President Bush speaks to an activist via Skype. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

As an entity of the 21st century, it is important that the George W. Bush Presidential Center establish itself as technologically advanced. In fact, the center has distinguished itself as the most technologically advanced presidential center in the United States.

“The Center will contain more electronic data than all of the other presidential libraries combined, reflecting the times in which we live,” Brad Cheves, SMU vice president of Development and External Affairs said. “This will keep the center a thriving place of inquiry and ideas for years to come.”

More than 200 million emails, 4 million photographs, and 42,000 other artifacts unique to the Bush administration are among these data.

“Since Bush was in office during an already technologically advanced time, it’s a no-brainer that [the Bush Center] has the large electronic data collection,” Samantha Allen, a sophomore management science major, said.

Even the bricks and mortar include technological innovation. President George W. Bush and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush, wanted the center to include green materials and energy-efficient technology.

The center’s “Vision” brochure boasts the building design honors “their commitment to restoration and conservation”. The building attained platinum certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

One of the center’s main goals is to be a competitive source of academic knowledge. The center hopes to attract outside researchers to its facilities through its education programs and interactive museum.

“The museum will take visitors on an exciting tour behind the scenes of the critical decisions of the Bush presidency,” the Vision brochure reads. “Through an interactive tour, [researchers can] hear directly from President Bush on what factors influenced critical policies.”

The Center’s mission is to “inspire ideas, innovation, and action for a freer and better world”. Innovation and technology are at the center of that world. At the Bush Library, both have become ubiquitous.

The Center strives to be “a resource for the region, the nation and the world.”

Bush believes his library will be a paragon of the future.

“It will be the focus of our attention, the place where we pursue our passions, and the forum for our public service for the rest of our lives,” he said at a Bush Center event on May 2009.