Would You Like A Mocha With That?

A library in Maryland has started to offer coffee drinks to its patrons as part of a pilot program.

The library staff will monitor for spills, and if damage occurs, it will restrict the drinks and food to the lobby area. Cafe employees are responsible for cleaning up messes under the county contract.
“A lot of people are concerned about the books having coffee spilled on them, but a lot of time when books are checked out, we don’t know where they go,” Ortega said. “They go in bathrooms, for crying out loud.”

Fair enough, but while the cafe owners will make money, I’m not sure the library will necessarily get more patrons. With recent budget cuts, libraries can’t afford to buy new books. So when the choice is between the local library and the B&N…