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Dear Patrons,
Collins Branch Reopening
Hooray, the Collins Branch Library is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, May 28! Thank you to the Facilities team, the Collins Branch team, and others for helping to coordinate the work and preparing to reopen the Collins Branch. Thank you all for your patience. We can’t wait to welcome you back!
Minuteman Mobile
The Minuteman Library Network has a new app: Minuteman Mobile! Use it to search library collections, browse new titles, reserve items, save your digital library card, and manage your account. If you already have the original Minuteman app installed, it will no longer function after May 31. Download the new Minuteman Mobile app today to continue using your mobile library account!
Upcoming Events
On Tuesday, May 27, from 6-7:30 p.m., join Gretchen Sisson, the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (a finalist for the 2025 Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction) in conversation with Cameron Russell, the author of How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone, at the Main Library. Registration is required.
Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking to start a business in the City of Cambridge? The Central Square Branch Starting a Small Business workshop is a comprehensive, four-week program tailored specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs and established business owners seeking to enhance their business operations. On Tuesday, May 27, from 6:30-8 p.m., join us for the first workshop: Introduction to Business Management. Registration is required.
On Wednesday, May 28, from 4-4:45 p.m., children and their families can join us at the Main Library for live folk music with award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kim Moberg. Enjoy classic folk songs, treasured favorites, and original music! Recommended for school-age children ages 6+ (younger siblings welcome with parent/caregiver). No tickets needed. Thank you to Folk New England and peaceeducators.org for their generous support!
Best,
Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries
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Weekly Activities for Kids
This week, these programs will be offered at our Boudreau, Central Square, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations.
Book Groups
Learn more about our Book Groups.
The Hive Workshops
Check out this week’s classes in The Hive.
ESOL Classes
Find an ESOL Class.
Tech Help
Sit 'n' Knit (Main)
Tuesday, May 27
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters. Drop in with this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick-up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, and mend. Refreshments will be provided.
STEAM Academy: iFp Studio (Main)
Tuesday, May 27; Wednesday, May 28, and Thursday, May 29
3:30-7:30 p.m.
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their energy and creative vision to imagine and build a better world. Blending art, design, science, technology, and storytelling within a social justice framework, teens engage in real-world client-sponsored projects. Teens are invited to learn more on the iFp website and submit an application.
Free Drop-in Tutoring for Teens (Main)
Tuesday, May 27, Wednesday, May 28, and Thursday, May 29
5-6 p.m.
Need help with a class? Have a question before an exam? Tutors are available to help you! Cambridge School Volunteers and the Library are pleased to offer tutoring services in the Teen Room. No registration is required. Stop by or call 617-349-4027 to learn more.
Movie Night: Past Lives (Valente)
Tuesday, May 27
6-7:45 a.m.
Join us for movie night at the Valente Branch! We will be showing the film Past Lives, directed by Celine Song, featuring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro. We will provide popcorn & candy. Registration is recommended.
CPL Presents: Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (Main)
Tuesday, May 27
6-7:30 p.m.
Join Gretchen Sisson, the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (a finalist for the 2025 Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction) in conversation with Cameron Russell, the author of How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone.
Gretchen Sisson is a research sociologist at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, where she studies abortion and adoption in the United States. Her research was cited in the Supreme Court's dissent for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and has been covered in the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, The Nation, NPR, New York Magazine, VOX, Mother Jones, and many other outlets. Registration is required.
Starting a Business Workshop Series: Introduction to Business Management (Central Square)
Tuesday, May 27
6:30-8 p.m.
Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking to start a business in the City of Cambridge. This workshop is a comprehensive, four-week program tailored specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs and established business owners seeking to enhance their business operations. The curriculum addresses key aspects of business operations. This series of workshops will establish a solid foundation in essential principles of entrepreneurship and business ownership. Registration is required.
Workshop 1: Introduction to Business Management (Date: Tuesday May 27th, 2025)
Key principles of entrepreneurship and business ownership
Business planning and setting actionable goals
Understanding the fundamentals of customer service
Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, May 27
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Bring your project, yarn and needles to enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters.
CPL Nature Club: Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Collins)
Wednesday, May 28
10:15-11:30 a.m.
Join us for a morning walk at one of the most renowned birdwatching spots in Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery! We will help you identify birds, learn birdwatching tips and tricks, and familiarize yourself with migratory birds as well as those that can be spotted all year round. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. The walk will meet at the Bird Sighting Board near the front entrance of Mt. Auburn Cemetery at 10:15 am. Registration is required. This event can only accommodate a certain number of participants. One registration is good for one person. If you do not register, you cannot participate. Those on the waitlist will be contacted if a space becomes available. This program is full; a waitlist is available.
Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O'Connell)
Wednesday, May 28
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters Drop-in with this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend, cross stitch and more. All crafts are welcome!
CPL Nature Club: Nature Story Time at Alewife Brook Reservation (O'Neill)
Wednesday, May 28
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Children and families can join us for an outdoor story time and short walk at Alewife Brook Reservation. We will meet at the seating area on the bike path near the Alewife Brook Pathway and DCR Wetland Boardwalk: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CC32nJqG1Xk3b5zDA. There is no parking available on-site. Parking is available at Alewife MBTA station or limited on-street parking on Cambridgepark Drive. No registration is required. In case of bad weather, this event will be postponed to June 4 and the listing will be updated on the website. Please call 617-349-4023 with any questions, including day-of weather cancellations.
Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, May 28
2:30-4 p.m.
Come to the Library for games and a different activity each week! Kids of all ages can hang out and do crafts or STEAM activities. No registration required. This week we will make arts and crafts inspired by Studio Ghibli.
Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (Valente)
Wednesday, May 28
2:30-4 p.m.
Come to the Library for games and a different activity each week! Kids of all ages can hang out and do crafts or STEAM activities. No registration required.
Read to a Dog (O'Connell)
Wednesday, May 28
4-5 p.m.
Read with Bowie the Therapy Dog from Pets & People! Therapy dogs provide warm and non-judgmental reading companions for new or experienced readers of all ages. Registration for each 10-minute time slot is required and begins a week in advance. Sign up by phone or in person at the O'Connell Branch (617-349-4019).
Folk Concert for Children and Families: Award Winning Musician Kim Moberg (Main)
Wednesday, May 28
4-4:45 p.m.
Join us for live Folk Music with award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kim Moberg and enjoy classic folk songs, treasured favorites, and original music! Kim was born in Juneau, Alaska, the daughter of a mother of Alaskan Native Tlingit descent and a US Coast Guard veteran father from Kansas. Her mission is to connect people in empathy and social consciousness through the storytelling power of Folk Music. Recommended for school-age children ages 6+ (younger siblings welcome with parent/caregiver). No tickets needed. Thank you to Folk New England and peaceeducators.org for their generous support!
Cybersecurity Basics (Virtual)
Wednesday, May 28
6-7 p.m.
Learn how to be safer online with accounts and passwords. We will provide an overview of frauds and scams to watch out for. To view and register for other Basic Tech Classes at the Library, please go to tinyurl.com/basictechclass. This is a virtual event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. Registration is recommended, but not required.
Tai Chi Under the Tree (Main)
Wednesday, May 28
6-7 p.m.
Explore Qigong warm-ups and the elements of Tai Chi with instructor Ellen DeGenova. This class offers highly adaptable and accessible ways of moving for everyone. No experience necessary. A seated option will be available. Registration is preferred but not required. In case of inclement weather, this event will take place in the Community Room.
Demystifying Tea Blending (O'Connell)
Thursday, May 29
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Anyone can make a delicious herbal tea blend! In this class, presented by herbalist Mo Katz-Christy, we will discuss a handful of common herbs for tea: their uses, flavors, energies, and what they add to a blend. We will smell each of the herbs and taste some as well, learning how the flavors blend and how they complement each other. Part information and science, part sensory exploration, this class will be as playful as it is educational! Bring your own jar to take your tea blend home. Registration is required and will open May 15.
Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, May 29
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Join our librarians for tea, cookies and a jigsaw puzzle. An hour of fun and conversation on a Monday afternoon at the Cambridge Main Library.
Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)
Thursday, May 29
4-5 p.m.
Bring your project and join other fiber crafters in your community! Crochet, sew, embroider, knit, cross stitch, spin, mend, and more at this informal drop-in fiber arts circle. All crafts are welcome!
Cambridge Cooks with DIG (Main)
Thursday, May 29
6-7 p.m.
Learn how to make (and taste) DIG's frisée tossed with green beans, charred scallions, and roasted red pepper dressed in romesco sauce. Cambridge Cooks invites local chefs for a free cooking demonstration, followed by a Q&A with the chef. Registration is required.
Kick Back and Watch a Movie (Central Square)
Friday, May 30
3-5 p.m.
Come watch a film on Central Square Library’s big screen and eat free popcorn! No registration required.
Cambridge Young Authors' Squad - CYAS (O'Neill)
Friday, May 30
4-5 p.m.
Young people ages 10 to 14 who love to write are welcome to share their ideas and writing. There will be time for share-outs/workshopping, as well as group or solo writing. Snacks are provided! If you are attending for the first time, registration is helpful, but not required.
Internet Basics: Job Searching (Main)
Saturday, May 31
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Learn how to use web browsers to conduct a job search. To view and register for other Basic Tech Classes at the Library, please go to tinyurl.com/basictechclass.
Drop-in Maker Studio (O'Neill)
Saturday, May 31
1-3 p.m.
Come to the Library to create something special! Use your own supplies or try out our equipment! You can use our 1-inch button maker, 2.5 inch button maker, 3-D Doodle pens, or Janome sewing machines. The Library will provide basic supplies. This drop-in program is for people who feel comfortable using these machines on their own. The Library will not provide instruction. Anyone wishing to use the sewing machines must have completed a Sewing 101 training through the Library. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Stay Connected
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All the best!
Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries
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About the Cambridge Public Library:
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