Director's Update, November 30, 2025

Dear Patrons,

On Tuesday, December 2, join us for a Know Your Rights presentation led by an attorney from De Novo. This session will share important updates for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, including: How to renew your TPS; Work permit and travel information; Legal supports and available resources. Registration is encouraged, and pizza will be provided.

Join us on December 4, from 6-7:30 p.m., for the latest installment of the Our Path Forward Lecture Series with Rachel Slade, the author of Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. (And How It Got That Way)—as well as the national bestseller, Into the Raging Sea. Slade's book, which follows a young couple in Maine trying to kickstart a lost industry, was named a Publishers Weekly "Top 10 Pick in Business and Economics." Cosmopolitan called Making It in America an "enlightening look at the history of manufacturing in America and how we got to where we are today." After the lecture, Slade will answer questions from the audience. Registration is required.

Best,

Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries 

                                                                                     +++

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

Aging with Mindfulness (Virtual)
Monday, December 1
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: Zumba Gold (Virtual)
Monday, December 1
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, December 1
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, December 1
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.

Remembering Together: Grief Support Group (Central Square)
Tuesday, December 2
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, December 2
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, December 2
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.

Youth Dungeons & Dragons Session 1/4 (Valente)
Tuesday, December 2
4-5 p.m.

Youth ages 10-16 are welcome to join four 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 four 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!

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.

Cards for Community (Valente)
Tuesday, December 2
6-7 p.m.

Join us to write holiday cards for your neighbors! We will provide pens, art supplies, and blank cards for you to decorate. You are welcome to bring your own cards if you have them. Registration is required.

Healthy Mouth, Healthy Life (Main)
Tuesday, December 2
6-7:30 p.m.

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Students for Smiles Club and the Cambridge Public Library are hosting a free community event on oral health. Attendees will learn how to brush and floss the right way through a short talk and hands-on practice. The program will also share simple tips for preventing common dental problems and explain when to see a dentist. Free toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and local dental care resources will be available for everyone.

The First Commander Remembered: Washington’s Legacy in Cambridge (Main/Virtual)
Tuesday, December 2
6-7:30 p.m.

To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series. Debunk myths and trace the evolution of the public memory of George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts, featuring:

Registration is required.

Family STEAM Night: "Adventure of the Missing Color" (O'Neill)
Tuesday, December 2
6:30-7:15 p.m.

Families with elementary school-age children join us for hands-on activities focused on Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Math. Adults and children will learn and play together! In December, Science Heroes will present "Adventure of the Missing Color!" Through hands-on experiments and fun, interactive stories, kids will get excited about the science that’s all around us as we celebrate the scientists who color our world with art!

Featuring amazing experiments all about:

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, December 2
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, December 3
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!

Lunch for Teens at the Library (O’Connell)
Wednesday, December 3
1-3 p.m.

Take a break from your studies and join us for lunch! Free pizza will be provided while supplies last and you will have the chance to share your ideas for future events at O’Connell! If you have any dietary restrictions, please call the branch by Monday, Nov 24, 2025 at (617) 349-4019. This is a drop-in event designed for patrons ages 12-18. No registration required.

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, December 3
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 using all kinds of tape!

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (Valente)
Wednesday, December 3
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.

Bicycle Workshop: Rules of the Road (Valente)
Wednesday, December 3
6-7 p.m.

Join the Cambridge Community Development Department for a bicycle workshop on learning the rules of the road at the Valente Branch Library. Registration is required.

This workshop covers the following topics:

Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, December 4
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, December 4
3-5 p.m. 

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

Teen Hangout
Thursdays, December 4
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!

Read to a Dog (Valente)
Thursday, December 4
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 Monday, November 24 by calling or visiting the Valente Branch (617-349-4015).

Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)
Thursday, December 4
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!