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City of Cambridge

Meet the Director

Hi! I am Maria McCauley, the Director of Libraries. Learn more about upcoming Library programs and events in my weekly message.

Karen Russell Presents: The Antidote (Main)

Monday, March 24 @ 6:00 PM

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Karen Russell—award-winning author of six books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove—for a discussion of her new novel The Antidote. Registration is required.

CPL Nature Club: Seed Swap (O'Neill)

Monday, March 24 @ 6:30 PM

Bring the extra garden seeds you don't think you will plant this year! See what your neighbors have before you purchase more! We will have envelopes and pens to help keep them straight. If you don't have seeds, come anyway, as we will have extras. This event is co-hosted by Cambridge City Growers, a group of volunteers across Cambridge working to start up gardens in neighborhoods to increase access to healthy, organic, and locally grown food.

News

Director's Update, March 23, 2025

Open Data Workshop, ‘Froca Fitness, Henna at the Library, and More!

Director's Update, March 16, 2025

Curious George Lecture with Jerry Craft, Collage Workshop, Body Kintsugi, and More!
Director's Update, March 9, 2025

“Still Marching” Exhibit, Shop for Free: Prom, Library Catalog 101, and More!
Cambridge Public Library to Host Jerry Craft, Author of New Kid, for the 7th Annual Curious George Lecture

The Cambridge Public Library will host the 7th annual Margret and H.A. Rey Curious George Lecture on Wednesday, March 19.
Director's Update, March 2, 2025

Know Your Rights Workshop, Confectionary Cambridge, Art Tour, and More!

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Coming Up

Intermediate ESOL Class (O'Neill)
1:00 PM
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an...
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an intermediate level. No testing is needed. For more information call the O'Neill Branch at 617-349-4023.
View Full Description
Vinyl Cutting 101 (Main)
1:30 PM
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles?...
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you can learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You can then design a sticker and cut it with our vinyl cutter! Registration is required. You must complete Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop.
View Full Description
STEAM Academy: iFp Studio (Main)
3:30 PM
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their...
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their energy and creative vision to imagine and build a better world. Blending art, design, science, technology, and storytelling within a social justice framework, teens engage in real-world client-sponsored projects. Teens are invited to learn more on the iFp website and submit an application .
View Full Description
LEGO Time (Main)
4:00 PM
It's a weekly block party! Join friends to design and build amazing LEGO structures. Let your imagination run...
It's a weekly block party! Join friends to design and build amazing LEGO structures. Let your imagination run wild! The Children's Room has plenty of LEGO pieces, so you don't need to bring your own. LEGO pieces are choking hazards for young children. For children ages 5 and up and their caregivers. This program can accommodate 30 builders. Children under age 7 must be attended by a caregiver. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. This program starts promptly and any unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. 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.
View Full Description
STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
4:30 PM
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines...
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose. Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more. Innovators for Purpose (iFp) is a Cambridge-based nonprofit that inspires high-potential, diverse young people to discover their passions, develop innovative mindsets and cultivate marketable skills to solve problems they care most about. Summer Studio teens are funded in part through the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program. The Cambridge Public Library STEAM Academy is part of Cambridge STEAM Initiative's efforts to enhance and expand students’ access to quality STEAM learning experiences. Made possible by generous support from the Eric and Jane Nord Family Fund and Verizon.
View Full Description
Chess Hour (Boudreau)
5:00 PM
Come join us at the Boudreau branch for a chess challenge. Players of all skill levels and all ages are...
Come join us at the Boudreau branch for a chess challenge. Players of all skill levels and all ages are welcome to participate. Chess sets will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you prefer. This is not an instructional class, but rather a gathering for individuals who want to play and test their skills against other members of the community. There's no need to register in advance - simply drop by and challenge yourself to improve your mastery of this classic game! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 617-349-4017 or via email: ipachoncaballero@cambridgema.gov or mmcglathery@cambridgema.gov
View Full Description
Open Data Workshop (Main)
5:30 PM
The City of Cambridge offers free access to hundreds of datasets on its Open Data Portal, covering everything...
The City of Cambridge offers free access to hundreds of datasets on its Open Data Portal, covering everything from crime and traffic to property and even dog names. Join us for a hands-on workshop at the Cambridge Public Library to explore what's available and learn how to analyze and visualize this data. No prior experience or expertise is required. Register here.
View Full Description
Beginning English Class (Valente)
6:00 PM
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class! This class will be taught at a beginner...
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class! This class will be taught at a beginner level. No testing is needed. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Maria Balestrieri at 617-349-4013. This class will be held at the Valente Branch Library, located at 826 Cambridge St.
View Full Description
Karen Russell Presents: The Antidote (Main)
6:00 PM
Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Karen Russell—award-winning author of six books...
Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Karen Russell—award-winning author of six books of fiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove—for a discussion of her new novel The Antidote. Registration is required.
View Full Description
CPL Nature Club: Seed Swap (O'Neill)
6:30 PM
Bring the extra garden seeds you don't think you will plant this year! See what your neighbors have before...
Bring the extra garden seeds you don't think you will plant this year! See what your neighbors have before you purchase more! We will have envelopes and pens to help keep them straight. If you don't have seeds, come anyway, as we will have extras. This event is co-hosted by Cambridge City Growers, a group of volunteers across Cambridge working to start up gardens in neighborhoods to increase access to healthy, organic, and locally grown food.
View Full Description

Intermediate ESOL Class (O'Neill)
1:00 PM
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an...
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an intermediate level. No testing is needed. For more information call the O'Neill Branch at 617-349-4023.
View Full Description
Vinyl Cutting 101 (Main)
1:30 PM
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles?...
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you can learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You can then design a sticker and cut it with our vinyl cutter! Registration is required. You must complete Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop.
View Full Description
STEAM Academy: iFp Studio (Main)
3:30 PM
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their...
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their energy and creative vision to imagine and build a better world. Blending art, design, science, technology, and storytelling within a social justice framework, teens engage in real-world client-sponsored projects. Teens are invited to learn more on the iFp website and submit an application .
View Full Description
LEGO Time (Main)
4:00 PM
It's a weekly block party! Join friends to design and build amazing LEGO structures. Let your imagination run...
It's a weekly block party! Join friends to design and build amazing LEGO structures. Let your imagination run wild! The Children's Room has plenty of LEGO pieces, so you don't need to bring your own. LEGO pieces are choking hazards for young children. For children ages 5 and up and their caregivers. This program can accommodate 30 builders. Children under age 7 must be attended by a caregiver. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis on the day of the program. This program starts promptly and any unclaimed seats will be offered to someone waiting. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please call 617-349-4038 for more information. 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.
View Full Description
STEAM Academy: iFp Labs (Main)
4:30 PM
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines...
In Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Labs, students dive into the exciting world of social robots—machines designed to interact, learn, and connect. From brainstorming ideas to building prototypes, students explore how AI and robotics can foster fairer, more inclusive communities. They design robots that serve as friendly companions, offering support, connection, and solutions to real-world challenges. Teens in 7th and 8th grade are invited to learn more and apply on the iFp website: Innovators for Purpose. Skills Learned: Human-Centered Design, Mechanics, Electronics, Computer Programming, AI, and more. Innovators for Purpose (iFp) is a Cambridge-based nonprofit that inspires high-potential, diverse young people to discover their passions, develop innovative mindsets and cultivate marketable skills to solve problems they care most about. Summer Studio teens are funded in part through the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program. The Cambridge Public Library STEAM Academy is part of Cambridge STEAM Initiative's efforts to enhance and expand students’ access to quality STEAM learning experiences. Made possible by generous support from the Eric and Jane Nord Family Fund and Verizon.
View Full Description
Chess Hour (Boudreau)
5:00 PM
Come join us at the Boudreau branch for a chess challenge. Players of all skill levels and all ages are...
Come join us at the Boudreau branch for a chess challenge. Players of all skill levels and all ages are welcome to participate. Chess sets will be provided, but feel free to bring your own if you prefer. This is not an instructional class, but rather a gathering for individuals who want to play and test their skills against other members of the community. There's no need to register in advance - simply drop by and challenge yourself to improve your mastery of this classic game! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 617-349-4017 or via email: ipachoncaballero@cambridgema.gov or mmcglathery@cambridgema.gov
View Full Description
Open Data Workshop (Main)
5:30 PM
The City of Cambridge offers free access to hundreds of datasets on its Open Data Portal, covering everything...
The City of Cambridge offers free access to hundreds of datasets on its Open Data Portal, covering everything from crime and traffic to property and even dog names. Join us for a hands-on workshop at the Cambridge Public Library to explore what's available and learn how to analyze and visualize this data. No prior experience or expertise is required. Register here.
View Full Description
Beginning English Class (Valente)
6:00 PM
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class! This class will be taught at a beginner...
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class! This class will be taught at a beginner level. No testing is needed. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call Maria Balestrieri at 617-349-4013. This class will be held at the Valente Branch Library, located at 826 Cambridge St.
View Full Description

Intermediate ESOL Class (O'Neill)
1:00 PM
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an...
Join us for an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Class. This class will be taught at an intermediate level. No testing is needed. For more information call the O'Neill Branch at 617-349-4023.
View Full Description
Vinyl Cutting 101 (Main)
1:30 PM
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles?...
Would you like to make your own vinyl signs, stickers, or images to transfer to T-shirts and other textiles? In this workshop, you can learn how to use our Roland Camm-1 GS-24 vinyl cutter. You can then design a sticker and cut it with our vinyl cutter! Registration is required. You must complete Hive Safety Training before registering for this workshop.
View Full Description
STEAM Academy: iFp Studio (Main)
3:30 PM
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their...
Innovators for Purpose (iFp) Studio is a teen-powered design and innovation program where teens channel their energy and creative vision to imagine and build a better world. Blending art, design, science, technology, and storytelling within a social justice framework, teens engage in real-world client-sponsored projects. Teens are invited to learn more on the iFp website and submit an application .
View Full Description

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