Residents of all ages gathered at the San Francisco Main Public Library this morning for a lively celebration to mark the grand opening of the The Mix at SFPL. After four years of planning, construction and collaboration between multiple agencies, the center now offers teens ages 13-18 a place to learn and create with digital technology — including sound and video editing software, high-end computers, iPads and 3-D printers provided by Microsoft — free of charge. Local organizations like the Bay Area Video Coalition, Blue Bear School of Music, Girls Who Code, and the California Academy of Sciences will be holding classes in the space.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony began on the library's front steps with a series of performances, including a troupe of "robotic" dancers and a procession led by Aztec dancers into the building.
Once inside, a slew of city representatives — including Mayor Ed Lee, District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim, City Librarian Luis Herrera, Department of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru and Library Commission President Teresa Ono — shared perspectives on how the teen center will bring the city's youth and education system into the 21st Century and bridge San Francisco's digital divide.
Teens making stickers and buttons in the new center's "marker space".
Mayor Lee proudly called The Mix a glimpse at the "library of the future”, stating that he expects it to serve as a model for library branches here in San Francisco and nationwide and pledging to share it with his peers at the United States Conference of Mayors this weekend. He and Supervisor Kim both noted that the resources offered at the Mix will prepare the city's youth, and especially those living in District 6 or who do not have living rooms or technology at home, to work "across the street" at companies like Twitter, Yammer and Zendesk.
Visitors test out the sound recording booth.
Nuru added that the city has built eight new library branches and renovated 16, and that the involvement of young people who will use the space made this project special. Between the many speeches, a number of those teens shared their experiences advising the architects and designers on everything from the types of technology they wanted to see in the space to the color of the furniture. One student named Emily said that through the process, she learned that she could have a “powerful and valuable voice.”
Before parting, Mayor Lee touched on City Hall’s centennial celebration tomorrow, asking youth in the room, “You’ve got the 100 years next. What are you going to invent?”
The Mix at SFPL is open to curious members of the public until 8pm today. Beginning tomorrow, it’s open to teens ages 13-18 only from 1-8pm Tuesdays through Thursdays, 1-6pm Fridays and 12-6pm Saturdays.
