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34 artists and organizations are being awarded $112,461 in Local Cultural Council Grant funding by Cambridge Arts and the City of Cambridge. Funded projects include a comics camp for foster children, a hip-hop dance class for seniors, a celebration of the history of Black American music, a poetry writing program pairing teens with older adults, an elementary school playwriting project addressing the indigenous history and ecosystem of the Charles River, performances of short plays by short plays by Asian Americans, a documentary about the late Cambridge artist Peter Valentine, and a documentary about The Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub.

In anticipation of the extremely cold weather this weekend, the City of Cambridge is expanding capacity at shelters and offering important safety tips. The Winter Warming Center, located in the basement of 806 Massachusetts Ave. will be open on Saturday, Feb. 4. Libraries will also be open for regular hours over the weekend. Limit outdoor time for the whole family, including pets. If you go outside, dress in layers and cover exposed skin. Wear a hat and mittens (not gloves). Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs. When outside, stay active to maintain body heat and take frequent breaks from the cold.

This month's book: The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson Audience: Adults who enjoy reading true crime. How to get the print book: Copies of the print book are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library Q&A Desk at 449 Broadway during service hours and a staff member can help you check out a copy. How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as an e-book and digital audiobook through the Libby app. How to register: Click the registration link below to register. We'll meet in the Rossi Room on the first floor of the Main Library. For more information, contact Amie at alemire@cambridgema.gov.

Learn about the centuries-old art of reverse glass painting and create your own reverse painting! Choose from three images and paint it using acrylic paint on clear acetate. This program can accommodate 30 youth ages 11 to 18 years old. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. The entire party must be present to receive a ticket. This program starts promptly. Unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.

Learn how to visually capture your own memoir or fictional creation in a short graphic novel through story planning, character development, and techniques for capturing emotions, motion, and time. Materials provided and no prior art or author experience needed! Registration is required, and registering for this session includes the following two Tuesdays 1/20, and 1/27. This program is for ages 10-18. 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 Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) creates and coordinates services that enhance the quality of life for Cambridge residents. Driven by the needs of residents, the department’s extensive services and programs touch almost every sector in the city: from newborns to older adults, from school-aged children to homeless families, from non-profit organizations to local employers. DHSP employs a diverse workforce and works with the Community Engagement Team and community partners to bring information about services to the community and to inform the Department about the community's needs. DHSP focuses on equitably serving Cambridge’s diverse community and increasing access to programs and services, particularly to low-income individuals and families.

Join Gretchen Sisson, the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood (a finalist for the 2025 Book Critics Circle Award for nonfiction) in conversation with Cameron Russell, the author of How to Make Herself Agreeable to Everyone. Gretchen Sisson is a research sociologist at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH) in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, where she studies abortion and adoption in the United States. Her research was cited in the Supreme Court's dissent for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and has been covered in the Washington Post, TIME Magazine, The Nation, NPR, New York Magazine, VOX, Mother Jones, and many other outlets. Registration is required.

Harvard Book Store, the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Kenneth Roth—former executive director of Human Rights Watch—for a discussion of his new book Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments. Registration is required.

It's a Library dance party! All ages. This program can accommodate 130 people. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. The entire party must be present to receive a ticket. This program starts promptly, and any unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. 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.

It's a Library dance party! All ages. This program can accommodate 130 people. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. The entire party must be present to receive a ticket. This program starts promptly, and any unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. 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.