Kirsten Lavers

A library is not a home (1998)

For over 100 years this building served as a free library for the local Mill Rd community in Cambridge. It was closed down by the County Council in early 1996.

Over the winters of 96/97 and 97/98 the building served another kind of use as an emergency winter nightshelter for homeless people. Each night up to 25 people who would otherwise have been forced to sleep rough on the streets, were able to 'borrow' a bed for the night.

On the 5th of April 1998 the Library was open to the public to view an installation that aimed to both celebrate the work of the nightshelter and raise awareness of the issue of homelessness.

The installation included 254 books (A7 size) each book containing selected extracts from one night's entries in the Staff Communications Book, date stamped and bearing a fragment of a photograph of the exterior of the building.

Bedroom/Lending Library

Communications Book Extract

01 FEB 1997
TS new face aka "Z" (rhymes with fry)

14 FEB 1997
T missionaries arrived to see him GE bit down in the dumps - something about being given a black eye from God!? PARTY PEOPLE: Have told them no sounds after 9pm evenings ..... all agreed

Nightshelter Dining Area

soundscape of howling wind

Communications Book Extract

15 FEB 1998
new face PD short with glasses and thinning white hair. Been evicted by friends due to alcohol problem in order to scare him into doing something about it. very mild friendly intelligent + easy going

Communications Book Extract

31 DEC 1996
message from I - JW/W, a liverpool man, may turn up here. Has been hearing voices for 9 days - women be careful
volunteer K will be bringing blackberry and apple crumble in for tea on the 1st January

NIGHTSHELTER OFFICE