Bitter Cold Weather is Coming. Information on Shelters, Winter Warming Center, Places to Stay Warm, and Extreme Cold Safety Tips
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.
True Crime Book Group (Main)
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.
Summer Reading: Crafternoon with Pop Up Art School (Main)
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.
Teen Design Your Own Graphic Novel Session 1/3 (Valente)
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.
Youth Tabletop Game Design Session 2/2 (Valente)
Create your very own one-page tabletop role playing game. In this two-session class, you will learn how to design your own game from scratch. We will cover themes, mechanics, and get started on making your idea a reality. No prior experience needed, all materials provided. Ages 10-14, registration required! (Registering for the first session includes the second session.)
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.
Youth Graphic Novel Design Session 1/3 (Valente)
Visually capture your own story in a short graphic novel format from story planning to character development and illustration. All materials are provided and no prior art experience is needed! Registration is required, and registering for the first session 8/4 includes the following sessions on Tuesdays, 4/11 and 4/18. 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.
CPL Presents: AAPI Heritage Month Celebration with Boston Festival Orchestra (Main)
The Boston Festival Orchestra returns to the Cambridge Public Library for the second year of its AAPI Heritage Concert, celebrating the extraordinary breadth of musical voices from Asian American and Pacific Islander composers. This program brings together works that reflect personal history, cultural inheritance, and bold contemporary expression — offering a powerful snapshot of the many ways identity and artistry intersect.
Join BFO Artistic Director Alyssa Wang, BFO musicians, and guest artists for an intimate chamber music experience that pairs performance with conversation, inviting audiences to engage with the cultural, historical, and human stories behind the music. This concert continues the BFO’s commitment to amplifying AAPI voices and creating space for meaningful artistic exchange.
For registration: https://patron.bforchestra.org/ticketing/bfo/AAPImonth
This concert is cosponsored by the Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.
Inman/CAST II
The Inman/CAST II project consists of 2 properties, Inman Square Apartments on Cambridge St and CAST II Apartments on Columbia St., purchased and preserved as affordable housing by Homeowners Rehab Inc.
The Practitioner's Story: Black Mens’ Perspective on The Core of Restorative Practice (Main)
Join us for a discussion with 5 Black men working restoratively in different contexts: at home with family, through meditation and yoga, on the sports field, in business, and in the courts providing health and mental wellness. How and why have these men chosen to create a Restorative climate inside institutions that have a history of violence against Black men and what tools are they using to keep the fire for this practice alive outside of the Talking Circle? Panelists include Sam Williams, a yogi, professor and healer; Damon Banks, a Social Worker and Chief Probation Officer; Omo Moses, the CEO of Math Talk and the author of The White Peril; Herman Banks, an educator and consultant; and Vinson Givans, a mitigation manager and football coach. The conversation will be moderated by Indi Wit The Tea, a journalist and media personality. This event is cosponsored by Cambridge Public Library.