Director's Update, September 4, 2022
9/4/2022 • 1 year ago
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 1 year ago.
Dear Patrons,
Happy Labor Day! All Library locations will be closed on Monday, September 5, in observance of the holiday.
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It is a great pleasure to welcome our new city manager, Yi-An Huang! Yi-An and his family are very familiar with CPL’s youth services! In May we celebrated our 23rd Annual Youth Poetry Awards with readings from this year’s winning poets at the Main Library. Yi-An was there with his son Caedmon, who was one of the honorees. See the photograph above, taken by Maria Rolsal.
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The Library is pleased to host the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka in conversation with Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., on Wednesday, September 7, at 6 p.m. This event has been moved to the Fitzgerald Theatre at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School to accommodate interest. The program will be livestreamed on the Cambridge municipal channel, 22-City View.
Soyinka, who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, is the author of five memoirs, several novels, and 19 plays shaped by a wide range of influences, including avant-garde traditions, politics, and African myth. His poetry similarly draws on Yoruba myths, his life as an exile and as a prisoner, and politics.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. An Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic, and institution builder, Professor Gates has written or co-authored 24 books and created 21 documentary films, including Wonders of the African World and African American Lives. This event is sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.
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The Library is pleased to resume English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes at the Central Square Branch. ESOL classes occur 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 not required. Learn more.
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The Library just concluded its Summer Sundays at Valente pilot and is pleased to report that it was a success. Thank you to our patrons and our staff at the Valente Branch for the wonderful summer of Sunday service. The Main Library will resume its Sunday service on September 11 from 1 to 5 p.m.
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We are pleased to offer the following programs this week.
Outdoor Programs for Kids
This week, these programs will be offered (weather permitting) at our Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations:
- Outdoor Baby Lapsit: Just for you and your baby! Enjoy time with other parents, caregivers, and babies to play and develop language and motor skills.
- Preschool Story Time: Recommended for children ages 3-5.
- Sing-Along: All ages are invited to sing and dance!
- Songs and 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.
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 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 not required. Learn more.
Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, September 6
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters. Learn more.
Wellness for Seniors: Tai Chi Paradigm (Main)
Wednesday, September 7
10-11 a.m.
Join us for this seven-week Tai Chi practice focusing on the mind and body connection. Our instructor, Sifu Mynor Diaz, will walk you through the basics of Tai Chi, a fluid sequence of movements choreographed in a low-impact routine. This program is sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation. Registration is required.
Fresh Pond Nature Walk (Collins)
Wednesday, September 7
10:15-11 a.m.
Join us for a 45-minute relaxing walk around Fresh Pond with the park ranger Tim Puopolo! No two weeks are the same in nature, and Tim will share his insights about what's growing, changing, and blooming in the neighborhood. We’ll meet in the courtyard of the Collins Branch. For more information, please contact Lucy at LFlamm@CambridgeMA.gov. Learn more.
Résumé and Job Application Support (Central Square)
Wednesday, September 7
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.
Sewing 101 (Main)
Wednesday, September 7
1:30-3 p.m. & 5:30-7 p.m.
In this 90-minute class, you’ll learn the basics of sewing machine operation and safety. This session will cover machine setup, basic functions, threading the machine, reloading the bobbin, sewing straight stitches, and recognizing when 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 The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Registration is required.
Lamp x the CPL Present: A Book Club Walks into a Bar (Lamplighter)
Wednesday, September 7
7-8:30 p.m.
You’re invited to our September brewery book club, where Lamplighter and the CPL team up to highlight contemporary works from marginalized voices while having a beer. This month, we’ll read Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. We’ll gather in the Lamplighter’s back taproom to discuss the book, what we learned from it, what we found ourselves touched by, and any other thoughts. Register here.
Equipment and Studio Reservation (Main)
Tuesday, September 6
1-8:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 8
9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday, September 9
1-4:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 10
1:30-4 p.m.
During this period, anyone who has completed The Hive training and is badged to use equipment or studio(s) can reserve Hive equipment or studio spaces. Staff will assist participants as they are able. Learn more.
Fiber Crafts Group - Drop-In (O’Connell)
Thursday, September 8
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters! Join this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend, cross stitch, and more. All crafts are welcome! Learn more.
The Hive Safety Training and Badge Making (Main)
Thursday, September 8
7-8 p.m.
Are you interested in using The Hive? In this workshop you will learn about our makerspace, how to use our resources, and how to keep safe in The Hive. You will also create your Hive badge ID with our laser cutter. Find out what you need to get started as a maker in The Hive.
Completion of The Hive Safety Training is the entry point to making, innovating, and collaborating in this space. Makers must also sign The Hive User Agreement and Waivers. Registration is required.
Vinyl Cutting 101 (Main)
Saturday, September 10
10-11 a.m.
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you can learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You can then design a sticker and cut it with our vinyl cutter! You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop. Registration is required.
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All the best,
Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries