
Spring Edition 2026
The Library Check-in is a newsletter that shares news, event highlights, and happenings from across the Prince George's County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS). This page showcases the programs and initiatives from across every one of the system’s 20 locations that made this past spring unforgettable.
General features from the Spring 2025 edition of the newsletter can be found here.
To stay up to date on all things relevant to the Library, be sure to follow us on social media (@PGCMLS), or by clicking the social icons in the footer of the webpage. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful community — dive in and enjoy!
Accokeek
A Winter Classroom Visit Lights Up the Accokeek Branch Library
In mid-February, the Accokeek Branch Library, PGCMLS Library Associates James Phelps and Storm Carman-Hanks delighted preschoolers from the Colin Powell Academy with a shape-themed storytime program. James read “Apples and Robins” by Lucie Félix, Storm read “Circle, Square, Moose” by Kelly Bingham, and together with the visiting preschoolers they assembled rocketships using bits of paper cut into color-coded shapes.

It was the first time hosting a class visit like this for James, who ended up amazed at how engaged the kids were throughout the morning. “It was amazing!” he says. “The kids were a bit rambunctious, but so interested in what was going on, and so sharp at answering questions.”
James particularly liked seeing how wowed they were at the way the cutouts in “Apples and Robins” revealed new objects and animals each time he turned the page, and how thoughtful and creative they were in putting together their rocketships. Some of the kids were Accokkeek Branch Library regulars, which was also fun — as was seeing the spark for kids who weren’t library regulars as they saw what the branch had to offer, and started imagining what it would be like to come back outside of class.
Baden
A Garden of Community Affirmations at the Baden Branch Library
Because the Baden Branch Library’s rural community is so diffuse, Baden Branch Library Associate Endia Pritchett likes to maintain passive programs suitable for Baden customers of all ages to enjoy, no matter when they’re able to come to the branch. This Spring, she used paper cutouts to start a community flower garden of positive affirmations. What started out as a few flowers on the desk has now become a full garden!

Beltsville
Beltsville Branch “Love Your Library” Program Fires Up “Ready 2 Read” Kids’ Creativity
In the lead-up to this year’s National Library Week (April 20-April 24), several PGCMLS branches asked community members to share what they love about the library through a variety of “Love Your Library” programs.
At the Beltsville Branch Library, Library Associate Arianna Gomez and Librarian Darlene Reyes facilitated a fun hands-on “Ready 2 Read: Art” program for the branch’s regular Thursday morning storytime group.
Inspired by regular customer requests for bags to carry home their library books, Arianna designed this “decorate-your-own tote” project to get kids creatively engaged in something both fun and practical. “Plus, doing the art gives the kids time to socialize, which is a really important part of the ‘Ready 2 Read: Art’ storytime programs,” says Arianna.

Darlene facilitated the program, and was able to see the kids’ creative engagement firsthand. One typically quiet storytime regular even called her over several times to ask specific questions, which Darlene was particularly struck by. “I feel like he’s been finding his voice more recently,” Darlene said, “and this program helped with that.”
After the program, Darlene saw one caretaker taking a photo of her three girls posing with their creations. “You could just see on their faces how proud they were!”

Career Success Month 2026 Sees Relay of Exciting Programs at the Beltsville Branch Library Life Lab
Across January and February, PGCMLS joined public libraries from across Maryland to participate in Career Success Month, an annual statewide initiative created and developed by the Maryland State Library Agency’s Workforce, Career and Business Community of Practice that is co-chaired by PGCMLS Staff Development Coordinator Jaleen Marbury-Walker.
Career Success Month — which was designed to showcase the central role that libraries play in strengthening the workforce and supporting customers in navigating their career journeys — always has a strong showing at the Beltsville Branch Library’s Life Lab, a space dedicated to job readiness and career development programming. During this year’s Career Success Month, the Life Lab hosted nine workforce-related programs, including one-off workshops introducing customers to digital Library resources like LinkedIn Learning and Brainfuse JobNow, a “KEYS 2 Elevation” career readiness series for teens and young adults, a “Grant Writing 101” coaching session, and even an opportunity to get a new LinkedIn headshot photo snapped by Life Lab staff.

“That experience is always nice,” says PGCMLS Public Specialist Yassin Kargbo, who leads the branch’s Life Lab programming and brings this program back every year. The photo shoot is set up in a secluded space just behind the information desk that doubles perfectly as a studio, and registration always fills up. “Most are coming in for a fresh look — they’re ready for the new year, and want to take advantage of this great thing the Library is doing.”
The Life Lab’s career support programming continues throughout the year, and includes a semiannual “Networking and Social Mixer” that invites local jobseekers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners to gather at the library for an afternoon of networking and connection-building. At the last session, held in late March, Yassin was gratified to see two participants start to make plans to collaborate on a website.
“It’s like a speed-networking thing,” he says. “You have to be adaptable, versatile, and ready to use the room and orchestrate what’s there.”
For more information about upcoming workforce development and job readiness programs at the Library, check out the PGCMLS calendar.
Bladensburg
Bladensburg Branch “Love Your Library” Program Spurs Outpouring of Community Appreciation
In the lead up to this year’s National Library Week (April 20-April 24), several PGCMLS branches asked community members to share what they love about the library through a variety of “Love Your Library” programs.
At the Bladensburg Branch Library, staff invited customers to write why they love the library on colorful paper hearts. The community was so taken by this invitation that staff eventually had to commandeer the information desk to accommodate the overflow. By the end of the month, more than 160 hearts encircled nearly the entire service area!

“It was an extraordinarily well-received invitation,” says Bladensburg Branch Library Associate Bob Walsh. “Most people seemed to mention books, [including] some along the lines of, I didn’t really like to read, but you’ve inspired me to do so!”
Other themes in the mix include an appreciation for Libby, access to free printing, peace and quiet, the beautiful building, and the kind and helpful branch staff.
In line with the community’s sense of humor, Bob also enjoyed seeing the heart that read, We love the library because six-seven! “It’s of-a-piece with the brick outside [that] reads Bricky McBrickface,” Bob says appreciatively.
Bladensburg Branch Library Welcomes Local Scout Troop, Milestone School Field Trip
In February, the Bladensburg Branch Library hosted its milestone tenth whole-grade field trip from Bladensburg Elementary School, following eight outings in the 2024-2025 school year, and a ninth in January.
“The visits pay off, because they do recognize us again when we’re over at the school,” says Bladensburg Branch Library Associate Traci Perkins, whose role during the field trips is to introduce students to the Library’s digital resources, starting with PebbleGo. “You walk down the halls and they’re like, hi, I was at XYZ field trip, it was great! I get so blown away by how smart they are — they’re just really bright, and so eager to talk and participate.”
Adds Bladensburg Branch Librarian Debra Capponi: “Their memory of the library is not something that we can create by telling them about the library [at a school outreach event]. They’ve experienced it themselves!”
Bladensburg branch staff also spent time this winter hosting sixteen local Brownies from Girl Scout Troop 22029 for an after-hours research workshop to learn how to use PGCMLS’ digital resources to search for the subjects of their “Women Change Agents” project.

Debra credits the success of these large-scale field trips to the creative participation not just of Bladensburg branch staff, but of volunteers from other nearby branches, who come out to Bladensburg specifically to assist in these events — underscoring the fact that PGCMLS isn’t just a collection of 19 individual branches, but instead a truly county-wide system.
“Extra hands help, and [it’s] an opportunity to create something with colleagues [you] don’t get to work with every day,” says Debra. “I know how fortunate I am to have colleagues that support these efforts!”
Bowie
From the DREAM Lab to the Bowie Teen Zone, PGCMLS Makerspaces Increase Community Connection
For the modern public library, makerspaces are a perennially popular offering. Large-scale creative technology like 3D printers and pens, Cricut die-cut machines, laser engravers, and professional audiovisual equipment and software are out of reach for the casual user. By making them freely accessible with the use of a library card, libraries like PGCMLS can open pathways of creativity and discovery to customers of all ages, backgrounds, skill levels, and economic means.
The makerspaces at two PGCMLS branch libraries have seen fun milestones this spring. At the Bowie Branch Library, grant funding allowed the library to hire Prince George’s Community College (PGCC) student Marcus Witherspoon as a temporary sound engineer for the Teen Zone’s in-progress recording studio.
“There are students who make music outside of here, so for them, being able to be clear on a more professional mic and try to get their vision through without having to pay for hours of professional studio time, it’s just so cool,” Marcus says. “That I’m able to help further their ideas is just amazing.”

Fairmount Heights
Delegate Derrick Coley Tours Fairmount Heights Branch Library, DREAM Lab Welcomes 500th Customer
In late March, the Fairmount Heights Branch Library hosted Delegate Derrick Coley, the newly appointed delegate for Maryland General Assembly District 24. A lifelong customer of PGCMLS, it was Delegate Coley himself who made the suggestion to hold his first meeting with PGCMLS staff at one of his district’s branches.
Familiar with makerspaces from his past work at Bowie State University, the Delegate was especially excited to tour the branch’s DREAM Lab. Fairmount Heights Branch Public Services Specialist JD Weber, who leads programming for the DREAM Lab, presented the Delegate with a 3D-printed state house business card holder.

Later that same day, the DREAM Lab also celebrated a major milestone, welcoming in its 500th visitor since the space was renovated. The customer, Jasir Bey, came to the makerspace to use Adobe Premier to add images to videos to a project he was working on to instruct students in learning Tamazight, an ancient Moroccan language.
Video of Bey talking about this project can be found here. To learn more about visiting the DREAM Lab, check out the PGCMLS website!
Glenarden
A Winter Classroom Visit Warms Up the Glenarden Branch Library
In early January, the Glenarden Branch Library opened its doors early to welcome nearly one hundred 5th-graders from Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary for a special school field trip.
They had been preparing for this visit for a couple of months, says Gidae Campbell (Public Services Specialist III, GL), ever since one of the school’s counselors, Kim Williams, reached out in August about the possibility of such an undertaking.
“It was a real chance for us to get creative,” says Gidae of the excitement the invitation provoked from the Glenarden branch staff. “This was the first time as a team that we got to work together on developing a program like this, separate from system-wide initiatives like Summer Prince George’s.”
The months between August and January were well used, with the whole team contributing to preparations for the students’ visit. It was organized around a station model that included a presentation about PGCMLS resources and Glenarden programs, a tour of the branch building, and a much-loved bookmark-making station.
“Overall the visit was a huge success,” says Gidae. “The kids were adamant about searching the shelves to find books they liked, and talking about the things they like to read. They had lots of great questions, and were able to answer the questions we asked them throughout the tour to make the visit more engaging.” Gidae also reports that while some of the students who came were recognizable as established “library kids,” many more ended the visit with shouts of “we’ll be back later today!”
“It was reassuring to know we made some real connections with them,” says Gidae. “I am highly proud of the Glenarden team for pulling this off.”

Greenbelt
Greenbelt Branch Library Organizes Special Chinese Mandarin Language Program for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
On May 13, Greenbelt Branch Librarian Chang-yu Hsiao hosted a special “Beginner Chinese Conversation” program geared toward teaching community members basic conversational phrases in Chinese Mandarin, in honor of both Asian Pacific American Heritage (APAH) Month and Older Americans Month.
“In a library setting, we can be more inclusive if we greet customers using their own language and offer programs with diverse cultural elements,” says Chang-yu. “Language is the key to understanding a country’s culture — and moreover, learning a new language can help prevent aging and memory loss.”
The afternoon program was open to adults of all ages, but seniors ages 65 and over were especially encouraged to come out, learn some language skills, and make new friends. And come out they did! The program ended up attracting so many new learners that Chang-yu had to bring extra chairs into the meeting room in between lessons on how to pronounce nǐ hǎo (hello) and xièxiè (thank you).


While most participants joined independently, a small cohort were delighted to share that they came at the encouragement of their tai-chi instructor at the Bowie Senior Center. Once in the room, they listened attentively as Chang-yu sounded out the syllables and inflections of the conversational vocabulary she had prepared on a worksheet for their reference, then broke into enthusiastic pairs to practice these new phrases for themselves.
“Reaching out to people using their native language is the best way to build friendly relationships, facilitate mutual understanding, and develop a harmonious living environment,” Chang-yu says. This lively, energizing program demonstrated just that!
For upcoming PGCMLS programs geared specifically for seniors, check out the calendar here.
Hillcrest Heights
Hillcrest Heights Branch Library Seeks to Elevate Teen Engagement with Youth Leadership Academy
PGCMLS is proud to partner with the Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights on a number of social justice-oriented initiatives, including a four-part “Youth Leadership Academy” that is designed to introduce teens and young adults to basic social justice concepts and give them the tools needed to identify things like misinformation and human trafficking in their everyday lives.
Co-developed and piloted by PGCMLS staff members from the Bladensburg and Glenarden branch libraries, the “Youth Leadership Academy” program made its way to the Hillcrest Heights Branch Library this spring, as part of that team’s 2026 goal to elevate their offerings for teens and “emerging adults” (up to age 22) in the Hillcrest Heights community.
The first week of the “Youth Leadership Academy” program focuses on introducing teens to social justice as a concept, challenging them to think through what they would want to see changed in their community. The Hillcrest Heights Branch Library’s inaugural offering of this session saw just two teens participate, but as session co-developer Gidae Campbell notes, a small cohort of engaged participants can be exactly right for this kind of program.
“Both of the teens who came to that first session were really interactive,” says Gidae, who came over from his regular post at the Glenarden Branch Library that day to lead the program’s opening session at Hillcrest Heights. Gidae reports that they were particularly engaged with thinking about the different places they wanted to see change in their community, like better, more affordable housing for their folks; better, healthier food options in the neighborhood; and combatting homophobia. “They had a lot of great questions regarding making a difference and being active,” says Gidae.
Hillcrest Heights branch staff are taking lessons from this first run of the “Youth Academy Program” to iterate and grow participation for a second round. Watch the PGCMLS calendar for updates about the next series!
Hyattsville
Hyattsville Teens Share Why They Love PGCMLS
At a February Teen Action Group (TAG) program at the Hyattsville Branch Library, teens crafted pink and red hearts with messages about why they love the library for branch staff to post for the public to enjoy.
These messages included:
“I love the library because it gives us many opportunities to earn our service learning hours while learning new things at the same time!”
“I love the library because libraries are places [where it is] safe but also a place [where] people gather to study or socialize.”
“I love the library because it is [a] safe and inclusive community that offer[s] books and provides free access to computer[s] for people [who] don’t [have] access to it.”
“I love the library because the library provides clubs [and] free activities for teens and kids.”
“I love the library because it’s fun! XOXO”

The Hyattsville Teen Action Group also helped PGCMLS Programming staff craft a fun rainbow balloon arch for a photo op corner at this year’s Geek Out Expo. Thank you to the Hyattsville Branch Library’s teen team for creating such a welcoming and warm environment!
Largo-Kettering
Convenient Access to Passport Services at the Largo-Kettering Branch Library

One of the ways that PGCMLS facilitates the Prince George’s County community’s connection to the wider world is by providing residents with free passport application support.
After a brief downward trend in application activity across 2025, all six PGCMLS branches* that currently offer passport support have seen an uptick in application appointments since the start of 2026. At the Largo-Kettering Branch Library, which has been offering passport services the longest of any PGCMLS branch, this uptick can be credited in part to word-of-mouth testimonials within the local community.
“When people come and see how easy the process is, they tell somebody else — and then that person tells somebody else, and then we’ve got more people in the door,” says Largo-Kettering Branch Librarian Dwyn Griffin.
The fact that the Largo-Kettering service is also offered Monday-Friday, including through early evening hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, also helps. Dwyn notes that at the Largo-Kettering Branch Library, families will often come in together for an evening appointment, sometimes four or five people at once. “People appreciate not having to take their kids out of school during the day!”
As is always true for PGCMLS passport services, application assistance at the Largo-Kettering Branch Library is available by appointment only, and no photos will not be taken on site. Customers who make an appointment will need to follow the photo instructions on the Department of State website and bring their own photos with them.
*Accokeek, Greenbelt, Largo-Kettering, Laurel, New Carrollton, and Oxon Hill
Laurel
Rainbow Graffiti Program at the Laurel Branch Library Celebrates the Art of Jean-Michel Basquiat
Text by Laurel Branch Librarian Marcy Richardson


One of this year’s Black History Month programs at the Laurel Branch Library explored the life and art of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Staff read “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat” by Javaka Steptoe and showed images of Basquiat and his works to the elementary-aged audience. The group talked about graffiti as an artform, then created their own masterpieces using rainbow scratchpaper.
Participants were free to create what they liked, but staff also had suggestions ready if requested. Words to describe themselves and portraits were popular with the group.
Branch staff plan to host the program again for teens with a focus on social justice and community concerns, encouraging participants to create art on current events and injustices. Watch the PGCMLS calendar for more information!
Mount Rainier
Sharing Stories and Plants at the Mount Rainier Seed Swap Festival
As one of PGCMLS’ smallest locations, the Mount Rainier Branch Library puts a special focus on building relationships and creating programs with organizations directly in the community. In April, this included hosting a seed- and garden-themed storytime and craft program as part of the Mount Rainier Nature Center’s annual Seed Swap Festival.
“As a small neighborhood library, building partnerships with organizations like the Mount Rainier Nature Center is a great way to increase our reach and take our library services outside of the building,” says Mount Rainier Branch Librarian Caitlin Clark, who has been representing the Library at the Seed Swap Festival for a number of years. “Every year, I meet new people and new families there that I can tell about our programs and encourage to come into PGCMLS branches to get connected to the library.”

Caitlin saw a full house for the storytime part of this year’s program, where she read “Are You a Cheeseburger?” by Monica Arnaldo, “Here are the Seeds” by JaNay Brown Wood, and “Up Down & Around” by Katherine Ayres. A number of families stayed after for the papercraft, while others moved outside to engage with local environmental organizations and take advantage of the native seed and plant seedling giveaway. As Caitlin reports, more than 2,000 baby plants found new homes!
“The Mount Rainier Nature Center is such a wonderful community partner for us,” Caitlins says. “They welcome our library programs whenever we need a space that is larger than our building will allow, and invite us to participate in programs and festivities year round to bring [PGCMLS] out into the community.”
New Carrollton
Crochet Influencers Help Expand Reach of New Carrollton Branch Library’s New Needlework Social Program
The New Carrollton Branch Library boasts one of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s most robust needlework and fiber arts programs — and in a fiber-loving community like ours, that’s saying a lot!
This spring, a brand new crochet-centric “Needlework Social” program joined the New Carrollton Branch Library’s fiber arts line-up, organized by PGCMLS Library Associate Claudia Parra-Acevedo. Claudia first picked up crochet a year ago from her colleagues who run New Carrollton’s beloved “Pins and Needles” program. After connecting with a few branch regulars who also happen to run crocheting social media accounts — including KasyKrochet and CrochetWithLinda — Claudia got the idea to start a new “Needlework Social” program to add a new patch to the branch’s bigger needlework program quilt.

After first connecting with Claudia when she brought her son Mateo — and her crochet work — to Claudia’s storytimes, Linda [of CrochetWithLinda] started joining the weekly “Pins and Needles” sessions, and posting regular “Crochet Club Diaries” to her social media followers. Eventually, Linda and another regular, Sari, offered to support a more casual social club program where they could teach beginner techniques and encourage newcomers to join, learn something, and make new friends.
“While the main focus of ‘Pins and Needles’ is making blankets for individuals fighting breast cancer, ‘Needlework Social’ is more a space for community engagement, to socialize and gather inspiration and feel supported by people who share a love of fiber arts and creativity,” says Claudia. “Now, it is evolving into [a] unique community program with its own goals and vision that is co-shaped by the participants who join — ultimately, it's a safe space for anyone who wants to learn a new skill, meet new people, get support on whatever fiber art journey they’re on — or [even] just be antisocial in a social setting!”


In addition to getting more young people involved in the branch’s needlework programs and opening up space for returning crocheters looking to re-learn, one particularly fun development that the “Needlework Social” program has seen in its first few months is the group’s embrace of a particular crocheted jester hat.
“I brought in a jester hat I saw on TikTok early on,” says Claudia. “When someone asked me where I was going to wear it, in the moment I said maybe to bed! But then I started wearing it to ‘Needlework Social Club,’ and soon people started making their own. I really like that people have taken a liking to it and put their twist on it — I hope to see what different hats people make [next]!”
Oxon Hill
Oxon Hill Branch Library Art Supply Swap Highlights Community Collaboration, Sustainability
In early March, the Oxon Hill Branch Library played host to a first-of-its-kind community-led event: an art supply swap! Organized by a dedicated community member named Shanna Price-Wright, this swap event encouraged community members to bring all of their new and gently used arts-and-crafts supplies to the branch’s art making space to facilitate a fun and free “shopping” experience for their neighbors.
Among the supplies donated to the event were yarn, knitting needles, crochet hooks, fabric (and a fabric steamer!), thread, beads, scrapbooking supplies, weighted pellets for amigurumi, and various mixed-media tools. Reusable “shopping bags” and some personal care items were also donated to the swap by local face painter Barbara H. of Fancy Faz’s Entertainment.


“I’m thrilled with the turnout and the overwhelming [spirit of giving],” said Price-Wright, who first brought this idea to Oxon Hill Branch Library Manager Meisywe Cavanaugh last fall. “Seeing these materials find new homes while reducing waste is exactly what I hoped to achieve.”
After weighing all donations, event organizers were able to determine that this program diverted more than 82 pounds of art material from the landfill, putting it all instead into the hands of local artists. Anything that wasn’t brought home by customers by the end of the day was donated to the library’s sewing and crochet clubs, or to the Oxon Hill Friends of the Library bookstore.
South Bowie
Celebrating the Successful Launch of the South Bowie Branch Library’s Homeschool Hangout Program
In early February, South Bowie Branch Library Associate Brandon Adams launched PGCMLS second active monthly “Homeschool Hangout” program.
Inspired by the Surratts-Clinton Branch Library’s beloved “Homeschool Hangout” program, Brandon developed his own version in response to the large homeschool population in the South Bowie community. At the program’s kick-off session, Brandon set up an interactive brainstorming station to invite families to help shape the program to meet their specific needs, taping giant sheets of paper to the meeting room window with “big picture” prompts on each, like “What do you need/want from the library?”
“There were so many ideas I’d never heard,” says Brandon. “One kid put ‘I want to be able to check out video games,’ some parents suggested virtual field trips or library tours, others wanted to bring in outside speakers — it was a very thinking-outside-the-box type of energy!”
To get the program into a rhythm, Brandon organized a specific theme to go with each subsequent month’s meet-up, designing activities that were focused on teamwork. This included a “Black women in STEM” program for Black History Month that focused on Raye Montague, the first person to design the first computer-generated model of a Navy ship, and invited kids to build bottle submarines of their own. In March, the theme was “Women’s History Jeopardy!”

“For these homeschooled students, we want to emphasize the importance of building the skills of working with others,” says Brandon. “I already feel like this program is challenging me to be innovative and iterative — the energy is so good!”
Spauldings
Career Commander Job Fair at the Spauldings Branch Library Brings in A Crowd
In late January, in collaboration with the Eckerd Connects Youth Career Center, the Spauldings Branch Library hosted a bustling “Career Commanders Young Adult Job and Resource Fair” that expanded on the first such fair the branch hosted last summer.

With 16 vendors and local businesses participating and more than 200 attendees cycling in and out throughout the event, the Spauldings activity room felt like the hottest place to be on a bright and chilly January afternoon. Young people attending to do some networking made solid connections, while others who came in search of a new gig found tangible leads. One attendee, Chaela, even landed a job before she left — the exact job, in fact, that she had come out that afternoon hoping to secure.
“I have an Associate Degree in communications and am getting a BA in property management,” she shared. The job she got at the fair is related to providing assistance in accessing insurance to seniors. “I want to open doors for older and homeless people,” Chaela shared. “That is the most vulnerable population after kids, and I want to help.”
The Library’s own Library2Go team also did outreach at the fair, making connections with more than 30 young community members on the day. Members of the public who had come to the branch for normal business were also intrigued by the activity and popped their heads in, with one older woman noting how much she would love to see a similar event scheduled for more customers in the future.
“This is something I saw a need for in the community,” says Spauldings Branch Librarian Precious Abujana, who led organizing efforts for the event. “It gave me such great pleasure to see everyone who came out!”
Surratts-Clinton
Celebrating Community Ties at the Surratts-Clinton Branch Library
Over the last few months, the Surratts-Clinton Branch Library has worked closely with a couple of local community partners to really embody the spirit of good-neighborliness.
In March, the branch coordinated with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) to host “What's Happening In Clinton,” a special community listening session to learn about and discuss the upcoming closure of Brandywine Road due to necessary water main and infrastructure projects. Community members were invited to learn more details about WSSC’s plans, and ask questions about potential impacts to the community. Prince George’s County Councilmember Sydney Harrison attended and gave opening remarks to a crowd of more than 60 residents — a huge number for a Wednesday night library program!


For families, the branch also hosted the Prince George’s County Fire Department for a special “Read with PGFD” storytime program. After families listened to a county firefighter read aloud from “Firefighter Flo!” by Andrea Zimmerman, they got a quick lesson on fire safety. Children in attendance also got to see a PGFD fire truck up close and take some cameo pictures with Sparky, the fire dog!
Upper Marlboro
“The Write Time” for Poetry Month with the Upper Marlboro Branch Library
This spring, the Prince George’s County writing community got to benefit from the same thoughtful writing guidance that members of the virtual “Write Time” writers group get to experience on a regular biweekly basis, with Upper Marlboro Branch Library Associate Dréa Bell stepping in to represent PGCMLS at multiple county events in celebration of National Poetry Month.
First, Dréa joined the jury for the third annual Prince George’s County Poet Laureate competition — a role that was mirrored on the Youth Poet Laureate side of the coin by Hillcrest Heights Branch Public Services Specialist Kaneisha Matthews. As judges, Dréa and Kaneisha were responsible not just for reading through the candidates’ poetry portfolios, but also evaluating their CVs for broad community engagement.
The winner of this year’s Prince George’s County Poet Laureate contest, Tatiana Figueroa Ramírez, is a perfect fit for this work, Dréa says, coming as she does from a day job with DC SCORES, where she helps guide the next generation of “poet-atheletes.”
“The office of the Poet Laureate is about more than just creating,” Dréa notes. “It’s about getting out into the community to advocate for poetry and literacy across Prince George’s County.”


Following the “Voices of the County” celebration where both new Laureates were announced, Dréa hosted a special creative writing workshop at the Upper Marlboro Branch Library as part of the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council’s 2026 Literary Arts Festival. Called “The Write Moment,” this workshop invited writers of all ages to celebrate National Poetry Month in unexpected ways. And Dréa’s wins were just as unexpected!
“I helped a firefighter out of his writer's block!” Dréa shares, describing how she was able to share listing and free association tools to help open this firefighter-writer’s mind expand past its stuckness. “He ended up being able to see how those multiple different ways of generating content could free him from working just one way. Go county workers!”

