> Is there any way to keep this as a CSS file? Since this is from a library, it would be bad to edit and, preferable to add modifications on top of it as another file, and having this be a CSS file would help prevent that. Or could we add a note to the top of the file not to edit it?

It is to our advantage that we can edit it. Hell, I customized this css to begin with...why can't I pull in and use all the relevant LESS variables---> colors, padding, font-sizes. It is my _whole_ intention to read this.