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Anyone can make a delicious herbal tea blend! In this class, presented by herbalist Mo Katz-Christy, we will discuss a handful of common herbs for tea: their uses, flavors, energies, and what they add to a blend. We will smell each of the herbs and taste some as well, learning how the flavors blend and how they complement each other. Part information and science, part sensory exploration, this class will be as playful as it is educational! Bring your own jar to take your tea blend home. Registration is required and will open May 15.

Please join the Library in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the publication of Phillis Wheatley's poems with a poetry reading and workshop. Organized by the poet Artress Bethany White—the co-editor of Wheatley at 250: Black Women Poets Re-imagine the Verse of Phillis Wheatley Peters—this event will open with an African drumming prelude, followed by a presentation on Wheatley's life and work as well as a reading by contemporary poets inspired by Wheatley and collected in Wheatley at 250, and concluding with a short writing exercise designed to engage the audience with Wheatley's poems.

Join us for an informative discussion with representatives Viet Van, Community Support Services Manager, and Nina Cohen, Director of Adult Family Care, of Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES). Since 1972, SCES has been the area's aging information and service center, helping older people and people living with disabilities remain safe and independent in their own homes. Registration is requested, but not required. SCES services are available to older residents of Cambridge and Somerville, as well as their caregivers. Some services are open to adults with disabilities who are age 16 and older, and to residents of the Greater Boston area.

What happens when AI becomes a friend, a tutor, a therapist, a co-worker? Come find out in this hands-on workshop led by Joint Family in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Library. Test the limitations and capabilities of popular Generative AI tools and how they’re quietly reshaping the way we connect with technology and each other. We'll explore the support gaps they're filling, where we need to draw boundaries and why real world human connections matter more than ever. No prior experience with Generative AI necessary. Caregivers and educators are encouraged to attend. Open to ages 18 and up.

This program will happen outdoors at Donnelly Field. In case of inclement weather, it will occur in the gym at King Open School. Put on your dancing shoes for an unforgettable workshop of hula hoop magic with Kat Suwalski! You will learn basic hooping moves while increasing hand-eye coordination, strength, balance, and agility. No prior hooping experience is required. Hoops are provided. Recommended for children ages 5 and up and their caregivers. 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.

A series of classes with instruction from Comedian Jack Grey. Learn how to seamlessly integrate interactive improv games, scenes, and skillful storytelling that all come together with performance. The 10-week course will occur every Thursday, 1:30pm-3:30pm, starting February 27 through May 1. The final class will now take place on May 15. No class on May 1 or May 8. This will be an in-person program at the Main Library. Space is limited to 15 participants. Due to the popularity and to gain the most out of this program, we expect all participants to commit to all sessions in this 10-week course. Instructor Jack Grey is a local comedy performer with over nine years of combined improv and stand-up comedy experience. They produce their own shows and workshops in Camberville, believing that kindness and community can be born from laughter. Learn more at constellationcomedy.com. Sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation

Dr. James Barrett, Director of Clinical Support Services for the Cambridge Police Department, co-authored a study published in JAMA Network Open revealing that one in five U.S. adults who die by suicide had spent at least one night in jail in the year prior. The research highlights the need for community-based suicide prevention efforts, particularly post-release. Dr. Barrett’s work with CPD and the Cambridge Health Alliance focuses on supporting individuals with mental health conditions through case management, follow-up care, and a co-response model that pairs clinicians with officers for mental health-related 911 calls.

The Danehy Gateway Pavilion project, a collaboration between the Department of Public Works and the Department of Human Service Programs Recreation Division, is the construction of a new sports pavilion (5,800 sq. ft.) and other improvements to Danehy Park. Located at 100 New Street, the pavilion will serve sports teams from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) and the community. The facility will provide female athletes with more equitable access to amenities, including new restrooms, changing and locker rooms, an athletic trainer’s room, a coach’s office, storage for athletic equipment, and multi-purpose space. The pavilion will also provide public restrooms for park visitors. Additionally, the project scope includes lighting improvements to Danehy Dog Park, the provision of fiber optic to enable public internet access in the park, landscape improvements, and renovation of the existing New Street Parking Lot. The project will be net‐zero emissions (all electric) and will target LEED Gold new construction and Passive House Certification. It will include a solar photovoltaic array and provisions for future electric vehicle charging stations. The project is currently in the design phase.

Join Earthwise Aware for a thought-provoking workshop examining how land use and climate change influence the design, function, and future of urban green spaces. Starting at the library’s front lawn, we will explore how conventional designs can undermine biodiversity and tree health. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? Can a lawn, sidewalk, or plaza be transformed into habitat? We will compare low-functioning green spaces with examples of micro-forests, native plantings, and meadows. Along the way, we will observe seasonal changes in plants and wildlife through the lens of phenology, the study of nature’s calendar. We will also introduce simple participatory science tools that help monitor habitat quality, foster community engagement, and inform better decisions. Even a modest native plant patch can be a pocket of resilience. Come learn how to spot, support, and reimagine urban nature that works with the ecosystem, not just mimics it. The program will start with a workshop in the Rossi Room, then move outside to Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.

UPDATE: Due to the impacts of this week's winter storm, this walk has been canceled. There will be another walk on Wednesday, February 25th. Register for that walk at this link. Join us for a morning walk at one of the most renowned bird watching spots in Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery! We will help you identify birds, learn birdwatching tips and tricks, and familiarize yourself with migratory birds as well as those that can be spotted all year round. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. The walk will meet at the Collins Branch Library at 64 Aberdeen Ave at 10:15 am. We will walk to Mt. Auburn Cemetery together (about a five minute walk). Please try to be on time as we will leave shortly after 10:15! Registration is required. This event can only accommodate a certain number of participants. One registration is good for one person. If you do not register, you cannot participate. Those on the waitlist will be contacted if a space becomes available.