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University launches library café, lounge

Students and staff enjoy refreshments yesterday at the launch of
Scarlet Latte in Alexander Library on the College Avenue
campus. – Photo by Nelson Morales

The Scarlet Latte served its first Scarlet Knight dark roast coffee yesterday afternoon during its ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Deans, library staff, students and coffee drinkers alike gathered for the opening of the first University café situated in the basement of the Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus.

The plan to create a café in the library was in the making for more than two years, said Marianne Gaunt, vice president of Information Services and a University librarian.

"A lot of academic institutions have cafés in their libraries," she said. "In fact, Montclair [State University] has one, and I said if Montclair could have one, why not Rutgers?"

The Scarlet Latte came about two years ago when Gaunt met with Vice President for Student Affairs Gregory S. Blimling and student leadership at the Rutgers Club to talk about feedback on the libraries, Gaunt said.

"There was a suggestion to have a café in the library," she said. "After that I handed Dr. Blimling a white sheet of paper with money signs drawn on it. Since then we've been working earnestly selecting a use."

The café features coffee provided by Red House Roasters, while the food is cooked in Cooper Dining Hall on Cook/Douglass campus and the bakery on Ethel Road behind Livingston campus, said Joe Charette, interim director of Dining Services.

Red House Roasters, run by University alumni Richard and Stacey Seiden from the Class of 1996, is an organic and free-trade coffee roasting company with its main mission to deliver high-quality, specialty-grade coffee, said Richard Seiden, owner of Red House Roasters.

"Eighty percent of coffee is commercial grade while 15 to 20 percent is specialty-grade coffee," he said. "We're proud of our outstanding craft and roast our beans to cup."

Francoise Puniello, associate University librarian for Facility Planning and Management, said the Scarlet Latte was a great addition to the Alexander Library.

"Students during finals are here until 2 a.m. — even 4 a.m. — and now they can just come downstairs have a coffee and not need to leave the library," she said. "They could even study down here in the great."

Puniello said there are already several programs planned for the Scarlet Latte, including a "banned book" reading and coffee features.

"We are going to offer a different coffee of the week, and we are trying to do a feature on each coffee of the week and displaying it on the screens in the café," she said.

Deans, faculty and professors have the opportunity to read selections from their favorite banned book, Puniello said.


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