Phoenix Public Library joins ASU's Alexandria Co-working Network

Arizona State University, the Phoenix Public Library and the City of Phoenix will celebrate the grand opening of the hive @ central, the newest location in ASU's Alexandria Co-working Network. 

The event is free and open to the public, and is scheduled to take place from 2 to 3 p.m., Jan. 17, at Burton Barr Central Library. To RSVP, visit hiveatcentral.eventbrite.com.

The Alexandria Co-Working Network is an ASU initiative that brings people together in collaboration spaces in public libraries across Arizona. The new space at Burton Barr Central Library will support the entrepreneurs, inventors, problem-solvers and small-business owners across the Valley who need help to advance their ideas but don’t currently have access to the necessary tools.

Named for the world’s first library in Alexandria, Egypt, the initiative, which is led by ASU's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group, is designed to create a statewide network of places for people to connect, collaborate and find valuable resources. The spaces, which are free and open to the public during normal library hours, provide access to co-working space, as well as resources that people can use to move their ideas forward, including:

• experienced mentors from ASU’s mentor network

• “pracademic” (taught by practitioners) classes from ASU’s Rapid Startup School

• physical and digital assets from the libraries

The Phoenix Public Library is the third Arizona library to join the Alexandria Co-Working Network. In 2013, the Scottsdale Public Library launched the Eureka Loft at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, and the Mesa Public Library opened THINKspot at its Red Mountain Branch. Other spaces will be launched in libraries throughout Arizona on a rolling basis. 

Media opportunities

Members of the media are invited to tour the new space; speak with representatives from ASU, the Phoenix Public Library and the City of Phoenix; and hear remarks from Mayor Greg Stanton, City of Phoenix; Sethuraman "Panch" Panchanathan, ASU senior vice president; Councilman Daniel Valenzuela, City of Phoenix; and Councilman Michael Nowakowski, City of Phoenix.