WHATELY — The S. White Dickinson Memorial Library’s basement will transform into a popup cafe Saturday providing space for patrons to socialize, sip coffee, study, work, and enjoy live music.
“It’s going to be a place where, when there’s not a meeting or event scheduled, you can read, use Wi-Fi, or work,” said Library Director Candace Bradbury-Carlin. She said to think of the basement as “community space. You add coffee and that’s a cafe.”
Downstairs, there’s a large round room painted yellow and filled with a number of round tables. Other days it’s a quiet study area, and where craft-type events are held. Patrons can also pick out a board game from a nearby shelf, or use the library’s free Wi-Fi. But on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, it’ll feel more like a coffee shop. There will be self-serve coffee, live music performed by local musicians, and baked goods. Everything is free, but there’s a suggested donation to cover costs.
The popup cafe is an attempt by the library to fill a void in town. Its inspiration came through patrons’ suggestions. Currently, there’s not a quiet cafe where residents can work. The pop-up cafe doesn’t yet have a name, but Bradbury-Carlin said they’re accepting suggestions at the library.
“It’s a one-stop-shop, people can take stuff out and then read downstairs,” she said.
Saturday’s event is a test-run to see if there’s interest in the community. If there is, Bradbury-Carlin said to expect more cafe-type events at the library on Chestnut Plain Road. She’s working with the town to regularly purchase coffee, and also intends to reach out to local businesses for donations including a coffee maker. That, along with the coffee, would be housed upstairs in an entryway.
Bradbury-Carlin noted the upstairs floor of the building is handicapped accessible. The basement is not.
“This is a great idea. Upstairs you don’t have that quieter privacy,” said Doug Potoksky, a local photographer who was there Monday working at a table in the round room.
A second pop-up coffee shop will emerge at the library sometime later this year, possibly in December, Bradbury-Carlin said. For more information visit www.whately.org/library. Or call at 413-665-2170.