Letters to the Library

PUBLIC ART

This work is a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the John M. Harper library branch in Waterloo, Ontario. The content for the text was gathered from visitors to the library, who submitted notes and stories about the importance of this space and why they love this library. The submissions told stories about finding a space to connect with others, explore new universes through reading, and get creative.

The submissions were reviewed and translated into this large-scale typographic work, which employes white, black, and magenta text on the huge window panes. Visitors to the library can read others’ submissions and perhaps find their own, leaving their mark on this beautiful space and learning about other people who also use the library.

The location of the installation allows for some interesting visual moments, as the sun casts shadows with the typography across the space. The installation is also in a public area within the building but just outside of the actual library entrance, acting as an invitation to others who use the space (perhaps just for the YMCA) to come into the library and see what they will find.