Community Safety Department Makes Immediate Impact In Community Following Launch of 9-1-1 Response
The Community Safety Department’s CARE Team launched in 2024, providing an unarmed, compassionate response to mental health crises, well-being checks, and other non-criminal emergencies. By the end of the year, they responded to nearly 200 emergency calls, assisted over 150 community members, and removed 1,600 needles from public spaces, with 94% of calls requiring no police involvement. In collaboration with local organizations and the Cambridge Police Department, the CARE Team also offers case management and referrals, helping residents access shelter, addiction treatment, housing support, and other essential services.
Emerging Artists Workshop series
Cambridge Arts and Community Development Department are offering free workshops to support emerging artists through their professional development. The topics will include financial literacy, artistic identity, grant writing, marketing, advocacy, and wellness. Workshops will be offered online during the months of October, November, and December.
We are offering this opportunity to practitioners in every form of creative expression, however, there is limited availability. We encourage local artists and practitioners from historically disempowered and oppressed communities (women, people of color, veterans, individuals who are disabled, and members of the LGBTQ+ community) to register.
Drop-In Tech Help at the Library (Central Square)
Looking for some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Want help using an online resource? Need someone to read your resume and support navigating online job applications? Join us for our drop-in help hours. No registration required.
If you have any questions, please contact library@cambridgema.gov
The City of Cambridge does not discriminate, including on the basis of disability. We may provide auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures to people with disabilities. For more information contact us at library@cambridgema.gov, 617-349-4032 (voice), or via relay at 711.
THE NEXT DREAM: Documentary Screening and Discussion (Main)
Join the Cambridge Public Library for a screening of The Next Dream, an independent documentary about more than one million Temporary Protected Status (TPS) families across the U.S., who are at risk of deportation and family separation.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A with members of the National TPS Alliance and the film's producers. Come and meet members of the TPS families, learn about their struggles, and discuss how we may support our neighbors across the country. To learn more about this project, please click here. Registration is encouraged, but not required.
Folk Concert for Children and Families: Award Winning Musician Kim Moberg (Main)
Join us for live Folk Music with award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kim Moberg and enjoy classic folk songs, treasured favorites, and original music!
Kim was born in Juneau, Alaska, the daughter of a mother of Alaskan Native Tlingit descent and a US Coast Guard veteran father from Kansas. Her mission is to connect people in empathy and social consciousness through the storytelling power of Folk Music. Recommended for school-age children ages 6+ (younger siblings welcome with parent/caregiver). No tickets needed.
Thank you to Folk New England and peaceeducators.org for their generous support!
[Cancelled] Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services: Informational Discussion
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.
Choosing Native Plants for a Beautiful and Beneficial Garden (Main/Virtual)
Balance ecological value with your preferences in your garden! Learn how to select native plants that will suit your conditions and support birds and beneficial insects. Amy Meltzer will discuss:
Assessing your site and planning your garden
Matching your site conditions with plant characteristics
Choices for starting a native plant garden
Finding affordable native plants
Caring for your new plants
Adapting your garden to climate change
This is a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. The in-person event will take place in the Learning Lab.
Folk Concert for Children and Families: Award Winning Musician Kim Moberg (Main)
Join us for live Folk Music with award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kim Moberg and enjoy classic folk songs, treasured favorites, and original music!
Kim was born in Juneau, Alaska, the daughter of a mother of Alaskan Native Tlingit descent and a US Coast Guard veteran father from Kansas. Her mission is to connect people in empathy and social consciousness through the storytelling power of Folk Music. Recommended for school-age children ages 6+ (younger siblings welcome with parent/caregiver). No tickets needed.
Thank you to Folk New England and peaceeducators.org for their generous support!
You, Me and AI: Exploring Mental Health, Connections and Boundaries (Main)
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.
CALEA Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment
A site-based assessment team from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), will arrive on Monday, August 18th through Thursday, August 21st to examine all aspects of the Cambridge Police Department policy and procedures, management, operations, and support services. Verification by the team that the Cambridge Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of public safety professional excellence. As part of the assessment agency personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments by calling (617) 349-3384.