Director's Update, April 16, 2023
4/16/2023 • 12 months ago
Dear Patrons,
All Library locations will be closed on Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 17.
The Library is pleased to host the opening reception for the exhibition From Cambridge to Yerevan: 35 Years of Friendship. It will take place in the Community Room (L2). Long-term board members of the Cambridge Yerevan Sister City Association will take a trip down memory lane, recalling the early history of the organization and highlighting special projects. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome! Registration required.
The Friends of the Cambridge Public Library is collecting gently used children’s books and adult fiction books for a book sale in June to benefit Library programs. Please drop off your books at 31 Brattle Street in Cambridge on Saturday, April 22, from 1-5 p.m., and Sunday, April 23, from 1-5 p.m. The Friends also needs volunteers to help sort the books for sale. Save the date for the book sale, which will take place on June 17-18, also at 31 Brattle Street. Please visit the Friends website for more information.
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We are pleased to offer the following programs this week.
Weekly Activities for Kids
This week, these programs will be offered at our Boudreau, Central Square, Collins, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations. Thank you to our Youth Services librarians for hosting.
Book Groups
Learn more about our Book Groups this week.
ESOL Classes (Central Square)
Tuesday, April 18, and Thursday, April 20
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-2:30 p.m., and 3-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19, and Friday, April 21
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.
Sit ‘n’ Knit (Main)
Tuesday, April 18
2:30-3 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters as you work, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, and mend. Refreshments will be provided.
Equipment and Studio Reservations (Main)
Tuesday, April 18, and Thursday, April 20
5-8:30 p.m.
Friday, April 21
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
During this time, anyone who has completed The Hive Safety Training and is badged to use equipment or studio(s) can reserve The Hive’s equipment or studio spaces. Staff will assist participants as they are able. Learn more.
Sewing 101 (Main)
Tuesday, April 18, 5 :30-8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 19
7-8:30 p.m.
Thursday. April 20
5:30-8:30 p.m.
In this 90-minute class, you will learn the basics of sewing machine operation and safety. You will cover machine setup, basic functions, threading the machine, reloading the bobbin, sewing straight stitches, and recognizing when stitch tension has gone awry. We will also cover some safety best practices with a sewing machine. As we learn, we will work on a simple 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. Register here. These workshops are full; waitlists are available.
Neighborhood Bird Watching (O’Neill)
Tuesday, April 18
4:30-5:30 p.m.
All ages are welcome as we observe birds right outside the O'Neill Branch. As we explore the urban outdoors, we will discuss birdwatching tips, how to identify an unfamiliar bird, and learn a little bit more about the birds we share our outdoor spaces with. No registration is required. Binoculars are recommended but not required. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. For more information, please call 617-349-4023. If the weather is bad, this event will be canceled.
Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, April 18
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters. Learn more.
Death Café (Virtual)
Tuesday, April 18
7-8:15 p.m.
Join other adults, 18 and older, for Cambridge's virtual Death Café, an evening of open, lively, and insightful discussion about death. While not a support group or a venue for bereavement, it seeks to provide an unscripted, nonjudgmental platform for those wishing to explore the many facets of this often-taboo subject. It will be facilitated by Richard Davis, an experienced Death Café organizer and hospice volunteer. Come with an open mind, a healthy curiosity, and a willingness to share your thoughts, feelings, and questions. This is a virtual event on Zoom. Space is limited. To register, call 617-349-4041. Contact CPL Social Work at cplsocialwork@cambridgema.gov for further information.
Wellness for Seniors: Tai Chi Paradigm - Level 2 (Main)
Wednesday, April 19
10-11 a.m.
Join us in this 12-week Tai Chi Paradigm - Level 2 practice, which focuses on the mind- body connection. Tai Chi is a fluid sequence of movements choreographed in a low-impact routine. Sifu Mynor Diaz has been learning and teaching tai chi classes for over 20 years. He has taught classes at five VA Boston Healthcare System locations and at senior centers. To join, you need to have completed Tai Chi Paradigm - Level 1. Due to the popularity of this series, we expect participants to attend all the classes. This event is held in person. Register here.
Sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.
Résumé and Job Application Support (Central Square)
Wednesday, April 19
1-3 p.m.
Looking for assistance creating a résumé or finding a job? Join us for help with résumés, job hunting, and online applications. No registration is required. Learn more.
Button Making Workshop (Valente)
Wednesday, April 19
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Learn how to use a button maker with the team from The Hive makerspace and turn your designs into wearable art.
Get Creative! Series: Bullet Journaling (Main)
Wednesday, April 19
2-3:30 p.m.
Are you interested in bullet journaling for the first time? Have you journaled for years and want to share your best practices? Get creative and join us for 90 minutes of journaling. Supplies will be provided; you are also welcome to bring your own. Registration is required.
Owls of the World - Who's Watching You? (O'Neill)
Wednesday, April 19
2-3 p.m.
Join us for a live owl program with Eyes on Owls, which includes 6 owls! Everyone loves owls! Yet how often do you get to see an owl up close? Perhaps you've glimpsed the shadowy form of a Great-horned Owl in the beam of your headlights on a back road at night. Have you ever scanned a frozen saltmarsh or hayfield in winter, hoping to find that arctic hunter, the Snowy Owl? How about that mob of noisy crows circling a white pine tree? Have they found an owl? Join the teacher/naturalist Marcia Wilson and the author/photographer/naturalist Mark Wilson in sharing their passion for owls!
Playful Engineers Make & Take Workshop (Main)
Wednesday, April 19
2-3 p.m.
Make scissor, reverse motion, and parallel motion linkages from ordinary materials. Recommended for children ages 5 and up and their caregivers.
One-on-One Tech Help by Appointment (Boudreau)
Wednesday, April 19
4-4:45 p.m.
Would you like help navigating the Library's e-resources, such as Libby or Hoopla? Or maybe you need some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Book a free one-on-one session at the Boudreau Branch. Some topics we cover include downloading Library eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines to your tablet, smartphone, or laptop; navigating databases and other resources such as LinkedIn Learning; using the Internet and e-mail; and setting up devices like smartphones or streaming devices. Scheduled sessions run between 30 and 45 minutes. Please bring your device, cords, and any necessary account information. Library staff cannot be held responsible for damage to patrons’ equipment. If you have questions, please send them to ipachoncaballero@cambridgema.gov. Register here. This workshop is full; a waitlist is available.
Videography 101 (Main)
Thursday, April 20
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Step into The Hive's state-of-the-art recording studio and film a short video of yourself in front of our green screen. Then spend some time becoming familiar with video editing software while working with your footage. You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering. Registration is required. This workshop is full; a waitlist is available.
Fiber Crafts Group - Drop In (O'Connell)
Thursday, April 20
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters. Work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, mend, cross stitch.
Loom Box Weaving (O'Neill)
Thursday, April 20
2-4 p.m.
It's vacation week! Drop in anytime between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. to try your hand at Loom Box Weaving. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Puzzle Party (Main)
Thursday, April 20
2-3:30 p.m.
Join our librarians for tea, cookies, and a jigsaw puzzle. It’s an hour of fun and conversation.
Tales for the Earth (Collins)
Thursday, April 20
2-3 p.m.
The storyteller Diane Edgecomb presents Tales for the Earth for children ages 4-12 and their caregivers in honor of Earth Day during school vacation week.
Tales for the Earth celebrates all the simple things we can do to help our beloved planet. Both educational and entertaining, these participatory narratives explore water conservation, recycling, and the wonder of the creatures all around us. The stories feature a hilarious tale about a water sprite traveling through the sewage system, a childhood encounter with fireflies, and the tale of a boy who saves his favorite nature spot from development. What shines throughout the show is a love and respect for our place in nature, with many ideas communicated about how we can make a difference.
The Parent’s Choice award-winner Diane Edgecomb is one of America's favorite storytellers. She transforms into the characters in her tales, bringing stories to vibrant life. Her warmth and invitation to participate bring today’s family audiences right into the tale. Diane has been featured on NPR and has won the ORACLE award for Storytelling Excellence in the Northeast as well as five Storytelling World awards.
National Poetry Month: Sadie Dupuis presents Cry Perfume with Globe Writer & DJ Maura Johnston (Main)
Thursday, April 20
6:30-8 p.m.
Join us for this special National Poetry Month reading, conversation, audience Q&A, and book signing! The title of Cry Perfume (Black Ocean, 2022) is an imperative to bottle sorrow in a beautiful vessel and shed the chemicals that cloud your sight. Written over a four-year period on tour and after losing loved ones and peers to overdose, Sadie Dupuis funneled complicated grief into harm reduction advocacy, working to raise funds for and distribute overdose prevention resources internationally. The slick performativity of pop, punk humor, electronic glitch and sampling, and the surprising leaps of improvisation influence these poems, but beyond music, they are informed by Dupuis’s larger concerns about justice and organizing.
Sadie Dupuis is the guitarist, songwriter, and singer of the rock band Speedy Ortiz, as well as the producer and multi-instrumentalist behind the pop project Sad13. Sadie heads the record label Wax Nine, edits its poetry journal, and is a regular contributor to Spin, Tape Op, Talkhouse, and more. She holds an MFA in poetry from UMass Amherst, where she also taught writing. Mouthguard, her first book, was published in 2018 by Gramma.
WZBC’s DJ Maura Johnston has written about music and culture for more than 25 years, with pieces published in the Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, Time, Rolling Stone, and many more. She currently teaches writing at Boston College and was a founding editor of the music blog Idolator and served as the music editor at the Village Voice. Registration is required.
XR Lab 101 (Main)
Thursday, April 20
7-8 p.m.
Saturday, April 22
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. Registration is required. This workshop is full; a waitlist is available. You must complete The Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop.
English Conversation Practice (O'Neill)
Friday, April 21
10-11:30 a.m.
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Conversation Practice. This group is for those with an intermediate or high level of English language skill. No testing is required. For more information about other ESOL classes, please call Maria Balestrieri, 617-349-4013. This class is full. Please call the O'Neill Branch, 617-349-4023, for more information.
Wellness for Seniors: Introduction to Tai Chi Paradigm (Main)
Friday, April 21
10-11 a.m.
Join us in this 12-week Introduction to Tai Chi Paradigm practice, which focuses on the mind- body connection. Tai chi is a fluid sequence of movements choreographed in a low-impact routine. No previous experience necessary. Sifu Mynor Diaz has been learning and teaching Tai Chi classes for over 20 years. He has taught at five VA Boston Healthcare System locations and at senior centers. Due to the popularity of this series, we expect participants to attend all the classes. This event is held in person. This workshop is full.
Sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation
Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals (O'Connell)
Friday, April 21
11 a.m.-Noon
Lindsay’s funny, fast-paced, and highly interactive variety show delights the young and the young at heart. Kids will meet several larger-than-life, hand-crafted puppets perhaps a goofy moose, a heroic tiger, or a lovable bear. Oh my! Maybe a dancing robot or flamingo, an adorable mouse, a stubborn goat, a shy dragon, or a singing dinosaur. Come find out who's making an appearance this time! Year-round, Lindsay brings her Puppet Pals to child and family audiences across New England. Recommended for children ages 3-8 and their caregivers.
Drop-in Studio (Main)
Friday, April 21
1-4:30 p.m.
This is an opportunity to check out what The Hive is all about and get started exploring and making right away! Learn about our workshop offerings, special programs, and more. Equipment and studios will be available for limited time slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is not required. Staff will assist patrons as they are able. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a guardian 18 or older.
A-Maze-ing Afternoon (O'Connell)
Friday, April 21
2-5 p.m.
Come lose yourself playing maze board games, solving pencil-and-paper mazes, and getting a marble through a wooden labyrinth. For children ages 4 and up and their grownups.
Wicked Good Henna (Boudreau)
Friday, April 21
2-4 p.m.
Join us for a fun henna workshop! The henna artist Mandy Roberge will design unique henna art for all registrants.
How to Create a Graphic Novel Page
Friday, April 21
2-3:30 p.m.
Learn how to plan out a graphic novel panel, create thumbnail sketches, and pencil and ink your art. Then create your own graphic novel page! For ages 9-14.
Space is limited. Registration is required. If you register but later find you cannot attend, please remember to cancel your registration to make space for others.
Earth Day Fixit Clinic (Main)
Saturday, April 22
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Learn to fix your torn clothing, broken electronics, appliances, computers, toys, sewing machines, bicycles, fabric items, etc., at the Fixit Clinic. Fixit coaches will share their time, tools, and expertise to consult with you on the disassembly, troubleshooting, and repair of your item. Gain the confidence and knowledge to make repairs and teach others to do the same. This event takes place in The Hive. Open to all ages; registration is required. This event is cosponsored by the Cambridge Public Library, the Cambridge Department of Public Works, and Fixit Clinic. Register to participate. Sign up to volunteer to be a coach.
Crafting Corner (O'Neill)
Saturday, April 22
1:30-3 p.m.
Fiber arts crafters of all skill levels are welcome to drop in for companionable crafting! Bring your current project and enjoy tea, snacks, and conversation with other crafters. Chat, share tips, and even inspire others. No registration is required.
Voices of Poetry Presents a Celebration of National Poetry Month (Main)
Saturday, April 22
2-4:30 p.m.
Voices of Poetry and the Cambridge Public Library are pleased to present a program of exceptional poetry. This event will feature five acclaimed poets: Toni Bee, Eileen Cleary, Deborah Leipziger, Michael McInnis, and Lloyd Schwartz.
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All the best!
Maria McCauley, Ph.D.
Director of Libraries