Director's Update, February 26, 2023
2/26/2023 • 13 months ago
Dear Patrons,
We were sad to hear about the passing of the former Mayor and state representative Alice K. Wolf on January 26. Alice served on the Cambridge School Committee from 1974 to 1982 and on the Cambridge City Council from 1984 to 1994. She was the Vice Mayor of Cambridge from 1988 to 1989 and the Mayor of Cambridge from January 1990 to January 1992. Alice was elected to represent the 25th Middlesex District in the State House in 1996 and served the people of Cambridge until her term ended in 2013. During her time at the State House, Alice was the chair of the Committee on Elder Affairs. The Library’s Archives and Special Collections contains material related to the various public offices Alice held throughout her career, including archives related to local, state, and national Democratic politics. Her tenure on the Cambridge City Council is most thoroughly documented in her papers and offers a historic perspective of the city’s most pressing political concerns at the time. I invite you to visit the Cambridge Room to learn more about Alice Wolf and her remarkable legacy of service.
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Here are the week’s programs!
Activities for Kids
These programs will be offered at our Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations. Thank you to our Youth Services librarians for hosting.
Book Groups
Learn more about our Book Groups this week.
Equipment and Studio Reservations (Main)
Monday, February 27, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 28, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1, 1-3 p.m.
Thursday, March 2, 2-5 p.m.
Friday, March 3, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
During this time, anyone who has completed The Hive Safety Training and is badged to use equipment or studios can reserve The Hive’s equipment or studio spaces. Staff will assist participants as they are able. Learn more.
LEGO Time (Main)
Monday, February 27
4-4:45 p.m.
It's a weekly block party! Join friends to design and build amazing LEGO structures. Let your imagination run wild! The Children's Room has plenty of LEGO pieces, so you don't need to bring your own. Be aware that LEGO pieces are choking hazards for young children, so this program is for children ages 5 and up and their caregivers. It can accommodate 30 builders. Children under age 7 must be accompanied by a caregiver. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. This program starts promptly, and any unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. Learn more.
ESOL Class (Valente)
Monday, February 27
6-7 p.m.
Join us for a beginner-level English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class! No testing is needed, and everyone is welcome. For more information, call Maria Balestrieri at 617-349-4013. Learn more.
ESOL Classes (Central Square)
Tuesday, February 28, and Thursday, March 2
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m., and 3-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 1, and Friday, March 3
10:30 a.m.-Noon
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes occur on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Intermediate ESOL is at 11 a.m., High Beginner ESOL is at 1 p.m., and Advanced ESOL is at 3 p.m. Beginner ESOL is at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. Registration is not required. Learn more. Thank you to Maria Balestrieri and Jamie Pittel for their continued efforts on these classes.
Sit 'n' Knit (Main)
Tuesday, February 28
2:30-3 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters. Join this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend–whatever fiber art suits your fancy. Refreshments will be provided.
Teen Advisory Board Meeting (Main)
Tuesday, February 28
4-5 p.m.
Help us plan teen programming at the library! Earn community service hours and 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.
Zing Laser Cutting 101 (Main)
Tuesday, February 28
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Learn how to use our Epilog Zing—an industry-standard laser cutting machine. Complete this workshop to earn a badge for the Zing laser cutter. With a badge, you can reserve the Epilog Zing to use on our equipment booking page at designated times. Note: The Epilog Zing laser cutter and Glowforge laser cutter require separate trainings. You must participate in the Glowforge workshop to operate our Glowforge Pro laser cutter. You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Register here.
Vinyl Cutting 101 (Main)
Tuesday, February 28
7:30-8:30 p.m.
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you can learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You can then design a sticker and cut it out with our vinyl cutter! You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Registration is required.
The Hive Safety Training (Virtual)
Wednesday, March 1
1-1:30 p.m.
In this workshop, you will learn about our makerspace, how to use our resources, and how to keep safe in The Hive. Registration is required. The Zoom link will be sent out an hour before the workshop starts. Before taking workshops in The Hive, all makers must bring signed copies of The Hive User Agreement and Waivers.
Résumé and Job Application Support (Central Square)
Wednesday, March 1
1-3 p.m.
Looking for assistance creating a résumé or finding a job? Join us for help with résumés, job hunting, and online applications. No registration is required. Learn more.
Sew a Softie (O'Neill)
Wednesday, March 1
3-4:30 p.m.
Participate in the Global Kids Sewing Party 2023 at the O'Neill Branch! Kids who have some experience sewing by hand can create a lovable stuffed animal for someone in their community.
The Hive Teen Hangout
Wednesday, March 1
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Have you checked out The Hive yet? Teens are welcome to come learn about our space and try their hand at sticker making, video recording in our studio, and more. This is a drop-in event designed for patrons ages 12-18.
After School Stories and Crafts (Central Square)
Wednesday, March 1
4-5 p.m.
Join us in the Children's Room for a fun craft and related stories. For more information, call 617-349-4010. Recommended for ages 5-10.
Free Drop-In Tutoring for Teens (Main)
Wednesday, March 1
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 Cambridge Public Library are pleased to offer tutoring services in the Teen Room from 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. Please contact Megan Andres (mandres@cpsd.us) with questions.
The Hive Drop-In Studio
Wednesday, March 1, and Saturday, March 5
5:30-8:30 p.m., 12:30-4:30 p.m.
This is an opportunity to check out what The Hive is all about and get started exploring and making right away! Learn about our workshop offerings, special programs, and more. Equipment and studios will be available for limited time slots on a first-come, first-serve basis. Pre-registration is not required. Staff will assist patrons as they are able. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a guardian 18 or older.
Lamp x the CPL Present: A Book Club Walks Into a Bar (Lamplighter Brewing Co., 284 Broadway, Cambridge)
Wednesday, March 1
7-8:30 p.m.
You’re invited to our March brewery book club, where Lamplighter and the library team up to highlight contemporary works from marginalized voices while having a beer. This month, we’ll read Easy Beauty: A Memoir by Chloé Cooper Jones. We’ll gather in the Lamplighter back taproom to discuss the book, what we learned from it, what we found ourselves touched by, and all other thoughts. Register here.
Glowforge 101: Creative Laser Cutting (Main)
Thursday, March 2, and Friday, March 3
10 a.m.-Noon, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Learn how to cut, engrave, and shape designs from a variety of materials using the Glowforge Pro laser cutter in this workshop. This two-hour workshop replaces the previous two-part Glowforge 101 offering; the content and length of this workshop and the two-part series are the same.
You will start by using the camera on the Glowforge to focus and scan your own images, properly select materials for your project, and fabricate your first design. You will create digital artwork for the Glowforge and learn file formatting for production. Note: This is a badging course for laser cutting. You must complete The Hive Safety Training before participating in this program. Register here.
Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O'Connell)
Thursday, March 2
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters as you work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend, cross stitch, and more. All crafts are welcome!
Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, March 2
2-3:30 p.m.
Join our librarians for tea, cookies, and a jigsaw puzzle. It’s an hour of fun and conversation on a Thursday afternoon.
Afternoon Games (O'Neill)
Thursday, March 2
3-5 p.m.
Join us to play your favorite board game or complete a puzzle after school! No registration is required.
Major Poem Project: A Reading of The One Day by Donald Hall (Main)
Thursday, March 2
5-8 p.m.
Join us for a presentation of the 20th-21st-Century American poet Donald Hall's masterwork poem, The One Day, with three Boston-Cambridge area poets as readers: Mary Buchinger, Kevin Gallagher, and Steven Ratiner. This program is edited and directed by Michael Todd Steffen as a continuation of the Major Poem Project, cosponsored by the Hastings Room Reading Series and the Cambridge Public Library. Register here.
Puppetry Studio (Main)
Thursday, March 2
5-6 p.m.
We will select a folktale to adapt for a tiny stage and perform our masterpiece for friends and family. This six-week puppetry workshop is for kids ages 7-10. No experience is necessary! Registration is required. Email nzylicz@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4038 to register or for more information.
Fiber Arts Adventure with Lenni: Machine-Sewing Workshop Series (Main)
Thursday, March 2
5-6 p.m.
Continue building your machine-sewing skills and create bespoke sewn crafts! Design your own fiber arts adventure as you make dinner napkins, high-visibility patches for being seen at night, and customized wearable Hive creations. This four-part series is led by the fiber artist and designer Lenni Armstrong.
Skills include identifying and straightening a fabric's grain, straight stitching, making hems, and more. Registration is required. Those registered for the first session will automatically be enrolled in the following weeks. Spots are very limited; kindly enroll only if you plan to attend all four workshops: February 23, March 2, March 9, and March 16.
This workshop is designed for patrons who know the basics of our Janome sewing machines. Register here.
Sewing 101 (Main)
Saturday, March 4
9:30-11 a.m.
In this 90-minute class, you’ll learn the basics of sewing machine operation and safety. This session will cover machine setup, basic functions, threading the machine, reloading the bobbin, sewing straight stitches, and recognizing when stitch tension has gone awry. We’ll also cover some safety best practices when operating a sewing machine. As we learn together, we’ll work on a simple sewing project—a drawstring bag—which most students will be able to complete by the end of the class. You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Registration is required.
The Hive Safety Training (Main)
Saturday, March 4
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Are you interested in using The Hive? In this workshop you will learn about our makerspace, how to use our resources, and how to keep safe in The Hive. Find out what you need to get started as a maker in The Hive here. Completion of The Hive Safety Training is the entry point to making, innovating, and collaborating in this space. Makers must also sign The Hive User Agreement and Waivers. Register here.
Read to a Dog (O'Neill)
Saturday, March 4
2-3 p.m.
Read with a cuddly friend! Trained therapy dogs provide warm and nonjudgmental reading companions for new or experienced readers up to age 14. Registration for each 10-minute time slot is required and begins on Saturday, February 25, by calling or visiting the O’Neill Branch (617-349-4023).
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All the best!
Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries