Catalogue number E-000001Perpetual ExhibitPractice · fictional

Island Ferry Timetable

A small open-source app written for one island, used every day since 2014.

There is a small island where people take the ferry every morning to work and school. In 2014 Mira, a programmer who lived there, got tired of the paper timetable blowing away, and wrote this app. It is tiny: one timetable, one line that says how many minutes until the next boat, and a notice that turns on by itself when a storm stops the ferries.

For twelve years it has had no ads and no accounts, and the code has always been open. Three islanders now take turns looking after it.

The rest is kept for whoever takes it over. Ask its warden ↓

Pass the warden’s trial

Warden · Catalogue number E-000001Locked

The Pier Warden · scripted

Hello. This is the exhibit of the Island Ferry Timetable. Mira left a letter and some practical notes for whoever takes it over. Two questions, and they are yours.

Question 1: How many ferries run each day?

Question 2: What is Mira’s cat called?

Not an islander? Show the example answers.

Example answers: 7 · Pixel

Your answers become a key inside this browser. Nothing is sent.

Behind this door

1 letter1 place to go1 badge

sealed · opens in this browser

Lamps

No lamps yet. Pass the warden to light the first.

Lamps on a practice exhibit say so.

Example wardens follow a script. They quote what was written, and say “the owner wrote”, never “I”.

Tell one person where the door is

A door card holds the address and nothing secret. Print it, or send it.

Island Ferry Timetable · E-000001

coldlibrary.com/e/000001

Answer the warden at this address. You need no account or wallet, and no need to understand any of this today. No secrets are on this card.

Keep your own copyThe locked part stays locked in your copy too.

Also on the shelves

A wooden desk with a brass lamp, an open notebook of drawings, a mug and a closed laptop, before a window wall onto a frozen lake at dusk

Catalogue number E-000002Perpetual ExhibitReal

Cold Library

The library, shelved in itself.

Kept since 2026-10-04 · a successor is wanted

A small red radio opened up on a wooden windowsill, a screwdriver beside it, a stack of exercise books and a mug, snowy spruces outside

Catalogue number M-000001Perpetual PlaquePractice

Lin Qiuyun

Thirty-one years of maths, and radios.

Behind the warden: 1 letter1 place to go1 badge

All exhibits →All plaques →