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Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcomes Nicholas Epley—John Templeton Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and faculty director of the Roman Family Center for Decision Research at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business—for a discussion of his new book, A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection. He will be joined in conversation by Daniel Gilbert—Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness, and host and co-writer of the award-winning NOVA television series This Emotional Life. Registration is required.

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.

The City of Cambridge 911 Clinician is a unique public safety position, as they work directly inside the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) alongside Emergency Telecommunications Dispatchers (ETD). The 911 Clinician may be utilized by dispatchers during emergencies for purposes of crisis intervention/de-escalation or to support callers through vulnerable moments before first responders arrive on-scene when appropriate. A large part of the 911 Clinician’s role is also following up with and providing community members connections to mental health and corresponding services by making referrals, providing resources, facilitating screenings, offering support and advocacy, and short-term case management.

Join the Cambridge Public Library for the 51st Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture with Dr. Brandon M. Terry. Dr. Terry is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and Co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. He is the author of Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope: A Tragic Vision of the Civil Rights Movement and is coeditor, with Tommie Shelby, of To Shape a New World: Essays on the Political Philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and editor of Fifty Years Since MLK. Registration is required.

AI is the most transformative technology of our time, yet decisions about its future are being shaped by a small group of people. As AI becomes embedded in our daily lives, the voices of young people, families, educators, and community members matter more than ever. Join us for an inclusive, intergenerational gathering where we explore what is at stake, what is possible, how we can collectively shape a more humane and equitable future in the age of AI. AI and Us Showcase — Discover how young people, researchers, and community organizations are shaping AI for humanity. Town Hall Conversations — Hear from thought leaders and youth voices on why our participation in AI’s future is not optional. Community Commitment Wall — Add your hope or promise for a future where everyone belongs in the story of AI Panelists include digital artist Dr. Nettrice Gaskins; Dr. Pedro Reynolds-Cuellar, a Research Scientist at the Robotics and AI Institute; Mark Lannigan, the Regional Director for Senator Ed Markey; Dr. Nathan Sanders, a Data Scientist at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center; Dr. Maria Madison, the Principal Investigator in the Racial Justice and Tech Program at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management; Dr. Deb Roy, the Director of the Constructive Communication Center at the MIT Media Labs; and Dr. Dia Ghosh, the Founder of Joint Family. Panelists will also include Gianluca Álvarez and Jeremy Miranda Casildo, youth AI Research Interns with Innovators for Purpose.

Seven projects in total were selected after a record number of ideas were submitted and more than 10,000 Cambridge residents age 12 and older voted how to spend $1 million on capital and operating projects to improve the community. In order of ranked votes, the following seven projects won $1,060,000 in fiscal year 2026 funding: 1. Improve Parks with Shade Structures and Seating ($250,000) 2. Build a Pollinator Garden in a City Park ($75,000) 3. Funding for High School Clubs ($150,000) 4. Slower Speeds for Safer Streets ($250,000) 5. Mobile Center for Hard-to-Recycle Items ($75,000) 6. Welcome Baby Boxes for New Parents ($60,000) 7. Electric Vehicle Chargers ($200,000)

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.

Join the Cambridge Public Library in celebrating our Summer Reading theme—“Plant a seed, read!”—by gathering with us for a reading and talk with author and biologist, David George Haskell, author of How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries, published just this past March. The recipient of mutliple starred reviews, How Flowers Made Our World has been described as “a work of real passion” (The New York Times) and “a seamless melding of poetry and science” (Wall Street Journal) and in it, David George Haskell, a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction, argues that flowers “belong at the center of the story of how our world came to be.” 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.

Jacob Lavoie is a proud Cambridge resident, cheese lover, and the Program Director for Food & Wine at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. With a background in wine and spirits, arts and culture, and lifelong learning, Jacob brings curiosity, creativity, and collaboration into the classroom. In this class, he invites students to explore the art of building a stunning and delicious cheese board perfect for entertaining or a cozy night in. Jacob will guide participants through selecting a balanced mix of cheeses, charcuterie, and flavorful accompaniments while sharing tips for thoughtful pairings, visual composition, and crowd-pleasing presentation. Students will leave with practical techniques they can use for future gatherings, celebrations, or weeknight treats, along with inspiration for wine pairings to elevate the experience. The class concludes with a communal tasting of cheese and charcuterie.