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Director's Update July 18, 2021


7/19/20212 years ago

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 2 years ago.

Event image for Studio Recording 101

Hello Patrons, 

Our Summer Reading events continue this week, Studio Recording 101 has been added to The Hive workshops, and we welcome Iván Espinoza-Madrigal for a virtual discussion about race and climate justice!

Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Summer Studio Off to a Great Start!  

This design and innovation program started in person at the Main Library on July 6 and continues each weekday until August 6. It encourages teens to channel their energy and creative vision to imagine and build a better world. Blending art, design, science, technology, and storytelling within a social justice framework, this program enables students to engage in real-world, client-sponsored projects.  

"Although we were able to move mountains working virtually during COVID, the productivity boost switching to in-person has been far greater than expected,” reports Michael Dawson, who founded iFp. "The students feed off the social interaction."  

The Library’s STEAM Academy is part of the Cambridge STEAM Initiative's efforts to enhance and expand students’ access to quality STEAM learning experiences. Made possible by generous support from the Eric and Jane Nord Family Fund and Verizon, Summer Studio teens are also funded in part through the Mayor's Summer Youth Program. Additional STEAM at the Library funders include the City of Cambridge, the Cambridge Trust, the CPL Foundation, the Friends of the CPL, Google, MBLC and the Margret and H.A. Rey Curious George Fund.



Summer Reading: Unicorns: Break the Cage, Presented by Talewise (Virtual)  

On Monday, July 19, at 4 p.m., join us for a wild adventure with two kids who visit the city zoo and discover incredible animals, including a horse who knows in its heart that it’s truly a unicorn! You’ll be entertained and also learn something in this animated story interwoven with fascinating life science concepts. For kids of all ages and their caregivers. Registration is required.  



Virtual ESOL Classes

Virtual English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Introductory ESOL takes place at 11 a.m., beginner ESOL at 1 p.m., and intermediate ESOL at 3 p.m. Registration is required for each class. Please see the Library’s online events calendar for more details.

 

Studio Recording 101 

Tuesday, July 20, at 3:30 p.m. 
Thursday, July 22, at 1 p.m. 

Interested in podcasting, audio production, or video production? The Hive houses two state-of-the-art recording studios! Become familiar with the basics of the equipment and software in these tools. You must complete Hive Safety Training & Glowforge 101 before participating in this program. Registration is required. 



Outdoor Story Time (Valente)

On Tuesday, July 20, at 4 p.m., we invite children and their grown-ups to join us for 25 minutes of engaging stories. This program will be held outside at the Valente Branch Library, 826 Cambridge St. In the event of rain, it will take place indoors. Registration is not required. 



Race and Climate Justice with Iván Espinoza-Madrigal of Lawyers for Civil Rights (Virtual) 

With each passing year, the impact of climate change on low-income communities of color and immigrant communities becomes more harmful and dramatic. How we address that impact is one of the most pressing civil rights challenges we face today. Please join Iván Espinoza-Madrigal of Lawyers for Civil Rights virtually on Tuesday, July 20, at 6 p.m. to learn more. Registration is required. 



Cambridge Book Bike Story Time

The Cambridge Book Bike Team invites children and their grown-ups to join us for 20-25 minutes of songs, stories and rhymes on Wednesday, July 21, at 2 p.m. This program will be held outside at the Main Library in Joan Lorentz Park. Registration is not required. The Cambridge Book Bike is a collaboration among the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative, the Cambridge Public Library, and the Center for Families. 



Vinyl Cutting 101  

Wednesday, July 21, at 3:30 p.m. 
Friday, July 23, at 1:30 p.m. 
Saturday, July 24, at noon 
 
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you will learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You will also design a sticker and cut it on our vinyl cutter. You must complete Hive Safety Training & Glowforge 101 before participating in this program. Registration is required. 



Summer Reading: Our Voices Matter (Virtual)  

Our guest artist Zahirah Nur Truth of ZNT Arts will facilitate a workshop on Social Justice for tweens and teens that honors the many facets of identity on Wednesday, July 21, at 4 p.m. Using creative expression as a tool, we'll affirm that young voices matter regarding the injustice in our communities and the world around us. We will use portrait, text, and comic references to create our own coloring pages, speaking to our current lived experiences because “Our Voices Matter.” Registration is required.



Google Drawings 101: Sticker Design 

Interested in designing your own vinyl stickers? In this design course, Wednesday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m., learn the fundamentals of Google Drawings to style and edit images for your own stickers. Google Drawings is a free, web-based application. Basic computer skills are necessary for this course. Computing devices will be provided. Registration is required. 



Summer Reading: Concert with Elena Moon Park (Virtual) 

Children and their caregivers are invited to join Elena Moon Park and Friends on Thursday, July 22, at 4 p.m., for a celebration of folk and children’s music from all over East Asia and beyond. The music is reinterpreted to mix various musical traditions, languages, styles, and stories: be ready to sing and dance in several languages! Registration is required.



Sing-Along 

Children and their grownups, please join us in Joan Lorentz Park outside the Main Library on Friday, July 23, at 11 a.m., for 20-25 minutes of singing and dancing! Plan to sing and move around! Caregivers are asked to participate with their children. Registration is not required. 

Please note, in the event of rain, this program will be canceled. 



Hive Safety Training and Glowforge 101 

On Saturday, July 24, at 1:30 p.m., join us for this 90-minute, in-person workshop, where you will learn about our makerspace, how to use the resources we offer and how to keep safe in The Hive. You will also create your Hive badge ID using our Glowforge laser cutter and learn how to use this tool to cut and engrave your own creations. Registration is required.  
NOTE: You must complete Hive Safety Training to make, innovate, and collaborate in our makerspace. Makers must also sign The Hive User Agreement and Waivers. 
Stay Connected

Please subscribe to our email list, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and visit our website. 

Best wishes,

Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries