ING Cafes could be mistaken for library branches

ALA HQ’s neighborhood is home to the newest ING Cafe. With very little effort, one can imagine it as a library branch. Here’s what’s on offer:

• Full coffee/espresso drink menu, a decent variety of pastries, prepackaged sandwiches, and juices, all at low prices
• Staff equally trained in pulling espresso and helping you with your online banking
• A seminar room that’s free for public use (by reservation) when not occupied by the occasional ING presentation
• Free wireless
• 10 terminals
• Free newspapers and financial magazines for use on site
• 6 flat-screen TVs (all on CNN, all muted)
• Branded merchandise (duffle bags, computer bags, portfolios, travel mugs, etc.) and a few financial tools (books, mechanical savings bank for kids) for sale
• Strong return visit incentive: buy four coffee drinks and the fifth is free

I wasn’t supposed to take pictures (against bank policy), but they did agree to let me take a shot of the media wall, which gives you a sense of the ubiquitous branding. One-third of the tv screen real estate is occupied by the ING logo and scrolling advertisings of banking services. Branding and ING advertisements also line both sides of every browser window.

I asked one of the employees if there was any resentment about having to serve coffee when, arguably, the employees had more valuable banking service skills to offer. He said no, because everyone working there knew the arrangement going into the job.

I asked about Internet filtering. He said there were restrictions on access, both for security purposes related to banking (he didn’t elaborate) and for “adult” sites. He noted that he expected that access to adult sites would be self-regulating, as all of the monitors faced the interior public space or allowed people to view the screen from the sidewalk outside, through the large front window. I chuckled a bit at this notion, which is when he said that they also have privacy screens on order, ostensibly to allow people privacy during their banking transactions, but he could imagine requiring a customer to use one if someone complained about his or her viewing habits. I suspect they’ll find out soon enough how complicated that can be, even without a freedom of access mission.

You don’t need to be an ING customer to use the facility. In fact, most people just drink coffee (Peet’s!) and check e-mail. As soon as school starts, I’m sure there will be a huge influx of Loyola college students from the dorm that’s just one block away. I wonder if the students will realize that they can access their library’s online resources from there?