SUBJECT:

New Geisel Library Café to Open in Spring 2016

I’m very pleased to inform you that a café is slated to open in Geisel Library in spring 2016. The café will be named for Audrey Geisel, the generous benefactor of the UC San Diego Library and the campus.

Audrey’s is expected to be completed in mid to late spring, with a grand opening planned for the campus and community supporters in early May. The café, which has been under construction since last December, is located on the 2nd (main) floor in the East Wing of Geisel Library, conveniently situated at the north end of the building’s Overnight 24-hour Study Commons.

The café will be operated by Sports Facilities (part of Student Affairs), which manages Peet’s, adjacent to RIMAC. Coffee and tea will be supplied by Café Virtuoso (http://cafevirtuoso.com/), an independent local roaster known for its environmentally sustainable products, including certified organic and fair trade coffee and tea. Also, San Diego’s Bread & Cie (http://www.breadandcie.com/) will provide pastries and other breakfast items. Sandwiches and salads will also be provided.

The café is one of the many enhancements planned for the university’s flagship building over the next several years, thanks to a $3 million donation made by Audrey Geisel in July 2015 as the lead gift in the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative
(http://libraries.ucsd.edu/give/giving-opportunities/gl-revitalization-initiative/). This major endeavor is aimed at transforming and rejuvenating the interior public spaces of the Library to meet the evolving needs of students, faculty, and other Library users in an increasingly digital environment.

Audrey’s will occupy approximately 3,000 square feet, including an adjoining lounge. The café is expected to provide seating for between 50 and 75 patrons, and will also feature a to-go counter. While café hours are subject to change, Audrey’s will initially be open daily, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, with shorter hours over the weekend. The café will stay open until midnight during Finals week and other crunch times.

In addition to the café, the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative will include a wide range of new technology enhancements, as well as new furniture, carpeting and finishes. While Audrey Geisel’s generous gift will support the revitalization of the main floor public spaces, additional funds are needed to support renovation efforts in the public spaces on the 1st and 8th floors of the building. For further information about the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative, please visit http://library.ucsd.edu/give/ or contact Julie Sully, Director of Development for the Library, at jsully@ucsd.edu or 858-822-4554.

For more information about Audrey’s, visit:

library.ucsd.edu/blogs/blog/geisel-library-cafe-slated-for-spring-2016/.

Brian E. C. Schottlaender The Audrey Geisel University Librarian