Java City Rejuvenates Study Experience At Moody Library

Remember the days when it was taboo to eat and drink at the library? Those days are long gone, with the opening of "Java City" on the garden level of Moody Memorial Library.
The café, which offers an extensive menu of coffee products, fresh baked goods, sandwiches and Fresh Market Smoothies, was officially opened during a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 9.
"It is such a great honor to be here today to dedicate a new facility that will make a huge impact on our great library, our most utilized building on the campus," said Rick Creel, assistant vice president for facilities and operations. "This is another key step in Baylor 2012, the university's 10-year vision.
"Java City fits many of the vision's imperatives, but I think imperative number one -- Establish an Environment Where Learning Can Flourish -- best explains this new facility. We already know the late hours students keep at the library, and Java City is going to help with that. The students can study at the library, take a break and come here to get a bite to eat and then go back to study."
Extending into the Harvey Garden, Java City will feature outdoor seating and a walkup window for ordering menu selections. The Harvey Garden was redesigned to include a small stage for live performances, teak wood bench seating and landscaping. A sound system will be added at a later date. The renovation of the garden was funded with a grant from the Schumacher Foundation of Dover, Mass.
"The Schumacher Foundation grant provided the crowning touch to the Java City project," said William Hair, associate dean and director of the Central Libraries. "Without their gift, the Harvey Garden could not have been rejuvenated and beautified. Thus the entire project would have lacked the essential component needed to make this area completely usable by our students. In fact, I have already overheard a conversation in which a student remarked just how much she loved the Harvey Garden. She told her friends that it is her favorite place to study in the library. I predict that she will not be alone in that sentiment. Everyone is thrilled with Java City."
After the official ribbon cutting, guests strolled through the area, sampling pastries and coffee and listening to the Baylor Jazz Combo. Dr. Reagan Ramsower, dean of libraries and chief information officer, said programming will play an important part in attracting faculty, staff and students to the new facility.
"People can come here and be exposed to research and can discuss and collaborate while they drink coffee," he said. "I expect to have poetry readings, plays, music and soapbox discussions so students can get up and say what they think about certain issues. This will be a place to gather, a center of intellectual discussion and community here at Baylor. This is indicative of what the 21st-century library will be."
Java City will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 pm. Friday and 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday. The café will be closed Saturday.