Looking to beat the summer heat and learn something new? Take a trip to the Los Angeles Public Library’s Octavia Lab to fire up your creative projects while cooling off.

If you’re fighting boredom this summer, you may just want to take a trip to the library. Lucky for L.A. public library cardholders, in addition to finding a good book cooling place to sit, they can access a massive studio filled with 12 mediums all free to play, learn and master their creative hobbies with.

The Octavia Lab is a creative, DIY lab situated on the second floor of the L.A. Public Library in Downtown L.A. Named after esteemed science fiction writer Octavia Butler, the library’s lab was built to honor her legacy. Butler has a personal history with the library, as she did research for her writings as well as tutoring for an adult literacy program there decades ago.

Since 2019, the library has provided a space for creatives to test and learn how to use a number of machines or programs. If you’d prefer to learn step-by-step a certain machine or studio, the lab offers educational classes meant to familiarize the creative with the service.

However, the Octavia Lab highly encourages figuring it out yourself, and instructions, tutorials and guides are available for nearly every service or device.

The lab offers 12 different mediums for creative cardholders to try out.

  • 3D Printing: Two 3D printers are available for use at the Octavia Lab. Only one 3D print request, with up to two printing reservations a week. You must provide a digital file of a three-dimensional object for approval before use.
  • 3D Scanner: There is only one 3D scanner available for use. Creatives must bring their own objects to scan, as well as an external storage device to save their project.
  • Vinyl Cutter: The vinyl cutter allows creatives to produce stickers or heat-transfer designs up to two hours a day. You must create and trace the design in Silhouette Studio first, then select your desired material. Creatives must bring their own vinyl, flash drive and transfer tape.
  • Digital Illustration Station: Creatives are permitted to use the Illustration Station up to two hours a day. The station includes full access to an Adobe Creative Cloud suite, which includes a number of programs relating to video editing, graphic design, photo retouching and more.
  • Digital Media Station: The Digital Media Station consists of four iMacs, including all tools available on Apple devices in addition to Adobe Creative Cloud.
  • Embroidery Machine: The Octavia Lab owns two industrial embroidery machines and space to design, draft, sew and construct projects. In addition to fabric, needles and thread for other constructive use, creatives will need a USB drive for their design and stabilizer for their fabric. The lab provides embroidery needles and thread for the machines.
  • Laser Cutter: The laser cutter is available for use up to two-hour sessions per day. Materials for the machine can only be up to 16” long and 12” wide, and be approved by lab staff before use.
  • Photography Studio: Isolated from the rest of the lab, the Photography Studio is equipped with studio lights, a DSLR camera and backdrops. The studio is limited to digital photography formats only, as there is no dark room or associated materials for analog work. The space can be used for up to a two-hour session daily.
  • Podcast/Livestream Studio: The Podcast/Livestream Studio space can be reserved for up to two hours a day, and is equipped with two microphones, an iMac and a video switcher. The lab recommends bringing headphones if creatives plan to work on audio or video projects.
  • Poster Printing: Creatives can print posters up to as large as 36” x 48” once a week. Certain images are prohibited from being printed, including anything prohibiting any material deemed unlawful by the state, city and federal government.
  • Sewing machines: In addition to the industrial-sized embroidery machines, the lab also provides two different sewing machines. All materials planning to be used must be brought by the creative, the lab has nothing for public use.
  • The Studio: For music lovers and aspiring producers, The Studio is a space to mix and produce tracks. The Studio allows up to three guests for the creative cardholder to bring. This space is a little more strict on what is and isn’t allowed, so be sure to check the requirements before visiting.

To learn more in-depth about what to bring and what not to bring, as well as dates and times when these studios or machines are available, you can check out the Octavia Lab’s website here.

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