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Director's Update, December 19, 2020


12/20/2020 • 3 years ago

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 3 years ago.

Aerial View of the Central Square Branch Library

Dear Patrons,

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season from all of us at the Cambridge Public Library! Thank you, patrons, for believing in us and especially for learning to experience library services in a different way. I also want to give a special thanks to our library staff, who have worked in such a committed way this entire year to provide exceptional service, both before and during the pandemic.

Holiday Closure

Contactless holds pickup and phone service for CPL locations will be closed on December 24 and December 25. For New Year’s, contactless holds pickup and phone service at the Central Square Branch and O’Neill Branch will end at 5 p.m. on December 31 and remain closed at all locations on January 1.

The Main Library outside book drop will be open for returns throughout the holidays, but returns will not be accepted at branch libraries on December 24, December 25, and January 1.

The CPL’s digital collections and resources are always available online.

Contactless Hold Pickups, Returns & Phone Service Resume at the Central Square Branch

The Central Square Branch Library will reopen for the following services on Monday, December 21:

  • Contactless Holds Pickup: All holds at the branch will be available for pickup.
  • Library Returns: No overdue fines were assessed during the closure, and patrons may return borrowed items to the branch.
  • Phone Service: Patrons requiring phone assistance can call the branch at 617-349-4010.

Voices: A Music Series Celebrating the Beauty and Power of the Voice with the Promenade Opera Project

Enjoy an immersive opera experience at our Promenade Opera Project: Holiday Edition event on Monday, December 21, at 6:30 p.m. This interactive concert will feature some of the Promenade Opera Project's Digital Artists-in-Residence, including Alexandra Lang (soprano), Jade Espina (mezzo-soprano), and Leo Balkovetz (tenor) performing winter and holiday music. This event is part of a new series, Voices: A Music Series Celebrating the Beauty and Power of the Voice. Registration is required.

Google Drawing 101: Winter Solstice Lantern

Please join us for one of our new virtual workshops on Monday, December 21, at 6 p.m. or Tuesday, December 22, at 3:30 p.m.

Learn the fundamentals of Google Drawing to design and edit pieces for a laser-cut lantern. You'll also be introduced to our in-house laser cutting machine. Participants may share a completed design file, which will be made into a lantern in The Hive and arrange to collect it via contactless holds pickup.

Registration is required for each event; see the online events calendar to register.

Google Drawing 101: Sticker Design

On Tuesday, December 29, at noon, learn the fundamentals of Google Drawing to design and edit images for customized vinyl stickers. You'll also learn about our in-house vinyl cutter machine. Participants may share a completed design file, which will be made into a sticker in The Hive and arrange to collect it via contactless holds pickup. Registration is required.

Join us for Story Times

We invite children and their grownups to join us from home for 20-25 minutes of engaging stories. Plan to sing along and move around with the children! SEEMS REP. AND OBVIOUS?

STEAM Story Times include hands-on activities to explore science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math; please gather your activity materials before the event.

We are happy to offer these programs over the next two weeks:

Registration is required for each event.

No Virtual ESOL Classes the Weeks of December 21 and 28

Introductory Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), beginner ESOL, and intermediate ESOL classes will resume in January. Registration is required. See the online events calendar to register.

Stay Connected

To keep up with what’s happening at the Library, please subscribe to our email list, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, and visit our website.

Warm winter wishes,

Dr. Maria McCauley
Director of Libraries