I don't need to shop at the Library of Congress. I go out to a bookstore to browse books and buy them when I feel like it. I am seldom on a mission to get a particular book. If I am, I call ahead.
What I love about this place is the coffee bar. It's a great "date-night" for me and my wife to go to BAM, gather some reading, entertain each other with what we've found, and have a coffee I can't make at home. This means I never have to feel guilty when I decide NOT to buy something. After all, I just consumed $6 worth of cappucino.
B&N, Goerings, Fla Bookstore may all be top notch for research, but there is zero ambiance.
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