John Cassidy presents: Capitalism and Its Critics (Main)
Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome John Cassidy—staff writer at The New Yorker and author of the books Dot.con: The Greatest Story Ever Sold and How Markets Fail, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction—for a discussion of his new book Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI.
Registration is required.
Free Sunscreen in Parks
Keep Cambridge healthy and extend play time by adding free sunscreen dispensers to city parks and playgrounds! This project will fund dispenser installation and ongoing maintenance for three years.
Artful Mechanisms with Playful Engineers (Valente)
Join us to celebrate Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story, which tells the story of a rover's journey to Mars and the challenges it faces there. We will celebrate by building some artful mechanisms with Playful Engineers! Use simple machines to create mechanical automata and solve problems similar to those faced by rovers on Mars - using materials you could find around your own home. Registration is required.
This event is part of a special series promoting our 2026 Curious George Lecture (CGL) with Jasmine Warga, award-winning author of A Rover's Story, Other Words for Home, and many other popular children's books. Save the Date: the Lecture will take place on Wednesday, April 15, 6 p.m. at the Main Library.
Funding is generously provided by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.
Getting Around Cambridge
Cambridge is committed to designing our city to help people to get around without driving, with an emphasis on pedestrian friendly intersections, bicycle lanes, traffic calming, and public transit.
CPL Presents: McNamara at War with authors Philip and William Taubman (Main)
Join the Cambridge Public Library in welcoming Philip Taubman, former Washington Bureau Chief of The New York Times and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Taubman for a discussion of their latest book, McNamara at War, a captivating and authoritative psychological portrait of Robert S. McNamara. Informed by newly discovered diaries, letters, and interviews with those closest to him, the authors uncover an emotionally tortured man—a man who mastered everything in life, until the Vietnam War mastered him.
The discussion will be moderated by Fredrik Logevall, the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School and the author of JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.
Citywide Street Cleaning Pilot Program Kicks off April 3
Beginning April 3, 2023, the City of Cambridge will implement a one-year street cleaning pilot program designed to evaluate the effectiveness of its street cleaning operations, while seeking to reduce the impacts of towing on residents. During this pilot program, towing associated with street cleaning will not be enforced, though residents should continue to move their vehicles accordingly, following the posted street cleaning schedule. Additionally, parking tickets issued for street cleaning will be raised from $30 to $50.
Summer Art Nights: Watercolor (Main)
Art on a nice Summer night? Nothing sounds better than that! Come to the Library and enjoy an art filled evening learning the techniques of watercolor painting. In partnership with artist Brooke Lambert, a professional printmaker and painter, she will take you through this guided art class. The library will provide all materials.
Please try your best to arrive on time or notify us if any lateness. There will be a 10 minute grace period to keep your spot held before going to waitlisted registrants.
Summer Art Nights: Printmaking (Main)
Art on a nice Summer night? Nothing sounds better than that! Come to the Library and enjoy an art filled evening learning the techniques of printmaking. In partnership with artist Brooke Lambert, a professional printmaker and painter, she will take you through this guided art class. The library will provide all materials.
Please try your best to arrive on time or notify us if any lateness. There will be a 10 minute grace period to keep your spot held before going to waitlisted registrants.
Celebrating Portugal in Massachusetts Concert (Main Library)
Every year, June is proclaimed Month of Portuguese Heritage in Massachusetts. Join us for a free concert at the Main Library in celebration of Portuguese Heritage Month.
The concert will feature a jazz quartet performing works by Carlos Paredes and other Portuguese composers. Carlos Paredes (1925 – 2004), the most renowned Portuguese guitar composer, maintained significant artistic dialogues with other musical genres. Amongst his most important collaborations was an album recorded together with jazz musician Charlie Haden. The concert will also be a tribute to Paredes’ work on the 100th anniversary of his birth. The band consists of Tim Pascoal on piano; Gen Yoshimura on Drums; and Youngchae on upright bass. The performance will also feature Francisco Pais Cardoso on Guitar. A reception with Portuguese pastries will follow the concert. This event is cosponsored by the Cambridge Public Library and the Consulate General of Portugal in Boston, with the support of Camoes – Institute for Cooperation and Language (Portugal). Registration is required.
Stand with Sudan: Teach-in with Transition Magazine (Main/Virtual)
Join the Cambridge Public Library for a Teach-In facilitated by the team of Transition Magazine. Contributors to the current issue on Sudan—Fatin Abbas, Alex De Waal, Nisrin Elamin, and Alden Young—as well as members of the local Sudanese community will speak and discuss the present-day conflict in Sudan, its roots, what stands to be lost, and how to move toward a lasting peace.
Free copies of the Sudan issue of Transition will be on hand. Registration is required for virtual attendance.