I live in the Bay Area and never understood the coffeehouse work culture. Libraries have better internet (usually), more available desks, are quieter, often have better parking, don't have a coffee tax just to use it, and doesn't reek of coffee.

I recently discovered the local library, and it's probably my favorite spot in the city. It's brand new, and internet speeds hit 200mbps. I shelved my unused kindle and picked up reading real books -- got nearly 50 books in the last 2 years.

There are lots of perks to having a free membership too -- I get free online access to dozens of magazines, the NYTimes, ridiculously cheap book sales ($5 per bag full). Plus, there are the occasional exhibits with 500K+ year old human remains, artists sharing their work, and live local orchestras playing inside.

The best news I've heard all month is the city allocated another $400K/year to increase its hours/week by ~14.

Disclaimer: I didn't read the article. I just wanted to share.