Dear Patrons,
With you I mourn the loss of a titan of the legal profession and of the fight for civil rights, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. May Justice Ginsburg's work and example continue to inspire generations of young persons to enter the legal profession and fight inequality.
I am excited to introduce the newest member of the CPL Board of Trustees, Kaija Langley. Kaija has served as the Director of Development at the MIT Libraries since 2013. She is an avid user of the library, attends many library events, and is a personal ambassador for her local O'Neill Branch and the Library system overall. Welcome Kaija!
This month, we are pleased to begin resuming some of our regular program offerings virtually.
Our Contemporary Book Groupmeets this week on Tuesday, September 22 to discuss Everywhere You Don't Belong by Gabriel Bump. We anticipate bringing more of our book groups online in the coming weeks. Please keep watching our online events calendarfor more information.
We have also begun our Virtual English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes (high beginner level) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Class size is limited so, if you wish to join a class, please register today. We anticipate offering additional intermediate ESOL classes in October.
An African American and Latinx History of the United States
Paul Ortiz will present An African American and Latinx History of the United States on Thursday, September 24 at 7 p.m. Spanning more than two hundred years, An African American and Latinx History of the United States is a revolutionary, politically charged narrative history, arguing that the “Global South” was crucial to the development of America as we know it. Presented as part of the CPL's Latinx Heritage Month programming. Registration is required.
Saeed Jones in Conversation with E. Patrick Johnson
On Tuesday, September 29, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.,author Saeed Jones will discuss his award-winning memoir with E. Patrick Johnson, Dean of the School of Communication and the Carlos Montezuma Professor of Performance Studies and African American Studies at Northwestern University. Haunted and haunting, How We Fight for Our Lives is a stunning coming-of-age memoir about a young, black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. This event is sponsored by Friends of the Cambridge Public Library. Registration is required.
Boudreau Branch to Host Kids Books to Go
The next Kids Books to Go event will be on Wednesday September 23, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Boudreau Branch (245 Concord Avenue).
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.
Join us for Story Times
The next Virtual STEAM Story Time will be on Wednesday, September 23 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. Registration is required.
Stay Connected
Have a wonderful transition into a crisp, awakening, sunlit filtered fall.
Best wishes,
Dr. Maria McCauley, Director of Libraries