After a brief closing to complete construction, including beautiful new touches designed by artist Joy Wulke, the Creamery has reopened in the West Wing of D. H. Hill. Those of us who spend lengths of time in the Library with our heads down in our work can now take a quick break for some Howling Cow premium ice cream made here at NC State. It is a joint venture between the library, NC State Food Science, and University Dining.

The Creamery did a soft opening in April to ensure that graduating students had a chance to experience it during their exams and before they left NC State.

Patrons of twenty-first-century libraries value them as secure spaces—comfortable areas that provide access to the latest technology—as well as both quiet and collaborative places to work. It’s the place students go when they get serious about getting their work done, and they are often in the building for hours at a time. The Creamery provides a safe, convenient, in-building area to grab a snack without substantially interrupting work time. And it’s been built without state money.

With some good planning, the Creamery is also helping D. H. Hill with its seating problems. By consolidating service points, the ongoing makeover of the West Wing has made room for an area adjacent to the Creamery that will provide 60 additional student seats: a welcome addition since the NCSU Libraries can seat less than 5% of NCSU students, far below the 20% recommended by the UNC system.

Signs in and around the new seating area, the The ConeZone, ask that ice cream eaters not take their cones into the library proper. Managing food in the library is always a potential challenge, but it is a commitment that students have asked the Libraries to make, and so far it has not been a problem.

The Creamery accepts AllCampus and Meal Plan Board Bucks, as well as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.