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The transformation of the historic Foundry Building at 101 Rogers Street is nearing completion following COVID related construction delays and is expected to open this fall. This massive brick building, originally constructed as an iron foundry in 1889, is an adaptive reuse project that will reopen as a self-sustaining center for creativity and collaboration for the Cambridge community.

The Bridge to College Program, run by the Cambridge Community Learning Center, helps adults prepare for college by offering free evening classes in reading, writing, math, and study skills. Open to Cambridge residents and select nearby communities, the program supports students—especially immigrants and adult learners—in developing the skills and confidence to succeed in higher education.

The Cambridge STEAM Initiative is a joint effort of the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Schools, and the Cambridge Public Library. We work with our local K-12 schools and universities, community organizations, City departments, employers, and residents to open doors to opportunities and career pathways in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Our goal is to make sure these opportunities are within reach for everyone — especially those who have faced the biggest barriers.

The City of Cambridge’s HomeBridge program recently celebrated a major milestone with its 100th home purchase, helping a local family achieve their dream of homeownership. HomeBridge provides financial assistance to eligible moderate- and middle-income buyers, enabling them to purchase homes on the open market while ensuring long-term affordability through housing restrictions. By creating new, permanently affordable homeownership opportunities across the city, the program helps families stay in Cambridge despite rising housing costs.

Homeowners Rehab Inc. (HRI) renovated 35 Harvey Street, an existing affordable housing development located just off of Massachusetts Avenue near Alewife Linear Park and the Minuteman multi-use path. The work involved converting 16 single-room-occupancy (SRO) units with shared facilities into 12 enhanced SRO housing units with private baths and kitchens. Ten out of the twelve units are deeply affordable by serving households under 30% AMI while the remaining two serve households under 50% AMI. All units have project-based vouchers. Other work includes improvements to the exterior, the addition of a site manager’s office, common area upgrades, and an updated resident meeting space. The project was being designed to meet Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) certification.

Join us for a 3-hour Community Retreat. Mindfulness offers a gentle yet powerful way to meet the challenges of aging with calm, resilience, and compassion. In this retreat, we will explore simple practices that can be adapted for all bodies and abilities. Together, we will create space for quiet contemplation and personal reflection, while also fostering a sense of community among elders walking this stage of life side by side. Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced before, you will leave with practical tools to support your well-being and cultivate greater wisdom in daily life. Come as you are—all levels of experience are welcome. Presented in partnership with the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center.

This program shows how owls use their specialized powers of sight, hearing and flight to survive and thrive. A wealth of fact and folklore about these masters of the night explains the natural and unnatural history of owls. A variety of live North American owls provides the focus of this presentation. Recommended for children ages 6 and up and their caregivers. Space is limited, and we may not be able to accommodate late arrivals once the program begins. Thank you for understanding! Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Cambridge Public Library and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

Sending humans to Mars is hard. Bringing them back safely is even harder. Doing so while also having them perform cutting-edge science and exploration during the mission? A major challenge. Luckily, we can plan and test parts of our future Mars missions before we leave the ground. In this session, we discuss the design and completion of two analog (Earth-based, Mars simulation) missions: Project MADMEN and Pale Red Dot. Come experience life on Mars as we traverse rocky terrain for geology and astrobiology experiments, test different cooking methods to make Martian meals, and navigate emergencies in space. Ever wanted to be an astronaut? This is your chance to experience life on “Mars”!

Join us for a 90-minute workshop where you’ll learn the simple, meditative basics of Chigiri-e (“chee-gee-ree-eh”), a traditional Japanese art form where the name literally means "torn picture." Rather than using scissors for sharp, clean cuts, we carefully tear the paper to create soft, feathered edges that look almost like a watercolor painting. Whether you’re a long-time crafter or haven't picked up an art project in years, come enjoy some quiet, analog crafting time making a handmade picture, led by instructor Chihiro Sato. You will bring home not just a unique piece, but also the know-how to continue enjoying Chigiri-e at home. Space is limited. Registration is required.

Join us for an afternoon Community Retreat. Mindfulness offers a gentle yet powerful way to meet the challenges of aging with calm, resilience, and compassion. In this retreat, we will explore simple practices that can be adapted for all bodies and abilities. Together, we will create space for quiet contemplation and personal reflection, while also fostering a sense of community among elders walking this stage of life side by side. Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced before, you will leave with practical tools to support your well-being and cultivate greater wisdom in daily life. Come as you are—all levels of experience are welcome. Presented in partnership with the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center.