Brandon M. Terry presents: Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope (Main)
Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Brandon M. Terry—John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and Codirector of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research—for a discussion of his new book Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope: A Tragic Vision of the Civil Rights Movement. He will be joined in conversation by Danielle Allen—James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University, Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School and Director of the Democratic Knowledge Project-Learn at the Harvard Graduate School of Education—and Michael Sandel—Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government at Harvard University and the bestselling author of The Tyranny of Merit and Democracy’s Discontent.
Registration is required.
AI Training for Job Seekers - Four Workshop Series (Main)
The Cambridge Public Library and the African Bridge Network (ABN) are offering an AI training for people looking for jobs. This training will teach you how to use AI tools safely and effectively to help with your career.
Through the workshops, participants will learn strategies to:
Find better ways to look for jobs
Update and customize resumes for different positions
Practice and prepare for job interviews
Get help dealing with common challenges in today’s job market
This training is a four-part workshop series. Participants who complete all sessions may be eligible to receive a free refurbished laptop and wi-fi hotspot.
Sessions will be held in-person at the Main Library (449 Broadway) on the following Saturdays: March 14, March 21, March 28 and April 4. Each session will be held from 1pm to 4pm.
Space is limited. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and accepted until spots are filled or the deadline passes. Apply by March 1, 2026.
If you have any questions or need help with the application, call 857-235-9382 or CPLDigitalEquity@cambridgema.gov.
To learn more about this program, please go to: africanbn.org/ai-training/
Summer Reading: Tiny Gardens Everywhere (Main)
Uncover the radical roots of urban gardening with Kate Brown, author of Tiny Gardens Everywhere (2026).
The history of gardening in European and North American cities in the 20th century is a story about ordinary people working with each other—and with plants and microbes—to cultivate life in the unlikeliest of places. Using the deluge of nutrients that flow into cities, working class gardeners regenerated wasteland, built the first garden city communities, and engaged in the most productive agriculture in recorded human history. Following the plants and microbes, urban gardeners also built mutual aid societies that advocated for equity, social welfare, and rights—rights not to liberty and the pursuit of happiness (who can eat that?) but to food, fuel, and shelter; to well-being for all.
Kate Brown is the Thomas M. Siebel Distinguished Professor in the History of Science at MIT. Her prize-winning books include Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future (2019), Plutopia: Nuclear Families in Atomic Cities and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters (2013), and A Biography of No Place: From Ethnic Borderland to Soviet Heartland (2004).
Presented in partnership with City of Cambridge Community Garden Program.
[CANCELLED] CPL Nature Club: Morning Bird Watching Walk at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Collins)
Update 6/17/25: Due to rain in the forecast, this walk has been cancelled. The next bird watching walk will be held on Friday, July 18th at 10:15 a.m. You can register for that walk at this link: https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/calendar/publicevents/JulyBird
Join us for a morning walk at one of the most renowned birdwatching spots in Cambridge, Mount Auburn Cemetery! We will help you identify birds, learn birdwatching tips and tricks, and familiarize yourself with migratory birds as well as those that can be spotted all year round. A limited supply of binoculars will be available.
The walk will meet at the Collins Branch Library at 64 Aberdeen Ave at 10:15 a.m. We will walk to Mt. Auburn Cemetery together (about a five minute walk). Please try to be on time as we will leave shortly after 10:15!
Registration is required. This event can only accommodate a certain number of participants. One registration is good for one person. If you do not register, you cannot participate. Those on the waitlist will be contacted if a space becomes available.
Beginner's Line Dancing Workshop: 55+ (Main)
It’s fun, it’s easy... it’s exercise? Yes! Come try your hand at line dancing! This class is a great way to get low-impact exercise while dancing to (mostly) Country Western music. It requires no experience, no equipment, and no partner; just bring your two left feet. We’ll start from the very beginning, learning easy dances. Note that registration is for all four sessions: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, and 4/28.
Beginner's Line Dancing Workshop: 55+ (Main)
It’s fun, it’s easy... it’s exercise? Yes! Come try your hand at line dancing! This class is a great way to get low-impact exercise while dancing to (mostly) Country Western music. It requires no experience, no equipment, and no partner; just bring your two left feet. We’ll start from the very beginning, learning easy dances. Note that registration is for all four sessions: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, and 4/28.
Beginner's Line Dancing Workshop: 55+ (Main)
It’s fun, it’s easy... it’s exercise? Yes! Come try your hand at line dancing! This class is a great way to get low-impact exercise while dancing to (mostly) Country Western music. It requires no experience, no equipment, and no partner; just bring your two left feet. We’ll start from the very beginning, learning easy dances. Note that registration is for all four sessions: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, and 4/28.
Beginner's Line Dancing Workshop: 55+ (Main)
It’s fun, it’s easy... it’s exercise? Yes! Come try your hand at line dancing! This class is a great way to get low-impact exercise while dancing to (mostly) Country Western music. It requires no experience, no equipment, and no partner; just bring your two left feet. We’ll start from the very beginning, learning easy dances. Note that registration is for all four sessions: 4/7, 4/14, 4/21, and 4/28.
Sungazing with #popscope (Main)
Join us on the lawn of the Cambridge Public Library for a unique afternoon of sungazing with #popscope as part of MA Space Week 2025! You'll have the chance to observe the Sun safely through specially equipped telescopes, guided by enthusiastic astronomy educators and volunteers.
Discover sunspots, solar flares, and the powerful beauty of our closest star - no experience necessary! Whether you're a curious kid, a budding scientist, or just passing by, stop in for a moment of cosmic wonder
One-on-One Tech Help at Main Library
Looking for some basic computer or mobile device guidance? Want to learn how to access audiobooks and eBooks? Stop by at the Main Library for our drop-in hours! Drop-in sessions will be limited to 30-minutes for each patron.
We can help you with:
accessing library eBooks, audiobooks, and other eResources on your devices
e-mail and searching the web
smartphone and mobile app questions
We are not able to help you with:
installing advanced software programs
completing online transactions for you
computer hardware and technical maintenance
To view all available timeslots and dates, use the following link: One-on-One Tech Help schedule.
Registration is strongly encouraged but not required.
If you have any questions, please contact Gina Josette Rivera by email at gjosette@cambridgema.gov