Aina Haina Public Library has added Pepper, a $40,000 humanoid robot, to its staff. Pepper greets patrons, guides them through the library, and teaches coding one or two days a week.
State Librarian Stacey A. Aldrich was optimistic about the new addition, highlighting its educational value in a statement obtained by Spectrum News Hawaii. "Pepper gives our patrons an opportunity to connect with a real robot," Aldrich stated. "The future is here now, and we want to make sure our communities can experience it." However, some Instagram users have voiced concerns about the potential for Pepper to replace human librarians and the possible implications for privacy.
A library spokesperson told Spectrum News Hawaii that Pepper does not collect personal data or record interactions. “The robot simply responds to questions posed, as programmed. Conversations are not recorded, and images are not saved,” they said. Funding for Pepper came from the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, with no impact on the state’s library staff budget.
The robot was funded by a $25,000 grant from an anonymous donor and $15,000 from the Friends of the Library, who gifted Pepper to the library. Lt. Governor Sylvia Luke told Hawaii News Now, “Pepper helps the library turn big ideas about robots into approachable, real-world experiences that spark curiosity and help people get comfortable interacting with emerging technology.”
Nainoa Mau, executive director of the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, told Hawaii News Now that Pepper provides the public with hands-on experience with robotics and human-robot interaction. The Aina Haina Public Library and the Friends of the Library of Hawaii see the robot as a way to combine traditional library services with new technology.
