Director's Update, July 13, 2026

Dear Patrons,

On Tuesday, July 15, 5:30-6:30 p.m., join us at the Main Library for a demonstration of capoeira, a unique Afro-Brazilian art form combining martial arts, dance, music and acrobatics. Following the performance, children will have the opportunity to learn basic capoeira movements. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers.

On Saturday, July 19, 1-4 p.m. stop by the Main Library for a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon to create Wikipedia pages related to artists of color! No experience necessary. Laptops will be provided. This program is generously supported by the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library. Registration is required.

Celebrate Summer Sundays at the O’Neill Branch on Sunday, July 20, from 2-4 p.m. with soft serve from Frosty Ice Cream. Listen to some summer tunes and learn about our all-ages summer reading!

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.  

• Sing Alongs

• Story Times

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                    

• One-on-One Tech Help

Summer Reading: Live Animal Program with Harvard Alpaca Ranch (O'Connell)
Monday, July 14
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Alpacas from the Harvard Alpaca Ranch will be visiting the library for an educational program and meet and greet. Join us to learn more about alpacas and take some time to say hello! This event is intended for school-age children. No registration required.

Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.

Drop-in Hours with the Social Worker (Central Square)

Monday, July 14
2-5 p.m.

Get support from our Library social worker!

Zach Adams presents: Birds of New England (Main)
Monday, July 14
6-7:30 p.m.

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Zach Adams—Birder, writer, and conservationist—for a discussion of his debut field guide, Birds of New England, which includes stunning photos, maps, and nuanced information on how to locate and identify each unique bird. Registration is required.

Google Drive Basics (O’Neill)
Tuesday, July 15
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Learn how to create folders and organize your files on Google Drive! Google Drive is your online file storage that is connected to your Google account. You will learn how to use Google Drive to manage your files and images. 

A Google (Gmail) account is required for the class. Please remember your email address and password, you will need them to sign in and practice during the class. Laptops will be provided for the class. To view and register for other Basic Tech Classes at the Library, please go to tinyurl.com/basictechclass. Registration is encouraged but not required. 

Sit 'n' Knit (Main)
Tuesday, July 15
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.     

Drop-In Tech Help at the Library (Central Square)
Tuesday, July 8, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Friday, July 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Looking for some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Want help using an online resource? Need someone to read your resume and support navigating online job applications? Join us for our drop-in help hours between 4 and 6p.m. No registration required. If you have any questions, please contact library@cambridgema.gov.

Beading for Reading (O'Neill)
Tuesday, July 15
5:30-6:30 p.m.

Make a beaded bracelet or keychain to help keep track of your Summer Reading in a fun and creative way! This program is open to people of all ages. No registration is required.

Capoeira for Everyone with Mass Capoeira (Main)
Tuesday, July 15
5:30-6:30 p.m.

Join us for a demonstration of capoeira, a unique Afro-Brazilian art form combining martial arts, dance, music and acrobatics. Following the performance, children will have the opportunity to learn basic capoeira movements. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers.

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, July 15
6:30-7:30 p.m. 

Bring your project, yarn and needles to enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters.

One-on-One Tech Help by Appointment (O'Neill)
Wednesday, July 16
10-10:30 a.m.

Looking for some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Want to learn how to access audiobooks and eBooks? Stop by at the O'Neill Branch Library for a tech help appointment! Sessions will be limited to 30-minutes for each patron. Registration is strongly encouraged but not required. If you have any questions, please contact 617-349-4023

Smartphone Photography [55+] (Main)
Wednesday, July 16
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

We live in an age where we carry our smartphones everywhere we go. Built into this device is a camera that can help us document the world around us. This 12-week class will teach you how to take and edit photos. You need only bring two things to this class: your smartphone and your imagination. Registration is required.

Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O'Connell)
Wednesday, July 16
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! 

Dinosaurs! with Dinoman (O’Neill)
Wednesday, July 16
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

With magic, merry mayhem, and magnificent inflatable dinosaurs, Dinoman will take you on a trip through the Mesozoic Era. Recommended for children ages 4 and up and their caregivers. This event will happen outdoors. In case of bad weather, this program will happen inside the Peabody School.

Summer Reading: Reading with Animals from Land's Sake Farm (Central Square)
Wednesday, July 16
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join us for a story time where we learn about the animals that live at Land’s Sake Farm! Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers. Registration is recommended. Space may be limited.

Storytelling with Ben Cunningham (O’Connell)
Wednesday, July 16
4-5 p.m.

Musical instruments bring stories to life in this interactive show. Recommended for children ages 5 and up with a caregiver.

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, July 16
3:30-5 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 be creating our own musical instruments!

One-on-One Tech Help by Appointment (Boudreau)
Wednesday, July 15
4-4:45 p.m.

Would you like help navigating the library's e-resources like Libby or Hoopla? Or maybe you need some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Book a free one-on-one tech help session at the Boudreau branch. Registration is required. If you have questions, please send them to: ipachoncaballero@cambridgema.gov.

Summer Reading: Patio Project (O'Connell)
Wednesday, July 16
5-6 p.m.

Join us for STEAM activities for all ages! We will be using household items to make straw rockets. In case of weather complications, this program will be held inside.

Summer Reading: Bring Your Own Book (Main)
Wednesday, July 16
6:30-7:30 p.m.

Join for a casual discussion of your recent reads relating to a monthly theme from your Summer Reading Bingo Board. No specific book required! This month's theme is: read a book translated from another language. Enjoy light snacks, good company, and great book recommendations from your fellow readers! For ideas of what to read on this theme, click here!  For more information about Summer Reading Bingo, click here! Registration is required.

Summer Reading: Reading with Chickens from Land's Sake Farm (Collins)
Thursday, July 17
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Join us for a story time where we learn about the animals that live at Land’s Sake Farm! This story time will feature chickens. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers. No registration required.

Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, July 17
2:30-3:30 p.m.

Join our librarians for tea, cookies and a jigsaw puzzle. An hour of fun and conversation on a Thursday afternoon at the Cambridge Main Library.

Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)
Thursday, July 17
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!

Teen Journaling (O'Connell)
Thursday, July 17
5-6 p.m.

We'll provide a blank journal for you to decorate and write whatever you feel. Recommended for ages 12-18.

Twilight Music and Movement (Central Square)
Thursday, July 17
5:30-6 p.m.

If you're looking to shake your sillies out before bed, join us for thirty minutes of music and movement! This evening dance party will be full of maracas and tambourines, colorful scarves, and lots of movement and dance. Recommended for ages 0-5 and their caregivers. For more information, please call the Central Square Branch Children's Room at 617-349-4012.

CPL Nature Club: Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Collins)
Friday, July 17
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 Collins Branch Library at 64 Aberdeen Ave at 10:15 am. We will walk to Mt. Auburn Cemetery together (about a five minute walk). Please try to be on time as we will leave shortly after 10:15! 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 space becomes available. This program is full; a waitlist is available.

Summer Reading: Hooping Program with Wildkat Hoops (Main)
Friday, July 17
11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Put on your dancing shoes for an unforgettable workshop of hula hoop magic with Kat Suwalski! You will learn basic hooping moves while increasing hand-eye coordination, strength, balance, and agility. No prior hooping experience is required. Hoops are provided. Recommended for children ages 5 and up and their caregivers.

Live Animal Program with Mass Audubon (O'Connell)
Friday, July 17
1-2 p.m.

What better way to learn about wildlife than by observing them in person? Meet local wildlife ambassadors and discover the amazing adaptations that help them survive in the wild. Ask questions and learn what you can do to protect the wildlife of Cambridge. For children of all ages and their caregivers.

Stay Cool Craft (Boudreau)
Friday, July 17
2-3 p.m.

Join us for a nice, cool afternoon of crafting at the Boudreau branch. All crafting materials will be provided by the library. This event is intended for school-age children. No registration necessary - this event is open to all while supplies last.

Cozy Crafternoon (Collins)
Saturday, July 18
3:30-5 p.m.

Come get creative at Collins! Join your neighbors at this casual, self-guided afternoon craft session for adults. Bring your own projects or start something new with assorted materials provided. No expertise required, snacks provided, registration encouraged.

Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon: Artists of Color (Main)
Saturday, July 19
1-4 p.m.

Join us as we edit and create Wikipedia pages related to artists of color! At an edit-a-thon, people work together to contribute to Wikipedia, often focusing on expanding our knowledge of underrepresented groups. You might add to the information on an existing page, create a new one, find reliable sources for others to use, or copyedit and format a page. No experience necessary! Laptops will be provided. This program is generously supported by the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library. Registration is required.

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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:
At the Cambridge Public Library, we welcome all, inspire minds, and empower community. We support a Cambridge where everyone has equitable opportunities to learn, people live their best lives and democracy thrives. The Library’s programming provides an opportunity for civic dialogue, conversation, and learning, which includes exploring a wide range of views. Visit our website to learn more. Subscribe to our email list to stay up to date on our events here.