Director's Update, September 29, 2024

Dear Patrons,   

  

Construction at the Main Library

This week, construction will begin at the Main Library on a new all-gender restroom. All of our libraries have all-gender bathrooms, and at the Main Library two are open some of our hours. This new bathroom will be open during all the hours that the Main Library is open. 

 

We support patrons’ rights to use the restroom that best reflects their gender identity. This project will help fulfill our mission to be an inclusive, welcoming space for all patrons. The new bathroom, which will meet all current AAB and ADA guidelines for accessibility, is expected to be completed by January 2025. 

 

Upcoming Events

Celebrate Good Neighbor Day on Tuesday, October 1, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Main Library.  Good Neighbor Day aims to strengthen community bonds by bringing together people of all ages to share experiences, learn from one another, and build connections. Join your neighbors for a collaborative art project, intergenerational conversations for older children and adults, and story time for younger children. No registration is required. 

 

On Saturday, October 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., cross "try stand-up comedy" off your bucket list! This supportive, interactive workshop will include joke structure basics, performance etiquette, and the history of stand-up interspersed between iterative writing sessions to help you feel comfortable presenting your first funny bit. Jack Simon, our instructor, is a local performer with over nine years of combined improv and stand-up comedy experience. He produces his own shows and workshops in Camberville, believing that kindness and community can be born from laughter. Register here.   

 

Join the Hastings Room Reading for its annual Seamus Heaney Memorial Reading featuring a tribute to the late eminent critic and Harvard professor Helen Vendler. The event will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 5, at the Valente Branch Library (826 Cambridge St.). Marcia Karp and David Blair will exchange passages of Vendler's insightful commentary with selections of poetry from Heaney's landmark collection North. No registration is required. 

 

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Weekly Activities for Kids       

   

This week, these programs will be offered at our Boudreau, Central Square, Main, O’Connell, O’Neill, and Valente locations.  

• Sing-Alongs   

• Story Times 
    

Book Groups     

Learn more about our Book Groups.   

  

The Hive Workshops  

Check out this week’s classes in The Hive.   

  

ESOL Classes   

Find an ESOL Class.  

  

Tech Help  

• Basic Tech Classes  

• One-on-One Tech Help   

  

Wellness for Older Adults: Zumba Gold (Virtual) 
Monday, September 30
11-11:45 a.m.  

Put on your dancing shoes to improve flexibility and balance, strengthen muscles, and have fun! The certified Zumba Gold instructor Emily B. will lead you through 45 minutes of low-impact and easy choreography in your own home through Zoom. Join us! Registration for each session is required. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants 1 hour before the event.   

Sebastian Smee presents Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism (Main)
Monday, September 30
6-7:30 p.m.

The Library and Harvard Book Store welcome Sebastian Smee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic for the Washington Post and the author of The Art of Rivalry, for a discussion of his new book, Paris in Ruins: Love, War, and the Birth of Impressionism. Registration is required. 

CPL Nature Club: Leaf Walk Story Time (O'Neill)
Tuesday, October 1
11 a.m.-Noon

We invite children and their grown-ups to join us for stories, an outdoor leaf walk, and a simple nature craft.

Good Neighbor Day 2024: Building Intergenerational Connections (Main)
Tuesday, October 1
2-5 p.m.

Good Neighbor Day aims to strengthen community bonds by bringing together people of all ages to share experiences, learn from one another, and build connections. Join your neighbors for a collaborative art project, intergenerational conversations for older children and adults, and story time for younger children. This event will feature a mix of activities designed to foster understanding, respect, and friendship across generations. You can drop in throughout the event or participate in the full program. Presented in partnership with Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, ABCD, the Cambridge Council on Aging, the Living Well Network, and the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health.

Sit 'n' Knit (Main)
Tuesday, October 1
2:30-3:30 p.m.  

Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters. Drop in with this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. Knit, embroider, crochet, spin, and mend. Refreshments will be provided. 

Welcome Back Bingo for Middle Schoolers (O'Neill)

Tuesday, October 1
3:30-5 p.m.

Join us for fun after school! See your friends, play a few rounds of bingo, and enjoy snacks in this free event. No registration is required. This event is for preteens and teens ages 11 and up who are in grade 6 and up.

Free Drop-in Tutoring for Teens (Main) 
Tuesday, October 1, & Wednesday, October 2
5-6 p.m. 
 
Need help with a class? Have a question before an exam? Tutors are available to help you! Cambridge School Volunteers and the Library are pleased to offer tutoring services in the Teen Room. No registration is required. Stop by the Teen Room or call 617-349-4027 to learn more. 

Knitting Group (Boudreau)
Tuesday, October 1
6:30-7:30 p.m.   

Bring your project, yarn, and needles to enjoy an hour in the company of other crafters. Registration is not required.  

  

Fiber Crafts Group, Drop-In (O'Connell)  

Wednesday, October 2 

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  

  

Bring your project and enjoy the company of other fiber crafters. Drop in with this informal group to work on your craft, get inspired, pick up skills, and socialize. All crafts are welcome! Registration is not required.

 

Puzzle Party (Main) 
Thursday, October 3
2:30-3:30 p.m.  

Join our librarians for tea, cookies, and a jigsaw puzzle. It’s an hour of fun and conversation. Registration is not required.   

 

Wednesdays of Wonder - W.O.W.! (O'Neill)

Wednesday, October 2

2:30-4 p.m.

 

Come to the Library for games and a different activity each week! Kids of all ages can hang out and do crafts or STEAM activities. No registration required. This week we will be making buttons and bookmarks to celebrate the freedom to read and Banned Books Week!

 

Fiber Arts Circle (Central Square)  

Thursday, October 3 

7-8 p.m.  

   

Bring your project and join other fiber crafters in your community! Crochet, sew, embroider, knit, and more at this informal, drop-in group. All crafts are welcome!  

  

Creativity Club: Watercolor Bookmarks for Kids (Valente)
Friday, October 4
4:30-5:30 p.m.

Join us once a month for Creativity Club, where we will learn or practice an arts & crafts activity. This month, we'll bring back a popular program and create watercolor bookmarks.  

Recommended for children ages 7-11. All materials will be provided by the Library.  

Materials are limited, and registration is requested for planning purposes. On the day of the program, we will welcome drop-in participants as long as space and materials are available. The program will begin promptly at 4:00 p.m.; we may not be able to accommodate latecomers. Please contact the Valente Branch at 617-349-4015 if you have any questions.  

 

From Blank Page to Stage (Main)
Saturday, October 5
10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cross "try stand-up comedy" off your bucket list! This supportive, interactive workshop will include joke structure basics, performance etiquette, and the history of stand-up interspersed between iterative writing sessions to help you feel comfortable presenting your first funny bit. Our instructor, Jack Simon, is a local performer with over nine years of combined improv and stand-up comedy experience. He produces his own shows and workshops in Camberville, believing that kindness and community can be born from laughter. Learn more at constellationcomedy.com. 

Olé Flamenco: Flamenco for Everybody (Main)
Saturday, October 5
11 a.m.-Noon

Eve Costarelli, of Always Be Dancing, will lead this interactive, engaging program for families that will get everyone dancing! Join us for a body-stretching, hand-clapping, foot-stomping good time. In this program infused with the music and dance of flamenco, participants will absorb the dramatic postures and colorful flavor of flamenco while also exploring yoga poses and mindfulness. There will be a reading of the picture book Lola's Fandango by Anna Witte. This program is for children of all abilities and their caregivers.

Hastings Room Reading: Seamus Heaney Memorial Reading (Valente)

Saturday, October 5
2-4 p.m.

This year's Seamus Heaney Memorial Reading will feature a tribute to the late eminent critic and Harvard professor Helen Vendler. Marcia Karp and David Blair will exchange passages of Vendler's insightful commentary with selections of poetry from Heaney's landmark collection North. Attn: Vendler lived in the Cambridge area for some time. If you were acquainted with Helen and have a reminiscence or a passage from one of her books to share, we will have a space for you to do so at the end of the reading. All are encouraged to join us. 

 

Stay Connected  

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All the best!  

Maria McCauley, Ph.D. 
Director of Libraries