The Hunt Library has touted itself as a center for students to interact, yet it lacks significant dining options.

Students who study at Hunt have few dining options during the day and must travel beyond Centennial Campus in order to purchase meals or coffee.

Common Grounds Café resides within Hunt and currently runs from 7:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays, but plans on extending its hours in the near future. The library is open 24 hours a day with abbreviated hours on weekends.

In addition to extending Common Grounds’ hours to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, Jennifer Holland Gilmore, Director of Marketing and Communication, said the area surrounding Hunt will see a new restaurant soon.

“We are currently constructing ‘On the Oval Culinary Creations,’ located at Wolf Ridge to meet the bigger need for foodservice on Centennial Campus,” Gilmore said.

Food trucks occupy Centennial during the day and the Innovation Café is also open on campus for breakfast and lunch. 

James Park, an undeclared freshman, said he does not use Hunt as a place for studying partially because of the lack of dining options. 

“I just wish they had some quality, inexpensive food. I feel like that’s the one thing they’re missing,” Park said. “It’s an important aspect, especially for students who spend hours studying there. Vending machines just aren’t enough.”

D.H. Hill is located conveniently above the Atrium on main campus in addition to food options adjacent to the library on Hillsborough St., providing suitable options for the 24 hour-a-day library on weekdays. 

David Hiscoe, director of communications strategy for N.C. State Libraries, said the current food options after 8 p.m. in Hunt are a snack machine and a drink machine on the fifth floor.

With plans in motion to implement better dining options, students will hopefully spend more time enjoying the innovative features of Hunt for work and study purposes.