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This week's selection: Raymond Carver, "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love," "A Small, Good Thing," and " Cathedral." Reading Interests: We concentrate on Great Books in the following areas: a long novel over the summer, two sections of poetry and short stories, a book of the Bible, a Shakespeare play, an ancient and modern drama, a work of science, a smaller work of fiction, an even smaller work of fiction, and a rotating mix of politics, philosophy, and religion. Authors read in the past five years include Dickens, Keats and Yeats, O'Connor and Munro, Ecclesiastes, Sophocles and August Wilson, Darwin, Austen, Duras, The Federalist Papers, and Arendt. How to get the print book: Copies of the reading are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library at 449 Broadway during current service hours and a staff member can help you get a copy. How to register: Registration is required. Click the registration link below to register. This is a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. For more information, contact Drew Griffin (dgriffin@cambridgema.gov)

This week's selection: Arthur Rimbaud, "The Drunken Boat," "Vowels," "Eternity," "Memory," "To a Reason," and "Dawn." Reading Interests: We concentrate on Great Books in the following areas: a long novel over the summer, two sections of poetry and short stories, a book of the Bible, a Shakespeare play, an ancient and modern drama, a work of science, a smaller work of fiction, an even smaller work of fiction, and a rotating mix of politics, philosophy, and religion. Authors read in the past five years include Dickens, Keats and Yeats, O'Connor and Munro, Ecclesiastes, Sophocles and August Wilson, Darwin, Austen, Duras, The Federalist Papers, and Arendt. How to get the print book: Copies of the reading are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library at 449 Broadway during current service hours and a staff member can help you get a copy. How to register: Registration is required. Click the registration link below to register. This is a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. For more information, contact Drew Griffin (dgriffin@cambridgema.gov)

In honor of National Public Health Week, please join us on Thursday, April 9th from 1-2:30 pm to volunteer to put together overdose prevention kits at the Cambridge Public Library, Central Square Branch. This year’s National Public Health Week theme "Ready. Set. Action!" calls on each of us to take part in community-driven solutions and daily actions that create healthier, more equitable, and connected communities. The You Can initiative (youcan.info) addresses overdose deaths by increasing access to lifesaving skills and resources statewide. Volunteers play a crucial role in this program by assembling the kits that are then mailed out across the state, getting lifesaving resources out to people and families who need them, free of cost. Each kit contains naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and other vital resources. Volunteers will be able to leave with a completed kit, if desired. Representatives from the Cambridge Health Department will also be onsite to provide additional resources and support. This program is a partnership between the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Health Resources in Action (HRiA) and hosted by the Cambridge Health Department and Cambridge Public Library.

Water Meters

The Moses Youth Center (Formerly known as the Area 4 Youth Center) was originally constructed in 1992. The building is 19,500 GSF with a concrete structure, large windows, skylights, and its original building systems. Named for Bob and Janet Moses, Cambridge residents, educators, and civil rights leaders, the facility is primarily used by the Department of Human Service Programs’ Cambridge Youth Programs division, which serves Cambridge teens through afterschool and summer programming. Nurtury, , an early childhood education provider, operates from the building’s basement level. Moses Youth Center also serves the larger community as a location for programs supporting new parents, community meetings, and a neighborhood voting location. The building has been evaluated for systems upgrades several times and is currently in design for an upcoming capital project to improve the aging HVAC systems, repair critical plumbing infrastructure, and make key elements of the building more visually appealing for users. In addition, DPW Engineering is working on a project for street improvements around the building to help address and improve exterior water infiltration issues that have impacted the Youth Center. (Kristen, you could link to the port project that Gerry is working on if you think it is appropriate). This project will enhance thermal comfort for staff and residents who use the Moses Youth Center. It will also further the climate goals outlined by the Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan through its transition to an electric energy system, which will decrease the building’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Website + Constant Contact: Marketing Underway for New Affordable Housing at 52 New Street Apartments – Information Sessions on April 28 Just A Start (JAS) is holding a second lottery for up to 20 of its one- and two-bedroom affordable housing rental units at 52 New Street in Cambridge and to fill the waiting list for units as they become available. Supported with funding from the City of Cambridge and Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust, 52 New Street was the first development to be approved under the Affordable Housing Overlay. Construction is complete. Residents selected in this round will begin moving in by late June to July 2026. Applications for the remaining units are now available until May 20 at 3 p.m. Please visit here to complete the application online. JAS will be hosting an information session on April 28 at 1 p.m. online. Please visit www.52NewStreetApartments.com to register for the information session. A lottery will be held on May 22 at 3 p.m. via Teams. Attendance is not required. For more information on 52 New Street, please visit JAS’s project page at: https://justastart.org/52-new-street/. For more information about the application process and the upcoming information session, please click on the flyer here or email 52NewStreet@Wingatecompanies.com.

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Pizza will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a heartfelt story about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life. Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as "screechers." When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she's determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears. A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl's fierce determination to make a difference. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the discussion to participate. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For a copy of the book, stop by the Children’s Room after you've registered. If we run out of books at the desk, you can place a hold on the book by clicking on the book title in the paragraph above. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Meagan: malbright@cambridgema.gov

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a heartfelt story about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life. Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as "screechers." When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she's determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears. A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl's fierce determination to make a difference. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the discussion to participate. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For a copy of the book, stop by the Children’s Room after you've registered. If we run out of books at the desk, you can place a hold on the book by clicking on the book title in the paragraph above. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Meagan: malbright@cambridgema.gov

Children and families are invited to meet Jasmine Warga, award-winning and best-selling author of many popular middle-grade novels, including Massachusetts Children's Book Award winner A Rover’s Story and Newbery Honor winner Other Words for Home. Warga will talk about her work, answer questions from the audience and sign books. Porter Square Books will have books available for sale. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Registration is not required. About the Lecture The annual lecture is an initiative sponsored by the Cambridge Public Library, the Curious George Fund, and the Cambridge Public Library Foundation. The series aims to bring the community together to celebrate outstanding and engaging books for young readers. About the Author Jasmine Warga is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of middle grade novels; her books have won numerous awards, including a Newbery Honor, been named to many state award reading lists, and listed as best books of the year by publications such as NPR, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and others. Her newest release - “The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan” - explores the bond between a rescue dog named Finnegan and a cheetah cub named Chase. Inspired by true stories from zoos across the country, award-winning author Jasmine Warga creates a deeply moving tale about how the power of friendship can transcend anything – even species.

Information for residents and visitors about parking a car in Cambridge.