Directors Update October 25 2026

Dear Patrons,  

New federal immigration requirements are changing who qualifies for MassHealth. If you are impacted, MassHealth will reach out to you with more information and mail you documents in a blue envelope. Make sure your information is up to date with MassHealth so they can reach you and check your mailbox! If you have questions about these new requirements, we are here to help. Learn more at www.cambridgema.gov/SNAPMassHealth.

 

Upcoming Events

On Thursday, October 29, from 6-7:30 p.m., join editors Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles for a discussion of America Unfinished, a new collection of essays marking America’s 250th anniversary. Harvard Law School Dean John Goldberg, who also contributed to the collection, will moderate. 

 

Halloween Happenings

Join Mayor Siddiqui and City Manager Huang on Thursday, October 29, from 3–5 p.m. on the lawn of Cambridge City Hall for the City’s annual Halloween Trick or Treat! This free, family-friendly event offers a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween, with activities, candy, and friendly faces from across the City. Non-food treats will also be available, and costumes are encouraged!  

 

Join us at the O’Connell Branch on Friday, October 30, for a Halloween celebration featuring Professor Bugman’s “Spooky Bones and Creepy Crawlies” program! Explore real animal bones, skulls, and skeletons while learning what bones do and how to identify the animals they came from. Treats will be provided, and costumes are encouraged! This program is for children and their caregivers. 

 

Drop in at the O’Neill Branch on Saturday, October 31, from 2-3:30 p.m., for a Halloween Party celebration with stories, crafts and treats. Costumes are encouraged! This program is for children and their caregivers 

 

Best,  

Maria McCauley, Ph.D.  

Director of Libraries  

                                                                                                                            +++

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, October 26
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, October 26
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Put on your dancing shoes to improve flexibility and balance, strengthen muscles and have fun! Certified Zumba Gold instructor Emily B. will lead you through 45 minutes of low-impact and easy-to-follow choreography in your own home through Zoom. Join us! 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.  If you register after that time, please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov to receive the link. 

DIY Face-Painting (O'Neill)
Monday, October 26
3:30-5 p.m.

Kids in 6th, 7th and 8th grade can come to the Library to practice their face painting skills! We will have face paints and mirrors and kids can paint their own or each other’s faces. Snacks provided. No registration necessary.

Creative Aging: Feast of Poetry (Main)
Tuesday, October 27
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Poetry lovers and skeptics alike are invited to this weekly workshop where we’ll read poems that nourish the mind and spirit. We’ll consult a diverse selection of contemporary and classic poets on meaningful topics, share personal reactions, and engage in reflective writing. Sample topics include identity, community, resilience, home, and more. You don’t need to be a writer—or a poetry expert—to participate. Join us and see what’s on the menu!

Wellness for Older Adults: Chair Yoga (Central)
Tuesday, October 27
1-2 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. 

Wellness for Older Adults: Chair Yoga (Central)
Tuesday, October 27
1-2 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, October 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, mend. Refreshments will be provided.

Tarot Readings for Teens (Main)
Tuesday, October 27
3:15-5 p.m.

Tarot tells the story of your life in pictures and is known as a mirror to the soul. Join healer, artist and educator Laura Campagna of Laura Campagna Astrology for drop-in tarot readings at the library. This program is for teens ages 12-18.

Teen Advisory Board (Main)
Tuesday, October 27
4-5 p.m.

Teens, we need YOU:

• Earn community service hours while you help to plan programs and activities for other teens
• Practice collaboration, communication, leadership and social skills
• Learn more about the Library’s mission and values
• Be a creative force for positive change in your community

Are there programs and activities you would like to see at the Library? Come share your ideas! We meet monthly during the school year. No registration is required, and new members and guests are always welcomed. Stop by the Teen Room or call 617-349-4027 to learn more.

Creative Aging: Beginner Improv (Main)
Tuesday, October 27
4-6 p.m.

A 12-week series of beginner's classes with instruction from Comedian Jack Simon. Learn how to seamlessly integrate interactive improv games, scenes, and skillful storytelling that all come together with performance. This will be an in-person program at the Main Library. Space is limited to 15 participants. Due to the popularity and to gain the most out of this program, we expect all participants to commit to all sessions in this 12-week course. Registration is required. This class is full; a waitlist is available. Sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.

Panel Discussion: The Practice of Wisdom (Main)
Tuesday, October 27
6-7:30 p.m.

Cambridge Public Library and Harvard Book Store welcome Davíd Carrasco, the Neil L. Rudenstine Professor of the Study of Latin America at Harvard University, Arthur Kleinman, the Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Anthropology at Harvard, Stephanie Paulsell, Professor Emerita at Harvard Divinity School, and Michael Puett, the Walter C. Klein Professor of Chinese History and Anthropology at Harvard, for a discussion of their new book, The Practice of Wisdom: Five Quests. They will be joined in conversation by Rev. Matthew Ichihashi Potts—Minister in the Memorial Church and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard University. Registration is required.

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, October 27
6:30-7:30 p.m.

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

Here and Now: Crafting Your Story (Central Square)
Tuesday. October 27
6:30-8 p.m.

Jump right into writing in this interactive, memoir-inspired workshop that blends close readings and craft techniques with mindful observation. Through hands-on exercises and discussion, you'll transform your memories of everyday moments into vivid, meaningful stories while developing your unique voice and storytelling skills. Shilpa and Senjuti from Writers without Margins will lead this workshop! Registration is required.

Wellness for Older Adults: Let Your Yoga Dance (Main)
Wednesday, October 28
11:15 a.m.-12 p.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 an in-person class taking place in the Community Room at the Main library. 

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

Thrifting with Threadz Day! (Main)
Wednesday, October 28
2-5 p.m.

Thrift, Style and Shine! Middle school and high school students - enjoy a FREE pop-up thrift shop to build out your fall wardrobe. Clothes, jackets, shoes and more! Everything is free. Sponsored by The Spot and the Teen Room at the Cambridge Public Library.

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, October 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 monster paintings!

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

Board Game Afternoon (Main)
Wednesday, October 28
3-4 p.m.

Join us for an afternoon of board games! Recommended for children ages 5 and up and their caregivers.

Read to a Dog (O’Connell)
Wednesday, October 28
3:30-5 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).

Literary Monsters: Spooky Stories! Shadow Puppets! Live Music! (O'Neill)
Wednesday, October 28
6-7:30 p.m.

Join the Shadow, Sound, Spectacle ensemble for an evening of original live music, shadow puppetry, video projection, and gothic storytelling inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Washington Irving, Emily Dickinson, Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and more. This multimedia performance reimagines iconic gothic figures—Frankenstein’s creature, Poe’s raven, the Headless Horseman—as symbols of resistance, transformation, and queer identity. Shadow, Sound, Spectacle: Literary Monsters is a collaborative performance project led by Northampton-based singer-songwriter Jess Martin (Tiny Desk Contest 2025 entrant), Boston puppeteer Amy West, and musician/visual artist Abby Hanna (Northampton-based). Recommended for teens and adults. 

Citizenship Preparation Classes (Central Square)
Wednesday, October 28
6-8 p.m.

Come join this free 10-week class meeting every Wednesday beginning on September 2 through November 4, 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.

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)

Registration is required. For more information about registering or classes contact St. Marks at stmarkesol@gmail.com or 617-288-8515.

"An Aprann Pale Kreyól": Haitian-Creole Conversational Group (Central Square)
Wednesday, October 28
6:30-7:30 p.m.

If you read that title, and thought to yourself, "HUH?!", you are probably not alone! This phrase is written in Haitian-Creole, which when translated into English means "let's learn to speak Creole (Haitian-Creole)". If you would like to chat it up and learn some phrases with other folks, please join us at the Central Square Branch for an evening of low-effort, but enriching conversational group. This event isn't a language learning group, but a conversational hour-long session. Questions? Contact Daryl at dcabrol@cambridgema.gov.

Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, October 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 Thursday afternoon at the Cambridge Main Library.

Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)
Thursday, October 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!

Puppetry Studio (Main)
Thursday, October 29
5-6:30 p.m.

We will read folktales about cats and compare the different stories as inspiration to write an original tale to be performed on a tiny stage. Using a ChompSaw (a kid-safe power tool), participants will safely cut cardboard to create shadow puppets. We'll host a performance of our masterpiece for family and friends on the final session.  This four-week puppetry workshop is for youth ages 8-12 and meets 5:00-6:30 p.m. on Thursdays October 8, 15, 22 and 29. This workshop is full.  For questions about Puppetry Studio, please email Natalie at nzylicz@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4038.

Twilight Music and Movement (Central Square)
Thursday, October 29
5:30-6 p.m.

Join us to sing, play with musical props and move together. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers. No registration is required. Please call 617-349-4012 for more information. 

Halloween Movie: Sinners (Central Square)
Thursday, October 29
6:30-9 p.m.

Get in the Halloween spirit and come watch Sinners and eat popcorn at the Central Square Branch Library.

Wellness for Older Adults: Zumba Gold (Main)
Friday, October 29
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Join instructor Darren Hairston for Zumba Gold – the fun and energizing dance fitness class tailored for active older adults and beginners! Set to vibrant, upbeat music, Zumba Gold features low-impact, easy-to-follow dance moves that make staying fit enjoyable and accessible for all fitness levels. Improve your balance, flexibility, and cardio health while having a great time in a supportive and friendly environment. No dance experience needed—just bring your smile and a willingness to move!  

Registration is required every week and will open at 11:30 a.m. the Monday before each class.  Please be aware that if you are on the waitlist, we likely cannot accommodate patrons once we've reached capacity to safely run the program. 

Kick Back & Watch a Movie (Central)
Friday, October 29
3-5 p.m.

Come watch a movie on Central Square Library’s big screen and eat free popcorn! 

Forever Darkness: Twisted Horror Short Stories and Poems for Young Adults (O'Neill)
Friday, October 30
4-5:30 p.m.

Step into the Darkness… if you dare. Come to the writing in the darkness workshop and meet the creative mind behind the madness: teen horror author of Forever Darkness; Twisted Horror Short Stories and Poems for Young Adults, Ma'ayan Harel-Sibelman. Try your hand at terror, pick up the pen, twist the tale and write the story.  This workshop is presented as part of the Cambridge Young Authors' Squad (CYAS). 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.

Kids' Game Shows! (O’Neill)
Friday, October 23
4-5 p.m.

Ever wanted to be on a game show? Love friendly competition? Kids ages 7 to 11, now's your chance, right here at the O'Neill Branch! Each time we meet, we'll be playing a different game "show" based on family favorites like Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Trivia, or Bingo. Come test your knowledge, try your luck, and see who are the champions of the day! Snacks will be provided.              

                                                                                                                            +++

Stay Connected                         

Please subscribe to our e-mail list, follow us on Instagram, or Facebook, and visit our website.           

                                                                                                                            +++

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.