photo of culinary students

  

Alice Statler Library

Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies is the only department at City College that has its very own library. The Alice Statler Library was established by the Hotel and Restaurant Foundation in 1964.

The library is reputed to be the finest hospitality library west of the Rockies - it is also one of the few open to the public. Aside from City College students and faculty, patrons include local chefs, entrepreneurs, hotel personnel, and graduate students from Bay Area colleges. The library answers questions from all over the country.

photo of statler library

Since the library was established primarily to support the curriculum, the resources are focused on current restaurant and hotel information and practices. Students use books, videos, professional periodicals, industry-specific software, and Internet resources to complete assignments, enhance their knowledge of the field, and prepare for employment. The library’s collections include:

  • 10,000 books, reference and circulating
  • 70 current periodical subscriptions
  • archival periodicals
  • videos on food, nutrition, and hotel topics
  • menus from 1920 to present (about 900)
  • pamphlets and clippings (about 3500)
  • software for menu design, nutritional analysis, food costing, etc.
  • recipe archive

A sound proof computer room is also available in the library. Each computer is loaded with up-to-date software to assist students with their computer needs. The computer room doubles as a meeting place where students working on group projects gather to complete assignments.

The staff is known for providing a warm and welcoming student-centered environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and receiving assistance with the extensive collection both in house and online.