Walk into almost any library today, and the quiet hum you hear is not just pages turning. It is the sound of 3D printers working, laser cutters vibrating, podcast microphones clicking on and students tapping through digital design software. Across the world, libraries are shifting away from the stereotype of dusty shelves and moving toward a new model built for Gen Z.
In Los Angeles, that reinvention is happening in real time at both the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Public Library system, where students and community members are discovering creative tools they never knew were available.
At the center of this transformation is the Los Angeles Public Library’s Octavia Lab, a full makerspace located inside the historic Central Library in downtown Los Angeles, nine miles north of USC’s University Park Campus. For many young people, it is an unexpected gateway into professional-level creative technology. When the Los Angeles Public Library patron and current sophomore at West LA College, Maria Hectorales, learned what the Octavia Lab offers, she reacted with surprise.
Hectorales was in the library using resources such as printing and computer access when she learned about the makerspace lab. “I think this is so interesting. I am going to bring some people over,” she said. “I wish I had known this existed.”
The Octavia Lab features 3D printers, a laser cutter, a media production studio, an embroidery machine, sewing machines, a photography space, vinyl and poster printing and a full podcast studio. It is one of the most technologically advanced public makerspaces in California, and it is free for any library cardholder.
Many community members use it for professional portfolios, school projects, small business production, or personal creative exploration. Hectorales said she plans to revisit now that she is aware of what is available.
“I think I am going to start using them,” she said. “It all sounds so cool.”
Krystal Ruiz, a public relations specialist for the Los Angeles Public Library, said the goal of the makerspace is simple. “Our mission is to empower creators by offering an environment where they can explore and develop their talents at their own pace,” she said. “We take pride in nurturing an atmosphere where creativity and innovation thrive, and where members feel supported in their artistic journeys.”
While public libraries are embracing technology for community access, university libraries are evolving just as quickly for academic innovation. USC has more than 20 different library spaces across disciplines, but the most technologically driven is the Science and Engineering Library.
Home to the Baum Family Maker Space, inside, students develop prototypes, learn 3D modeling, participate in design workshops and collaborate on engineering projects with access to fabrication tools. This hands-on environment reflects USC’s shift toward more experiential and engineering-focused learning.
The Science and Engineering Library itself has undergone major transformations over the decades. Library Manager Suzanne Henderson, who has worked at USC for 57 years, has witnessed that change firsthand. She recalled a time before electronic databases or digital journals. Today, she said everything from textbooks to research tools has moved toward automation and digital access.
“A lot of the materials, a lot of the journals now are electronic,” Henderson said. She added that although students can still check out physical textbooks, digital formats have become the norm for Gen Z.
Henderson sees the shift every day just by walking through the building.
“Now, when I walk out in the library, I am so taken with the students. They may have two or three electronic devices sitting on the desk,” she said. She recalled noticing a student surrounded by several devices at once, and how seamlessly today’s students manage multiple forms of technology.
Even with new tools, the library’s purpose remains the same: helping students learn. “Communicate with our librarians to help you with your research,” Henderson advised. “We are here to help and assist in looking for materials and subjects.”
Not every USC library looks futuristic, but even the quieter or more traditional ones are adapting to new formats. At the Cinematic Arts Library, student librarian Kelly Tu described how the most valuable resource for film students is often the script collection.
“We also have scripts that a lot of people check out. It is like bound scripts,” she said. She explained that despite the space feeling older, “the availability of things online” is the most modern part of the library for students who prefer digital access.
The collection includes television episode scripts, feature film scripts and student-produced short film scripts, which classes frequently use. The library also stores archives that classes can access by scheduling appointments.
Gen Z expects flexibility, creativity and access. Libraries across L.A. are responding by creating spaces where anyone can make something new. Whether it is a USC engineering student building a prototype or a community member recording a podcast at the Octavia Lab for the first time, these spaces are redefining what libraries can be.
As public and academic libraries continue to evolve, one thing is clear: the future of the library is not just about storing information. It is about creating it.