At the typical research library it would be unheard of. But at the National Center for Death Education offering a cup of coffee to patrons is standard practice. There are no rare books or fragile manuscripts to preserve here. 777 Dedham St., Newton Centre. We are a safe haven.
People can come here to feel comfortable.
You feel really blessed that people have a place to go, to find resources that might help them. The center, located on the campus of Mount Ida College in Newton, holds more than 6,000 volumes on all aspects of thanatology, the study of death. One of the largest libraries of its kind, it is the only research center specializing in death education in New England. And it is the only such library in the country open to the public, according to Harding. The center fields a range of inquiries, particularly from parents and educators seeking information on how to talk to children about loss.