January 1, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mark Robinson
Edwards Technologies, Inc.
Ph. 310/536-7070 ext. 129
Mobile: 310/529-1946
markr@edwardstech.net

New Cerritos Library Takes Education Beyond the Written Word ETI Technology Propels Learning Into the 21st Century

CERRITOS, Calif. - When the new Cerritos Library opens its doors in March 2002, the definition of "library" will be changed forever. The $30-million facility, located on the eastern edge of Los Angeles County, will engage visitors with sights, sounds and interactive experiences designed to entertain as well as educate.

In addition to traditional library services, the 88,000-square-foot, titanium-clad building will house high-tech information resources and experiential learning centers designed and installed, in part, by Edwards Technologies, Inc. (ETI) and its sister creative company, Story Dept.

"This is truly the library experience of the future and a revolutionary concept for learning," says City of Cerritos Librarian Waynn Pearson.

The new library will feature a number of never-before-seen interactive experiences, including computer workstations delivering streaming video from a 15,000-gallon salt water aquarium. ETI installed seven waterproof cameras inside the aquarium, allowing patrons to explore an underwater seascape that is home to hundreds of sea creatures. Later this year, ETI will install a miniature camera-equipped submarine inside the aquarium and add video editing software to workstations, allowing younger patrons to direct their own ocean adventures.

In another of the library's experiential learning centers stands a 40-foot-long replica of Stan, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons ever found. ETI and Story Dept. combined their talents, mixing entertainment technology and Hollywood storytelling to bring Stan to life in a three-minute documentary and computer animated sequence exploring the life of this ancient creature.

The Children's Reading Room conjures images of a tropical rainforest, using custom scenery and audio effects to help teach visitors about the healing properties found in rainforest organisms. ETI disguised its audio system in the room's scenery, and Story Dept. created a soundtrack of rain and exotic animals indigenous to a rainforest habitat.

Outside the library's main entrance, protected from the elements by a stainless steel and glass case, a 51-inch plasma screen will serve as a community resource center. Programming will include news flashes, special event announcements, educational videos, city council meetings, and real-time atmospheric conditions from a weather station permanently installed on the library's roof. At the beginning of each day, the monitor will come to life with music and video welcoming patrons with popular "morning tunes" from classic motion pictures. At the end of each day, as patrons exit the library, they will be serenaded with "goodbye songs," such as "Happy Trails." Librarians will be able to customize on-screen announcements using a specially designed interface, allowing them to place text on a CNN Headline-News-Style template.

Other learning components supplied by ETI and Story Dept. include a nine-screen video wall at the library's main entrance and a blue-screen video system built into the entrance of the Children's Library. The video wall will entertain and educate patrons with four Story Dept.-produced segments set to music, including the story of the written word, the history of Cerritos, the building of the library, and an abstract visual art piece. The blue-screen video system will integrate images of patrons into virtual storybook landscapes inspired by classic tales and nursery rhymes.

"It's the next step in education," says ETI President Brian Edwards. "Our work has expanded from theme parks and attractions to branding campaigns, retail and educational environments. The Cerritos Library has leveraged entertainment technology to inspire and educate audiences in amazing new ways."

About Edwards Technologies, Inc.

Founded in 1984, Southern California-based Edwards Technologies, Inc. (ETI) provides audio, video, lighting and show control systems for corporate, civic, entertainment and retail venues. ETI-designed systems are enjoyed literally every minute of every day someplace on the planet, including Universal Studios, LEGOLAND Parks, Nike World Campus, Volkswagen Autostadt, the Fort Worth Zoo, and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.