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August selection: The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin Reading Interests: We read mostly contemporary Fiction and Non-Fiction, with forays into older works and classics. Past selections include: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. How to get the print book: Copies of the book are set aside at the O'Connell Branch. Click here for O'Connell Branch Hours How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as a digital audio and e-book through Hoopla. This book group meets in person at the O'Connell Branch. No registration is needed. Drop-ins welcome. For more information contact the branch at 617-349-4019.

October selection: The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters Reading Interests: We read mostly contemporary Fiction and Non-Fiction, with forays into older works and classics. Past selections include: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. How to get the print book: Copies of the book are set aside at the O'Connell Branch. Click here for O'Connell Branch Hours How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as a digital audio and e-book through Hoopla. This book group meets in person at the O'Connell Branch. No registration is needed. Drop-ins welcome. For more information contact the branch at 617-349-4019.

This month's book: The Lilac People by Milo Todd Reading Interests: The group concentrates on fiction and narrative nonfiction. Some past selections include: Colored Television by Danzy Senna, Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters, and Beautiful Country: A Memoir by Qian Julie Wang. How to get the print book: Copies of the print book are set aside at the Main Library. Visit the Main Library Q&A Desk at 449 Broadway during service hours and a staff member can help you check out a copy. How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as an e-book and digital audiobook through OverDrive or the Libby app. The digital audiobook is also available through Hoopla. Registration is not required. For more information, contact Brita (bzitin@cambridgema.gov).

May selection: Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather Reading Interests: We read mostly contemporary Fiction and Non-Fiction, with forays into older works and classics. Past selections include: Wellness by Nathan Hill, Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, The Elements of Marie Curie by Dava Sobel, and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. How to get the print book: Copies of the book are set aside at the O'Connell Branch. Click here for O'Connell Branch Hours How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as a digital audio and e-book through Hoopla. This book group meets in person at the O'Connell Branch. No registration is needed. Drop-ins welcome. For more information contact the branch at 617-349-4019.

June selection: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell Reading Interests: We read mostly contemporary Fiction and Non-Fiction, with forays into older works and classics. Past selections include: Wellness by Nathan Hill, Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, The Elements of Marie Curie by Dava Sobel, and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. How to get the print book: Copies of the book are set aside at the O'Connell Branch. Click here for O'Connell Branch Hours How to get the e-book or digital audiobook: This month’s book is available as a digital audio and e-book through Libby or Hoopla. This book group meets in person at the O'Connell Branch. No registration is needed. Drop-ins welcome. For more information contact the branch at 617-349-4019.

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. In Dogtown, a shelter for unwanted canine and robot dogs, an extraordinary bond develops between Chance, a longing three-legged dog, Metalhead, an empathetic robot, and Mouse, their friendly ally, as they strive to find forever homes. Copies of this month's book are available at the Children's Desk. 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

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Garlic and the Vampire, by Bree Paulsen. Garlic is perfectly happy living in her little vegetable community with her best friend Carrot and the Witch Agnes to take care of them. But when a vampire moves into the big spooky castle on the hill, everyone agrees Garlic is the only one who can go confront him! 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

Jacob Lavoie is a proud Cambridge resident, cheese lover, and the Program Director for Food & Wine at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. With a background in wine and spirits, arts and culture, and lifelong learning, Jacob brings curiosity, creativity, and collaboration into the classroom. In this class, he invites students to explore the art of building a stunning and delicious cheese board perfect for entertaining or a cozy night in. Jacob will guide participants through selecting a balanced mix of cheeses, charcuterie, and flavorful accompaniments while sharing tips for thoughtful pairings, visual composition, and crowd-pleasing presentation. Students will leave with practical techniques they can use for future gatherings, celebrations, or weeknight treats, along with inspiration for wine pairings to elevate the experience. The class concludes with a communal tasting of cheese and charcuterie.

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 June meeting, we will discuss Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. This work is available in many different formats. Copies of the print book are available at the Main Library Q&A Desk. E-book and e-audiobook copies are available to borrow on the Libby app and immediately on the Hoopla app. This is a hybrid event. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event. Registration is required. Please contact alengel@cambridgema.gov with questions.

Learn how to create beautiful and colorful acrylic paintings! In this class you will be introduced to painting with acrylic, including techniques in color mixing, observational painting, and composition. At your own pace you will learn how to paint still lifes using acrylic paint in a relaxed and welcoming environment. This class will cover wet on wet and wet and dry brush techniques, sgraffito/combing, overlays/glazing, gel mediums, pattern making, and masking. You will come away from this class with beautiful paintings of your own and a greater understanding and appreciation for the medium of acrylic painting. Registration Required. This class is suitable for beginners and can be adjusted for all levels of experience. This class is taught by Brooke Lambert. Brooke is a professional printmaker and painter. She holds a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and shows her work widely in New England, New York, and beyond. Brooke works in Studio 291 at Western Avenue Studios & Lofts in Lowell, MA. She is currently represented by The Society of American Graphic Artists and Equity Gallery in New York, NY and Galaray House, contemporary art gallery in Lexington, MA. She has thirteen years of teaching experience and currently teaches adult art workshops and holds artist demos at several locations in New England.