Director's Update, March 29, 2026

Dear Patrons,

Upcoming Programs and Events

Join us on Monday, March 30, from 6-7:30 p.m., for Washington Remembered, Washington Forgotten: Washington and Slavery, and explore how Americans have remembered and forgotten Washington’s involvement with slavery over the past 250 years.  Three historians who work at the intersection of scholarship and public history will shed new light on our founding contradictions:  

• Kelli Racine Barnes, ACE Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow and historian of 18th- and 19th-century U.S. history
• John Garrison Marks, author of Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory (forthcoming April 7, 2026) and Vice President of Research and Engagement at the American Association for State and Local History 
• Kyera Singleton, Executive Director of the Royall House & Slave Quarters and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Tufts University Center for the Humanities

This event will conclude with a book signing by John Garrison Marks. Copies of Thy Will Be Done: George Washington’s Legacy of Slavery and the Fight for American Memory will be available to purchase. 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, Collins, 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                       

• Drop-in Tech Help
• One-on-One Tech Help

Aging with Mindfulness (Virtual)
Monday, March 30
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.

CPL Nature Club: Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mt. Auburn Cemetery (Collins)
Monday, March 30
10:15-11:30 a.m.

Join us for a morning walk at one of the most renowned bird watching 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 a space becomes available.

Wellness for Older Adults: Let Your Yoga Dance (Virtual)
Monday, March 30
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.

Remembering Together: Grief Support Group (Central Square)
Tuesday, March 31
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. 

Sit ‘n’ Knit (Main)
Tuesday, March 31
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.

Teen Advisory Board (Main)
Tuesday, March 31
3-4 p.m.

Teens! Help us plan teen programs for the Library. Earn community service hours. Enjoy free snacks. We meet monthly during the school year. No registration is required. Stop by the Teen Room or call 617-349-4027 to learn more.

Free Drop-in Tutoring for Teens (Main)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays
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 required. Stop by the Teen Room or call 617-349-4027 to learn more.

Linocut Printmaking Workshop (Collins)
Tuesday, March 31
5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join local artist Brooke Lambert for an introduction to the printmaking process of linocut. This class is for adults with all levels of experiences and will cover techniques in carving linoleum, composition, ink mixing, and printing. Create many beautiful prints and collaborate with classmates in a relaxed and welcoming environment! Registration is required and will open on Monday, March 2 at 10 a.m.

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, March 31
6:30-7:30 p.m.

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

Documentary Photography with your Smartphone [55+] (Main)
Wednesday, April 1
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. Whether it’s taking family portraits, beautiful landscapes, or in some cases the meal we just sat down to eat, we’re all constantly taking photos. This class will not only teach you to take the best possible photos, but how to edit your photos to make them look as good as they possibly can. We will also cover how to organize the photos on your phone. We will learn how to become visual storytellers through projects I'll assign each week followed by thoughtful group discussions of your photos. You need only bring two things to this class: your smartphone and your imagination. The workshop will be led by Jerry Russo. Russo received a BFA from Tufts University and a studio diploma from The School of Fine Arts Boston. His photographs are held in the collection of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library at UMass Amherst and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. He was a Traveling Scholar Recipient from The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Registration is required.

Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O'Connell)
Wednesday, April 1
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!

Wellness for Older Adults: Low-impact Fitness (Main) 
Wednesday, April 1
11:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

This class is designed for people of all levels to strengthen the muscles, the heart and the brain--all while having fun and moving to great music! Come as you are and take everything at your own pace. This class is conducted from a standing position and incorporates exercises like modified lunges, cardio, and body resistance strength training.  Registration is required for each session. This is an in-person event in the Community Room of the Main Library. This program is full; a waitlist is available.

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, April 1
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.

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (Valente)
Wednesday, April 1
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. 

Citizenship Preparation Classes (Central Square)
Wednesday, April 1
3-5 p.m.

Come join this free 10-week class, in partnership with St. Mark Community Education Program. This series of classes prepares students for all parts of the Citizenship interview and includes the new 128 civics question list. This class is offered as a 10-week series. Attendance at all sessions is expected. Registration is required.

Click Here to Register

Requirements:

• Intermediate-level English
• Legal Permanent Resident card for 4 years and 9 months (2 years and 9 months if married to a U.S. citizen)

See class Meeting Dates in March. See class Meeting Dates in April. For more information about registering or classes contact St. Marks at stmarkesol@gmail.com or 617-288-8515.

Coding and Web Development 101 (Main)
Wednesday, April 1
6-8p.m.

Would-be programmers with basic computer literacy are invited to join this workshop series. Over eight weeks, participants will learn programming fundamentals, build web pages with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, use developer tools such as Git, and more. There will be time to work on projects and receive guidance from experienced developers, with optional homework materials made available for more in-depth learning. While you can join at any time, starting at the beginning of the course is encouraged for the best experience. Registration is required.

The eight sessions are as follows:

• Session Two (April 8, 2026)
• Session Three (April 22, 2026)
• Session Four (April 29, 2026)
• Session Five (May 6, 2026)
• Session Six (May 13, 2026)
• Session Seven (May 20, 2026)
• Session Eight (May 27, 2026)

Note: Patrons must register for each session they wish to attend; registration for each session opens two weeks before the listed dates.

Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, April 2
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.

Wiggle Party (O'Connell)
Thursday, April 2
3:30-4 p.m.

Join us for a dance party to get your wiggles out! Play a freeze dance game, shake some shakers, and learn the steps to a new dance! For more information, please call the library at (617) 349-4019. 

Teen Hangout (Valente)
Thursday, April 2
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, April 2
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!

Julia Minson presents: How to Disagree Better (Main) 
Thursday, April 2
6-7:30 p.m.

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Julia Minson—behavioral scientist and celebrated professor at the Harvard Kennedy School—for a discussion of her book, How to Disagree Better: The Secret to Less Conflict and More Influence.  Julia Minson is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. She is a behavioral scientist with extensive research experience in conflict, communication, negotiations, and decision-making. Her primary line of research addresses the “psychology of disagreement”—how people engage with opinions, judgments, and decisions that differ from their own. Her work has been published in top academic outlets and covered by CNN, TIME, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. Registration is required.

Mad Science: Radical Robots (O'Neill)
Saturday, April 3
2-3 p.m., and 3:15-4: 15p.m.

Celebrate Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story with Mad Science's Radical Robots Workshop! Explore a world of robots and try your hand at building your own in this hour-long workshop. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Registration is required to participate in the 2-3 p.m. session. Registration is required to participate in the 3:15-4:15 p.m. session.

This event is part of a special series promoting our 2026 Curious George Lecture (CGL) with Jasmine Warga, award-winning author of A Rover's Story, Other Words for Home, and many other popular children's books. Funding is generously provided by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.

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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.