Central Library – Good Pursuits

Robot Day MC of Jacobs Auditorium — Robot Day, Introducing Speakers in Jacobs Auditorium

Robots and libraries. They’re not a natural combination most of the time but where San Diego Central Library (CL) is concerned, they’re hand in glove. That’s because the CL has embraced making as just another way of delivering on their mission of providing learning resources to the community. In that context why not have robots in the library?

On Robot Day 30 maker exhibitors ranging from quadcopter flyers to robot competition teams to Maker Faire San Diego had booths. In addition there were 15 hands-on exhibits where people could build brush bots or construct bridges. It was a fabulous day which brought more people to the library than any day since it’s opening day 18 months ago.

Check out this delightful little video done by Team Rise of Hephaestus:

San Diego Central Library Opens

SDMMF Booth at the Library Opening Event

Today was symbolically and practically an important day for making in San Diego. The new Central Library opened and the Maker Faire team participated in the celebration with a booth. The building, its resources and its programs all represent the dawn of a new age.

The old library was your classic “shooshing library”. It was all about books, quiet, and shared computers for Internet access. The new library stands in stark contrast. Not only is it amazing architecture, it contains new things and does new things. This library has 3D printers, a media studio, a teen makerspace, and classes on such things as Auduino and Raspberry Pi. It will have a coffee bar and has a juice bar for kids. There’s so much new and different that it’s hard to believe the two libraries are in any way related.