Arthropod Petting Zoo with Professor Bugman (O'Neill)
It's creepy crawly week at the Library!
Kids learn all about Arthropods, the most diverse group of animal life on the planet, during this exciting show-and-tell-and-touch program! Learn, see, hear, touch, and even smell the incredible adaptations these creatures have that help them survive in the wild world.
Recommended for children ages 3 and up and their caregivers. No registration is required.
Preschool Programs
The Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) provides access to free school-day, school-year preschool for all Cambridge 4-year-olds and some 3-year-olds. CPP, managed by the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood, is a mixed-delivery system that allows families to choose preschool programs that best fir their family's needs. DHSP Preschools are a partner provider of CPP.
Connect with New Parents Through Baby University
Baby University (Baby U) is a free 14-week program that supports Cambridge families with children age 0–3. Through Saturday workshops, one-on-one visits, and community connections, Baby U helps parents build stronger relationships with their children—and each other—while offering long-term support through the Baby U Alumni Association.
COVID-19 Remembrance Memorial Dedication Rescheduled for Thursday, October 28
The City of Cambridge invites community members to join Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale for the dedication of the City’s COVID-19 Remembrance Memorial. This dedication has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. A brief ceremony will be held at the Memorial site inside the main gate of the Cambridge Cemetery, at 76 Coolidge Avenue.
Cambridge Fire 2024 Emergency Response Numbers at a Glance
In 2024, the Cambridge Fire Department responded to 16,182 emergency incidents, including 1,148 fires, 7,387 medical emergencies, and 237 elevator rescues. Firefighters played a critical role in major local fires, including a tragic 3-alarm fire in North Cambridge and multiple multi-alarm residential fires throughout the year. Cambridge fire companies also provided mutual aid to neighboring communities 196 times, highlighting their dedication to public safety.
Reading Group: How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective
“If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression.”
- Combahee River Collective, April 1977
This event is part 3 of 4 of our reading group to discuss How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. We will read and discuss the book in sections as follows:
Session 1 - Intro, Barbara Smith
Session 2 - Beverly Smith, Demita Frazier
Session 3 - Alicia Garza, Angela Davis, comments
Session 4 – Reflections on Cambridge present and future
Participants are encouraged to come to as many sessions as they can — and all are welcome! Copies of the book are available for pickup at the Central Square Branch.
This event was created in partnership with Community Conversations: Sister to Sister, the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission, and the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
Face Coverings
The City of Cambridge issued an emergency order requiring that face masks or coverings be worn in indoor public places. The order takes effect at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 3, 2021. It applies to everyone over the age of two years old, with exceptions in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines.
Summer Reading: Block Party (O'Neill)
Celebrate the end of summer with neighbors old and new! We will have free food, games, crafts, bubbles and a clothing swap! All neighbors of any age are welcome.
At 3:30 p.m. we will have a family-friendly concert with music by Music at the Blissful.
This event will happen outside. In case of rain or bad weather there will be modified activities inside the O'Neill Branch.
Commonwealth Elevates Cambridge and Northeast Region To Critical Drought Status
Despite the considerable snowfall that Cambridge and the greater region has had this winter, drought conditions have been elevated due to limited groundwater recharge this winter. The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) elevated the Northeast Region of Massachusetts, which includes Cambridge, from a Level 2 - Significant Drought to a Level 3 - Critical Drought earlier this week. In response to the ongoing drought, Cambridge has implemented strict water use restrictions.