Libraries have access to all kinds of information, to possibly include what it’s like to try on a high-end VR headset.
Many libraries offer more than dusty ol’ paperbacks, but we imagine you’d still be surprised to walk into your local library to find an Oculus Rift set up and ready to go.
Such might become a common sight for some, as Oculus is donating 100 Rift headsets with Oculus-ready PCs across 90 different libraries in California.
Part of a pilot program established by Oculus Education, the participating libraries make up nearly half of the state’s 184 library jurisdictions, and has plans to expand after the first wave of installations.
Despite its penchant for gaming, educators have also taken an interest in VR, with Oculus Education program manager Cindy Ball claiming the technology has “superpowers to accelerate learning.”
“Both VR and AR will have a profound effect on education, ” said Ball in an official statement, “from making difficult academic subjects more accessible and increasing the efficiency of surgical training to providing a rich backdrop for storytelling and the development of empathy and understanding.”
By providing Rift access to public libraries, Oculus Education’s initiative hopes to provide more equitable opportunities to try out VR — a nice notion, given the technology’s arguably high cost barrier, especially for a high-end experience like the Rift.
