Hello friend, 

In 2018 National Public Radio asked Americans what they were the most grateful for, and poet, educator and novelist, Kwame Alexander, wove their responses into a cohesive and powerful poem. Many respondents were grateful for their local libraries, which one person described as “sacred places to share knowledge and creativity.” I couldn’t agree more.
 
As we race to the end of another challenging year, I want to share my deep appreciation to you for your support of the Cambridge Public Library. Thanks to the generosity of you and your neighbors, our library nimbly responded to ever-changing directives and stayed focused on serving everyone – particularly the most vulnerable – in our community.

The wonderful poem below celebrates our differences, acknowledges our past, and looks hopefully towards the future. Thank you for ensuring a bright future for libraries by making a gift – if you haven’t already done so – to the Cambridge Public Library.
 
I wish for you and your family a happy, peaceful and restorative holiday.

Best,
 
Katie Welch
Director, Cambridge Public Library Foundation

It's no secret: we love the Cambridge Public Library staff! From circulation to admin, facilities to youth services - the enthusiasm, warmth, and dedication of the library’s team makes Cambridge an amazing place to live, learn and explore.
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This week we are pleased to introduce you to Deputy Director of Libraries, Joy Kim! 

Joy is giving us a behind-the-scenes peek at how the Cambridge Public Library decided to join a growing number of libraries that have decided to eliminate late fines.

Joy, what is the fine free initiative?
Fine free is a movement happening in public libraries across the United States. About five years ago we began to see some of the largest libraries in the country make the shift to fine free. The libraries that were at the forefront of this initiative questioned whether late fines were consistent with the mission of libraries as institutions designed to serve all members of the community. So far, the libraries that have gone fine free have seen positive impacts in their communities!

There have been studies done on the benefits of going fine free. Research has shown that late fines are a significant deterrent to people with low incomes - they either won’t get a library card to begin with out of fear of fines or they lose access to materials because they accrue fines. When books are returned late or lost, it’s often because people are facing other hardships, such as housing instability or poverty, and we don’t want to make people's lives even harder with late fines. Eliminating library fines removes the financial barrier, and at times shame, that comes with library charges. 

Studies have also shown that small fines don’t change behavior. In fact, some large libraries realized that the cost of fining patrons was more expensive than the fines they were collecting. There’s a myth that going fine free discourages patrons from returning their items, but libraries that are fine free still have their materials returned. In fact, some people are more inclined to return their overdue library books because they aren’t nervous about the repercussions!

So how did it work here in Cambridge? How did our community make this important decision?
As we saw other libraries go fine free, our leadership team wanted to explore it here. We were so fortunate to have the full support of Mayor Siddiqui and Vice Mayor Mallon, who passed a policy order asking the library to look into this question, and of the City Manager’s Office. Cambridge is a really unique and special city in that way - our elected and City leadership understand the importance of libraries for families in the community, and support our efforts to provide a warm, welcoming space for all. 

The Cambridge Public Library became temporarily fine free at the beginning of the pandemic because we wanted to respond to the immediate needs of our community members: if someone was unable to return materials to the library because of Covid-19, we didn’t want them to be penalized. Prior to the pandemic, if a patron had more than $10 in fines they were barred from taking out materials, but during the pandemic we lifted that ceiling to $1,000. 

We waited until library buildings had reopened and returned to a semblance of normalcy to officially launch the fine free initiative by waiving eligible past charges. We are a member of the Minuteman Library Network, a regional consortium, and we worked with our partners there on the logistical work necessary to update our borrowing settings and to remove eligible past changes. 

What does fine free actually look like for library patrons?
Going fine free is a game changer! Just a few weeks ago, on October 19th, the library cleared all the past overdue fines that had accumulated on patrons’ accounts. We also cleared the bills on lost Cambridge-owned children and young adult materials. Cambridge has been fine free for youth materials for decades, and people have still brought back their books. We expect that to continue to be true as we become fine free for all materials.  

This is what fine free looks like for us:

• Patrons are still responsible for returning items so that other people may enjoy them;
• We will continue to email patrons to remind them to return their items;
• We will bill patrons for items that are 4 weeks overdue, but if they return the item the bill will be cleared from their account; and
• We will clear all bills for lost and damaged children’s and young adult materials under most circumstances even if the item cannot be returned.

What’s most important to us is that all library patrons feel comfortable and confident making full use of all the library has to offer.  Already, we have seen a positive response from the community! We have had library patrons share with librarians how exciting it is that we are fine free. 
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Could you tell us how going fine free fits into the library’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?
Last year the library committed to expanding our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and programs. We have been doing both outward-facing work in the community and internal work with the library staff and teams. We are actively working to understand and dismantle the structures of oppression that exist within our organization and community. 

At one point in time librarians created late fees which reduced people's access to library materials, so by eliminating overdue fines we are removing barriers to equitable access and helping to break the cycle of oppression.

What do you like most about working at the library?
I like doing mission driven work, and I feel fulfilled when I get to help people at the library. Going fine free is a great example of that! I like working in Cambridge because the community loves and values the public library. Our patrons understand the library’s mission in the community and have consistently invested in library services. That’s really special. What’s also unique about this library in particular is the community support we receive from residents, stakeholders, elected officials and city leadership. 

What is your favorite book?
Oh that is so hard, I can't pick just one! I read really widely, but I lean towards science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels. Earlier in my library career, I was a youth services librarian, and I had the opportunity to serve on two Young Adult Library Services Association book committees (the William C. Morris YA Debut Award Committee and the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee). 

Thank you for joining us this week, Joy! If you would like to learn more about the library’s Fine Free Initiative, you can do so here. Please contact the library if you have questions about the status of your account.

Contributions from the City of Cambridge and our generous donors have supported the library’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. If you would like to support the Cambridge Public Library, please reach out to katie@cplfound.org.

It's no secret: we love the Cambridge Public Library staff! From circulation to admin, facilities to youth services - the enthusiasm, warmth, and dedication of the Library’s team makes Cambridge an amazing place to live, learn and explore.
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Over the coming weeks, the Cambridge Public Library Foundation will take you on a virtual tour of the Library and introduce you to some of its STARS who make this place great. Our next stop is the Tech Bar!

This week we’re excited to introduce you to Reinhard Engels, the mind behind the Library’s Tech Bar. The Tech Bar, located in the Library’s Main Branch, allows patrons to take out Chromebooks, hotspots and more for free!

What is your position at the Library?
My title is Manager of Innovation and Technology. I like that title because it captures the broad range of work that I do. Under this umbrella I have two teams: a more traditional IT team, who ensure that any technology at the Library is working smoothly (“keeping the lights on”), and a more experimental team that focuses primarily on STEAM education (STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) at the Library. STEAM at the Library encompasses the Tech Bar, the Hive, the STEAM Learning Lab, and the STEAM Academy. 

Can you tell us about the Tech bar?
The Tech Bar is a GREAT resource for Library patrons. It’s a physical space that has the vibe of a coffee bar and four digital screens mounted above (like a menu at Starbucks!) where you can browse and then order tech for take-out. Except unlike the menu at Starbucks, these tech menus automatically update every 10 minutes to reflect the number and types of items available.

Two of the mounted screens are these tech menus that reflect what technology is available. The two other provide additional details about our services and technology including pictures of the different devices, so our patrons could get a better sense as to why to order one device vs. another. Our goal was to make ordering tech feel as normal and as accessible as possible.

The Tech Bar space consists of a beautiful wooden service bar in the historic part of the Library, and a ‘work bar’ seating section along the hallway by the Rindge Room. There are also numerous desktop computers by the Tech Bar that are available for public use in two hour increments. 

We were about to open the Tech Bar in March of 2020, but then the pandemic hit. While we couldn’t allow public access to the space then, the need for at home technology was suddenly greater than ever. So in a very different way than we expected, it was the perfect time to launch a takeout tech program. We pivoted and offered phone ordering with contactless pickup at the main Library entrance. It’s much nicer now, of course, when we can allow patrons inside this beautiful physical space, but it met a pressing need, and was an important first step. 

The two most important and popular items at the Tech Bar are Chromebooks and hotspots. The Library owns hundreds of Chromebooks, 95 hotspots, and we have an additional 200 hotspots via a government program that we make available to partner organizations via bulk loans. Now that we have the basics covered, we are increasingly branching out into “fun” technology like Go Pros, all in one DVD players, and e-readers. Suggestions from the public are more than welcome! 

One of the most important pieces of the Tech Bar isn’t “tech” at all - it’s the humans, the knowledgeable, patient and friendly staff who are available to answer patron’s technology-related questions.

How do patrons take out tech from the Tech Bar? Do they need an appointment? 
There is no appointment necessary. It’s just like Starbucks. Patrons can come to the Tech Bar and look at the menu to see what is available. They can say: “Hm, I think I need a 14-inch Chromebook today!” and they can use their Library Card to borrow it, just like they would with a library book. Technology is available to borrow for a two-week loan period with two automatic renewals if no one is waiting.

One of the great aspects of getting a tech loan from the Tech Bar is that you can make the Chromebook as personal as you want it during your rental. We adopted a hybrid model so that you can either log into the laptop as a guest or using your personal Google account. 

Is takeout tech available at all Cambridge Public Library branches? 
Yes - takeout tech is available at all the branches! While the Tech Bar itself is located at the Main Library, patrons can get free technology to-go at any local branch.

Could you talk more broadly about STEAM at the Library?
One of my favorite programs that really encompasses the purpose and goal of STEAM at the Library is our STEAM Academy. The Academy is a partnership with  Innovators for Purpose (IFP), an amazing local nonprofit that has been a Library partner for more than four years. With IFP we provide a series of free, immersive project-based learning summer and afterschool courses for teens that goes beyond mere project-based learning -- it’s product based learning. The teens actually make a product for a customer. They learn not just the tech and science skills required to do that (which is huge) -- from computer programming, to materials science, to math, to robotics, to 3D design but just as important they learn valuable business and organizational “soft” skills for the workplace: how to brainstorm, how to get feedback, how to present, how to iterate on product ideas. The teens regularly present their projects to stakeholders (usually Library staff and community members) at review sessions for feedback and really drive what is going on. I am consistently blown away by what these kids come up with, and their poise, maturity and skill. Every semester the program gets bigger and bolder. 

[Editor’s Note: You can visit a STEAM Academy project in Kendall Square called “The Looking Glass.” This piece is a five-foot aluminum statue that tells the origin story of Kendall Square. “This Should Not Be” is another STEAM Academy project - a groundbreaking augmented reality experience exploring racial and social justice that can be found on the lawn of Cambridge Public Library’s Main Branch.]

What is your favorite part about working at the Library?
I have worked at the Library for just about five years and there are a lot of things I love about it. Libraries are the culmination of an ancient tradition going all the way back to the Great Library of Alexandria and beyond. So it appeals to the history geek in me. But public libraries are also distinctly modern and American, free public institutions to truly benefit everyone in our community. It gives me a kind of patriotic rush to consider this. The Cambridge Public Library has a broad array of services from the Children's Room to Adult Services to the Hive that all mesh together to create amazing programs for everyone in Cambridge to enjoy. And my coworkers are so passionate and driven by this sense of mission. It’s inspiring.

I also like that my job is so tangible for my kids – they really understand and appreciate what I do because they love the Library too! I sometimes joke that my real job is shuttling materials back and forth from the Library for my book loving family. 

What is your favorite book?
Well that’s a tough question…I can’t pick just one! I would say War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy; I like a lot of those older Russian authors. I am also a big fan of Jane Austen and Shakespeare. I’m big on the classics.
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You can learn more about the Library’s takeout technology service here. 
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Contributions from the City of Cambridge and the Library Foundation’s generous donors have made the Tech Bar and STEAM at the Library possible. If you would like to support the Cambridge Public Library, please reach out to Library Foundation Director, Katie Welch, at katie@cplfound.org.

The Cambridge Public Library Foundation is pleased to announce the acquisition of a historic piece of Cambridge Public Library memorabilia: a letter written in 1890 by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. declining an invitation to sit on the Library’s Board of Advisors.  Holmes, the son of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., a prominent Cambridge author and physician, went on to serve as a United States Supreme Court Justice.  

​Holmes’ letter, along with letters by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, and Margaret Fuller, will be featured in the upcoming lecture, American Treasures from the Cambridge Public Library’s Archives and Special Collections, presented by Drew Griffin, Cambridge Public Library’s Senior Librarian in Adult Services.  The lecture will take place virtually on May 13 at 12 p.m. as part of the popular Lunchtime Lectures from the Cambridge Room.  Registration for the workshop is available here:   bit.ly/cpltreasures. Don't miss this exciting event!

Mónica Klien, a beloved member of the Cambridge Public Library’s English as a Second Language (ESL) family, passed away in January 2020.  A professor of languages and Latin American literature who taught at Georgetown University, MIT, and Wellesley College, Mónica started teaching ESL at the Library in 2015 and described it as the most rewarding experience of her career. Mónica was born and raised in Peru and so, like her students, discovered English as a secondary language.​

​Mónica taught at the Library until weeks before her death and many of her friends and family honored her life with a gift to the Library Foundation. A bright light gone too soon, we are honored to remember Mó​nica by sharing this touching short essay she wrote about her life and her experience teaching at the Library.

I am standing in front of eighteen students in the basement of the library. This is not the glass palace of the main library, but one of the other branches in a grittier part of town. It is a bunker-style structure, surrounded by piles of snow left by the monster 2015 New England Winter.  We are doing a vocabulary exercise where I show them a written word or phrase, and they have to describe it with words in English.  I show them “MAKE UP”, and different people scream different things: What ladies put on to look pretty! When you kiss after a fight with your husband! To invent a story!
 
For more than twenty years, I have taught Latin American Literature and Culture and Spanish in beautiful universities and colleges with brick towers surrounded by green lawns and flowers. Places with implicit rules of conduct, where mostly –with few exceptions- the children of privilege attend. After 10 years of teaching at Georgetown University in Washington DC, restlessness started setting in. I often thought of other possibilities: growing my own vegetables in a farm (I had only planted tomatoes and parsley in pots); starting a shelter for old and abused horses (I was 12 the last time I was near a horse);  making different kinds of empanadas with the hope of creating an empanada empire a la Georgetown Cupcakes (until one afternoon, while driving  in Dupont Circle, I  noticed a new shining place called House of Empanadas). I thought of many other possibilities, to which my husband would skeptically comment, “Ahhh, that really would be a successful enterprise!”
 
In 2009, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had chemo, and then resumed teaching.  A couple of years later, life brought us to Cambridge, and I took the road well traveled simply, oh well, Robert Frost, because it was easier.  I landed a job in a prestigious women’s college, where I received, for the first time in my teaching career, a negative evaluation from the students: not nurturing enough, too cold.  A colleague suggested I take food to class. I was appalled by the demands of the spoiled few and the obsession with grades, appalled by a system of over-empowered students and professors eager to please no matter what, appalled by the constant departmental bickering which ultimately leads to bad choices and a demeaning of the whole process of transferring knowledge to a new generation. I taught a couple more semesters there, but I was basically done, finished, finito.
 
This decision more or less coincided with my health going south. And I don’t mean going south to the Rio Grande, but south to the South Pole. I did not teach in 2014. It was an extremely challenging year.  I had a recurrence, a surgery and then landed in the emergency room twice. One of those times I had to stay in the hospital for nine days. At the end of the year, I visited my patient portal and scrolled down and down and down to the tens, the hundreds, of appointments for MRIs, CT scans, doctor of this, doctor of that. I wept when I saw that screen.
 
It is a mixed crowd today there in the library basement.  We have a small United Nations: Chinese, Russians, Iranians, Mexicans, Nepalese, Ukrainians, Chileans, Syrians, French, Haitians. Nobody is younger than late twenties. I’m worried we are making too much noise because Maria’s office has a window to the classroom.   Maria is the coordinator who gracefully and efficiently leads students and volunteers of multiple ESL classes in all the libraries of Cambridge.
 
The students are on fire, after we finish with the multiple meanings of “MAKE UP.” One woman screams: Teacher! Did you wear make up today??  I am a little taken aback but say, maybe a little. Another yells: Teacher! Do you have a husband?? Well… yes, yes, I do. Yet, another, Teacher! Do you like your husband?? Yes, I like him!! There is a lot of laughter. I feel alive, connected to these people who give thanks after every class without knowing I am a volunteer, who probe into my personal life in surprising ways. I feel connected to them by the purest form of transmission, without all the constraints that many American higher education institutions have fallen into.  Yes, yes, I give these students a little. I wonder if they know how much they give me.

What is your role at the Library?
I am the manager of Communications, Programs and Events at the Cambridge Public Library. With my team, I manage internal and external communications. That includes managing our social media platform, writing press releases, bulk marketing emails, updating our website, and coordinating with the city on messaging and communications when necessary. My Department is also responsible for planning and executing events and programs in support of strategic priorities – some suggested by community members. We have a range of programs at the Library, from author talks to art exhibitions and lecture series.

How do you decide what programs to put on at the Library?
We take suggestions from community members, the Library team, the Director – every six weeks we have a programming meeting where our committee reviews proposed events.

What is a typical day at work like for you? I imagine it’s quite different now than it was when the Library was open, of course!
That’s right! If I could talk a little about how it was in the building – the Library is a very fast-paced, dynamic environment with a lot going on. On top of managing programs and events, my team also manages use of Library spaces. Things can move very quickly at the Library, and there are many stakeholders involved – from the Library branches to the Mayor’s office. It’s a lot of fun! And I am honored to work at the Library, to have an opportunity to work in service to the community.
Things are different now with remote work and virtual programming. We have the infrastructure set up for remote work, using software like Microsoft Teams. It definitely requires more focus when you’re working from home! We have shifted our focus to virtual programs and rely more on social media to communicate with our patrons than previously. We have seen great attendance for our virtual programs. On July 2nd, the communal reading of Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” and the US Declaration of Independence was attended by nearly 300 people. In May, we had Porsha Olayiwola, Boston’s poet laureate, present a virtual reading with about 190 people in attendance. The Library’s Virtual Family Story Times are always full, too!
Although our programs are popular, it is important to keep in mind the gap in access to technology, particularly in low income black and brown households. It is difficult to evaluate the success of any program when you know that a cross section of the community will not be able to participate because they do not have access to technology. This is a great challenge, and it’s important that we work to bridge this gap. We hope to engage our stakeholders to find solutions to this challenge in the future.

What are your favorite events that the Library has hosted?
It’s hard to choose – we have held some really good ones! The communal reading of the Frederick Douglass speech and the Declaration of Independence earlier this month was great – the Douglass  reading thoroughly debunked the Declaration of Independence and I think it was important that we hosted the event when we did. And  Porsha Olayiwola’s reading was really powerful. Last year we hosted a talk with Professor Ashutosh Varshney of Brown University, as part of our International Briefing series, on the BJP and the rise of Hindu Nationalism in India.  The event was well attended and Dr. Varshney gave a great lecture on how minority communities in India are faring in the wake of the BJP’s rise to power. The talk also addressed human rights and highlighted the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities which we see happening in Myanmar and other places in the world.
We also hosted a professor named Jennifer Nash in early March. She conducted research among black doulas working for little or no pay in Chicago, and their importance in providing community healthcare and advocacy, within the context of black identity. That was another fantastic event.
Finally, another one that comes to mind was the talk by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy, hosted in February. He is a controversial figure, but I think it is important that the Library host a range of viewpoints.

How did you end up working for the Library?
I started working at the City of Cambridge in 2009 as the Coordinator of Special Projects with Mayor Denise Simmons. In this role I liaised with different segments of the community including the clergy and minority communities. I worked for a time after this at other city departments – when Simmons was reelected to the City Council I served as her City Council aide, and when she was reelected as Mayor in 2016 I joined her office as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Here I worked on different policy measures including an effort to unilaterally raise the minimum wage in Cambridge. It was a great experience working in the Mayor’s Office, but after a while I wanted something different and was interested in transitioning to a different role in a city department. The mayor’s office had collaborated with the Library a number of times, and I was familiar with the Library’s operations and experienced in events. I applied for a position at the Library and was promoted after a year, and I have been working in this role ever since.

​Is there anything else you would like to share?
Right now I am working on two separate task forces at the Library to address issues of race and injustice, which were formed following the recent George Floyd protests by Director McCauley. With Em St. Germain I am heading a task force to come up with library programming to address racism. I am also on another Task Force addressing racism more broadly. I think these task forces present a great vehicle and opportunity to address some of issues around access, equity and inclusion which are very important to Director McCauley and to our stakeholders, and I look forward to the type of sincere and in-depth conversation and self-evaluation you would expect from a public-facing institution.

Thank you, Muna!

What do you do at the Library?
I am the archivist at the Cambridge Public Library, and, to make it very simple, I collect, preserve, describe and make available records of enduring value that document the history of Cambridge.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I am responsible for answering all reference requests – in person and remote requests. I interface a lot with the public in that way – answering questions, connecting patrons to resources, et cetera. I am responsible for curating the collection – going into the community and working with various community members, organizations and families to build the collection.
Once a collection comes in, there’s all kinds of administrative work that needs to be done around creating a Deed of Gift (the terms in which the donation comes to the Library). There is what we call processing in the profession, which is organizing the material in such a way that researchers can use it: describing it and making the description of the collection searchable online. The next step is digitizing the collection, and that entails a lot of technical pieces to make the images discoverable as well as making the collection freely available to anyone with an internet connection.
I’m in charge of exhibits and public programming, so, I’m teaching workshops that I develop curriculum for, and finding professionals or experts on a particular topic to give talks at the Library. I also do some social media outreach… my day-to-day job can touch any one of those pieces. It’s varied, and I’m using a lot of different skills all the time.

​How do things come into the collection? People reaching out, you reaching out to them? I imagine it’s kind of a mix of those.
It is a mix! People do come to me when they have something that may be historically valuable. And usually I can make a decision right on the spot about whether it is or isn’t – and when I talk about historically valuable, I’m talking about things that are completely unique to Cambridge and to the Library. There are a lot of other collecting institutions in the city, and not a lot of space, so we want to make sure we’re not duplicating efforts – I have to triage what comes to me. But most of my efforts to get material entail going out to the community, working with various partners, and building a network to get collections to the Library for people to use.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been working with Cambridge’s African American community, to document, preserve, and make available their wonderful, amazing, difficult, painful and nearly 400-year history in the city. It’s important to work with communities, especially communities that have been underserved, traditionally in our society, or under-documented because of institutionalized racism and prejudice. It takes a lot of trust building and creating relationships, and really saying: “Your history is essential to our city’s understanding of itself, and it is my job to document it and make it available to all in perpetuity.”
I’m slowly starting to receive donations, and it’s exciting.  The Cambridge Community Center is donating their records –  they’re a 91 year-old  organization, located in the Riverside neighborhood of Cambridge, just off Western Avenue, that serves the city’s Black community.

Is there anything that’s come into the collection recently that’s been particularly exciting for you?
Yes! The Johnson-Cardozo Family Papers I received last year is a fantastic collection that documents four generations of African Americans in the city. The collection includes personal papers – and personal papers are often very difficult to collect because they have so much meaning and value to individuals. Families often prefer to keep these kinds of papers rather than donate them to an institution, which is totally understandable. There are phenomenal materials in this collection – photo albums going back to the early 20th century, portraits, diplomas, family recipes, bibles, and published and unpublished manuscripts. There are even bronze cast baby shoes! 
​The most important piece from this collection is a bible from the donor’s great-grandfather, Robert Johnson. ​Johnson was a formerly enslaved man who sought freedom from a plantation in Virginia through the Underground Railroad and came to Boston in 1829. This family bible has Johnson’s genealogy on the inside cover. The bible in and of itself has no historic value: it’s an inexpensive, mass produced bible from the mid-19th century, but its provenance is just so incredible. I received some funding to get it conserved so that researchers can use it and it can be displayed. This bible is just such an amazing addition to the Library. 

Could you talk a little about working at the Library? What do you like about working in the Cambridge Room, and working at the CPL in general?
There are many things that go into the love of my job.  It’s great to be an archivist in a public library, where the barriers to entry are so low.  In a lot of archival repositories, researchers are required to make appointments or have an academic reason to use collections. When the Cambridge Room is open, I can just prop open the door and anybody can wander in and explore. And, we have such a dedicated patron base that is enthusiastic about the history of the city.
The Cambridge Public Library building is special. The space is beautiful here, in the Archives and Special Collections – a lot of archives are in the basement or in the attic or tucked away, but this collection is on the second floor, prominently displayed. Even the thought of where the Archives is placed in the building is brilliant – it’s on the north side of the building, so there’s no direct light to damage the rare books and artifacts that are on display. It’s just a beautiful space for researchers and staff to work in with all the amenities, like high density storage, that an archival repository needs.
Another aspect of my job that I really enjoy is teaching.  I try to bring my skills as an archivist to the community with public programming – for example, I offer workshops on how to preserve family photographs and how to conduct oral histories. These classes are very popular. We have an engaged citizenry who is interested in their own history and the history of Cambridge. That’s inspiring – to present to a full room of engaged and truly interested people. ​Lastly, our staff is amazing! They are knowledgeable, kind, excellent professionals to work with.

​How did you get interested in archival studies? Do you have any advice for anyone who is interested in working in an archive?
I studied humanities in undergrad and was not interested in pursuing a teaching path. I was exploring career options and saw that I could get a dual degree Master of Archives and Master of History at Simmons University and I thought, this is great, I can continue studying humanities and have a practical application for it. It really fit my academic desires as well as my career goals.  I’m such a typical librarian – I love to get information to people! There’s a lot of independent work that is done in archives. You can spend a lot of time cataloging rare books or processing collections, which is intense, detail oriented work, so there’s that aspect of it that I enjoy. On the other hand, there’s a social aspect to it that I love –  teaching, working with researchers, working with the community, and making connections. There’s a nice balance.
Advice for aspiring archivists? I think that if you’re interested in humanities and interested in history, working in the archives profession is a wonderful way to continue in that vein while also providing public service. Having a Master’s degree in History is useful – it gives you a leg up in the field as you’re applying for jobs. An internship where you’re actually processing collections is important, because you’ll know if you like the work and you’ll get the experience.

What can people explore from the collection online while the Library is closed during the pandemic?
Our most popular online resource is the Historic Cambridge Newspaper Collection, which offers four newspaper titles, including the Cambridge Chronicle, the longest running newspaper in the city’s history.  The collection, spanning the years 1846 to 2015, is fully searchable and has the additional advantage of creating a community of users who share and tag articles as well as correct newspaper text that has been garbled in the process of being digitized.  The crowdsourcing component of the collection has been fantastic:  nearly 650,000 lines of text have been corrected so that articles are more easily discoverable. 
Cambridge City Directories from 1848 to 1972 are also freely available.  The directories list the names and addresses of people living in the city, along with businesses, schools, organizations, and local government officials.  Included in the directories are wonderful advertisements from long defunct Cambridge and Boston businesses. This resource is widely used by historians and genealogist worldwide. 
Several photograph and textural collections are available to browse.  Users can look at the full collection of renowned documentary photographer and lifelong political activist Olive Pierce, who made Cambridge the subject of her mid-career.  Her photos depict the turbulent political scene of the 1970s, the lives of the children of the North Cambridge Housing Project Jefferson Park, and Cambridge Rindge and Latin students from the 1980s. A selection of Pierce’s photographs is currently on display at the Library.  All the Archives and Special Collections digital collections are easily accessible on the Library’s website.  Lastly, people can follow the Cambridge Room blog for news about the Archives and Special Collections as well as stories about Cambridge history.

​Thank you, Alyssa!