What's happening? What does 'EverySpace' mean?
Cambridgeshire Libraries have been awarded funding to create innovative, flexible and inclusive spaces at Cambridge Central. Through EverySpace people will be able to develop their digital skills by getting hands-on with new technology and experiment with the flexible layouts to hold more events and activities.
Where is EverySpace?
EverySpace will be located on the third floor of Cambridge Central Library in the area beyond the escalator where our adult learning service (Cambridgeshire Skills) and office booths are currently located.
Will the rest of the third floor also be refurbished?
Yes, the rest of the third floor will be recarpeted and repainted as part of the works.
What can I do in EverySpace?
EverySpace will provide a range of high-quality, new furniture, equipment and technology. Accessible design is at its heart and the available facilities will be equipped to serve a variety of audiences. You are welcome to use the space to attend an event, study, work, read or collaborate.
Is the library space being reduced?
No, EverySpace will not reduce the public space available at Cambridge Central Library. Instead, it will increase the floor area accessible to the public by transforming our current adult learning service (Cambridgeshire Skills) and office booths into a flexible space that will form part of the open floor when it is not in use for programming.
Who's funding it? How much did it cost?
We have been awarded a grant of £260,000 by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sports. It is delivered by Arts Council England. The grant will be supplemented by £128,968 of Section 106 funding.
Will the extra facilities be free to use, for example the recording room?
Facilities will be available to use through library programming, whether that originates via the library, co-delivery or via an internal or external partner. In the first instance, access will be free.
Who are you expecting to use the space?
The space will be open to all, and you can expect to see programming from community groups, partner organisations and various Cambridgeshire County Council services. We will of course continue to host a wide range of exciting library programming, both in EverySpace and throughout the library.
How will it affect the library space?
The nature of EverySpace is for it be flexible and adjustable to the needs of the library on any given day. This means the area could be partitioned off for a ticketed event or fully opened up and made part of the wider library floor for general use. We have relocated our music scores and BIPC collections to the second floor.
Can I book the space?
EverySpace will form part of the public library space and will be open to all. Our adult learning service (Cambridgeshire Skills) will continue to deliver a range of courses from this space, and we hope to introduce new events, including performances, talks and author events.
Preparation
Will there be fewer public computers available?
Yes. We will be removing four public computers; however, our user statistics show that this will not have an impact on availability as there are more than enough computers throughout the library to serve the current need.
Will there be less study space during and after the works?
During the construction works, the third floor will have a reduced capacity, and we have already adjusted the table layout accordingly. We will do everything we can to minimise the impact of the works on library provision and encourage you to make use of the facilities available on our first and second floor and city branch libraries.
After the works are completed, EverySpace will provide a range of flexible seating options with improved access to power for device charging, providing an enhanced environment for individual or group study. There might be times when the space is being used for an event, however we will clearly communicate this and you are still welcome to use the remainder of the third floor as normal. EverySpace will include specially designed curtains to segment the area and reduce sound to minimise disruption.
During the works
How long will the works take?
We anticipate that the works will be completed over a period of 14 weeks. However, it may not be possible to access the new space immediately whilst we prepare and equip it.
Will I still be able to access the third floor?
We intend to maintain access to most of the third floor during of the works, however we may need to restrict access where necessary. We will provide advance notice where possible.
What will the impact be on the rest of the library whilst the works are taking place?
It is likely that we will see increased usage of the first and second floor at Central Library whilst the works are in progress. We hope that this will be for a relatively short period of time, and we will keep all library users updated on the project’s progress.
Will there still be access to the lifts and public toilets during the works?
Yes, there will still be access to one of our customer lifts, although the second lift will be in use by contractors to safely transport tools and equipment to the third floor.
We anticipate that the public toilet facilities will still be available for the vast majority of the works. We will also provide access to our accessible toilets on the first and second floor on request. Alternative toilet facilities are also available a short distance away at Lion Yard and Grand Arcade.
Will the works create noise disturbance within the library?
We hope to minimise any potential noise disturbance by requesting that our contractors avoid using power tools where possible, however some noise will be inevitable. Should this be the case, our staff can help to direct you to other areas of the library. We also have headphones available at the helpdesk on each floor.
Will I still be able to access the Cambridgeshire Collection, Business & Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) and UKVCAS biometrics service?
We anticipate that these facilities will still be available for most of the works. If there is any disruption, we will inform library users as soon as possible.
Will you still have an events offer whilst the works are taking place?
Yes, we hope to avoid any disruption to our regular events offer by relocating them elsewhere within the library if their usual venue is unavailable. However, we have planned our spring/summer programme to take into account the temporary reduction in library space available.
Can I still book a meeting room at the library?
We anticipate that our venue hire offer will still be available for most of the works. We will ensure all hirers are updated with as much notice as possible if there is any disturbance.
Will you be re-opening the café?
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we are not able to reinstate the café offer as a viable operator could not be found. Therefore, the former café space will be refurbished and integrated into the main library space and continue to be available for public use.
During the winter months, we will continue to offer free hot drinks under our Warm Hub initiative.
