The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s newest academic hub will also be home to a Dunkin’ Donuts location.
The coffee and baked goods café is part of the Learning Commons at Love Library, a $10 million, 30,000-square-foot redesign of the first floor of Love North. The Learning Commons is a technology-rich space that will offer a 24-hour study space while encouraging cross-discipline collaborations between students and faculty. The redesigned space opens Jan. 11 with the start of UNL’s spring semester.
“This new space allows us to finally accommodate a long-standing student request to add a food vendor within the libraries,” said Nancy Busch, dean of university libraries. “It’s a necessary feature of an environment designed to allow people to come in and study or work on projects for long periods of time.”
The Dunkin’ Donuts location will be the fourth store opened by QSR Services in Lincoln.
“We’ve been a sponsor of Husker Athletics for two years and were chomping at the bit to open a location on campus,” said Bryce Bares, a partner in QSR Services. “This project within Love Library really piqued our interest because it creates a dynamic student study space that pairs well with our products.”
Dunkin’ Donuts is scheduled to open Jan. 11 with the Learning Commons. Bares said the location will offer the entire Dunkin’ Donuts beverage line with a limited bakery menu, including donuts, bagels and muffins. The shop’s planned hours of operation in the 24-hour space mirror Love Library’s regular hours – 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and noon to 1 a.m. Sundays.
“We have a little kitchen space and will be making the bakery goods on site,” Bares said. “Hours will mirror staffing within the library at first and may be updated as we determine demand.”
The Dunkin’ Donuts in the Learning Commons will also be the first in Nebraska to use paper cups rather than those made of Styrofoam. The move aligns with the student-led initiative that resulted in UNL eliminating the use of polystyrene — also known as Styrofoam — for food packaging in 2016.
“Green initiatives are really important to me personally and I’m excited that we are the first location in Nebraska to go this route,” Bares said. “Unfortunately, due to demand for the paper cups nationwide, we may not be able to offer them immediately. We are working to secure a steady supply and will be using them as soon as possible.”
Along with Dunkin’ Donuts, the Learning Commons in Love Library includes 18 private study rooms, access to an ASKus service desk, a Huskertech help station for information technology, and a One Button Studio where users can record presentations. The Learning Commons can accommodate about 500 people and also offers an outdoor plaza with additional seating.
For more information on the Learning Commons at Love Library, click here.
