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Kamishibai (paper theater) is a traditional form of Japanese street theater and storytelling where author illustrator Yumi Izuyama uses her original artwork to tell folktales from around the world, bringing them to life for families with young children. A second generation Japanese Brazilian, Izuyama will educate and entertain us using Kamishibai with both traditional Japanese and Brazilian folktales! Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Cambridge Public Library.

Swap extra seeds, plants or harvested items from your garden at the Library (outdoors)! If you cannot bring anything you may still come to get supplies and enjoy activities. This program is open to people of all ages! No registration is required. In case of rain or bad weather this program will be inside the O'Neill Branch.

Art urges us to look more closely at the world around us, and at ourselves. In this generative writing workshop, facilitated by Heather Nelson, participants will choose an image with which to “converse”: each writer will be given prompts and questions in order to interact with their image and, after having this dialogue with the art, writers will work to edit and arrange their observations into a working draft of an ekphrastic poem. There will be a little time at the end of the session for sharing drafts and discussing next steps. Registration is required.

Listing of Cambridge Community Development Department Planning Awards

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 honor of Pride month, we are celebrating the colors of the rainbow with tie-dye! Teens are welcome to tie-dye a provided shirt or bag or bring something of their own to tie-dye. Snacks are provided. No registration required, supplies are provided until they run out. 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.

Come outside and play as warm weather arrives. The Community Development Department (CDD) partners with local businesses and organizations to sponsor free events in squares and neighborhoods across the city.

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or small business owner looking to start a business in the City of Cambridge. This workshop is a comprehensive, four-week program tailored specifically for early-stage entrepreneurs and established business owners seeking to enhance their business operations. The curriculum addresses key aspects of business operations. This series of workshops will establish a solid foundation in essential principles of entrepreneurship and business ownership. Workshop 2: Marketing & Customer Acquisition (Date: Tuesday June 3rd, 2025) Fundamentals of marketing for small businesses Creating effective customer acquisition strategies Introduction to social media marketing and e-commerce Please register here.

Join the Collins Branch Library in collaboration with the Cambridge Climate Leaders Initiative for a monthly discussion of a climate-related topic. Each month the group will discuss a book on the topic at hand then hear about a related local program or initiative and how you can take action. Topic: Farming for the Future Book: We are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate by Michael Grunwald Registration is encouraged, but not required. For more information contact Jo at jpercell@cambridgema.gov.

Join us outdoors at the O'Neill Branch to celebrate the end of the school year and the start of the summer! Pick up a "blossom kit" (small growing kit with seeds) while supplies last. We will also have food, games and art. No registration is required. All ages are welcome! In case of rain or bad weather this event will be inside the O'Neill Branch.