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Join us for a virtual Death Cafe - an evening of open, lively, and insightful discussion about death for adults aged 18 and older. While not a support group nor a venue for bereavement, a Death Cafe seeks to provide an unscripted, non-judgmental platform for those wishing to explore the many facets of this often taboo subject. Facilitated by Richard Davis, a long time Death Cafe organizer and hospice volunteer. Come with an open mind, a healthy curiosity, and a willingness to share your thoughts, feelings, and questions with other like-minded individuals. This is a virtual event on Zoom. Space is limited. Questions? Contact the Library Social Worker, Brett Dixon, at bdixon@cambridgema.gov.

Cambridge Public Health Department will soon be offering flu and COVID-19 vaccines, as available, for all eligible residents. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine with rare exceptions. Vaccination is recommended for all who are eligible because it can reduce flu illnesses, visits to doctors’ offices, and missed work and school due to flu. It can also make symptoms less severe and reduce flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. A flu vaccine is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza.

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. This class is suitable for beginners and can be adjusted for all levels of experience. Registration is Required.

A temporary business use sidewalk obstruction permit is required if you are a plan to temporally obstruct a City of Cambridge sidewalk. Please apply for an Annual Sidewalk Obstruction Permit if you plan to use an “A” framed sign, sandwich board, display merchandise, temporary banner or use tables and chairs on a sidewalk in the public way.

Join us for an hour of songs, stories, and social meet-up in Mandarin Chinese with JingJing and Chelsea, two local mothers and educators. This fun and interactive session brings families together in a warm, welcoming environment. This event is for children and their caregivers. In the first half, listen to engaging stories and sing lively songs. In the second half, children will do an activity, and everyone will have an opportunity to socialize. There will be two events in this special Valente series: Saturday, May 28 Saturday, June 14 Registration is helpful. Register for each session separately to receive an email reminder the day before the program. Include the total number of expected attendees in your registration.

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.

Just A Start is proud to announce an affordable housing lottery for 14 new one and two-bedroom apartments in Cambridge at the Rindge Commons North project. An additional 8 units will be leased by the Cambridge Housing Authority waitlist, and 2 Community Based Housing (CBH) units will be leased by the Massachusetts Rehab Commission waitlist.

Get up close and personal with chickens! This program includes a chicken-themed story time and educational games about chicken behavior and anatomy. The highlight of the program is the Chicken Circle, where youth are able to touch and interact with live chickens. Recommended for children of all ages and their caregivers. This program will happen indoors due to the heat. Registration is required. When registering, please list how many children are attending. Adults do not need to be included in the numbers for registration Funding for Summer Reading has been generously provided by the City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Cambridge Public Library and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn the basics of knitting, including how to cast on, do the knit stitch, and cast off. This pilot workshop is intended for people with no prior knitting experience. All supplies will be provided!

**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Webinar via email. Due to limited space, if you know you cannot make it live do not register with zoom but please fill out THIS FORM to receive the video link.** Cambridge Public Library's O'Neill Branch is joining with The Ashland Public Library to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We're thrilled to welcome author and historian Gregory E. O'Malley who will be discussing his book, "The Escapes of David George: An Odyssey of Slavery, Freedom, and the American Revolution" which reveals a remarkable, untold experience of the American revolutionary period—a Black man’s quest for the freedom espoused by our Founders, but denied him and other enslaved people. We hope you can join us for this fascinating conversation! Register directly on Zoom HERE. Due to limited space, if you know you cannot make it live do not register with zoom but please fill out THIS FORM to receive the video link. RECORDING NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 48 hours of the program. You can buy signed books by Gregory from Aesop's Fable, just make a note that you want the books signed when you check out. Buy Signed Books By Gregory (link coming soon) This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library and we're thrilled to be collaborating with a multitude of MA Libraries to bring this program to our communities. We are also pleased to be partnering with the Ashland Senior Center for this event.