Collins Branch Book Club (Collins)
October selection: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Join us at the Collins Branch to discuss a selection of fiction and non-fiction titles for adults. Print copies are available to pick up during library hours.
For more information, contact Jo Percell (they/them) at jpercell@cambridgema.gov
Movie Night: WE WANT THE FUNK! (Valente)
Join us for movie night at the Valente Branch to celebrate Black History Month!
WE WANT THE FUNK! is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, spanning from African, soul, and early jazz roots, to its rise into the public consciousness.
Registration helpful.
Reading of the Combahee River Collective Statement (Central Square)
“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
Come to the Central Square Library to gather for a reading of the Combahee River Collective (CRC) statement. Centered in Black feminist lesbian socialist politics, the CRC argued for the centering of anti-racist and anti-sexist politics within feminist and civil rights organizing respectively. Though the CRC is no longer active, its work and its members continue to have deep influence in Black feminism and beyond.
We will read the statement aloud together, sharing the words and wisdom of the Combahee River Collective with opportunity to discuss their continued resonance.
This event will be followed by a 4-session reading group to discuss the second edition of How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. For more information and to register for the reading group, please see here.
This event was created in partnership with Community Conversations: Sister to Sister, the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission, and the Cambridge Women’s Commission.
Romance Book Group Film Screening: Pride & Prejudice
Following our April 8 discussion of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, join us for a free screening of the 2005 film adaptation starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. Everyone is welcome, so please feel free to bring friends!
The First Commander Remembered: Washington's Legacy in Cambridge (Main/Virtual)
To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies will present Washington in American Memory, a seven-part speaker series.
Debunk myths and trace the evolution of the public memory of George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts, featuring:
J.L. Bell, author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War and proprietor of Boston1775.net
Charles Sullivan, co-author of Building Old Cambridge: Architecture and Development and Executive Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission
Summer Reading: Summer Sing Along
Join us to sing and move together. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers.
This program can accommodate 130 people. 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.
Teen Pride Tie-Dye (Valente)
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.
Grab and Go Boredom-Buster Activity Packs (Collins)
Are you looking for fun stuff to do when boredom strikes? Take home a packet of simple activities such as mazes, word searches and drawing prompts. Find ideas for fun requiring only a few things and lots of imagination.
Each packet contains a few pages sourced from Anorak Magazine, the ‘happy mag for kids’ designed to inspire and encourage children to tap into their natural creativity and learn while having fun.
Recommended for children ages 6-12, available while supplies last.
Sustaining Community: A Climate Change Book Group (Main)
The climate is changing, and we're all here on the planet together. Join us for a monthly community gathering and discussion of a variety of books about climate change. We will share thoughts, resources, and occasionally host special guests in a welcoming small-group environment.
For our March meeting, we will discuss Human Nature: nine ways to feel about our changing planet by Kate Marvel (this book was originally our January read, but the discussion was cancelled due to weather).
Copies of the print book are available at the Main Library Q&A Desk. The e-book and e-audiobook are available immediately on the Hoopla app.
Registration is required. Please contact alengel@cambridgema.gov with questions.
Wellness for Older Adults: Low-impact Fitness (Virtual)
This class is designed for people of all levels to strengthen the muscles, the heart and the brain--all while having fun and moving to great music! Come as you are and take everything at your own pace. You will feel the benefits in mind and body!
Registration for each session is required.
This is a virtual event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event.