ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


December 1991 / 711

The way I see it

Food for thought

B y  H e le n  L . G a te r

Library D irector
Arizona State University West

Do fo o d  bans really serve their purpose?

Why is reading such hungry work? When I push 
back in my recliner with a good novel or the latest 
management book, it isn’t long before I need some­
thing more substantial than the cup of coffee at my 
elbow— something I can get my teeth into. In dorm 
rooms across every campus, popcorn, stale pizza, 
candy wrappers, and drink containers mark the 
progress of the learning process. In the union 
students are reading intently, not with pencils poised, 
but french fries dredged in ketchup. Everywhere 
you look people devour calories along with words as 
though they were as inseparable as peanut butter 
and jelly. Everywhere, that is, except the library!

I have two problems with policies banning food 
and drink from the library. First, I believe that 
policies should serve the purpose for which they are 
established. What is the purpose of this ban? Is it to 
protect the books? Not if we check them out! Take 
a look at the books in my lap, the dorm rooms, and 
the student union. Many of them will have call 
number labels.

Do we want to keep out food particles that attract 
vermin? Those nasty crumbs are already hiding 
between the pages of books that come back to the 
library. Besides, open the desk drawer of any staff 
member and you will find a supply of munchies. A 
mouse took up residence in the food vending ma­
chine in our library staff room. It ventured into a few 
desk drawers to sample the goodies but never got 
desperate enough to attack books. Exterminators 
can handle vermin and they need to make a living.

Do we want to protect the caipet? Our worst 
carpet damage has been from a flood and from 
spilled beverages that we served at meetings! If the 
problem is the trash that is left behind, we might

consider installing large, preferably covered and 
attractive trash containers. A student organization 
might even be willing to finance the purchase and 
encourage their use.

The other problem I have with the food and drink 
ban is that it is not very customer oriented. The 
students who live on campus have a number of 
options, but the adult part-time students who come 
directly to campus from work need all the breaks

A sandwich is one thing‚ but 
spaghetti is another.

they can get. So why make them check out a stack 
of books and carry them out of the library before 
they can munch their sandwich?

Yes, people do get carried away. A sandwich is 
one thing, but spaghetti is another. We can’t very 
well have a list of permissible or banned foods, but 
what is wrong with judgment and selective enforce­
ment? We’re already selective by omission: no 
library has the staff to patrol the stack and study 
areas looking for violators, so anyone who smuggles 
in munchables and munches them discreetly goes 
unnoticed. Let’s get righteous about gross violators 
and about enforcement around the electronics and 
any rare materials—the crown jewels of the library. 
Let’s also get righteous about savory smells wafting 
under the noses of those who didn’t pack their 
lunch. Then, let’s allow those who use good judg­
ment to read and dine in peace. A peaceful mind is 
good for digestion of both words and food. ■  ■