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Director's Update, May 29, 2022


5/29/20221 year ago

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 1 year ago.

Photograph of Emmanuella Desir

Dear Patrons,

I hope that you are having a meaningful Memorial Day weekend! All Library locations will be closed on Sunday, May 29, and Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day. I am happy to announce that the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month program with Katie Kitamura, which was initially scheduled for May 12, has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 2, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Main Library. Kitamura will be talking with Meghan O’Rourke, the New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness and The Long Goodbye. We are also offering the following programs for the week of May 30.

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Outdoor Programs for Kids

Our talented Youth Services team delivers hundreds of Story Times to thousands of children each year, helping children to develop early literacy skills. This fiscal year, Youth Services staff will have delivered approximately 200 Story Times for 9,000 children. This includes a Story Time held at the O'Neill Branch in celebration of Haitian Flag Day by O'Neill Branch staff, Emmanuella Desir.

This week, these outdoor programs for young children will be offered (weather permitting) at our Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations:

  • Baby Lapsit: Just for you and your baby! Enjoy time with other parents, caregivers, and babies to play and develop language and motor skills.
  • Sing-Along: All ages are invited to sing and dance!
  • Songs & Stories: All ages are invited to sing, dance, and share a story!
  • Story Time: All ages are invited to join us for a half hour of stories!

Please see the events calendar for further details. Registration is not required.

Book Groups

Learn more about our Book Group offerings this week.


ESOL Classes (Central Square)
Tuesdays and Thursdays  
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m., and 3-4:30 p.m.  
Wednesdays and Fridays  
10:30 a.m.-Noon    


English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes occur at the Central Square Branch 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 required for each class.

Sewing 101 (Main)  
Tuesday, May 31
2-3:30 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 1
1:30-3 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
10-11:30 a.m.


In this 90-minute class, you’ll learn the basics of sewing machine operation and safety. This session will cover setting up a machine, its basic functions, threading the machine, reloading the bobbin, sewing straight stitches, and recognizing when the 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 Hive Safety Training or Hive Safety Training & Glowforge 101 before registering for this workshop. 

Career Skills: The Art of Networking (Virtual)
Tuesday, May 31
6-7:30 p.m.


The online Career Skills workshop series is presented by the employment specialist Gary Gekow. On Tuesday, May 31, we will cover the Art of Networking. Registration is required.    

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, May 31
6:30-7:30 p.m.


Bring your project and enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters. Learn more.

Meet a Mini! (O’Neill)
Wednesday, June 1
10:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-1:30 p.m.


Therapy horses bring happiness, hope, and a sense of well-being to people of all ages. Come meet a miniature horse from Lifting Spirits Miniature Therapy Horses! Listen to a story, learn how therapy horses work, and pat the horse afterward. Registration is required. 

Résumé and Job Application Support (Central Square)  
Wednesday, June 1  
1-3 p.m.   


Would you like assistance creating a résumé or finding a job? Drop by the Central Square Branch for help with a résumé, conducting a job search online, and completing online applications. No registration is required. Learn more.

Hive Safety Training (Virtual)
Wednesday, June 1
8-8:30 p.m.

In this workshop, you will learn about our makerspace, how to use our resources, and how to keep safe in The Hive. Before attending workshops in The Hive, you must bring signed copies of  The Hive User Agreement and Waivers. Registration is required.

Urban Gardening 101 (Virtual)
Wednesday, June 1
5:30-6:30 p.m.


Make your garden part of the ecosystem! Learn about native plants that will help bees and butterflies thrive in urban gardens. We'll cover good options for sunny, shady, wet, and dry areas and discuss how to plan and maintain your garden to support pollinators all season long. Registration is required. Presented by the Trustees Boston Community Gardens Program.

PRIDE MONTH 2022: Malinda Lo presents Inside the Telegraph Club: On the Real History Behind Last Night at the Telegraph Club (Main)
Wednesday, June 1
6-7 p.m.


Join Malina Lo, the New York Times bestselling author of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, in person at the Main Library. Last Night at the Telegraph Club has won the National Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, as well as Michael L. Printz and Walter Dean Myers honors. Registration is required.

Navigating Solo: Tools for Creating Your Plan for Aging Well (Virtual)
Thursday, June 2
10:30-11:30 a.m.


In this lecture and workshop series for active older adults, Ailene Gerhardt of Beacon Patient Solutions LLC will explore the special considerations and planning needs of solo agers (adults who, because of choice or circumstance, are without the support structure of adult children or other close family). In session 9, we’ll discuss assessing and prioritizing what you need to do as you develop your plan for aging alone. Presented in collaboration with Cambridge Neighbors. Registration is required. 

Equipment and Studio Reservation (Main)  
Thursday, June 2
1-4:30 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
1:30-4:30 p.m.


During this time, anyone who has completed Hive Safety Training and is badged to use equipment or studio(s) can reserve Hive equipment or studio spaces. Learn more about becoming a badged maker. Staff will assist participants as they are able. Registration is required.

Katie Kitamura in Conversation with Meghan O’Rourke (Main)
Thursday, June 2
6-7:30 p.m.


Join Katie Kitamura, the author of Intimacies, as she talks with Meghan O’Rourke. Intimacies is a story about an unnamed woman working as an interpreter in the international court at The Hague. She is a woman of many languages and identities and is looking for a place to finally call home.

O'Rourke is the author of The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness and The Long Goodbye. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, the New York Times, and more. This program is sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation. Registration is required.

XR Lab (Main)
Friday, June 3
3:30-4:30 p.m.


Extended reality (XR) opens the door to worlds and experiences outside the everyday through virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality equipment. Test drive our Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality glasses, Structure Sensor 3D scanner, Merge headsets, and more. You must complete Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Registration is required. 

Yoga on the Lawn: Yoga for Self-Care (Main)
Saturday, June 4
10:15-11:30 a.m.


Join Cap Aguilar (she/they) for weekly yoga classes on the lawn at the Main Library! Each class will be 75 minutes; we will explore movement, mindfulness, and breathing practices for 60 minutes followed by 15 minutes for reflective journaling and/or conversation.

Learn yogic practices (movement and breathing techniques) to take with you off the mat and into your daily life to integrate into your self-care. Registration is required.


Outdoor Story Time with Drag Kings, Queens, and Friends (Main)
Saturday, June 4
11 a.m.-Noon


Celebrate PRIDE with Story Time for Drag Kings, Queens, and Friends! Join us outside the Main Library for songs and stories about what makes each of us fabulous. For children of all ages and their caregivers.

This program will be held in Joan Lorentz Park on the lawn outside the Main Library. In the event of bad weather, it will be rescheduled for Saturday, June 11, at 11 a.m. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. Learn more.

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Warm regards, 

Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries