STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose.
Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more.
STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose.
Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more.
CANCELLED STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose.
Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more.
CANCELLED: STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose.
Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more.
You, Me and AI: Exploring Mental Health, Connections and Boundaries (Main)
What happens when AI becomes a friend, a tutor, a therapist, a co-worker? Come find out in this hands-on workshop led by Joint Family in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Library.
Test the limitations and capabilities of popular Generative AI tools and how they’re quietly reshaping the way we connect with technology and each other. We'll explore the support gaps they're filling, where we need to draw boundaries and why real world human connections matter more than ever. No prior experience with Generative AI necessary. Caregivers and educators are encouraged to attend. Open to ages 18 and up.
Park Sounds: Joyce the Singer (Main)
Joyce the Singer is a versatile artist, musician, and producer from Detroit, MI. With a deep passion for her craft, her sound draws from a beautiful blend of R&B, Neo-Soul, and Jazz influences. Through her artistry, she strives to inspire others with music that reflects real-life experiences in hopes of connecting with vast audiences.
PARK SOUNDS 2026 brings free outdoor musical performances featuring local artists to the front lawn of the Cambridge Public Library Main Branch. These events are all-ages. Bring a chair, food, and loved ones to celebrate the summer! Funding is provided by the CPL Foundation in memory of Janet Axelrod.
Parent/Child (Ages 7-9) Book Group (Main)
Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-9 and a parent or caregiver.
This month's book is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Mary Lennox is a sickly and spoiled 10-year-old girl sent to live with her reclusive uncle after the death of her parents. When she arrives at his rural estate she meets a cast of characters including a friendly housekeeper and a mysterious cousin who she hears crying at night. When Mary discovers a hidden garden that has been growing wild for years, she decides to restore it in secret. Choose either the original or one of our graphic novel adaptations and come ready to compare and contrast! Copies of this month's book are available at the Children's Desk.
Both caregiver and child should read the book before the discussion to participate. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family.
For questions about parent/child book group, please email Rachel: rbeaton@cambridgema.gov
Living into hotter summers: How do we all stay safe? (Main)
Extreme heat is becoming more frequent and more intense — and it poses real risks to public health, infrastructure, and our most vulnerable neighbors. Join City staff and regional experts on April 7 from 6–7:30 p.m. for a conversation about how climate change is reshaping New England summers, who is most at risk, and how cities like Cambridge and Boston are responding. Whether you’re concerned about your own health, the health of neighbors and relatives, or the future of our city, this discussion will offer practical information and next steps. This event is cosponsored by the Office of Sustainability and the Cambridge Public Library.
Beyond the Call: CARE Documentary Screening (Central Square)
Join us on Thursday July 16th at 6:30pm to celebrate the 2 year anniversary of the launch of the CARE (Community Assistance Response and Engagement)Team! We will be screening Beyond The Call, a powerful documentary highlighting how the City of Cambridge created and implemented the CARE Team, a community-centered alternative response program designed to support people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises. This documentary will offer an inside look at the challenges, breakthroughs, and real-life impact of building a public safety model rooted in care instead of criminalization.
There will be food, swag, and an opportunity to connect directly with those doing the work!
CPL Presents: David George Haskell (Main/Virtual)
Join the Cambridge Public Library in celebrating our Summer Reading theme—“Plant a seed, read!”—by gathering with us for a reading and talk with author and biologist, David George Haskell, author of How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries, published just this past March.
The recipient of mutliple starred reviews, How Flowers Made Our World has been described as “a work of real passion” (The New York Times) and “a seamless melding of poetry and science” (Wall Street Journal) and in it, David George Haskell, a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction, argues that flowers “belong at the center of the story of how our world came to be.”
Registration is required.