Ex Libris History
When the Regenstein Library opened in 1971, provision was made for a student canteen with vending machines (food, soda, and hot drinks). However, almost immediately library patrons began asking for a real coffee shop (see the Maroon editorial of Dec 3 1971), The library administration, fearing that a coffee shop would encourage eating and drinking in close proximity to library items, long resisted the idea. In Spring 1977, however, the Library, Student Government, and the Student Activities Office (now ORCSA) managed to come up with proposal acceptable to all. SG financed the remodeling of the old canteen (approximately $6000 in 1978 dollars, according to the Maroon Nov 3 1978).
Ex Libris Science Digest Coffee Shop opened for business in January 1979. According to an advertisement that month, the shop was open 6:30pm-11:30pm Mon-Thurs., 1pm-8:30pm Sat., and 1pm-11:30pm Sun, and was closed on Fridays. Library patrons could purchase pastries, yogurt, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and milk. You can see what the place looked like (there was a chalkboard even then!)
By February 1979 the shop was gaining in popularity. The Maroon noted that "in addition to the normal fare of yogurt, doughnuts, milk, coffee, and orange juice that all the coffee shops on campus have, Ex Libris is noted for its wide variety of pastries, cookies, and tea that is not seen elsewhere. Ex Libris's novelty and selection has turned "A" level of Regenstein into the gathering point of the winter season." (Feb 23 1979).
The current format of Ex Libris dates to the 1998-2000 Regenstein Reconfiguration, which remodeled the B-level, A-level, and first floor. Prior to reconfiguration Ex Libris occupied roughly the same space, but the main entrance to the shop and canteen was in the elevator area, where our delivery door is now. The old stockroom was roughly the space between the register and staff lounge door (I think). A student monitor sat at a table in the elevator area. Their job--perhaps the most thankless one on campus--was to check the bags of people exiting Ex Libris and make sure they weren't bringing food or drink into the library.
Reconfiguration brought several changes to the A-level, including a renovated canteen, staff lounge, and Ex Libris. During construction the A-11 conference room served as the canteen, with Ex Libris operating on a coffee/candy bar basis in a corner of the room.
When the project ended, Ex Libris moved into its present space, with an entrance/exit outside the library and new counters and floor inside.
Ex Libris got a pretty nice profile in the University of Chicago Magazine (April 2002).