Are there rules about consuming tea or coffee in a FSC?
There used to be…….
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Our Stake Presidency has directed that we should consider the FS Center an annex to the temple and promote that spirit. Also we pray for the Spirit to assist in finding our patrons' ancestors. That should guide all your thoughts about the center.
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Our FS center has signage that includes no food or drink.
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A sign covers it well - I like that. Years ago we once had someone bring a full British tea service! Obviously those on duty had to be very tactful - at least I hope so as I wasn't there………
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35.5.1 of the General Handbook states that meetinghouse usage must : "Be consistent with the doctrine, policies, and practices of the Church, including the sacred nature and purposes of Church meetinghouses."
If the question deals with a patron bringing a thermos or container that might have coffee or tea (Starbucks cup?), suggest this is best addressed by having a policy of not allowing food or drinks in rooms with computers, or even in the FSC. You don't want to get into the thermos police business! Water bottles can be left in the entry seating area, as can thermoses or drinks, or better yet, on a small table outside of the FSC.
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There are two policy statements we were to post in our centers according to past instruction. In the first one at the end of the Code of Conduct section it states that food and drink are prohibited. These may be obsolete now, I don't know.
Policies for Use of Family History Library & Family History Centers
Internet Use Policy for Family History Library & Family History Centers
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We are a small center, but have said no food or drinks. Drinking fountain is just steps from the door.
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One of the rotating background screens in FamilySearch actually says that food and drink aren't to be in the FSC. But the bottom line will likely be your stake president's decision. The substances themselves aren't evil - even tobacco is mentioned in D&C 89 with its proper use (smoking is obviously not listed as one of them LOL!). And a tea bag can be used medicinally in some circumstances. So the substances themselves aren't the problem - they're just not to be consumed by human beings, per D&C 89. It's for our physical safety and well being.
The other issue is computer safety and well being. We had a chocolate milkshake spilled over one end of one of our FSC keyboards in the past (before we got full control of keys and got re-keyed). I never found out who it was. We subsequently got a security camera to monitor who was using our FSC when it was closed, along with the re-keying. So for computer safety, I would suspect that once he sees all sides to the issue, your stake president will make the correct decision. Go through your high councilor over T&FH with this, and get the stake president's decision. The FamilySearch Center "belongs" to him - it's a stake facility and activity, not just the ward in which the FSC sits.
—Chris
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