to date, 1 computer keyboard which got drowned in coffee. Not bad, I think.

We even provide a tray containing tea, coffee, chocolate drink, powdered milk, sugar, sweetener, paper cups & teaspoons in our Quiet Study Area. The hot water machine is just outside the door. We ask for 25p per cup. We don't get it from everyone but get just about enough to cover our costs, which is all we are trying to do.

Maybe this all works because we're a small Trust & don't get the quantities of people into the library that others do but I don't see why it wouldn't work with a Trust of any size as long as people are considerate of others.

Tricia Rey
Library Services Manager
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East Grinstead
Tel: 01342 414266
Mailto:[log in to unmask]


-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Engel, Colin
Sent: 24 June 2011 11:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Library as telephone booth

The "Library as canteen" issue is a different question from that of zoning areas for different levels of noise, but in some ways the conflicts are parallel.  They are some readers who feel that the Library should be their canteen.  I have some sympathy for those who regret seeing their former confidential staff canteen transformed by hospital managers into a profit spinner promoted to visitors and patients.

So the pressure point for grabbing food during and between shifts can switch to the Library.  We might welcome this as keeping us relevant.  However, whilst it's easy to calculate the numbers of readers wanting to eat food in the library, we do not know how many readers object to it unless we survey.  Indeed, if food is allowed in a policy free drift, we may never know how many readers we have already lost, moving out as soon as the food moved in.

If we can zone, that's fine.  But now we're zoning for noise/silence as well as food/no food.  That's 4 zones already.  OK perhaps in HE: in a hospital, probably unviable. If the majority of our readers want to eat and drink in integrated reading areas, then follow the logic: tear up the carpets and wood, lay down easy wipe surfaces throughout and draw up a cleaning contract with canteen standard provision.

When selecting a profession, I decided that I didn't have the correct range of skills for a catering manager.  I pay full respect to those who have chosen such a tough and challenging profession, but it wasn't my career choice.

Colin Engel
Deputy Library Manager

T: +44 (0)1384 321084 | F: +44 (0)1384 321084

E: [log in to unmask] | W: http://www.dudleygroup.nhs.uk

Library Services
1st Floor C Block
Dudley Group NHSFT
Russells Hall Hospital
Dudley DY1 2HQ

Online catalogue visit 24/7 to search, renew or request items

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-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bryant Mark (RHX) OLDT
Sent: 24 June 2011 10:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Library as telephone booth

Hooray for the voice of reason!


Mark Bryant
Outreach Librarian
Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust (Ridgeway Partnership)
Dermot Rowe Library
Slade House
Horspath Driftway
Headington
Oxford
OX3 7JH

Tel: 01865 228068
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: www.ridgeway.nhs.uk

Librarians are the secret masters of the universe


-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rey Patricia
Sent: 24 June 2011 10:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Library as telephone booth

I was away when this query was placed and thought I'd contribute my twopennorth now.

My view is:

My aim is to make the library welcoming for everyone and I'd like as many people as possible to use the library for whatever purpose, within reason, that they wish. To that end we allow people to eat and drink in the library. Yes, this does mean a little more mess but, surprisingly, not a great deal. Most people take their sandwich wrappers etc with them. We have had a couple of thoughtless people eating curry but a quiet word with them has always solved that problem. In our main library room we permit talking, whether on mobiles or face to face, as that's where we do all our business - phoning, catching up with what's going on, etc. We don't have a library work room or office.

We now have a separate Quiet Area but find that people still talk when using it. All I say to them is that it's fine to carry on talking but if someone comes in and wants to study quietly they should stop talking but can move to the main library room if they want to continue. I also tell everyone on induction that they have the right to ask people to stop talking if they want to study quietly. So far, this has worked fine.
Also, we find that doctors on call often sit in the library studying and then need to answer their mobile or bleep. It's for work purposes so, as far as I'm concerned, that's fine.

Re music in the library - we have some people who listen to music when studying and use the speakers on the computers. I have no objection as long as it doesn't disturb others. Also, we try to have an open week each year with nibbles, music and a quiz/survey. Many people have commented that they like the music playing in the background. They find it helps them to study and also masks some of the noise made by our phone calls, typing etc.

In short, if the use of mobiles or talking in the library or anything else is disturbing others, I ask people to go elsewhere; if it isn't, I let it go.

Tricia Rey
Library Services Manager
Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust East Grinstead
Tel: 01342 414266
Mailto:[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: UK medical/ health care library community / information workers [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Roger Farbey
Sent: 13 June 2011 09:21
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Library as telephone booth

How many of your readers use their mobiles for speech in your library.
We seem to get more and more who think it's perfectly acceptable to chat away in the Library. We have notices about mobiles but they seem to be ignored. Does anyone else have this (burgeoning?) problem?

Roger Farbey
Head of Library & Knowledge Services
British Dental Association
64 Wimpole Street
London
W1G 8YS
Tel: 020 7563 4193
www.bda.org

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