Designing University Library Cafes: Fostering Well-being, Community, and the "Third Space" Concept
College libraries are evolving beyond traditional repositories of books into dynamic hubs for learning, collaboration, and well-being. This transformation is driven by the need for adaptability, digital integration, and the creation of spaces that cater to the diverse needs of modern students. A key element in this evolution is the integration of café spaces within the library environment. These library cafes are not merely about providing refreshments; they are integral to fostering a sense of community, promoting well-being, and embodying the "third space" concept.
The "Third Space" and its Role in Library Design
The term "third space" describes a place that exists between home and work or study, offering a welcoming and multifunctional environment. This evolution is prompting architects, designers, and interior specifiers to think creatively about space utilization and how to foster a sense of belonging and collaboration. College libraries are increasingly embracing this concept, transforming themselves into spaces where students can not only study and research but also socialize, relax, and recharge.
Promoting Well-being Through Design
In library design, well-being encompasses several elements: natural light, air quality, comfortable and ergonomic furniture, and access to restorative spaces. Research shows that exposure to nature can boost mood and reduce stress. Color, materiality, and design within the library that bring natural elements inside can be achieved through the strategic use of textiles and finishes. This approach considers how choices for interior architecture and furniture can support students' mental and emotional health. Furniture that encourages ergonomic posture and offers flexibility, such as high-function task stools paired with standing-height tables, ensures that libraries accommodate diverse learning styles and promote physical comfort. The incorporation of elements reminiscent of coffee shops, such as soft seating and inviting ambiance, helps to create an environment conducive to both socializing and self-care.
Accommodating Diverse Needs with Flexible Spaces
One of the most crucial aspects of library design is accommodating various postures and place types to support different activities. Versatile furniture solutions, like privacy pods or nooks for quiet concentration or high-top tables for group brainstorming, offer choices that cater to these varied needs. Flexible seating arrangements, like floor cushions and fidget-friendly stools, make these spaces approachable and student-centered. Movable partitions or mobile screens, stackable seating, and tables on casters can help facilitate this flexibility. Materials and seating types also play a vital role in promoting engagement and well-being. While room reservation systems are common, students increasingly desire real-time data about which spaces are available.
Examples of Innovative Library Cafe Designs
Across the country, libraries are incorporating cafes in innovative ways to enhance the student experience. Here are a few notable examples:
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- Refreshed (Redwood City, California): Part library, part coffee bar, this company café celebrates the thirst for knowledge. Valerio Dewalt Train transformed an existing clerestory on the top floor of a mid-rise office building into a bookworm’s fantasy, aptly named Refreshed, replete with reading nooks, double-height maple shelves, and an old-fashioned card catalog. Patent drawings and scientific articles swirl upward as if caught in a breeze. Pops of color energize the muted palette. Coffee mugs perch along a wall lined with blue pencils and handmade ceramic vessels in a gradation of warm tones back the serving area.
- Lamont Library Café (Harvard University): The Lamont Library Café is a social spot for library patrons and a great place to enjoy a snack. The Café is open to any Harvard affiliate or library patron. The ceiling-high windows are tinted, one-way glass that makes the Café feel cozy even as people walk through the yard. Computer desktops are available for those who prefer to work while they sip on their lattes. Then of course, there is a vending machine! Alongside the variety of snack options is a line of desktop computers that make printing at Harvard that much easier. The Café is also home to recreational activities like board games and almost every famous periodical and magazine. When patrons have fueled up in the café, two Lamont hotspots satisfy all types of creatives. First is the Henry Weston Farnsworth Room, home to mysteries, science fiction, and other bestselling collections. Second is the poetry room, where poetry of all subjects is celebrated. Patrons find solace in this peaceful environment, but most are shocked to find built-in record player stations welcoming them for a tune. Lamont even has its own media lab specialized in creative forms of media. It’s clear that Lamont library is a great study place, snack spot, and creative hotspot.
- Charleston, South Carolina Library: The federal building in downtown Charleston, built in 1911, was originally used as a post office and courthouse. The local library acquired the limestone structure in the 1960s and renovated the interior extensively while preserving its classical façade. Its latest renovation involved adding a west wing to serve as a new entrance; a south wing featuring a café, makerspace, and teen area; and a sky bridge connecting the library to a parking garage.
Other Examples of Library Design
- Walnut Hills Branch (Cincinnati): The oldest branch in its system and the first of several of Cincinnati’s Carnegie libraries, Walnut Hills recently underwent its first significant improvements since its construction in 1906. The branch is now fully accessible.
- Northern California Community Library: This light-filled library sits within this wooded northern California community’s newly built civic center complex. The site features front and back porches for quiet reading and community connections, an indoor-outdoor makerspace, and a curved design that embraces the surrounding redwoods. The adjacent historic town hall, built in the 1920s, has been converted into the library’s multipurpose event space, and retains elements of its classic California mission style.
- Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons: The renovation and expansion of the former George T. Potter Library, now part of the new Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, turned the space into a collaborative study and technology center to meet students’ evolving needs. The exterior aligns with the original design of neighboring buildings while the new slate-and-glass façade offers enhanced thermal performance, ample daylight, and mountain views.
- Hagemeyer Library (Central Piedmont Community College): The Parr Center, the largest building constructed in Central Piedmont Community College’s six-decade history, serves as its first-ever student union and gateway to central campus. The complex also includes a theater, an art gallery, a dining area, stunning views of downtown Charlotte, a redeveloped quad, and the new Hagemeyer Library.
- Culverhouse College of Business and the Manderson Graduate School of Business Library: Though the exterior of this 1994 structure remains unchanged, the interior has been dramatically reimagined and reorganized to support students from the Culverhouse College of Business and the Manderson Graduate School of Business.
- Route 66 Library: The Caravan East nightclub on Route 66 was a country music destination for decades before closing its doors in 2016. The new library, built where Caravan East once stood, honors the nightclub’s history with a wooden dance floor and a replica of its old sign.
- Central Library: The new Central Library was envisioned as an eco-friendly oasis in the heart of the town’s main shopping corridor. It features a geothermal HVAC system, rain gardens, and 610 rooftop solar collectors, which produce an estimated 50% of the building’s electrical usage.
- New Canaan Library: Known for its midcentury modern architecture, New Canaan is home to iconic structures like Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Noyes House, as well as the serpentine River Building at Grace Farms. The new facility references these traditions: dramatic glass elements punctuate dry-laid stone walls, and decorative copper pipes symbolize New England’s forests. This new library is partially located on a 100-year flood plain, so its blueprint included flood mitigation strategies, such as stormwater retention basins.
- Middle Country Public Library (MCPL) in Centereach, New York: This Long Island library moved to its current location in 1972 and has continued to grow to suit shifting demographics and surging demand-including adding a branch in the nearby Selden community.
- Dallas Suburb Library: This former factory and warehouse, with its soaring ceilings and tilt-wall design, once produced goods ranging from chicken nuggets to rocket parts. The conversion means that this Dallas suburb now has its first standalone library, with design elements reminiscent of the dogtrot-style homes of the Texas Blackland Prairie region in the 19th and early 20th centuries-particularly the interior breezeway connecting the two main points of entry. The site also houses a full-scale
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