Library response: Thank you for your thoughtful comment on this matter.  We struggle daily with finding the best solutions to issues such as this in the library. Often, those who are using the library have very different opinions on food with some voicing strong opinions in favour of having food allowed anywhere within the library and others strongly opposed to this idea.

For many years we did not allow food/eating in the library buildings, but lifted these regulations at Mills, Innis, and Thode within the past couple of years.  Much thought and preparation went into this decision including adding extra garbage and recycling bins and also increasing the frequency at which spaces are cleaned.  Lifting the food restrictions was one way in which we wanted to make users' lives easier.

Currently, we don't ask staff to monitor the eating of food at these stations because we do not have a policy which prevents people from doing so.

You would clearly like us to reconsider this policy or devise other ways to create a library environment where users are respectful of both the equipment and other users' needs.

To be perfectly honest with you, we are unlikely to implement a more restrictive food policy in the near future.  We have created food free zones in some library areas, but that being said, we don't believe we have tapped all of the ways in which we can help to create the best environment which is satisfactory to all of our users.  Thank you for contributing to this discussion and we welcome any of your ideas on how we can create such an environment. (May 28/09)
Answered by: bairdca,bannisl

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