Alterspace at Cambridge Public Library

An immersive library experience that gives visitors control over light, color, sound, and space to create the ideal environment for whatever brings them through the library’s doors.

Debuting at Cambridge Public Library, March 1-4

Opening reception: March 1 at 3pm

Rossi Room, Cambridge Public Library

A collaboration between Harvard’s metaLAB and Library Innovation Lab, Alterspace is an immersive library experience that puts visitors in charge of their surroundings. The library’s collection can transport patrons into the worlds of fiction, history, art. Alterspace extends that experience into the physical world, allowing patrons to create environments that best suit their needs. Control over light, color, sound and space gives visitors the chance to create their ideal environment for meditating, reading, collaborating, playing, or whatever activity brings them through the library’s doors.

Made possible by the Knight Foundation, and produced in collaboration with FK Productions, Alterspace is an experiment in digital placemaking and adaptive, emancipatory design in public spaces of all kinds. All work done for the project will be open source and available to any library who would like to replicate it. Visitors to the Cambridge Public Library will participate in the first installation and will be invited to provide feedback for future improvements.