BY MELISSA GOLDIN

The University of Rochester
has Rush Rhees. The Rochester Institute of Technology
has Wallace. NazarethCollege
has Lorette Wilmot. It is clear that the colleges and
universities in the Greater Rochester area are in no short supply of libraries.
And yet there are only so many times that you can pull yourself into those
familiar stacks and will yourself to work. Luckily, Rochester
is teeming with locations perfect for off-campus studying for when you need to
remove yourself from the academic bubble. Keep in mind that this is not a
comprehensive list; we tried to select a smattering of venues that had
proximity to the various area colleges. Use this guide as your starting point
and be sure to seek out your own preferred spots of
study.

Coffee Shops

Canaltown Coffee Roasters
(6 S. Main St.,
Pittsford, 248-0390, canaltowncoffee.com)The
smell of fresh java emanates from all corners of the cozy establishment.
Although on the smaller side, Canaltown offers ample
seating, both in the front of the shop in the form of tables and counter-style
seating, and in the back, which holds a couple of cushy couches, living-room
style. There is also limited seating outside under an awning where customers
can enjoy Pittsford’s picturesque views. Canaltown
has excellent lighting as well as many conveniently situated outlets. The shop
is usually busiest on Saturday mornings, and although it is fairly easy to hear
others’ conversations, there are only a couple of customers inside the majority
of the time. A home away from home, Canaltown has all
the coffee shop essentials, including bathrooms, free wifi, and even a Rubik’s cube.

Java’s (16 Gibbs St., 232-4820, javascafe.com)With
a diverse array of artwork exploding from the walls and knick-knacks on every
available surface, Java’s has a cozy, inviting aura — a coffee shop with the
studious, magically mysterious feel of a library. Java’s has ample seating
indoors, as well as an outdoor area that is open during the warmer months.
Light-wise Java’s is on the dimmer side, but it is still plenty bright enough
to work, aided by some natural light coming in through floor-to-ceiling windows
in the front. Outlets to plug in your laptop are fairly scarce unless you act
fast. Music plays in the background of the
café, at a somewhat medium volume, adding to the cafe chatter that is
surprisingly not distracting. Free wifi is available.

Jitters Coffee (4357 Buffalo Road, North Chili,
594-3922, gotthejitters.com) Barely five minutes from the campus
of Roberts Wesleyan College lies Jitters Coffee, close enough to walk to, yet
far enough away to remove yourself from the campus crush, if only for a few
hours. A coffeehouse with an earthy feel due to a profusion of wood in its
architecture, Jitters is a convivial establishment with both tables and booth
seats, all of which are cushioned. In the warmer months it also offers an
outdoor area with a number of tables. It is on the dimmer side, but you won’t
be mistaking your sandwich for your textbook thanks to natural light that shines
through at many of the booths. The music playing, although audible, could
hardly be called blaring. Free wifi is available.

Lovin‘ Cup (300 Park
Point Drive, Suite #101, 292-9940, lovincup.com) Upon entering Lovin’ Cup the suburbs of Henrietta disappear, and you may feel
as though you’ve entered a hip café in Williamsburg – just one with the added
bonus of suburban spaciousness. The establishment lends itself to an aura of
organization with an artsy twist. There are only outlets in certain areas
though, so choose your seat carefully. Inside there are a variety of seating
options, including some tables that would be large enough for RubeusHagrid, Harry Potter’s
half-giant friend. The music, although noticeable, is largely relaxing, but beware if you err on the side of silence while studying as
the venue frequently hosts live entertainment. The atmosphere is fairly
bustling since it doubles as a sit-down cafe, but is spacious enough that you
can still seclude yourself in the right corner. Free wifi
is available.

Muddy Waters Coffee House (53 Main St., Geneseo,
243-9111, mwcoffeehouse.com) Muddy Waters, a popular hang-out for Geneseo
students that’s just a short jaunt from campus, may sell cookies the size of
your face. But the establishment is so much more than just engorged baked
goods. With its mismatched collection of sofas and armchairs, many a lamp set
about throughout the coffee house, and carpeting that adorns its two seating
areas, Muddy Waters could be your living room, Geneseo edition. The coffee
house also has small, café-style tables as well as counter-style seating
available with minimal outdoor seating up for grabs during the warmer months.
Outlets abound, especially at the counter-style seating. Like most coffee
houses of its kind music does play in the background, but the volume is low
enough to the point that it is sometimes hardly noticeable. Muddy Waters gives
customers the feeling that they are in a relaxed and eclectic establishment,
but without the clutter or potentially overwhelming nature. Free wifi is available.

Public libraries

Central Library (115 South
Ave., 428-7300, www3.libraryweb.org) “Pleasant”
and “grand” are perhaps the words that can best describe the Central Library of
Rochester and MonroeCounty.
It is not so imposing so as to intimidate, and yet it is far from drab, featuring
succulent wood tables surrounded by an array of outlets for your laptop or
cell-phone charger. The majority of the seating is found on the main floor,
although there are tables upstairs as well in the local history/genealogy
department, which tends to be even more quiet than the
rest of the building which, in traditional library fashion, is particularly
hushed. Free wifi is available, as are desktop
computers (if you have a library card).

Henrietta Public Library (455
Calkins Road, 334-3401, hpl.org)This library has a bright and cheery feel to it, aided in
part by bright colors splashed across the walls, the carpet, and everything in
between. There are many tables littered throughout the never-ending shelves, from
regular tables out in the open to secluded cubicles. There are plenty of outlets,
mostly along the walls. With its open, airy design the Henrietta Public Library
is anything but stuffy, although it may be because of this that conversations
in other parts of the building can be heard fairly easily, and true silence can
be hard to come by. Free wifi is available, as are
desktop computers (if you have a library card).

Wadsworth Library (24 Center St.,
Geneseo, 243-0440, wadsworthnylibrary.blogspot.com)Wadsworth Library is
big enough to not feel cramped, yet small enough to feel homey and inviting,
and comes with all the library essentials. The main floor houses most of the
books, and the small balcony comes complete with sink-your-butt-into-them
couches. The majority of the seating can be found on the balcony, which also has
a number of large, wooden tables available for use, as well as a number of
plugs. It gives visitors a feeling of privacy without feeling completely
secluded. The main floor has a reading room with even more couches, as well as
a lone table out among the bookshelves. Wadsworth
is a very open building — there are no full dividing walls — and from the
balcony you get a commanding view of the entire space. The high ceilings also
help to alleviate any claustrophobic feelings and vast windows afford plenty of
natural light, complemented by bowl-shaped lights that illuminate the library
with a mellow kind of brightness.

Unconventional study spots

The Center at High Falls (60 Browns Race, 325-2030,
centerathighfalls.org) Once you’ve followed the signs through Downtown
Rochester to the High Falls district you will run smack into the visitor’s
center, which has free admission (with a suggested donation of $2 for adults) and
boasts a clearly organized museum downstairs as well as an art gallery on the
second floor. The center has a tranquil, relaxing vibe to it with the
occasional visitors wandering through. There are a few benches available in the
museum section of the center, but upstairs in the art gallery you will find an
unexpected yet serene studying environment. There are two metal, turquoise
tables situated at the top of the staircase, as well as a number of other
seating options scattered throughout. And despite the lack of free wireless internet,
there is an abundance of outlets throughout the venue. While the warm weather
lasts you can also sit on the Pont de Rennes Bridge and look out onto the falls,
or take advantage of the other surrounding nooks and crannies.

MemorialArtGallery (500
University Ave., 276-8900, mag.rochester.edu)There
is something utterly inspiring (and perhaps vaguely hipster) about doing work
surrounded by heaps of artwork. If you’re not ready to part with that crisp $5 bill
and you don’t attend UR or NazarethCollege (which grants you free
admission to the museum), the MemorialArtGallery
has a tranquil atrium right in the front entrance that is free and open to the
public. With a skylight covering the entire sunken area and bushes and trees
planted along the outer edges, visitors get the feeling of being outside
without distractions like bugs or the wind. Fittingly, the space has its own
share of art, as well as a small fountain that only adds to the outdoorsy
feeling with the sound of a constant flow of water. There are a number of
café-style tables available for seating and even a couple of outlets.

            If you do
decide to venture into the depths of the gallery you will find a multitude of
benches throughout, most of which are wide and cushioned. The noise level
inside the gallery does get louder than in the atrium due to the chatter of
touring visitors, but it is bearable. Note that bags are not allowed outside
the atrium and must be stored in lockers. MAG also hosts a small, cozy library
that is part of the University of Rochester
library system. It houses a few tables and chairs, as well as a couple of
computers for your more high-tech needs.

Village Gate (274 N. Goodman
St., 442-9061, villagegatesquare.com)Village
Gate is a mall with an urban, artsy twist. It has a number of tables and
benches scattered throughout its halls, with the occasional outlet if you sit
in the right place. It even features a fairly large outdoor courtyard for the
warmer months, as well as a large indoor atrium featuring a variety of
sculpture and other artworks. The owners are certainly not cautious when it
comes to decoration either–it looks as if someone came and attacked the
building with about 15 different buckets of paint–in an appealing, vibrant kind
of way. Village Gate has a surprisingly open feel, due to in part to the
ceiling, which is painted to resemble a cloudy yet sunny day, or perhaps to the
architecture itself, with high ceilings and natural light seeping through
skylights high above. Peacefully artistic, Village Gate lacks a lot of hustle
and bustle, which only adds to its quiet mystique. Free wifi
is avialble. XXXYOU SURE ABOUT THAT?XXX

This article appears in Aug 17-23, 2011.