In lieu of another set of bartender profiles (more next week), let’s consider the Seeley G. Mudd Library and its close relationship to the Viking Room. Both the VR and the Mudd – notably its first floor – are hot social spots for students on this campus. They are also sought-after places of employment. The VR just hired three new bartenders: Jon Horne, Katie Kraemer, and Loni Philbrick-Linzmeyer. The library requires numerous students to assist the 18 full-time and two part-time staff members in its various departments. Just as the VR receives business from throughout the student body, almost all Lawrence students pass through the Mudd on a regular basis. Kate Augustyn, a circulation desk assistant, commented, “I like working here because I get to see all of campus. Everyone comes here.”
Students sometimes travel back and forth between the VR and the library. Ambitious students stop at the bar for a study break, and may or may not return to the Mudd to finish their work. Many students have made their way to the Mudd with the perfume of beer or liquor on their breaths. But that’s not to say that the exchange doesn’t go the other way; the VR, on quieter evenings, may also host students who want to study and sip at the same time.
Anyone that has been on a campus tour knows that Lawrence prides itself on the 350,000 books in its library. On the other hand, the VR is proud to offer seven types of beer on tap and several bottled varieties, amounting to about 25 kinds of beer – not to mention the VR’s wine. Both the library and the VR have selections sizeable enough to toast to – everyone is bound to find a book and some booze to suit them.
On books and booze
