The Ottawa Public Library is a place for exploration and discovery where we provide tools and resources – high-tech and low tech – to enable creation and inspire learning at any age or stage of life. OPL spaces, tools, collections, and programs, are designed to spark curiosity and build connections that bring our community to life. Feed your imagination.
In April 2014, the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa collaborated to open Ottawa’s first public makerspace entitled Imagine Space – an American corner. Makerspaces are creation and collaboration hubs, offering technologies and tools that allow customers to experiment and to create in a social setting. They are built on the premise that knowledge and learning is often better transmitted via sharing, collective problem solving, and task performance.
The following cutting edge equipment is available in the Imagine Space:
The music editing station at the Ruth E Dickinson Branch in Barrhaven has the software you need to produce, record, and edit audio files.
VHS conversion station: DVD recorder and VCR
Digitize your VHS cassette tapes and save to a DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. DVDs are available at the branch for $1.00 and hold 2 hours of video. This machine will only accept regular VHS cassettes.