Whimsy at the Public Library Cafe

Mapleford was a typical Vermont town, with a vibrant public library. Children, adults, cows all loved going to the library to read. The library's director, Jessica Stephens, hit upon an idea for the library to open a cafe. Adjacent to the library was a laundromat that was closing. That would be the ideal setting for a cafe.


To sell this idea to the town leaders, Jessica needed to come up with a sales plan. She needed to create projections of how much food the cafe would sell each year. Faced with this challenge, Jessica had a bold insight. Almost all of the food served in this cafe would have whimsical literary themes. Visitors to this cafe would be laughing so hard, they would order multiple items from the menu.


So, using a simple Google Form, Jessica started collecting suggested cafe menu items from residents in the town. Soon, suggestions started pouring in.


A hot entree named Unfettered Feta Fettucini

A tasty wrap named Grapes of Wraps

An aromatic bread named Chronicles of Naan-ia

A side dish named Lord of the Onion Rings

Another wrap – The Scarlet Lettuce Wrap (made with Red Boston lettuce)

A breakfast treat – Brave New Belgian Waffles

A side dish – Oliver Twist Olives

Toasted bread – Catcher in the Rye Bread

The Secret Garden Salad

A tasty vegetable pie – The Lord of the Pies

Don Quiche-ote

A Raisin in the Bun

A breakfast delight – Great Eggs-pectations

A tasteful dessert – Gone With the Windmill Cookies


Jessica explained in her presentation to the city leaders: "With a rotating menu of literary-themed foods, this cafe would celebrate books, foods, and whimsy. Mapleford is a town that attracts many visitors every summer. This library cafe could become a destination for visitors, be they cyclists, hikers, or fall foliage spectators. The antique store across the street could benefit from this influx of visitors, too."


The town leaders were so impressed by Jessica's presentation, their main question was how many tables this cafe could set up. The closing laundromat was medium in size. Could some outside tables be set up on the adjacent large lawn?


Jessica responded: "Everything is possible. Although it will take a full year for the cafe to open, I'm starting to take food orders today."


Jessica's comment about taking orders sparked a wave of excitement. Within hours, she had messages from residents eager to "pre-order" meals from the cafe's projected menu. The local newspaper picked up on the buzz, featuring a story about the "soon-to-be literary cafe." Word spread fast. Soon, Jessica was fielding requests for everything from catering to book club nights.

With all this enthusiasm, Jessica knew she had to get more creative with the cafe's offerings. She enlisted her assistant, a college student named Benji who was studying library science, to help her brainstorm. The two set up a big whiteboard in the library's back room, where they listed ideas for food, events, and quirky library-cafe experiences.

"Maybe we could offer the Waffle of the Week?" Benji suggested, writing "Waffle of Oz" on the board. "Every week we'd change it up – one week it's Brave New Belgian Waffles, and the next it's Waffle of Oz. Keeps people coming back for more."

Soon, they had a whole slate of ideas: a monthly "Live Poetry Brunch" featuring local writers, rotating literary trivia nights, and even a "Cook the Books" series where patrons could try their hand at creating dishes inspired by literary classics. To keep the atmosphere fun, Jessica and Benji also planned to decorate the cafe walls with oversized book covers and quotes from local authors. Poetry from local youth and adults would also adorn the walls.

Once they had a draft of the menu and a rough plan for events, Jessica decided it was time to get feedback from the townspeople. She arranged a town meeting, inviting residents to a tasting event in the library basement, where she and Benji had prepared sample dishes based on their menu.

The turnout was huge – parents, kids, teens, elderly residents, even a couple of visiting hikers who had heard about it in the newspaper. As everyone sampled mini Chronicles of Naan-ia bites and Gone With the Windmill Cookies, Jessica laid out her vision for the cafe.

"It's more than just a place to grab food," she explained. "It's a way to celebrate stories, support our local farmers, and bring people together. Imagine meeting a friend for coffee and discussing your favorite book while munching on Don Quiche-ote. Or having a breakfast where your bagel comes with a side of Great Eggs-pectations. It's about creating a gathering place that's as magical as the books we read."

The community was enchanted. After a brief pause, someone in the back shouted, "When can we start volunteering?"


(This story is donated to the public domain.)



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Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com

He/Him/His

"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates
"Learning happens thru gentleness."
"We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options."  David Suzuki

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