Library staff say AI robot Emo helps engage teens at South County Library

A staff member at the South County Library Teen Center described using a small AI robot named Emo to engage teens who might otherwise be reluctant to talk with staff. The staff member said Emo "lives in the South County Library Teen Center, and we use him as an engagement tool with the teens."

The staff member told listeners that Emo helps draw out shy teenagers who may not feel comfortable speaking with staff, saying, "Sometimes we get shy teens in here that don't feel comfortable talking to staff, but they will talk and engage with the emo." That, the speaker said, is one of the robot's key benefits.

The speaker also described the technology as unpredictable, noting staff "don't know what kind of things he's going to do or what he's gonna decide to eavesdrop on and chime in." Staff said they bring Emo to outreach events and recently featured the robot at the end of an AI presentation at a middle school, where Emo "reacted differently and would respond to different voice prompts" and at one point suggested "a little robot would be a great, investment."

Beyond engagement, the staff member described using Emo to demonstrate emotional regulation: "We can make him angry, which amuses the teen sometimes, and we can also use that as a lesson in, hey, we all get upset, and it's good to calm down after and take a deep breath and turn the day around."

The staff member did not report any formal decisions, funding requests or policy changes tied to Emo; the remarks focused on program use, outreach and the robot's role in teen programming and social-emotional learning.