University and College libraries open to the public

Sixteen university libraries - home to everything from first draft Jane Austen works to the letters of acid bath murderer John George Haigh - will open to the public on September 10 and 11. Open Cambridge is a weekend of free tours, talks and open access to many University and College buildings, as well as buildings around the city, between September 10-12. For the second year running it will include 16 prestigious college and university libraries, usually closed to the public. Highlights include the chance to visit the Radzinowicz Library - a crime research library - which exhibits art by prisoners and secure patients, the prison letters of John George Haigh, and many other works unique to the library. Meanwhile, those with an interest in South Asia and the British Empire can catch a glimpse of Indian life under British rule, as captured in the home movies of expatriates who lived there between 1911-1956. The South Asian Studies Library also has artwork and archive recordings in which men and women reflect on the events and issues they experienced during that period. Other Open Cambridge library highlights include: ; An exhibition by Lucy Cavendish College Library on the life of Joyce Grenfell (1910-1979), an accomplished actress best remembered for her monologues, songs, and comic writings.