Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries in March will be participating in “Hatchlings: Ready to Hatch,” a Maryland State Library-sponsored program developed by Betsy Diamant-Cohen, the creator of Mother Goose on the Loose. The Hatchlings program helps expectant and new parents build the skills to be their child’s first teachers. Programs will be offered on Thursday, March 16, at the White Oak Library; Saturday, March 25, at the Wheaton Library (in Spanish and English); and Tuesday, March 28, at the Long Branch Library (in Spanish and English).

Details on the three dates and locations available in March:


Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries is partnering with the Jewish Council for the Aging Heyman Interages Center (JCA), or Interages, to celebrate “Read Across America Week” by providing a reading program at selected branches. The special week is March 2-6. The one-on-one program will pair JCA volunteers with children between kindergarten and third grade. The volunteers have been recruited, vetted and trained by JCA in communication and intergenerational interaction. Reading sessions will be at the Gaithersburg and Wheaton libraries.

“Getting our young people inspired to read is one of the most important things we can do in providing great educations for our upcoming generations,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Having a reading partner often is the key to making reading fun and interesting. The Read Across America program in which Montgomery County Public Libraries partners with the Jewish Council for the Aging is a model program we should duplicate wherever possible—including right at home.”


The renovation work included the replacement of all flooring, reconfiguration and updating of shelving, painting throughout, a new service desk, new lighting, redesign of the children’s reading nook, installation of security equipment, the addition of lounge seating and study areas, replacement of the entry doors, creation of a family restroom and the updating of interior and exterior signs.


Per Montgomery County: A formal plaque has been dedicated at the Rockville Memorial Library recognizing the name change from the original Rockville Library. The name change for the branch of the Montgomery County Public Libraries system was instituted in 2010 at the request of Gold Star families—those who have lost a family member in U.S. military conflicts—and the County Commission on Veterans Affairs.

The plaque is located on the first-floor lobby of the library, next to a digital display honoring the County’s Fallen Heroes. The Fallen Heroes digital display honors County residents killed in action dating to World War I


The Wheaton Library is located within the Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center complex at 11701 Georgia Ave. in Wheaton. The exhibit, launched in collaboration with Peerless Rockville and Montgomery History, memorializes and honors two men who were lynched in Rockville—John Diggs-Dorsey in 1880 and Sidney Randolph in 1896. It also honors George Peck, who was lynched in Poolesville in 1880. The exhibit is intended to reveal the history of these fatal miscarriages of justice that happened in Montgomery County, to remember the victims and to promote reconciliation and healing.

Working closely with the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., and the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project, the exhibit is part of a larger effort to advance the cause of reconciliation in Maryland and advocates for public acknowledgement of these murders. As highlighted in a proclamation by the Montgomery County Council on Sept. 26, 2021, the exhibit “reminds us of our responsibility to understand our history and to work to repair and heal the damage of the past by acting in the present.”


Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL), the Montgomery County Library Board and Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Inc. (FOLMC) will kick off “Library Lovers Month” with a family friendly virtual event at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4. To celebrate the beginning of Library Lovers Month, Jacqueline Means (the STEM Queen) will demonstrate the hands-on STEM activity “Let’s Make Snow” for elementary-aged students.

To fully participate in the hands-on part of the program, registrants are invited to pick up a free activity kit before the program at one of the following libraries: Aspen HillConnie MorellaGaithersburgKensington and Wheaton. The availability of activity kits is limited. Participants should call ahead to confirm availability.


Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will offer online workshops and one-on-one sessions geared toward assisting job seekers throughout February. All workshops are free. The schedule of workshops:

*An internet connection and a device (such as a smartphone, tablet or computer) are required for participation.


Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries will offer staffed information tables to learn about energy assistance programs and energy saving resources on seven select Mondays through April. The resource tables will be staffed by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and Pepco.

For more information about the energy savings display tables, contact Clotilde Puértolas at [email protected].


Those who complete the Challenge will be eligible for a variety of prizes that will be available at their local library while supplies last. They will also be entered into a raffle for a chance to win two tickets to the Wizards’ home game on April 9 against the Houston Rockets. Register for the Wizards Winter Reading Challenge at: https://www.dcfamily.com/winter-reading-challenge or by visiting MCPL’s website or any of MCPL’s 21 locations.


*An internet connection and a device (such as a smartphone, tablet or computer) are required for participation.

For more information about programs, contact Adrienne van Lare at [email protected]


Let your child practice reading aloud and build their confidence during a 10-minute one-on-one reading session with a certified therapy dog at Montgomery County Public Libraries across the county. Bring your own book or choose one from the library’s collection. A list of “Read to a Dog” events can be seen below:


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