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Young people ages 10 to 14 who love to write are welcome to share their ideas and writing. There will be time for share-outs/workshopping, as well as group or solo writing. Snacks are provided! This week we will be joined by guest author Kate McGovern. If you are attending for the first time, registration is helpful, but not required.

Young people ages 10 to 14 who love to write are welcome to share their ideas and writing. There will be time for share-outs/workshopping, as well as group or solo writing. Snacks are provided! This week we will be joined by guest author, Kendall Kulper. If you are attending for the first time, registration is helpful, but not required.

Join us for a special MA Space Week 2025 Space Film Festival screening of Contact, followed by an expert panel discussion exploring the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, interstellar communication, and the intersection of science and policy. About the MA Space Week Space Film Festival The MA Space Week Space Film Festival is a statewide celebration of space in cinema, featuring films that highlight the wonders of space exploration, astronomy, and our place in the universe. Each screening is paired with expert insights, making space science accessible and engaging for all audiences. This year’s Massachusetts Space Week theme, "Life in the Universe", explores humanity’s search for extraterrestrial life. Contact, based on Carl Sagan’s novel, is the perfect film to spark this discussion.

Come watch a film on Central Square Library’s big screen and eat free popcorn! No registration required. 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.

Join us for a special Park Sounds in celebration of Juneteenth with saxophonist Tim Hall, an award-winning musician, performance poet, and producer from Detroit, MI, now based in Boston. His poetry draws inspiration from his lived experiences - charting the nuances of blackness, masculinity, and the beauties of life. Tim's music is used to underscore his vivid storytelling with warm neo soul, jazz, and hip hop influences. 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.

In this 60-minute workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of houseplant care, including how to choose the right plants for their space, understand light and watering needs, and troubleshoot common issues. The session also introduces the concept of “plantuition”—a more intuitive approach to plant care that encourages observation and confidence. This workshop is especially suited for renters, beginners, and anyone working with limited space or budget.

Turn paper cut-outs into animations with the Gif-O-Graf machine! See your stories come to life! This program is for families with children who are elementary school-age or older. No registration or experience is required.

Join us for one, two, or all CPL Adult Summer Camp activities to meet new people and have nostalgic fun outside in Cambridge! Meet at Lechmere Station to admire and identify Cambridge trees, plants, and more using iNaturalist with your neighbors! We will Walk through the Common at Cambridge Crossing into North Point Park. In case of rain/high heat, this event will be postponed. Registration Recommended.

When choosing native plants, you have to ask the right questions to get the best results. Kim Eierman will help you sort out the mysteries and complexities of native plant selection including: Am I buying a genetic clone, and does it matter? What are local ecotypes and where can I buy them? Are native cultivars ok? Are dwarf nativars ecologically-useful? What’s the tradeoff with double flowers? Which native plants require pollination partners (i.e. are dioecious) and how do I source them? What are the pros and cons of planting native seeds vs. live plants? Get the answers you need to make your native landscape both beautiful and eco-beneficial. This is event is cosponsored by the Cambridge Public Library. Kim Eierman is the Founder of EcoBeneficial LLC and author of The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening. She is an ecological landscape designer and environmental horticulturist specializing in native plants. Based in New York, Kim teaches at the New York Botanical Garden and Brooklyn Botanic Garden and is a Steering Committee member of The Native Plant Center. Visit Grow Native.

Swap extra seeds, plants or harvested items from your garden at the Library (outdoors)! If you cannot bring anything you may still come to get supplies and enjoy activities. This program is open to people of all ages! No registration is required. In case of rain or bad weather this program will be inside the O'Neill Branch.