A new Java City location on the first floor of the library will be open for business in time for the start of classes next semester.

“The goal is to have it open by the end of the fall semester,” said Matt Altier, vice president for Planning and Resource Development and executive director of University Enterprises Inc.

Altier said engineers from Java City and facilities management are working together to design the new location and it will be constructed over the next few months.

The new Java City will be located just inside the CCMS Collaborative study area across the breezeway from the main entrance on the first floor of the library.

Altier said students walking through the library breezeway were asked in an informal survey what they thought of having a coffee vendor in the library.

“Overwhelmingly, we found that students said they would love it,” Altier said.

Altier said the new Java City location will provide counter service inside the study area as well as a walk-up service window where students walking through the breezeway can purchase beverages. The new Java City location will also have tables and chairs set up in the breezeway.

Altier said the new Java City will add between 50 and 60 more study stations to the study area.

The entire area will be equipped for wireless Internet access.

Altier compares the setup to something like what is available at many Border’s bookstores. According to Altier, other companies made proposals for the library location, but Java City had the best proposal.

“Java City is paying for the whole thing,” Altier said. “Not a dime is coming from University Enterprises or the university.”

Terry Webb, dean and director of the library, said he hopes the new Java City will attract more people to the library.

“Over one million people come into the CSUS Library each year,” Webb said. “The library is an ideal space for an eatery of some kind.”

Webb said that selling beverages in the library breezeway might pose a potential for harm to books, computers and furniture by people who bring their beverages into the main library.

“In order to avoid further damage to the library we would have to be very strict about people bringing food and drinks into the library,” Webb said

Currently, the library policy allows bottled water anywhere in the library, and allows other beverages and food either outside or on the lower level of the library.

Linda Goff, head of instructional services for the library, said it will be difficult to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for bringing food and drinks into the main library once the Java City moves in across the breezeway. She foresees the possibility of people damaging books by spilling drinks on the pages or by getting crumbs in the books, which would attract bugs and vermin that would eat the pages.

“Food and books don’t make a good match,” Goff said.

Goff said she is also concerned about space once utilized for library purposes being given up for other purposes.

“I think generally that giving away space in the library is not a good idea,” Goff said. “But I can see that having coffee drinks in the library study space would be very popular with students.”

Not all students think having a Java City in the library is a good idea.

Communication Student Jessica Bogar said: “Having a Java City in the library would change the whole dynamic of the library from a place of research and learning to a place of socialization and commercialization.”

Tracy Huynh, a child development major who was studying in the library study area last Wednesday said she does not feel a new Java City location in the library is needed.

“I usually just go to the student union if I want coffee,” Huynh said.

Leah Dixon, a kinesiology major who was getting coffee in the University Union last Wednesday said she gets coffee at the Union’s Java City up to four times a week and thinks the new location in the library sounds like a good idea.

“It would motivate me to go to the library,” Dixon said. “I usually get coffee in the student union and then end up getting stuck here because I run into people I know.”

Addressing the concerns of students and faculty who think that the new Java City would take away study space for students, Altier said they are wrong about the new location.

“We are providing more seats that will actually be a study area,” Altier said.

Altier said that once students actually understand the scope of the project they are enthusiastic about it.

“We are really excited about this,” Altier said. “It will be a very positive addition to the Library. Once it is in, the students will love it.”

Chason Wainwright can be reached at [email protected]