Express yourself with ‘Typing in Public’

Starting on May 14th in the 2nd floor lounge at the Kennedy Library an open typewriter will be available for you to run your fingers over and compose your own prose or short story. Everyone gets 10-15 minutes to either continue the story/poem that the person before them was writing, or come up with something original to write or that they have already written. It can even be a quote or passage from your favorite author (with attribution, of course)!   

This event is being hosted by Typing in Public (TIP) which is a branch from Reading in Public (RIP). RIP is a project launched by San Luis Obispo locals Chris Allen (LEED accredited designer at the SLO firm of Kornreich Architechs), Allan Cooper (prof. of architecture at Cal Poly), Mignon Khargie (illustrator and designer), and Catherine Trujillo (curator). To see each of their bios, click here.   

The project was formed to celebrate reading through community experiences. TIP will allow people to express what they’ve read and encourages other people to read and write as well. At the same time, TIP is taking us back in time where “the backspace” didn’t exist and you had to pound every letter down to make sure it was printed onto the scrolling paper.If you aren’t planning on being at the library at all on Friday, check out the other locations that TIP will be so you can add your creative genius to the typewriting community of San Luis Obispo!   

BlackHorse Espresso
Kennedy Library at CalPoly
Linnaea’s Cafe
Sally Loo’s Cafe
San Luis Obispo Public Library
Steynberg Gallery
The Dave Congalton Show
The Sanitarium
SLO creek by the Network   

For directions to any of these places, click here to see a map!   

photo credit: PhotoDisc, Inc.

 

Fun Facts about the typewriter:   

• The first attempt at inventing a typewriter was in 1714 by an Englishman named Henry Mill.(custom solutions)
• The first typewriter wasn’t put on the market until 1867 and was invented by Christopher Sholes.(big amazing facts)
• The standard keyboard for typewriters (and computers now) is the “QWERTY” keyboard. It’s named that because the first 5 letters on the top row of the board are Q-W-E-R-T-Y.
• The fastest typing speed ever recorded was achieved by Stella Pajunas in 1946 on IBM Electric, with 216 words per minute. (Lifestyle Lounge)
• “TYPEWRITER” is the longest word one  can type on the keyboard where all the letters are in the same row.

    

Hope to see you at the Library on Friday between 11am-2pm!