Libraries provide a safe space and “third place” for community members to engage in meaningful programs, access vital information, and connect with their neighbors. Each day, we see the real impact that the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) has across the county. The Library Check-In is a seasonal newsletter that tells the stories of that impact.
On this page, you will read about news, events, and happenings from across the library system over the last several months. These feature stories highlight the ways in which PGCMLS serves the entirety of Prince George’s County. Click here to read stories tailored to individual communities and neighborhoods served by PGCMLS’ 19 branch libraries.
To stay up to date on all things PGCMLS, be sure to follow us on social media (@PGCMLS) by clicking the icons at the bottom of this newsletter.
Thank you for being a part of our Library story — dive in and enjoy!
This February, PGCMLS was proud to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month by hosting more than 70 engaging library programs throughout the month that celebrated Black culture, heritage, and history in Prince George’s County and beyond. The Library is pleased to report that program attendance was up in 2026 compared to each of the last two years, with a total of 588 program attendees at this year’s programs.
Front Row (L-R): Krystina Tucker, Diane Teichert, Mark Docken, Pat Neal, Crystal Carpenter, Congressman Glenn Ivey (District 4)
Back Row (L-R): Sarahita Wyatt-Paige (Democratic Central Committee), Maya Davis, County Council Member (At-Large) Jolene Ivey, JP Williams, Karen Scrivo, Diane Thompkins, Pat McCartney, Katie Pugliese, Sharon Kniss (partially obscured), Melanie Townsend Diggs (South Area Director, PGCMLS) , Bill Gilcher (partially obscured)
Unless specified otherwise, the person is a member of PGCLMP.
Among the highlights of PGCMLS’ Black History Month programming this year were two lectures and performances from local trumpeter Muneer Nasser in celebration of the 100th birthdays of Miles Davis and John Coltrane; “Craft and Create” programs inspired by artists like Alma Thomas, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Laolu Senbanjo; a presentation on the art and science of caring for curly hair with B'WARE Cosmetology; a series of jump-rope performances by the Greenbelt SITY Stars honoring the spirit and endurance of Black history through rhythm and motion; and, both at the Oxon Hill Branch Library, a one-day exhibit featuring a community member’s personal collection of vintage Black magazines, and a presentation from the Prince George’s County Lynching Memorial Project (PGCLMP) about the untold story of John Henry Scott and the history of racial terror lynching in Prince George’s County.
Throughout the month, PGCMLS customers traveled from across the county to take advantage of the access to learning, connection, and cultural programming provided for free by their local library system. “I am so pleased to be able to bring my little ones to the library for programs like this!” shared one parent at the South Bowie Branch Library’s Davis and Coltrane jazz event. A local grandmother there with her three teenage grandkids also shared how valuable it was for them to have access to such cultural programs, after having retired from her career as a historian at George Mason University’s Paul Robeson Room.
At the “Pages of History: A Vintage Black Magazine Exhibit” program at the Oxon Hill Branch Library, community members were just as gratified. A one-day exhibition featuring the personal collection of Prince George’s County resident Gayle Taylor, who started collecting magazines when she was a teenager in 1973, this program literally stopped customers in their tracks as they caught sight of photos and cover designs that brought them back to memories of their youth.
“This is incredible!” exclaimed one customer, Wanda Davis, who had come by the branch to pick up her holds and got sidetracked by the exhibit on her way inside. “Oh I am so impressed — this shows all the facets of Black history!”
You are also invited to visit the PGCMLS Black Heritage Hub, a cultural resource for upcoming library events, research databases, book recommendations, and much more that is available 24/7 at pgcmls.info/black-heritage.
If you’ve been out at branches or community events over the last several months, you might have seen one of the Library’s newest initiatives, the Library2Go: Career Connector*! This roaming career and job readiness community resource is staffed by a bilingual team of experts who deliver both traditional Library services, and tailored career counseling directly to the community.
To celebrate and spread the word about the Library2Go: Career Connector, its team members and other PGCMLS staff gathered at the Largo-Kettering Branch Library in mid-February to film a local media marketing campaign with a crew from NBCUniversal. The final ad spot can be viewed on Vimeo here.
But the Library2Go: Career Connector is even more fun to find out in the wider world! There, it is already inspiring poetry like this limerick posted in response to Community Forklift’s announcement of the vehicle’s appearance at their annual “Garden Supply Pop-Up Shop”:
This Friday will not be a spoofer!
In fact, it could be a nice twofer.
Besides tools for garden care,
A library will be there.
Will you research being a roofer?
– by Community Forklift's own "Limerick Laureate," Earl Shoop
If you missed the Library2Go: Career Connector at Community Forklift, the vehicle will be on the move throughout the year! Visit pgcmls.info/library2go for more information and to view a calendar of the team’s upcoming events.
*The total cost of the Library2Go: Career Connector program is $2,200,000. $2,200,000 (100%) is funded through a U.S. Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration grant.
In early March, Library staff joined Council Chair Oriadha in a ribbon-cutting event for her “Play and Learn” program series.
This spring, the Library has been proud to work on two early childhood resource initiatives with Prince George’s County Council Chair Krystal Oriadha and Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy.
In early March, Library staff joined Council Chair Oriadha in a ribbon-cutting event for her “Play and Learn” program series. Geared towards families of children ages 1-4 with self-identified speech delays and led by local childcare organization Unleashed Joy, LLC, the program is designed to help with expanding speech by promoting learning through interactive play. Photos from the event can be found at the PGCMLS Flickr page and upcoming program dates can be found on the Library’s events calendar.
In April, as part of the new “Early Connections” campaign led by County Executive Braveboy and County Council Chair Oriadha, PGCMLS co-hosted three resource fairs aimed at increasing local families’ access to autism resources.
Held at the South Bowie, Spauldings, and Hyattsville branch libraries, these fairs were designed to serve families with children up to age 5. Speaking at the County’s April 1 press conference launching the initiative, PGCMLS CEO Dr. Mark Winston shared his enthusiasm for how these fairs will supplement services and resources already available through PGCMLS for neurodivergent Prince Georgians of all ages. These Library services include programs like:
Video of Dr. Winston’s press conference remarks can be viewed on YouTube. More information about the “Early Connections” initiative, including a video featuring the first resource fair hosted at the South Bowie Branch Library, can be found on the Prince George’s County Council website.
PGCMLS is no stranger to bike safety programs — or to partnering with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), a local non-profit that seeks to build a more just and sustainable transportation system, starting with empowering more people to ride bikes.
Since hosting a landmark “Teen Safety Town Hall” at the Hyattsville Branch Library in April 2024, PGCMLS has continued to promote bike safety by providing space for WABA’s Vision Zero Youth Institute meetings at neighborhood branches, distributing printed bike safety collateral to “Teen Zones” across the library system, and partnering with WABA for a “learn-to-ride” program geared toward elementary-aged kids at the Largo-Kettering Branch Library this past summer.
This fall, Glenarden Branch Library Associate Thibault Raoult added a “Bike Maintenance Workshop and Helmet Fit Demonstration” program to the PGCMLS bike safety line-up, which he hosted at both the Glenarden and Mount Rainier branch libraries.
Developed by Thibault as part of his Library Associate Training Institute (LATI) work in Fall 2024, this program was originally designed to encourage teens in the Glenarden community to think more seriously about bikes as a safe and reliable means of independent transportation. After LATI, this led to Thibault working with WABA to design a space where teens could come not just to get their gear fixed up, but also to see the library as a place where they can access so much more than books.
“As a teen hub [at Glenarden], we’re always thinking about how to answer the question, what does the library do for me?" explains Thibault. “There's the academic and community side, of course, but there’s also wellness and spending time outdoors. If teens can come to associate the Library with that dimension of their life, that's powerful! Anytime you can get them doing something with their hands that's away from screens, that has real impact.”
Accordingly, the first program, held at Thibault’s home branch of Glenarden, was geared toward teens. The second program, which ended up also attracting families and adults, was held on October 18 at the Mount Rainier Bike Co-op, right next door to the Gateway Farmers Market’s annual “Fall Fest.”
“It’s tough to convey how festive and energetic the atmosphere was [at the festival],” Thibault says.
This fall, two PGCMLS branch buildings received special recognition for their physical spaces.
In October, the Bladensburg Branch Library was officially awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Designed by Gant Brunnett Architects and opened in 2023, the two-story building incorporates architectural references to the nearby historic Bladensburg Waterfront. The branch’s final score reflects the building’s optimized energy utilization, use of low-emission design materials, and efficient neighborhood footprint, among other features. The site’s electric vehicle (EV)-charging stations, rainwater management system, and dedicated public bus shelter also contributed to the Gold-level score.
“It is with great enthusiasm that we celebrate the LEED Gold Certification for the Bladensburg Branch Library,” says Dr. Mark Winston, Chief Executive Officer of PGCMLS. “This recognition highlights our commitment to the economic resilience and community well-being of Prince George’s County, as we prioritize sustainability and energy efficiency among the 19 branches in the library system.”
Also in October, the Baden Branch Library received a Commendation Award for Interior Architecture from the Potomac Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, as part of the group’s 2025 “Excellence in Design” awards.
PGCMLS Project Manager Sara Mitchell was responsible for guiding the final color design. The guidance she brought to Grimm + Parker was for the interior to be fun and garden-themed, reflecting the remembrance garden outside the branch that has been maintained by the Friends of Baden Library for a number of years.
With that inspiration in mind, the architecture firm came back with the circular shape of the overlapping ceiling tiles that mimic flower petals and citrus fruit, which Sara then chose a color scheme for.
Per the commendation letter: “The design is colorful in both expression and use, offering unscripted zones that support multiple functions beyond the prescribed program. It is a cheerful and imaginative proposal, best captured by a community member's reflection: ‘Even though this is small, it is huge for us.’ The Jury wholeheartedly agrees.”
Congratulations to both the Baden and Bladensburg branches, and to the Library’s Support Services team!
In this section of the Library Check-In, we shine a light into the Library’s wider community. These profiles spotlight people whose work inspires and supports the PGCMLS mission.
For this Spotlight Profile, we are highlighting Dr. Deann Collins, Chief of Staff for Interim Prince George’s County Public School System (PGCPS) Superintendent, Dr. Shawn Joseph.
When it comes to increasing access to learning, connection, and the joy of discovery for students across Prince George's County, the Library and the PGCPS share a common goal. PGCMLS is particularly inspired by the bold approach PGCPS is taking this school year, and how that is influencing their collaboration with the Library, both ongoing and new.
A longtime educator and public school administrator, Dr. Collins took on this new role in part to turn her focus on the systemic questions of how to improve education outcomes for Prince George’s County students — particularly as they relate to the new PGCPS administration’s “Big Rock” strategic priorities. As part of this work, she is collaborating directly with county agencies and community organizations across Prince George’s, including PGCMLS.
“In this role, you get to be on the ground, you get to go visit schools, talk to staff, talk to people who have passion in the community,” says Dr. Collins, who has helped facilitate twenty “Listen and Learn” sessions between PGCPS and the community over the last few months. “I value these partnerships, and the ability to collaborate across agencies and offices to improve outcomes for students.”
This past fall, the collaboration between the school district and the Library included a series of “Play and Grow: Ages 0-3” programs for children with developmental delays or disabilities, held at branches across the PGCMLS and organized as part of a longstanding partnership with the PGCPS Infants and Toddlers Program. It also included the ”Be Excited About Math (B.E.A.M.) Fair” at the Oxon Hill Branch Library, co-hosted by the PGCPS Elementary Mathematics Department in alignment with the district’s “Accelerating Outcomes in Mathematics and Literacy” strategic “Big Rock” priority for the first quarter of the school year.
Through collaborative programs like these, the access that Prince George’s County families have to resources that contribute to greater academic and social success is made both broader and deeper. As a bonus, more students are exposed to the variety of programs and services offered by the modern public library.
“One of the things I love about the modern library is, it’s built with students in mind,” Dr. Collins says. “Spaces where you can check out a book and go hang out, sit with your headphones on, eat — even the aesthetics are designed with the interests of students in mind! It’s so important to see the library as a space where you want to go.”
In late September, PGCMLS hosted its fifth annual Festival of Cultures, an all-day, all-ages, free event that celebrates the vibrant and diverse community of Prince George’s County, and fosters deeper bonds of understanding among neighbors. At the event, which was held this year at the South Bowie Branch Library, community members were invited to come together to build connections with each other through music, dance, art, and a sharing of traditions.
“The Festival of Cultures theme — Many Cultures, One Heartbeat — encourages people to remember the threads that connect us, while also celebrating our differences,” says Maribel Rodriguez, PGCMLS Bilingual Program and Outreach Associate. “This festival is where the Library’s diverse community can come together to recognize our common humanity, and to celebrate all of our different traditions, languages, dances, food, and stories.”
Maribel reports that the 2025 festival was particularly successful, with more than 370 people attending, and positive feedback being received about nearly every aspect of the program. “We loved the variety of activities,” wrote one attendee. “What a spark of creativity and light!” Shared another: “We came for the bomba and found so much more. Thanks for highlighting so many cultures today!”
The Library’s annual Welcoming Week initiative, held in September, was also a success. Welcoming Week festivities were organized around the global 2025 theme, “Stories We Share,” and gave community members a chance to build deeper connections with their neighbors. Maribel is particularly grateful to her colleagues on the PGCMLS Intercultural Support Committee, whose support in getting these programs together was crucial.
Available in both English and Spanish, Brainfuse's HelpNow service allows students to get live tutoring, learn along with a broad range of lessons, practice with tests and flashcards, and submit papers for feedback. With BrainFuse HelpNow, PGCMLS customers have access to free, comprehensive tutoring in subjects that range from traditional K-12 topics to life skills and career and college prep.
Bonus! Throughout January and February, Brainfuse HelpNow will also be offering a series of free SAT Prep workshops led by Brian Stewart, author of Barron’s SAT/ACT prep books. These webinars, held on Zoom, will break the test into clear, manageable steps and show students the strategies top scorers use. You can register for the first four workshops, which run weekly starting on January 7 by clicking here.
In early November, six PGCMLS Library Associates graduated from the Fall 2025 Library Associate Training Institute (LATI) program: Nancy Coleman (Hyattsville Branch Library), Isaiah Everheart (South Bowie Branch Library), Sang-Hee Park (Greenbelt Branch Library), James Phelps (Accokeek Branch Library), Belmar Sorto (New Carrollton Branch Library), and Paige Woolf (Oxon Hill Branch Library).
PGCMLS is proud to send a strong cohort to every LATI program, where Maryland Public Library Associates are given the opportunity to advance their customer service, reference, and programming skills. Several PGCMLS staff members contribute regularly as LATI trainers, including Family Literacy Specialist Pamela Hamlin, Business Analytics Manager Colin Khem, and Teen Services Specialist Isaiah West. The knowledge and skills that PGCMLS Library Associates gain through LATI bolster our system’s ability to serve the Prince George’s County community with thoughtfulness, innovation, and care.
Congratulations to PGCMLS’ Fall 2025 LATI graduates!
Throughout early fall, programs and events featuring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) took center stage at schools and libraries across the state. PGCMLS was no exception! At all of our branches, kids and families were invited to learn about everything from lasers to geodes to alternate kinds of counting systems.
A sampling of the Library’s 2025 STEM Festival activities includes glow stick geometry at the Laurel Branch Library, KEVA plank and pipe cleaner engineering at the Greenbelt and Baden branch libraries, volcanoes and egg drops at the Bowie Branch Library, and geology, ecology, and biology programs at the Accokeek and Baden branch libraries.
To check out upcoming STEM events at your nearest PGCMLS branch library, click here!
“From Idea to Action: How Maryland Libraries Support Emerging Adults,” Public Libraries (a publication of the Public Libraries Association)
"Hyattsville seniors finish four-week therapeutic art class," Hyattsville Life & Times
“CTV News 11/13/25,” PGCTV
“Maryland students work to preserve a unique bit of animal history about Greenbelt,” WTOP (video report direct link)
“PGCMLS Partner Spotlight: Unselfish Acts of Kindness,” Greenbelt News Review
"The Weekend Scene: Celebrate Hispanic heritage, Oktoberfest and local art around DC," NBC4 Washington
Industry News: A Victory for IMLS as Court Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Dismantle Agency (Library Journal)
On November 21, Judge John J. McConnell Jr. issued a summary judgment ruling that the current administration’s efforts to shut down the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), along with other federal agencies, were both illegal and unconstitutional.
While IMLS might not be a federal agency everyone knows by name, it provides crucial support to services to more than 125,000 libraries across the United States – services Prince Georgians use every day. Following an Executive Order in March of 2025 that sought to dismantle the agency, services supported by IMLS grant funding were diminished. This November 21 ruling from Judge McConnell restores much-needed funding to public cultural institutions across the country, including the Maryland State Library, through which PGCMLS accesses IMLS support.
Recommended Read: 47,000+ people hope to get one of 5,000 spots in Prince George’s County's housing voucher program (WUSA9)
In early December, the Oxon Hill and Laurel branch libraries served as official sites where residents could get assistance filling out the online application for the county’s housing voucher program, which reopened for the first time in ten years. The application period lasted a week, during which thousands of community members came into the branches for assistance with the online application.
“On Monday we had a line out the door,” says Laurel Branch Librarian John Barnes, who along with Laurel Branch Lead Librarian Traci Montgomery supported county workers in assisting community members during the application process. Across the branch, library staff assisted further in developing an organized queueing system, arranging places for applicants to sit down, and providing books to help keep kids entertained while their caregivers were occupied.
“Everyone was appreciative of the support we were able to give,” John says. "It was a good reminder of the range of services we're able to provide."
The PGCMLS Foundation raised more than $20,000 during the 2025 Giving Tuesday season, which will be used to support PGCMLS in the new year.
To contribute to the PGCMLS Foundation’s ongoing efforts to support the work of the Library, you can make a one-time or recurring donation here.
Over the course of the past year, an exciting partnership has blossomed between the Cheverly-based Community Native Planting Project (CNPP) and the Bladensburg Branch Library.
Situated along the densely packed MD202/MD450 corridor, the Bladensburg Branch Library is perhaps a surprising site for a collaboration centered around native planting — but that’s the point of the partnership.
“Our goal was to enhance and augment what’s already here, and combine that with library programming to introduce more climate change and native planting education,” says CNPP President Diane Beedle. “When [our grant funders] came out to see the site, they were just gushing over how great the space is. There’s [not only] an immediate environmental advantage to everything we’re doing with this project, but also an [outreach] impact that is additive and compounding.”
This impact is already being felt in the Bladensburg community. Over the summer, while branch staff were collaborating with CNPP on the design of two new native plant habitats for the branch parking lot, Bladensburg Public Services Specialist Norman Lezama was so inspired by what he was learning that he requested one of CNPP’s official lawn consultations. Once he started implementing the changes CNPP suggested, removing invasive species to replace them with native ones, his neighbor asked for more information, and started making the same changes!
Then, on an early Saturday morning in late October, a crowd of thirty-four volunteers came together for a “STEM Fun: We’re Creating a Native Plant Habitat!” program. The helping hands in attendance ranged from absolute beginners to gardening buffs, with the experts giving tips and tricks to the novices, and everyone learning new things about native plants together.
Bladensburg Branch Librarian Debra Capponi was also delighted to use the program as an opportunity to bring attendees who traveled from other parts of the county on a tour of the branch, which was recently awarded LEED Gold certification. “The Bladensburg branch building is so beautiful,” Debra says, “we always love showing it off!”
In addition to the version that goes out to all PGCMLS cardholders (linked in PDF form above), the Library Check-In is further tailored to reflect "local look-back" stories within the specific geographies of the nine County Council and eight Maryland General Assembly Districts that cover Prince George's County. PDF versions of those targeted newsletters can be found below.
