Director's Update, August 18, 2020
8/18/2020 • 3 years ago
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 3 years ago.
Dear Library Patrons,
I hope you are well and enjoying some sunshine, peace and good reading!
Holds Pickup & Returns has Begun at Branch Locations
Cambridge Public Library is pleased to announce that contactless holds pickup service started this week at the Central Square Branch. This service will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Thursdays from 1:30 to 7 p.m. Returns will also be accepted at the Central Square Branch during these times. Both services will take place on the Franklin Street side.
We are also beginning to accept returns at other branches beginning this week. Please check the events calendar on the Library website for specific days and times and look for the designated return bins outside of the main entrance at branch locations (except Central Square- see above).
Takeout Technology
In keeping with our commitment to expand access to technology during the COVID closure, the Library has begun providing technology for checkout through contactless holds pickup. Patrons can borrow technology for up to two weeks, with a one-time renewal (if there are no existing holds or fines).
Four different models of Chromebooks are available for checkout, including a charging cable, mouse and carrying case. Patrons can request a technology device by calling the Main Library at 617-349-4040, providing their library card number and scheduling a pickup time. Patrons currently need access to wi-fi or to access available free public wi-fi to use these devices. Takeout Technology is currently available from the Main Library only.
Kids Books to Go Wednesday at the Boudreau Branch
At Kids Books to Go pop-up events, youth and families can borrow bags of library books for kids and teens without having to make an appointment or place catalog requests. Selections are curated by Cambridge Public Library Youth Services librarians. Bins are also available for library returns during these events.
The next Kids Books to Go events are scheduled as follows:
• Wednesday August 19, from 12-3 p.m. at the Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Avenue
• Monday August 24, from 2-5 p.m. at the Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Avenue
• Friday August 28, from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth Street
Join us for Story Times
The next Virtual STEAM Story Time: Observing Nature will be on Wednesday, August 19 at 11 a.m. Children and their grownups can join us for 20-25 minutes of stories and hands-on activities to explore STEAM. Please gather activity materials before the event if you plan to participate. Registration is required.
CPL will host Virtual Family Story Time on Thursday, August 20 at 11 a.m. Caregivers are asked to participate in the program with their children. Registration is required.
Wear your favorite cozy pajamas and join us from home for songs, stories, and rhymes to wind down the day! CPL will host Virtual Pajama Storytime on Thursday August 20 at 6:45 p.m. Caregivers are asked to participate with their children. Registration is required.
Upcoming Summer Reading Programs
Summer Reading programs for kids offered this week include: Act!vated Story Theatre, Ideas Not Theories, Concert with Shaw Pong Liu and Tales from African Traditions with Valerie Tutson. You can also enjoy a Concert with Rolie Polie Guacamole on Facebook Live!
You can also begin registering for these final youth programs, which are happening next week: Sciencetellers, Rosalita's Puppets, Sing Along with Jim St. Clair, Act!vated Story Theatre LIVE!
The New England Poetry Club presents Voices of Poetry
The New England Poetry Club presents Voices of Poetry on Saturday, August 22 from 2:30 – 4 p.m. Join us from the comfort of your home for an online afternoon of exceptional poetry. This virtual event will feature:
• Charles Coe—selected as a “Boston Literary Light”
• Krysten Hill—recipient, 2016 St. Botolph Foundation’s Emerging Artist Award
• Regie O’Hare Gibson—National Poetry Slam Individual Champion
• Heather Treseler— recipient, Munster Literature Centre's International Chapbook Prize, 2020
Communal Reading in Recognition of the Centennial of the 19th Amendment
2020 is the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which protects women's right to vote. In celebration of this momentous event, we are hosting a virtual communal reading of the Declaration of Sentiments from the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 and the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women on Wednesday, August 26 at 5:30 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by the Mayor’s Office, the City Manager’s Office, the Commission on the Status of Women and the Human Rights Commission.
Dr. Aminah Pilgrim of the University of Massachusetts Boston will give an overview of the Women’s Suffrage Movement inspired by the Seneca Falls Convention and speak to the global movement for women’s rights embodied in the UN Convention prior to the reading.
Registration is required to participate in this program. Community members are invited to sign up to read or just listen.
Stay Connected
To stay connected to what’s happening at the Library, please subscribe to our email list, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and visit our website.
All best,
Dr. Maria McCauley, Director of Libraries