Director's Update, November 2, 2025

Dear Patrons, 

On Thursday, November 6, 5-8:30 p.m, join the Cambridge Public Library in celebrating the winners and honorees of the 2025 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards! First presented in 1967, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards celebrate excellence in children’s and young adult literature. A book signing will follow the Awards Ceremony. Books will be available for purchase on-site. Registration is required.

On Saturday, November 8, 1-3:30 p.m., the Cambridge Black History Project invites you to celebrate our oral history narrators. Join us at the Main Library for an afternoon of refreshments and conversation as we pay tribute to our rich storytelling tradition. Connect with our community and us! Registration is required.

On Saturday, November 8, 2-4 p.m., join Maria Lawton for a presentation on Portuguese cooking at the Valente Branch. Maria is the creator and host of the multi-award-winning PBS series Maria’s Portuguese Table, and the author of two beloved cookbooks: Azorean Cooking: From My Family Table to Yours and At My Portuguese Table, winner of the Bronze IPPY Award. This event is generously sponsored by the The Manuel Rogers, Sr. & Mary R. Rogers Endowment Fund. Registration is required.

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

Aging with Mindfulness (Virtual)
Monday, November 3
9-10 a.m.

This program, led by Zeenat Potia, will introduce and utilize mindfulness techniques to help us examine and regulate everyday life changes with a focus on aging.  Participants will learn and benefit from the development of a mindfulness practice to enable responding to getting older in a calm, clear and thoughtful manner. Registration is required. This is a virtual event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event.

Wellness for Older Adults: Let Your Yoga Dance (Virtual)
Monday, November 3
11-11:45 a.m.

A fun, dynamic, and ultimately blissful class.  We'll work our way through the seven energy centers (chakras) with Let Your Yoga Dance. You will leave with a good workout and a peaceful happy mind/body/spirit. Good for everybody! Registration is required for each session. This is a virtual event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event.

Meditation Mondays (Central Square)
Monday, November 3
12-1 p.m.

Start your week off right with some meditation at the Central Square Library. Led by the Library Social Worker, Brett Dixon, we combine gentle breathwork, visualization practice and mindful meditation, for a relaxing and recharging experience.

Chess Hour (Boudreau)
Monday, November 3
5-6 p.m.

Come join us at the Boudreau branch for a chess challenge. Players of all skill levels and all ages are welcome to participate. Chess sets will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you prefer. This is not an instructional class, but rather a gathering for individuals who want to play and test their skills against other members of the community. There's no need to register in advance - simply drop by and challenge yourself to improve your mastery of this classic game! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 617-349-4017 or via email: ipachoncaballero@cambridgema.gov or mmcglathery@cambridgema.gov. 

Adult Gaming: Unplugged (Main)
Monday, November 3
6-7:30 p.m.

Are you suffering from chronic information overload? Feeling overwhelmed by too much technology in your life? Join us for an evening of old school board gaming! Relax and recharge your internal battery with one of our classic board games or bring your own personal fave. Gaming: Unplugged takes place on the first Monday of every month from 6:00 -- 7:30 PM in the Rossi Room. Be there or be square!

Remembering Together: Grief Support Group (Central Square)
Tuesday, November 4
12-1 p.m.

The "Remembering Together" support group is for patrons who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Facilitated by the library social worker, this online group offers a safe and confidential online space for peers to come together, share common experiences and heal in community. If you are interested in participating, or simply learning more about this offering, please email Brett Dixon, the library social worker, at bdixon@cambridgema.gov. 

Wellness for Older Adults: Chair Yoga (Central)
Tuesday, November 4
1:30-2:30 p.m.

Join us each Tuesday afternoon at the Central Square Branch for Chair Yoga, led by experienced instructor Louise Parker.  No equipment needed. This is an in-person program taking place in the Lewis Room at Central Square.  Registration is required for each session. 

Sit ‘n’ Knit (Main)
Tuesday, November 4
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, mend. Refreshments will be provided.

Crafternoon: Make Your Own Book (Main)
Tuesday, November 4
4:30-5:30 p.m.

Celebrate Family Literacy Month by binding your own book! Choose a custom cover and learn a simple bookbinding method. All materials are provided. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Registration is not required for this event.

Free Drop-in Tutoring for Teens (Main)
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
5-6 p.m.

Do you 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 required. Stop by the Teen Room or call 617-349-4027 to learn more.

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, November 4
6:30-7:30 p.m.

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

Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O'Connell)
Wednesday, November 5
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: Medicinal Plant Walk at Alewife Reservation (O’Neill)
Wednesday, November 5
2:30-4 p.m.

Join clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy for a walk around the Alewife Reservation to learn about the medicine, botany and magic of medicinal herbs. We will discuss medicinal plants in Cambridge and their specific indications and properties. Bring a notebook as we delight in the bounty of our neighborhood! We will meet at the DCR boardwalk. Registration is required. 

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, November 5
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 be making jewelry!

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (Valente)
Wednesday, November 5
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. 

Expressive Healing Group (Central Square)
Wednesday, November 5
4-5 p.m.

The Expressive Healing Group is a support group co-facilitated by the Central Square Branch Manager, Ruby Vail, and the Library Social Worker, Brett Dixon, that offers a safe and nonjudgmental space to explore healing and self-expression through the art of creative writing

Alphabet Craft Time (O’Connell)
Wednesday, November 5
5:30-6:30 p.m.

Come hear stories and songs about things that start with the letter C and make a cookie cutter craft. We will be using scissors and glue. Recommended for ages 4-6 with a caregiver.

CPL Nature Club: Elder Walks (Boudreau)
Thursday, November 6
10:30-11:30 a.m.

Join guide Stefanie Haug while exploring our neighborhood nature and celebrating Elderhood. As a group we'll connect with nature and the neighborhood mindfully with a gentle walk and draw on contemplative practices. Bring layered clothing, comfortable shoes and water. Meet outside the Boudreau entrance. Registration is required. 

Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, November 6
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.

After-school Craft: 3D Pens (Boudreau)
Thursday, November 6
3-5 p.m.

Stop by the Boudreau Branch after school for a drop-in craft using fun STEAM equipment from the library!

Read to a Dog (Valente)
Thursday, November 6
3:30-5 p.m.

Read to Dante, our local cuddly therapy dog! Trained therapy dogs provide warm and non-judgmental reading companions for new or experienced readers up to age 14. Registration for each 15-minute time slot is required and begins on Thursday, October 30, by calling or visiting the Valente Branch (617-349-4015). 

Teen Hangout
Thursdays, November 6
3:30-5 p.m.

Hangout with other teens in the Valente Branch Community Room after school: socialize, unwind, play a game, make some art - your choice!

Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)
Thursday, November 6
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!

Brewery Book Club (Lamplighter Brewing)
Thursday, November 6
7-8:30 p.m.

You’re invited to our November Brewery Book Club, where Lamplighter and the Cambridge Public Library team up to highlight contemporary works from marginalized voices while having a beer. We meet at Lamplighter Brewing Co., 284 Broadway, in the back taproom. This month we’ll read We Will be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People by Nemonte Nenquimo.

Meditation for Wisdom and Renewal: A Retreat for Elders (Main Library)
Friday, November 7
1-4 p.m.

Join us for a 3-hour Community Retreat.  Mindfulness offers a gentle yet powerful way to meet the challenges of aging with calm, resilience, and compassion. In this retreat, we will explore simple practices that can be adapted for all bodies and abilities. Together, we will create space for quiet contemplation and personal reflection, while also fostering a sense of community among elders walking this stage of life side by side. Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced before, you will leave with practical tools to support your well-being and cultivate greater wisdom in daily life. Come as you are—all levels of experience are welcome. Presented in partnership with the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center. 

Kids’ Zine Collective (O’Neill)
Friday, November 7
4-5 p.m.

What's a zine? And how do I make one? Come find out! Kids are invited to explore making, copying, sharing, and swapping zines. Making zines will include activities like writing, drawing, and using a photocopier. For kids ages 7 and up. Snacks are provided! 

Youth Dungeons and Dragons (Valente)
Friday, November 7
4-5:30 p.m.

Youth ages 10-16 are welcome to join for three sessions of cooperative role-play and storytelling as we build out skills playing the table-top game DnD. The first session will include a character-building introduction followed by play continued into the next two sessions. No prior DnD experience is required, and experienced players are also welcome to join.  Registration is required, as the program is capped at 8 players. Please plan to attend all sessions!

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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.