After realizing that there wasn’t enough money in the library budget, the library staff had a tough decision to make: cancel the highly anticipated Coffeehouse, or make the technological improvements needed to turn the library into a hub for electronic devices and optimum studying. A unanimous decision between Angie Gunnell and Michelle Stuerman canceled the Coffeehouse to make the needed library improvements.

“We are in the process of making a written plan to update the library into a twenty first century library,” said Gunnell.

When StuCo heard the news of the Coffeehouse being canceled, Student Council members went to their sponsors to see if there was a possibility that the organization could take charge of the event instead. For weeks, cabinet members and officers conferred about the logistics of the event and whether it would fit into their already filled schedules or not.

“We had to see if it would fit in our schedule,” cabinet member Alex Oppenborn said. “We still had to talk to performers, make t-shirts, food, timing.”

This past Wednesday, after two weeks of discussion on the issue, the officers made the decision to take over the planning phase of the event.

“We are in the preliminary workings,” StuCo sponsor Jani Wilkens said. “Grimshaw and I are asking to see if there is enough interest.”

Even though the final decision has been made, there is still a lot of work to do to prepare for this event. The only main thing that seems to be changing for this year’s Coffeehouse is the timing. Instead of during school day, StuCo has decided to hold it at night, in order to maintain the school schedule. With the new format, parents of performers will be able to see their children performing in the venue.

“[The only thing that’s changing] is just that we’re running it,” said Oppenborn. “We will still have the art displays and all that jazz that goes with it.”

When the library initially canceled the Coffeehouse, many students who were planning to perform were disappointed and some had even been rehearsing for their performance.

One of the main problems with canceling the Coffeehouse for performers  was that North didn’t have any other way for them to express themselves and show off their talents to their friends and peers.

“The Coffeehouse is one of the few ways students have to express themselves and if that is taken away, then there’s no way for kids to stand out,” junior Ellen Cracraft said. “I was disappointed because I was looking forward to performing.”