By Isabella McHugh
Staff Writer
In the early mornings, Matthew Trifiro makes his usual stop at the College’s Library Café, delighting in both his coffee and the café’s lively yet cozy community.
Trifiro, a senior interactive multimedia major, visits every day. Though he often gets work done, he sometimes just sits and reflects with a coffee or snack. He typically stays between one and two hours.
“Having a drink or food does invite me to stay for longer,” he said. Trifiro enjoys the Library Café’s ambiance, which is the main reason he frequents it.
The Library Café is a popular spot for students to hang out. (Photo courtesy of Isabella McHugh)
This corner of the R. Barbara Gitenstein Library is home to a vibrant community. As soon as you step inside, the scent of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, the hum of the machines blending with the constant chatter of students. A long line of customers isn’t an uncommon sight, and between the morning and middle of the day, almost every seat is filled.
One of the baristas, Jayden Foster, said the café is always bustling in the mornings when students are heading to their first classes. Foster said the purpose of the Library Café “is for students who really need a different space to just do whatever. Whether it be studying, doing homework or even just communicating with friends, chilling with them.”
Many students agree, and some even shared their personal experiences there. One thing everyone who spoke to The Signal agreed upon is that the Library Café is a major part of campus culture.
“It’s so lively, and everyone is happy,” said freshman nursing major Olivia White, who described the Library Café as the “heart” of the College.
White believes the café is a small community since it has become a staple in many people’s routines including her own. She said the Library Café is her favorite place on campus besides her dorm.
“Everyone knows the lib-caf,” junior nursing major Kleo Andritsopoulos said, referring to the café by its popular nickname. Orientation leaders even mentioned how much they love the spot during the first week of school. It’s definitely one of the College’s hot spots.
Enzo Whetton, a senior and political science and mathematics major, believes the café fosters community because of its open layout.
Whetton said he thinks the space is less conducive for studying because of the heightened noise level and social interactions, but a great community for social gatherings.
In contrast, White finds the Library Café perfect for studying since she feels more comfortable in a social setting than in a dead-silent space like the rest of the library.
“I don’t feel so alone and isolated,” White said.
Whetton also says the Library Café is pretty hectic during the morning and early afternoon hours, and waiting for your order may require some patience. However, especially for people that study long hours, “if [they] don’t want to leave to go get food, it’s pretty convenient,” he said.
Many students agree that the Library Café enhances campus life and offers a space that feels uniquely their own. Like a town’s local café, it is indescribable to non-locals, but feels like magic to those who get it.
Students, including one of the café’s staff members, shared fond memories from their time at the café. Harper Klemm, a sophomore deaf and hard of hearing major, said she always picks a spot by the window to sit.
“There’s one gentleman who walks his dog and stops [her] in front of each of the windows, and that’s just so nice to see,” she said.
The baristas’ small acts of kindness always brighten Andritsopoulos’s day. “I love the workers. There’s two that are always really nice, and they draw small smiley faces on the cup,” she said.
White recalled a time she and her roommate began talking to a group of sophomores there one day and ended up following them on social media.
Foster said he always remembers when a student orders an “exotic” drink. He receives various drink combinations that he’s never heard of before. “Someone the other day got like pumpkin spice with white mocha. That was pretty good,” he said.
To Foster, the combinations are not only creative but also amusing.
Students have great things to say about the café’s community aspect. You walk inside and see students with notebooks and laptops, but you also see friends laughing and conversing.
Despite its inviting atmosphere, not everyone at the College feels they share in that community.
Professor Nada Jamaty, who teaches French, said she doesn’t hear of many professors going to the Library Café.
Jamaty added that the spot was never suggested by colleagues. “Maybe the café needs more exposure,” she said. “Since I’m new, I had no idea there was even a café inside the library.”
The Library Café offers a variety of snacks and drinks. (Photo courtesy of Isabella McHugh)
While the Library Café might not yet be on every professor’s radar, it has become a cornerstone of student life. For senior Matthew Trifiro, the café offers a peaceful space for studying, socializing, and unwinding over a cup of coffee. Students say it’s the perfect mix of calm, community and caffeine.
