Search

AI is the most transformative technology of our time, yet decisions about its future are being shaped by a small group of people. As AI becomes embedded in our daily lives, the voices of young people, families, educators, and community members matter more than ever. Join us for an inclusive, intergenerational gathering where we explore what is at stake, what is possible, how we can collectively shape a more humane and equitable future in the age of AI. AI and Us Showcase — Discover how young people, researchers, and community organizations are shaping AI for humanity. Town Hall Conversations — Hear from thought leaders and youth voices on why our participation in AI’s future is not optional. Community Commitment Wall — Add your hope or promise for a future where everyone belongs in the story of AI Panelists include digital artist Dr. Nettrice Gaskins; Dr. Pedro Reynolds-Cuellar, a Research Scientist at the Robotics and AI Institute; Mark Lannigan, the Regional Director for Senator Ed Markey; Dr. Nathan Sanders, a Data Scientist at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center; Dr. Maria Madison, the Principal Investigator in the Racial Justice and Tech Program at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management; Dr. Deb Roy, the Director of the Constructive Communication Center at the MIT Media Labs; and Dr. Dia Ghosh, the Founder of Joint Family. Panelists will also include Gianluca Álvarez and Jeremy Miranda Casildo, youth AI Research Interns with Innovators for Purpose.

Public meeting of the Cambridge American Freedmen Commission's Community Outreach Subcommittee, held online on Thursday, July 9, from 6:30 - 8:30 PM

February selection: The Weeds by Katy Simpson Smith. Join us in person or online to discuss a selection of fiction and nonfiction titles for adults. Please register below if you would like to attend via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants one hour before the event. Print copies are available to pick up during library hours. For more information, contact Jo Percell (they/them) at jpercell@cambridgema.gov

February selection: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray. Join us in person or online to discuss a selection of fiction and nonfiction titles for adults. Please register below if you would like to attend via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants one hour before the event. Print copies are available to pick up during library hours. For more information, contact Jo Percell (they/them) at jpercell@cambridgema.gov

Join us for a lively discussion of a great early middle grade book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-9 and a caregiver. This month’s book will be Real Pigeons Fight Crime! by Andrew McDonald. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s—wait, it really IS a bird! Take another look, because what looks like an ordinary pigeon might just be a hero saving your butt! Meet the crime-fighting pigeons secretly flying around chasing bad guys in the first book of this series. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the meeting, copies are available behind the Children’s Desk. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Rachel: rbeaton@cambridgema.gov

This week's selection: Raymond Carver, "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," "A Small, Good Thing," and " Cathedral." Reading Interests: We concentrate on Great Books in the following areas: a long novel over the summer, two sections of poetry and short stories, a book of the Bible, a Shakespeare play, an ancient and modern drama, a work of science, a smaller work of fiction, an even smaller work of fiction, and a rotating mix of politics, philosophy, and religion. Authors read in the past five years include Dickens, Keats and Yeats, O'Connor and Munro, Ecclesiastes, Sophocles and August Wilson, Darwin, Austen, Duras, The Federalist Papers, and Arendt. How to get the print book: Copies of the reading are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library at 449 Broadway during current service hours and a staff member can help you get a copy. How to register: Registration is required. Click the registration link below to register. This is a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. For more information, contact Drew Griffin (dgriffin@cambridgema.gov)

Residents who are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits can now apply online for the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. The new federal program provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to those who are unable to work because of a COVID-19-related reason but are not eligible for regular or extended unemployment benefits. This includes self-employed workers, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and those with limited work history.

Not sure what comes next? Join career coach Sara Reese for an interactive workshop which will help participants identify interests, strengths, and values while exploring careers that align with their goals. Learn about high demand industries in Greater Boston, local education and training options, and practical tools to help you plan your next career move. This class is part of the series Navigating Today's Job Market. You are welcome to join one or all sessions. 1. Career Exploration: Mapping Your Future. O'Neill Branch 11/03, 6-7:30 p.m. 2. LinkedIn Profile+ Building a Professional Network. Central Square Branch 11/10, 6:15-7:45 p.m. 3. Power Your Future: Careers in the Building Trades + Green Energy. Main Library 11/17, 6-7:30 p.m. 4. Creative Careers: Art, Design, Music + More. Main Library-The Hive 12/1, 6-7:30 p.m.

The City of Cambridge, through its Community Benefits Advisory Committee, is pleased to announce a new competitive round of grant funding. This funding is intended to address critical needs of Cambridge residents by supporting community-based nonprofit organizations that are well-suited to respond.

Looking for some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Want to learn how to access audiobooks and eBooks? Stop by at the Main Library for our drop-in hours! Drop-in sessions will be limited to 30-minutes for each patron. We can help you with: accessing library eBooks, audiobooks, and other eResources on your devices e-mail and searching the web smartphone and mobile app questions We are not able to help you with: installing advanced software programs completing online transactions for you computer hardware and technical maintenance To view all available timeslots and dates, use the following link: One-on-One Tech Help schedule. Registration is strongly encouraged but not required. If you have any questions, please contact Gina Josette Rivera by email at gjosette@cambridgema.gov