/ro͞ot akˈsesəbəl
1. In computing, granting full permissions to manipulate all files or programs; superuser
LABRARY popped up in the heart of Harvard Square. It didn’t take long until we realized the space was perhaps of the most valuable thing we had.
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People wanted to borrow it. As soon as we opened up the doors, the inquiries came in. Folks wanted a cool space to use for their own purposes.
In computer system administration there are those trusted enough to be superusers. Superusers have root access to the server, they’re trusted with the keys to make any change to any file.
In handing over the keys to 92 Mt. Auburn, we were promoting certain users to superusers. They could borrow the space for their purpose outside our normal operating hours.
This is not a new idea. It’s the community room concept, just taken much further.
It worked especially well because we were a pop-up, disconnected with a larger library. But what if libraries were to create storefront labs, lock-off-able from the rest of the library with their own egress?
Concept sketch of a storefront, root-accessible lab










