City Calendar

Intermediate ESOL

Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

English class for the non-native speaker: this class focuses on speaking. Students will practice public speaking and will work on developing clear speech. For ages 16 and up. On-going. No registration is necessary. Contact: Maria Balestrieri, mbalestrieri@cambridgema.gov

Advanced ESOL (Central Square)

Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Advanced ESOL (Central Square)

IFP Robotics

Main Library, Community Room, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

This event is part of a series that requires pre-registration, presented in collaboration with Innovators for Purpose. To learn more about IFP and the Robotics program, please visit their website: bit.ly/ifprobotics2018-19

Photography Exhibit: Mara Gibbs

Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Viewing Schedule: Opening reception: Saturday, May 11, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Monday, May 13, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Tuesday, May 14, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday, May 16, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm Saturday, May 18, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Sunday, May 19, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Monday, May 20, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 3:00 pm – 8:00 pm Wednesday, May 22, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Thursday, May 23, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm Tuesday, May 28, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Thursday, May 30, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Saturday, June 1, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Monday, June 3, 10:00 am – 11:00 am Please join The Cambridge Public Library and the family of Margalit ‘Mara’ Gibbs in celebrating her photographs. Mara had a passion for both traditional darkroom processes and vibrant, digital effects. Her black-and-white photographs, many taken in public places, are rich observations of daily life, full of texture and luminously gradated light and shadow. In her color work, Mara experimented with transparency, collage, and constructed narratives. Much of Mara’s work revolves around loneliness, abandonment, decay, bruising, tenderness, and hope. The narrative works are alternatingly surreal, mischievous, elegant, and somber, messy and ephemeral. Together, the photographs in the exhibition reveal the range and depth of Mara’s skills and subject interests, including: portraits of family and friends; self-portraiture; public life; life at Reed College: and experimentations in color and abstraction. These photographs are intense, complex, intimate, and full of charisma. Born to Lauren Gibbs and Steven Flax, Mara was named Margalit after Steven’s mother, Pearl, and Lauren’s mother, Pat. Margalit is the modern Hebrew form of Margaret, which means pearl. She grew up in and around Cambridge (her mother living in Cambridge and her father living in Roslindale, Brookline and then Somerville before joining Mara in Cambridge). A creative child, Mara began composing songs at age four, and by the time she was five identified as a math girl, taking every math class offered at CPSD. She danced, wrote poetry and song lyrics, and drew with pencil, charcoal and pastels. Mara attended high school at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where she often felt that most of her learning occurred in the Photography Department. At the same time, she found English, History, Chemistry, and Psychology as well as Math to be additional favorite subjects. She took dance and then lacrosse at CRLS. Mara won Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards for her photography, and graduated in 2015. At Reed College, Mara took photographs all the time, but did not take photography classes. Her favorite courses at Reed included philosophy, economics, and computer science. Mara had two computer science internships – with GlooPen (a messaging/chat application with a game component) and with The Reed College Software Design Studio. Mara’s life ended tragically during her sophomore year at Reed College, in an off-campus apartment fire. At a life celebration for Mara at Reed shortly after she died, friends shared memories and anecdotes, relating her propensity for dispensing hugs and humor. She will be missed. The works in this exhibition were printed at Pushdot Studios in Portland, Oregon.

Preschool Storytime

Main Library, Rey Room, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Children ages 3-5 and their caregivers. This program can accommodate 45 people. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the program. The entire party must be present to receive a ticket. This program starts promptly, and unfortunately we cannot accommodate latecomers. Unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information.

Mayors Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tenant Displacement

City Hall, 2nd Floor Sullivan Chamber, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139

The Mayor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Tenant Displacement is a partnership between Mayor Marc McGovern and Councillor Sumbul Siddiqui, who will chair the meetings, to provide policy guidance on how to prevent displacement in the Cambridge community.

Cambridge Arts Public Art Commission meeting

Cambridge Arts, City Hall Annex, second floor, 344 Broadway, Cambridge.

Cambridge Arts Public Art Commission holds its regular monthly meeting.

Computer Class: Google Sheets

Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Learn how to use Google Sheets, a free and simple online spreadsheet creator, similar to Microsoft Excel. We’ll learn how to: Organize data in a spreadsheet Calculate numbers automatically in a spreadsheet using formulas Create graphs from data in a spreadsheet Work collaboratively, leaving and responding to comments in a spreadsheet Please note: If you are new to Google, it is highly recommended that you sign up for one of the following CPL Computer workshops or series before taking Google Sheets: Google Basics, Internet Basics, or Google Apps & Cloud. All participants should have a Google account before class. Get a head start: Learn about the basics of Google Sheets. Register here for this three-session series.

Computer Class: Google Sheets

Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

Learn how to use Google Sheets Google Sheets is a free and simple online spreadsheet creator, similar to Microsoft Excel. We'll learn how to: organize data in a spreadsheet, calculate numbers automatically in a spreadsheet using formulas, create graphs from data in a spreadsheet, and work collaboratively on a spreadsheet. Register here.

Contemporary Reading Group

Main Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138

May Read: <!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> Circe by Madeline Miller When: The third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 - 7:00PM (except July & August). Where: Rossi Room, Main Library Reading Interests: The group concentrates on fiction, memoirs, and popular nonfiction. Some of the past selections include: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, and Transatlantic by Colum McCann. Requirements: A love of reading and talking about books. The group is casual and informal. Copies of the book are available at the Main Library Question and Answer Desk. For more information, contact Susannah Borysthen-Tkacz (617-349-4041; sbtkacz@cambridgema.gov).