May 2022

Children's Author Talk with Susan Kusel

Meet a real author! To celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month, Susan Kusel will read her award-winning book "The Passover Guest," and share how she creates her stories.

Ask your questions about being an author! Ms. Kusel will sign books after her talk- bring your own copy, or books will be available for purchase. Find her book in the library: https://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/view.aspx?title=the+passover+guest&author=kusel 

The Southern Maryland Community Network: Lobby Visit

The Southern Maryland Community Network will visit the lobby of the Lexington Park branch to discuss their mental health resources and services with the community.

The Southern Maryland Community Network, Inc. provides a range of expertly and uniquely delivered behavioral health services that are predicated on the belief that each person's strengths hold the keys to their recovery. 

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.

Outdoor Storytime at Lexington Park Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

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.

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 Monday morning. Storytimes are 10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2:30pm on Wednesdays.

Outdoor Storytime at Lexington Park Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Leonardtown Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Leonardtown Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Anime Movie Night

Do you like anime or manga?

Join us for this month's anime film: The Place Promised in Our Early Days by Makoto Shinkai! We will have time for a brief discussion after the movie.
Snacks will be provided.

Ages 16—99.

Beginner Ukulele Workshop

Learn to play the ukulele! Local music teacher Nani Lowery will lead a 2-part virtual workshop for beginners to get your started on your musical journey.

No ukulele? No problem! Borrow one from the library before the first session. We have 20 ukuleles available, with tuners and cases. Have your own ukulele? That's great! Make sure it's in working order, and that you have a tuner (or download a tuner app for your smartphone). This workshop is open to adults, teens, and tweens who are in 6th grade and up. A class packet with instructions and music will be emailed to all participants, or can be picked up at the library prior to the workshop.

The Grim Readers: Book Club

The Grim Readers is a book club that meets on the first Tuesday of every month for an hour to discuss a horror book. This month's pick is Old Bones by Preston and Child.

Nora Kelly, a young but successful curator with a series of important excavations already under her belt, is approached by the handsome Historian, Clive Benton, to lead an expedition unlike any other. Clive tells his story—one involving the ill-fated Donner Party, who became permanently lodged in the American consciousness in the winter of 1847, when the first skeletonized survivors of the party stumbled out of the California mountains, replete with tales of courage, resourcefulness, bad luck, murder, barbarism—and, finally, starvation and cannibalism.

Captivated by the Donner Party, Nora agrees and they venture into the Sierra Nevada in search of the camp. Quickly, they learn that the discovery of the missing starvation camp is just the tip of the iceberg—and that the real truth behind those long-dead pioneers is not only far more complex and surprising than they could have imagined...but it is one that puts them both in mortal danger from a very real, present-day threat in which the search for the lost party, and its fabled fortune in gold, are merely means to a horrifying end.

Find Old Bones by Preston and Child in the catalog!

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Virtual Author Talk with Martha Wells

Join us with a discussion with Martha Wells, author of the incredible series, Murderbot Diaries!

Martha Wells has written many fantasy novels, including The Wizard Hunters, Wheel of the Infinite, the Books of the Raksura series (beginning with The Cloud Roads and ending with The Harbors of the Sun), and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer, as well as YA fantasy novels, short stories, and nonfiction. Her New York Times and USA Today-bestselling Murderbot Diaries series has won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and Alex Awards.

Register to receive the link to the Zoom meeting the day before the event.

If you require any accommodations for the event, please fill out the form here: https://www.stmalib.org/about-us/accessibility/request-an-accommodation/  

Photo credit: Igot Kraguljac

Southern Maryland JobSource Mobile Career Center

Job seekers can stop by to get job counseling and resume help,search for jobs, and get registered with the Maryland Workforce Exchange.

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Teen Writing Club

Writing can be a lonely hobby, why not attend the writing club to connect with other writers your age? Join us for our bi-monthly writing club, intended for teens!

During the club meetings, you'll be able to share your writing, meet new writers, learn about new genres, and have your writing critiqued by your peers! The club will be held every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.

Virtual Mystery Book Club

Join us each month as we discuss a different mystery novel. The book for May Open and Shut (Andy Carpenter #1) by David Rosenfelt.

Beginner Ukulele Workshop

Learn to play the ukulele! Local music teacher Nani Lowery will lead a 2-part virtual workshop for beginners to get your started on your musical journey.

No ukulele? No problem! Borrow one from the library before the first session. We have 20 ukuleles available, with tuners and cases. Have your own ukulele? That's great! Make sure it's in working order, and that you have a tuner (or download a tuner app for your smartphone). This workshop is open to adults, teens, and tweens who are in 6th grade and up. A class packet with instructions and music will be emailed to all participants, or can be picked up at the library prior to the workshop.

Veterans Book Group

A book discussion series for veterans led by Vietnam veteran Wayne Karlin. Registration required; space is limited. For more information contact Kimberlé Fields at 301-863-8188 or kfields@stmalib.org.

This book discussion series is tailored for veterans and their families. We are privileged that is led by Vietnam veteran, author, and College of Southern Maryland professor Wayne Karlin. Service members of all eras, their spouses, and adult children are welcome.

This year we will read and discuss four non-fiction books: a former infantryman exploring how to be a parent; a former Navy pilot struggling with the tug between pride and guilt about his service; a journalist discussing in detail the erosion of honor in an elite force; and a former nurse’s very personal memoir of loss and trauma from World War I. Each book is written in a very different style but connected by themes of war, courage, honor, and trauma.

Meetings will be held the first Saturday of the month 10 am - 12 pm via ZOOM. Participants should plan to attend all sessions. Materials provided. Book descriptions are from Amazon

The Veterans Book Group is coordinated statewide by Maryland Humanities and is presented locally in partnership with St. Mary’s County Library. It is supported in part by Lockheed Martin, David Bruce Smith, and the Wawa Foundation.

June 4th: Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain

Wayne’s note:  I think this is one of the most devastating accounts of World War One. It is told not by a soldier but by a woman from a sheltered background who volunteered as a nurse and suffered the severe losses that marked her generation.

In 1914, Vera Brittain was 20; when war was declared she was preparing to study at Oxford. Four years later, her life - and the life of her whole generation - had changed in a way that would have been unimaginable in the tranquil pre-war era.

Testament of Youth, one of the most famous autobiographies of the First World War, is Brittain's account of how she survived those agonizing years. Brittan recounts how she lost the man she loved; how she nursed the wounded and how she emerged into an altered world. A passionate record of a lost generation. It made Vera Brittain one of the best-loved writers of her time. This book has lost none of its power to shock, move, and enthrall readers since its first publication in 1933.

RESCHEDULED: Outdoor Storytime at St. Clement's Island Museum

Stories, songs, and activities for children with their adult caregivers, outdoors at St. Clement's Island Museum. Siblings welcome; please register once per family group. Rain date: May 14.

This activity will take place outdoors on the grass. Participants should bring blankets or chairs for comfort. After storytime, explore the museum and grounds- admission fees will be waived for families attending storytime! In case of rain, storytime will be postponed until May 14.

Address: 38370 Point Breeze Road, Colton’s Point, MD 20626

Smartphone Photography Contest

It's back! Join us again for our 2nd Smartphone Photography Contest!

Do you take the best pictures in St. Mary's County? Do you love showing your photography skills off on Facebook and Instagram? St. Mary's County Library invites submission of photographs taken with a smartphone for entry into our Smartphone Photography Contest. The contest is open to anyone in our community in the following age groups: Teens (ages 13 to 17), and Adults (ages 18 and older). Please read all guidelines before submitting entry materials. Enter the Smartphone Photography Contest!!

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

SMCHD: National Prevention Month

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division of St. Mary's County Health Department will be at the library to offer information for National Prevention Month.

Voter Registration

Trained voter registration volunteers will be in the lobby to assist with registering to vote.

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.

African American Genealogy

Interested in learning about your family's history and ancestry? Join us with Christine Iko, a librarian at the Enoch Pratt Library, who specializes in African American History and Genealogy.

African American genealogical research is different from other ethnic backgrounds. Due to slaves being considered property, they were prohibited from reading, writing, attending school, legally marrying, owning land, owning a business, voting, and participating in many other activities that generate records on which much genealogical research is based. Citizenship was granted in 1868 to slaves, an action that had an impact on records like letters, diaries, wills, census records, land deeds, voter registrations, and school records. However, like people of that time, written documents were sometimes segregated. These records might be kept in separate files or listed in the back of record books. Finding aids may also have these complications. For example, many military records of African Americans are indexed separately. Finally, African American genealogy and history has not been widely researched. When Alex Haley wrote his best-selling book Roots, many people began to question their elders about their past and research their own family histories. But this has only occurred in the most recent past. There’s a lot of history to try to catch up with!

If you are interested or intrigued on where to begin, how to start, where to research, we hope to see you with us in this great program as we welcome Christine in discussing all there is about African American Genealogy. 

The Lit Kit

Have you ever heard of Book of the Month? What about OwlCrate?

The Lit Kit is just like those boxes - except it's FREE! The Lit Kit is a free customized box for teens ages 14-17 filled with 3-4 goodies AND up to 2 YA library books that we'll choose for you (please note: the library books must be returned). Registration begins on the 1st of the month and will close on the 8th of the month, or when registration reaches the maximum amount of registrations. On the 10th of the month, The Lit Kit will be available to be picked up at the Library location of your choosing. This can be picked up inside of the branch, or via curbside appointment. 

Seedco Navigators: Connecting Families to Health Care

Seedco Navigators will be on site to educate and assist those who are uninsured as well as those currently insured through Maryland Health Connection.

Navigators will be providing information on new lower premiums, access to financial assistance for those who qualify, as well as scheduling appointments for application and enrollment in health coverage.
Seedco is a non-profit organization under a grant funded contract with the state of Maryland, through the Maryland Health Exchange. We work to educate and assist Maryland residents, free of charge, in understanding their health coverage options, potential for financial assistance, and how to select the best plan within the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange marketplace that suits their needs. Additionally, we work to provide resources and other options for those who do not qualify or are unable to get the coverage they need.

Social distancing and safe COVID protocols will be in place to ensure the safety of Seedco staff, Library staff, and the general public.

For more information please contact :
Christie Taylor
Seedco Navigator
chtaylor@seedco.org

SMCHD: National Prevention Month

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division of St. Mary's County Health Department will be at the library to offer information for National Prevention Month.

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

Outdoor Storytime at Lexington Park Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

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.

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 Monday morning. Storytimes are 10am on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2:30pm on Wednesdays.

Outdoor Storytime at Lexington Park Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Leonardtown Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Leonardtown Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Master Gardeners Plant Clinic

Have questions about growing vegetables, soil conditions, mystery insects, invasive weeds, or heirloom plants? Ask a Master Gardener! Stop by with your plant samples and questions.

Teen & Tween Gaming

On the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, join us for some virtual gaming. We'll play games like Among Us, Quiplash, Drawful, and Murder Trivia Party. Wit, weirdness, and hijinks are encouraged.

Make sure to register with an email to receive the Zoom link. Two devices are recommended: one for Zoom and one to use as a game controller.  Intended for ages 10 to 18. 

Common Thread: In Person!

Join fellow crafters who love all things fiber!

Open to knitters, crocheters, quilters, embroiderers, cross-stitchers, and any other kind of needleworkers.

Bring your current project, mingle with like-minded makers, and swap patterns, ideas, and tips. 

All skill levels welcome. No registration required.

St. Mary’s County Library makes every effort to make events and programs accessible and inclusive. More information about how we do this is provided on our website’s Event Accessibility page.

Common Thread Online

Join fellow crafters who love all things fiber - virtually! Registration is required (with an email address). You'll receive an email with a link to join the Zoom meeting before the program.

Open to knitters, crocheters, quilters, embroiderers, cross-stitchers, and any other kind of needleworkers. Work on your current project and chat with like-minded makers. All skill levels welcome.

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

SMCHD: National Prevention Month

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division of St. Mary's County Health Department will be at the library to offer information for National Prevention Month.

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

SMCHD: National Prevention Month

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division of St. Mary's County Health Department will be at the library to offer information for National Prevention Month.

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

Researching Your Local Ancestors: Part 1

Explore your local roots. Learn about the resources in the Maryland Room at the Leonardtown Library to research your local ancestors from St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles counties.

Our friends Karen, Frankie, and April from the St. Mary's County Genealogical Society and the St. Mary's County Historical Society will be here to teach about the resources available in the Maryland Room at the Leonardtown Library. The Maryland Room holds collections on Maryland history, local and Maryland genealogy, and a Daughter's of the American Revolution collection. Please bring any names, dates, and locations you are interested in researching. All skill levels are welcome.

This is part 1 of a 2 part class. Part 2 is scheduled for May 19, 2022. 

This is an in-person class held in meeting room 1. 

Outdoor Storytime at Charlotte Hall Library

Outdoor stories, rhymes, songs, and activities planned with ages 1-5 in mind; all ages welcome with their adult caregivers.

This storytime is outdoors and will be cancelled in case of bad weather. Please register once per family group with an email address to get weather-related updates, and call the library if you're not sure whether storytime is on. Bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, and dress for the weather!

St. Mary's County Library Plant Club

It's plant time! Join us for an adventurous plant club. We will be hosting a recurring plant club that shows members everything about growing plants, gardening, and a lot of cool plant tricks!

St. Mary's County Library Plant Club is intended for teens. Every three weeks, the club will meet up and learn about different plants and how to grow them from various lifecycle stages. Each member will get to keep their own plant and watch it blossom. We will learn how to start gardening, interact with others who have similar plant-based interests, and much more. Attend this program now to watch the magic of plants take place within the library!

Murderbot Diaries Book Club : Rogue Protocol

Join us each month to discuss Martha Wells's Murderbot Diaries series. This month, we will be discussing book three, Rogue Protocol

Listen to the audiobook on Hoopla

Checkout the ebook or print book in our catalog

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

SMCHD: National Prevention Month

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division of St. Mary's County Health Department will be at the library to offer information for National Prevention Month.

St. Mary's County Health Department: Behavioral Health Division

Staff from the Behavioral Health Division with the SMC Health Department will be available in the lobby to speak with visitors.

RESCHEDULED: Outdoor Preschool Magnet Lab: Stick With It!

Want to be an engineer for a day? Put on your scientist hats and get ready to explore the magic of magnets with this STEM Lab for preschoolers!

Come explore how magnets work during an hour of action-packed, magnetized mayhem! Fish your magnetic wish, spot the magnetic difference, solve the mystery of the magnetic cereal and more! Register with your email address to secure your spot at the outdoor STEM lab! 

Chinese Culture Day

A celebration of Chinese traditional dance, language, and calligraphy, presented by the National Chinese Honor Society students of Leonardtown High School.

The National Chinese Honor Society students of Leonardtown High School will perform Chinese traditional dances, teach basic Chinese words in an interactive way, and do a mini Chinese calligraphy lesson. This program is meant for children ages 5-10 to enjoy with their families. Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

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.