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Mass Audubon will lead an exploration around the library in search of plants and animals, while using scientific tools like binoculars and magnifying lenses to get a closer look. We'll record what we find in our nature journals and play nature games. All materials will be provided. No registration required. This program is recommended for children 4-8 and their caregivers. Hosted by Mass Audubon and the Cambridge Public Library.

Participants design, build, test, and play with chain reactions and creative contraptions, like Rube Goldberg Machines, paper constructions, domino towers, exploding popsicle-stick snakes, and other awesome engineering explorations. This event is recommended for children ages 4 and up. 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.

The City of Cambridge announced that on June 1, 2023, it will begin accepting applications for a new initiative called Rise Up Cambridge, which aims to alleviate poverty among struggling families in the city by building financial security. Rise Up will provide approximately 2,000 eligible families with $500 per month for 18 months.

The City of Cambridge announced it is extending outdoor dining in the City until 60 days after the end of the Commonwealth’s declared state of emergency. This announcement follows the Governor’s Executive Order last week, which gave cities and towns the flexibility to extend outdoor dining past the initial November 1 deadline.

Ready to Level Up Your Business? Join Our 4-Week Workshop! Whether you're just starting out or already running a business, this workshop is for you! Over four weeks, we'll give you the practical skills to make your business run even better. We'll focus on what you need to learn to succeed. This isn't just theory – it's the stuff you need to know to build a strong business. Think of this as your essential business toolkit. If you're new to the business world, we'll give you the confidence and know-how to get started and grow. Workshop 4: Operational Efficiency and Inventory Management - Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Operational Processes and Workflows: Defining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and identifying bottlenecks challenges of balancing stock (too much vs. too little) Basic Inventory Management: Techniques and tools Please register here. If you have any questions or issues with registration, contact Tyrone Fells at 617-349-7223 or tfells@cambridgema.gov.

Class on 4/22 will take place outside of the library. Please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov with questions. Class will take place at the Main Library on 4/29. We live in an age where we carry our smartphones everywhere we go. Built into this device is a camera that can help us document the world around us. Whether it’s taking family portraits, beautiful landscapes, or in some cases the meal we just sat down to eat, we’re all constantly taking photos. This class will not only teach you to take the best possible photos, but how to edit your photos to make them look as good as they possibly can. We will also cover how to organize the photos on your phone. We will learn how to become visual storytellers through projects I'll assign each week followed by thoughtful group discussions of your photos. You need only bring two things to this class: your smartphone and your imagination. This program will be held in the Rindge Room.

The Hastings Room Reading Series and the Cambridge Public Library are excited to welcome two award-winning poets to the Library for a poetry reading. Denise Duhamel and Martha Collins will both read from recent works. The reading will take place in the Main Library's Community Room at 7 p.m. on May 1, 2025.

Over 1,000 households submitted applications for the City's new cash assistance program, Rise Up Cambridge, within the first 24 hours following the launch of the application period on June 1. This response represents approximately 50% of eligible families in Cambridge, highlighting the strong demand and support for this program within the community.

Every year, the Fuel Assistance Program helps more than 1,200 residents in Cambridge and Somerville pay their winter heating bills between November 1 and April 30. Most residents don’t think about heating bills until temperatures drop, but for the staff managing this crucial service, planning for Fuel Assistance begins in the heat of the summer.

The City of Cambridge launched the 9th Cycle of Participatory Budgeting (PB9) in 2022. Between June and July, community members submitted 1,320 ideas for how to spend $1 million on one-time capital projects to improve Cambridge. From August through November, volunteer PB Delegates researched all submitted project ideas and developed the final proposals for the PB9 vote.