Summer Reading 2021
St. Mary’s County Library invites community members of all ages to join us for Summer Reading 2021! Summer Reading begins June 19. Pre-register today!
Virtual Storytime and Activities
Watch virtual storytimes, get ideas for playtime with your little one, and more!
500 by Five
Help your child read 500 books by age five! Reading with your child helps them get read for school, increase their vocabulary, improve logical thinking, and more. See more information about 500 by Five and get started!
Tween Gaming: Among Us
There’s an Imposter Among Us! Don’t be sus. Can you and the other Crewmates complete tasks before you’re thwarted by the Impostor? Join us in the 4 - 10 co-op online game of Among Us!
We’ll use Zoom to voice chat during our Emergency Meetings. The game is free to download on Android and iOS devices or $5 if you want to play on steam and will need to be downloaded prior to the program. You must register with your email address in order to receive a link to participate. The link will be sent to your email approximately one day before the program. You will need a device with audio and an internet connection to join. Intended for participants ages 9-12.
YA First Chapter Fridays
Trying to find your next awesome read? Listen to the first chapter of some great books recommended for teens and tweens by library staff. We hope you get hooked and want to read the rest!
Outdoor Storytime at Greenwell State Park
Stories, songs, and activities for children with their adult caregivers, outdoors at Greenwell State Park. Siblings welcome; please register once per family group.
Since the barn will be open to guests on this day, be sure to visit out all the friendly horses and goats after the program, and explore the trails and other outdoor areas at the park. Please bring a blanket or chairs for storytime, & feel free to bring a picnic lunch for later! Masks are required when inside the barn or other buildings, and social distancing will be observed at all times. This outdoor program is weather-dependent; in case of bad weather it will be cancelled.
Park address: 25420 Rosedale Manor Lane, Hollywood, MD 20636
Trivia Mondays
Register with an email address to receive the link to a trivia game and test your knowledge! The game is multiple choice questions and speed matters!
Registration for each week ends at 5 p.m. on Mondays. After 5 p.m., registrants will be emailed a link to that week's trivia. You will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to complete the game, then you'll receive an email with the full results. Trivia uses Kahoot, accessible through any internet browser, no account needed.
Preschool Book Club
Tuesday is Tails Day! Bring your favorite picture book about the "tail of the week" and share your favorite parts at Preschool Book Club! New book themes biweekly! See description for topics!
Choose a book that features a tail from the topic of week!
Week 1; 6/8/21: Animal Tails!
Who has YOUR favorite tail? Pick a book about your favorite animal and tell us about it!
Week 2; 6/22/21: Cat Tails!
Love a furry feline both big and small? Pick a book about your favorite type of cat and let us know!
Week 3; 7/6/21: Sea Tails!
Whales, Dolphins, and Baby Sharks welcome! Pick a book about your favorite sea creature!
Week 4; 7/20/21: Forest Tails!
Share a tale about an animal from the woodlands, jungles, or rainforests!
Week 5; 8/3/21: Monkey Tails!
Swing by with a story about your most adored primate!
Week 6; 8/17/21: Bird Tails!
Birds of a feather attend book club together! Share your favorite book about a bird!
Week 7; 8/31/21: Mythical Tales!
Love dragons and mermaids? Bring a book about the most magical tail you can find!
STEM Fun: Flying Machines
Learn about potential and kinetic energy as you engineer a propeller-powered flying machine!
Register to reserve a supply kit and receive the link to the live Zoom event with STEM coaches from FutureMakers. Register once per child needing a supply kit; kits will be available for pickup beginning Thursday, June 3. The live program will also be recorded for later viewing.
Bee a Friend to the Bees!
Join Miss Sue and Miss Elizabeth for this 3 part series about our friends the bees. Meet Miss Elizabeth's bees, and join Miss Sue for stories, facts, and crafts. Videos will premiere on Facebook.
No registration required. Part 2 of the series premieres on Facebook on July 23rd; and part 3 premieres on August 27th.
Elephant & Piggie (And Pigeon!) Party
You're invited! Get ready to join Elephant, Piggie, and Pigeon with your SMC Librarians on Zoom for an hour of great stories, fun activities and games starring your favorite Mo Willems characters!
Share the love and the laughter of Mo Willem’s beloved Gerald and Piggie stories with a special readers theatre! Craft Gerald & Piggie hand puppets, headbands and more!
Preschool, lower and upper elementary will not want to miss this extravaganza!
Register with your email address to be informed when your party kit is ready at any St. Mary's County branch.
Concert with Pierce Freelon: Summer Fun
Join rising children's music star Pierce Freelon for a one of a kind concert experience filmed exclusively for this event!
Pierce is a children's artist who combines hip hop beats and playful lyrics to create songs with relatable themes of family, fatherhood and joy.
His first album D.a.d. is a family journal chronicling the life and times of a Black millennial father living in the South. Its first single, "Daddy Daughter Day," is infectious and highlights not only Pierce’s gifts, but also that of his remarkably talented daughter, Stella.
Watch this terrific concert on Calvert Library's Crowdcast, Facebook, or YouTube on June 12 at 1pm and then stay tuned after the show for your opportunity for a live conversation with Pierce Freelon! Check out Pierce’s YouTube channel to see the official music video for Daddy Daughter Day!
This event is presented by Calvert Library.
Take and Make: Plant Bee Friendly Seeds
Make the bees pollinators! Plant bee friendly seeds in biodegradable pots.
Pick up a "Take and Make" kit for kids at any of our locations beginning Monday, June 14, while supplies last. Biodegradable pots, seeds and soil to grow bee friendly flowers for pollinating will be included. Walk-in during our open hours or schedule a curbside pickup appointment.
Trivia Mondays
Register with an email address to receive the link to a trivia game and test your knowledge! The game is multiple choice questions and speed matters!
Registration for each week ends at 5 p.m. on Mondays. After 5 p.m., registrants will be emailed a link to that week's trivia. You will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to complete the game, then you'll receive an email with the full results. Trivia uses Kahoot, accessible through any internet browser, no account needed.
Make a Mural (morning session)
Join us for a socially distanced art program on our beautiful outdoor patio. Supplies will be provided.
Come help us decorate a temporary mural! Please register once for your family, and let us know how many will be attending. Each family unit will have their own socially distanced section of the mural, and their own set of supplies. This program is intended for children preschool-upper elementary, and their families. You may want to bring a towel or blanket because we will be sitting on the concrete. We will be decorating half the mural in the morning, and half in the afternoon. Please only register for one session. (In the case of inclement weather, this program may be rescheduled or cancelled.)
Make a Mural (afternoon session)
Join us for a socially distanced art program on our beautiful outdoor patio. Supplies will be provided.
Come help us decorate a temporary mural! Please register once for your family, and let us know how many will be attending. Each family unit will have their own socially distanced section of the mural, and their own set of supplies. This program is intended for children preschool-upper elementary, and their families. You may want to bring a towel or blanket because we will be sitting on the concrete. We will be decorating half the mural in the morning, and half in the afternoon. Please only register for one session. (In the case of inclement weather, this program may be rescheduled or cancelled.)
Tween Gaming: Among Us
There’s an Imposter Among Us! Don’t be sus. Can you and the other Crewmates complete tasks before you’re thwarted by the Impostor? Join us in the 4 - 10 co-op online game of Among Us!
We’ll use Zoom to voice chat during our Emergency Meetings. The game is free to download on Android and iOS devices or $5 if you want to play on steam and will need to be downloaded prior to the program. You must register with your email address in order to receive a link to participate. The link will be sent to your email approximately one day before the program. You will need a device with audio and an internet connection to join. Intended for participants ages 9-12.
Virtual Mini Monet
Join us on a virtual art adventure! Pick up your own art play kit filled with engaging and messy activities for babies and toddlers.
Register with an email to be notified when your kit is ready for pick-up and to receive a link to our live Zoom event, where we will engage in art play together!
Trivia Mondays
Register with an email address to receive the link to a trivia game and test your knowledge! The game is multiple choice questions and speed matters!
Registration for each week ends at 5 p.m. on Mondays. After 5 p.m., registrants will be emailed a link to that week's trivia. You will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to complete the game, then you'll receive an email with the full results. Trivia uses Kahoot, accessible through any internet browser, no account needed.
Bingo for Kids: Letters
Play Bingo using letters to win cool prizes.
Children will be given a bingo sheet with random letters. Staff will hold up random letters for children to mark letters that match. Children will get to play 4 rounds of Bingo. Once they have made a line they will have Bingo and receive a prize. Activity designed for children ages 2-5.
Preschool Book Club
Tuesday is Tails Day! Bring your favorite picture book about the "tail of the week" and share your favorite parts at Preschool Book Club! New book themes biweekly! See description for topics!
Choose a book that features a tail from the topic of week!
Week 1; 6/8/21: Animal Tails!
Who has YOUR favorite tail? Pick a book about your favorite animal and tell us about it!
Week 2; 6/22/21: Cat Tails!
Love a furry feline both big and small? Pick a book about your favorite type of cat and let us know!
Week 3; 7/6/21: Sea Tails!
Whales, Dolphins, and Baby Sharks welcome! Pick a book about your favorite sea creature!
Week 4; 7/20/21: Forest Tails!
Share a tale about an animal from the woodlands, jungles, or rainforests!
Week 5; 8/3/21: Monkey Tails!
Swing by with a story about your most adored primate!
Week 6; 8/17/21: Bird Tails!
Birds of a feather attend book club together! Share your favorite book about a bird!
Week 7; 8/31/21: Mythical Tales!
Love dragons and mermaids? Bring a book about the most magical tail you can find!
Bingo for Kids: Letters and Numbers
Play Bingo to win cool prizes! Activity designed for children ages 6-11.
Mindful Nature Walk
Come explore the concept of mindfulness. Be part of a cooperative construction of a mandala. We will use the materials collected as we walk briefly through the natural areas surrounding the library!
Please come prepared to be outdoors for the duration of the program. Closed-toe shoes, water, hat, sunscreen, and bug spray are recommended. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be rescheduled.
Zoom Storytime
It's storytime, online! Join your children's librarians virtually for fun & learning as we read stories, sing and dance together, and play games each Wednesday at 2:30pm, June 23-August 11.
Zoom Storytime is designed with ages 2-6 in mind, but kids of all ages (and their grownup caregivers) are welcome! Register once with your email address to receive a Zoom link each Wednesday morning.
Mr. Jon & Friends Outdoor Concert- Friday Morning: Summer Performer
Join musician Mr. Jon and his puppet friend George the Monkey for a high-energy outdoor family concert, and come ready to DANCE!
This event will be outdoors on the grounds of Lexington Park Baptist Church (46855 S Shangri-La Dr, Lexington Park, MD 20653). Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and wear your sunblock! In the event of bad weather, this event will be online instead. Please register with an email address to get updates in case of a weather-related change. When registering, please include the total number of people (adults and children) in your group. Total attendance is limited to 100 for physical distancing.
Mr. Jon & Friends Outdoor Concert- Friday Afternoon: Summer Performer
Join musician Mr. Jon and his puppet friend George the Monkey for a high-energy outdoor family concert, and come ready to DANCE!
This event will be outdoors on the grounds of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (27108 Mt Zion Church Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659). There are wooden benches available, or you may bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. Be sure to wear your sunblock! In the event of bad weather, this event will be online instead. Please register with an email address to get updates in case of a weather-related change. When registering, please include the total number of people (adults and children) in your group. Total attendance is limited to 100 for physical distancing.
Mr. Jon & Friends Outdoor Concert- Saturday Morning: Summer Performer
Join musician Mr. Jon and his puppet friend George the Monkey for a high-energy outdoor family concert, and come ready to DANCE!
This event will be outdoors in the grassy area behind the library. Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and wear your sunblock! In the event of bad weather, this event will be online instead. Please register with an email address to get updates in case of a weather-related change. When registering, please include the total number of people (adults and children) in your group. Total attendance is limited to 100 for physical distancing.
Mr. Jon & Friends Outdoor Concert- Saturday Afternoon: Summer Performer
Join musician Mr. Jon and his puppet friend George the Monkey for a high-energy outdoor family concert, and come ready to DANCE!
This event will be outdoors in the grassy area behind the library. Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and wear your sunblock! In the event of bad weather, this event will be online instead. Please register with an email address to get updates in case of a weather-related change. When registering, please include the total number of people (adults and children) in your group. Total attendance is limited to 100 for physical distancing.
Take and Make: Patriotic Wreath
Make a red, white, and blue decoration just in time for Independence Day!
Make a curbside appointment, or stop by your favorite St. Mary's County Library branch, to pick up a craft kit, and a patriotic reading list! This activity is for preschool-lower elementary aged children.
International Children's Literature Book Club
Join us LIVE virtually for the first meeting of the International Children's Book Club for preschool, lower and upper elementary children!
Join in the enjoyment of learning about and reading children's literature from other countries. This month we will be visiting Canada and China! Each month we will highlight literature originally published and/or originating from other countries and if applicable translated to English. This month's amazing read (with a surprise twist) is Norman, Speak! by Canadian author, Caroline Adderson and Illustrated by Chinese Canadian author/illustrator, Qin Leng. Gather a copy of one of your favorites from another country or culture and share it with others. Are you looking for books to read for the club? Here are a few easy to use Cosmos search terms/words "originally translated", "translated from", "translated by", and "originally published" to help you in your travels.
Register to receive the link to the Zoom meeting the day before the event.
Trivia Mondays
Register with an email address to receive the link to a trivia game and test your knowledge! The game is multiple choice questions and speed matters!
Registration for each week ends at 5 p.m. on Mondays. After 5 p.m., registrants will be emailed a link to that week's trivia. You will have until Thursday at 5 p.m. to complete the game, then you'll receive an email with the full results. Trivia uses Kahoot, accessible through any internet browser, no account needed.
Zoom Storytime
It's storytime, online! Join your children's librarians virtually for fun & learning as we read stories, sing and dance together, and play games each Wednesday at 2:30pm, June 23-August 11.
Zoom Storytime is designed with ages 2-6 in mind, but kids of all ages (and their grownup caregivers) are welcome! Register once with your email address to receive a Zoom link each Wednesday morning.
Tween Gaming: Among Us
There’s an Imposter Among Us! Don’t be sus. Can you and the other Crewmates complete tasks before you’re thwarted by the Impostor? Join us in the 4 - 10 co-op online game of Among Us!
We’ll use Zoom to voice chat during our Emergency Meetings. The game is free to download on Android and iOS devices or $5 if you want to play on steam and will need to be downloaded prior to the program. You must register with your email address in order to receive a link to participate. The link will be sent to your email approximately one day before the program. You will need a device with audio and an internet connection to join. Intended for participants ages 9-12.
Please note that library staff may be taking photos of any or all events to use for future library publications. Event participants’ photos may be used without notification or compensation. If you do not feel comfortable having your photo taken, please inform library staff when you arrive to an event.
