Library's new robot gets a name

Noosa Library’s new robot now has a name – Dewey!

Library staff announced the winning entry from more than 50 submitted as part of the recent Noosa Library Service naming competition.

Library Programs Officer Liz Bleechmore says as well as being a catchy name for the pint-sized face of future-focused learning at the library it pays homage to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC).

“Also known as the Dewey Decimal System, it’s a classification system used widely by libraries, first published in the United States by Melvil Dewey in 1876,” she said.

Ms Bleechmore said the community put forward many good suggestions, but the winning name, submitted via Instagram, was special in that it offered the additional historical significance.

Noosa is the first Australian public library service to commission a NAO humanoid robot to teach coding and computer programming for all ages and capabilities.

“Dewey can be programmed to walk, catch small objects, talk, play games, read books and even dance. Its interactivity makes the robot really endearing and loveable,” Ms Bleechmore said.

With coding embedded into every technology that we use, science literacy, such as coding, is now placed alongside numeracy and language proficiency as a priority to prepare for a skilled and dynamic workforce.

Dewey is the star of the library’s new Robots for Everyone initiative, which provides fun and practical robotics and computer programming training for adults and young people. For more information contact the Library on (07) 5329 6555.

24 September 2015