Friends of the Laurel Library
Branch of PGCMLS at 507 7th St Maryland 20707
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A Library Staff Appreciation lunch was provided by the Friends of the Laurel Library in Gratitude for all the help and support provided by the Library Staff to our Community
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Start the New Year off Right at the Laurel Library
Community-Led Coffee and Conversation - Held in the Conference Room
Friday, December 27: 10:00am - 11:00am
Age group: Adults event type: Discussions
Have a cup of coffee and enjoy conversations focused on relevant and engaging topics. Light refreshments will be provided.
Tail Waggin' Tutors - Held in the Children's Area
Thursday, January 02: 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: Kids Read
Build your child's confidence as they read to specially trained therapy dogs. Bring a book or choose one from the library. Each child will read for 10 minutes.
Register
Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 2–3 - Held in Meeting Room B
Mondays in January: 10:30am - 11:00am
Age group: Young Children (0-5 yrs)
event type: Storytime or Playday
Bring your toddler and enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, and more!
Register
Monday, January 06: 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Computer Lab
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs)
event type: Teen Zone STEM
Create, invent, and learn in a creative DIY space.
Register
Tuesday, January 07: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Conference Room 1
Age group: Adults
event type: Chess/Games/Gaming
Play games at the library! Bring one of your own or play one of ours.
Register
Knitting and Crocheting - Held in Meeting Room B
Tuesday, January 07: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs), Elementary (5-12 yrs), Adults
event type: Fine Arts and Crafts
An evening of crocheting and knitting. Bring your current projects and materials. All ages are welcome. Led by the Branch Library's Seventh Street Ravelutionaries crocheting and knitting group.
Register
Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 3–5 - Held in Meeting Room B
Wednesdays in January: 7:00pm - 7:30pm
Age group: Young Children (0-5 yrs)
event type: Storytime or Playday
Bring your preschooler and enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, and more!
Register
Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 0–2 - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursdays in January: 10:30am - 11:00am
Age group: Young Children (0-5 yrs)
event type: Storytime or Playday
Bring your baby and enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, and more!
Register
Ready 2 Read Storytime: Ages 0–2 - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursdays in January: 11:15am - 11:45am
Age group: Young Children (0-5 yrs)
event type: Storytime or Playday
Bring your baby and enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays, and more!
Register
Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursday, January 09: 5:00pm - 5:50pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: Kids Read
Boost your reading skills and confidence or listen to favorite stories read aloud with Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagle Ambassadors.
Register
Community-Led Coffee and Conversation
Friday, January 10: 10:00am - 11:00am
Conference Room 1
Age group: Adults
event type: Discussions
Have a cup of coffee and enjoy conversations focused on relevant and engaging topics. Light refreshments will be provided.
Register
Monday, January 13: 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Large Meeting Room B
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs)
event type: Teen Zone Chess/Games/Gaming
Play board games, video games, and have some friendly competition! Bring your own game or play one of ours.
Register
Chess Club - Held in Meeting Room B
Tuesday, January 14: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs), Elementary (5-12 yrs), Adults
event type: Chess/Games/Gaming
Learn to play or improve your chess game. All ages are welcome!
Register
Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursday, January 16: 5:00pm - 5:50pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: Kids Read
Boost your reading skills and confidence or listen to favorite stories read aloud with Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagle Ambassadors.
Register
Play and Grow: Ages 0–3 - Held in Meeting Room B
Friday, January 17: 10:30am - 11:30am
Age group: Young Children (0-5 yrs)
event type: Storytime or Playday
Stories, music, and activities for children ages 0–3 with and without special needs. Presented by PGCPS Infants and Toddlers Program for early intervention students and up to 12 community families.
Register
MAC Party - Manga and Anime Club
Tuesday, January 21: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Large Meeting Room A (Dorothy Height Room)
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs)
event type: Teen Zone Discussions
Do you nerd out about "My Hero Academia," "Attack on Titan," "Demon Slayer," or "Sailor Moon"? Join the Manga and Anime Club! Come for discussions, activities, trailer screenings, and Japanese culture. All levels of fandom welcome.
Register
Knitting and Crocheting - Held in Meeting Room B
Tuesday, January 21: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Age group: Teen (13-18 yrs), Elementary (5-12 yrs), Adults
event type: Fine Arts and Crafts
An evening of crocheting and knitting. Bring your current projects and materials. All ages are welcome. Led by the Branch Library's Seventh Street Ravelutionaries crocheting and knitting group.
Register
Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursday, January 23: 5:00pm - 5:50pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: Kids Read
Boost your reading skills and confidence or listen to favorite stories read aloud with Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagle Ambassadors.
Register
Community-Led Coffee and Conversation
Friday, January 24: 10:00am - 11:00am
Conference Room 1
Age group: Adults
event type: Discussions
Have a cup of coffee and enjoy conversations focused on relevant and engaging topics. Light refreshments will be provided.
Register
Kids Create: Snowstorm in a Jar - Held in Meeting Room B
Monday, January 27: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: STEM Fine Arts and Crafts
Have fun exploring, crafting and creating with hands-on experiments and activities. Supplies are provided.
Register
Community-Led Book Discussion: "The Man Who Could Move Clouds" by Ingrid Rolas
Tuesday, January 28: 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Conference Room 1
Age group: Adults
event type: Discussions
Join a lively discussion! This month "The Man Who Could Move Clouds" by Ingrid Rolas will give us some interesting ideas to discuss.
Register
Story Explorers: Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagles Reading Ambassadors - Held in Meeting Room B
Thursday, January 30: 5:00pm - 5:50pm
Age group: Elementary (5-12 yrs)
event type: Kids Read
Boost your reading skills and confidence or listen to favorite stories read aloud with Dwight D. Eisenhower Eagle Ambassadors.
Welcome from the Friends of the Laurel Library!
HELP - Remember excellent online Library resources are available 24/7 to help the community even when the Library buildings are closed. Be sure to stay in touch with the latest at Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Help Available
Need help with technology? Get help for your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Learn about ways of accessing and searching the Prince George's County Memorial Library System. Want to download ebooks or audiobooks free from the Library catalog? It's all there to discover with a personal 1 on 1 session with a Librarian. Go to this link to schedule your personal appointment:
Schedule a 1 on 1 session with a Librarian
PGCMLS has a policy in place for authors who wish to have materials added to our collection. Click here.
Read a story about the beginnings of Library Systems in Maryland
Support the Laurel Library with a donation to the Friends through PayPal at FriendsLaurelLibrary@gmail.com
The Friends of the Laurel Library meets in a video call on the third Monday of most months. If you would like to know more about the Friends and attend a meeting please email mike@mdcsr.com for a link to the meeting.
About PGCMLS Donor Trees
You can be a lasting part of your neighborhood Laurel branch library by purchasing a leaf on our Donor Recognition Tree. Contribute to the work of the PGCMLS Foundation by purchasing a leaf that can be dedicated to a loved one or in recognition of your gift. Donor Trees are made possible with seed money donated by the branch "Friends of the Library" groups in Baden, Laurel, Oxon Hill and Surratts-Clinton. The Laurel Donor Tree is now installed in the Laurel branch. Be sure to stop and check it out on your next visit to the Laurel Library on the wall across from the Cafe area.
About Us
The Friends of the Laurel Library was organized in January 1996 to promote the Laurel Branch of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System. The Friends raise and donate funds to the Library for programs, materials and appreciation of the Library Staff.
Specifically, all membership dues, book sales and generous donations go to numerous amenities for the Laurel Library including:
Staff Appreciation activities
Foreign policy discussions led by local experts
Special Thanks to Generous Donors to the
Friends of the Laurel Library -
Karen Lubieniencki
Martha Hambleton
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Phillip Wilder
We lost a hardworking volunteer and dear Friend of the Laurel Library in 2023. Phill is sorely missed for his many fine qualities and his years of dedicated, careful efforts on behalf of the Laurel Library. Everyone enjoyed Phill's company, marked by his quick, mischievous laugh, his thoughtful attention and his very caring demeanor. Truly a kind fellow.
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Laurel Branch Hours
Monday 10 am to 6 pm
Tuesday Noon to 8 pm
Wednesday Noon to 8 pm
Thursday 10 am to 6 pm
Friday 10 am to 6 pm
Saturday 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday 1 pm to 5 pm
Join the Friends of the Laurel Library!
Email: FriendsLaurelLibrary@gmail.com
A small donation and an interest in helping the Laurel Library thrive is all you need to join
Stay informed about the latest at the Library
Email:
mike@mdcsr.com
Donate to the Friends
If you have a PayPal account just send $ to friendslaurellibrary@gmail.com
Or go to our Facebook page and click Donate!
Or mail a check to
Friends of the Laurel Library
717 7th Street Laurel MD 20707
Book Sale
When you are at the Laurel Library don't miss the Friends of the Laurel Library Book Sale in the Cafe area. A marvelous collection of novels, non-fiction and children's books are available. And books on CD and DVDs are also for sale on the shelves. Everything is $1 or $.50
All proceeds go to support the programs and staff of the Laurel Library.
Laurel Library Book Discussions in 2025
All are Welcome
Meetings at the Laurel Library
The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingrid Rolas January 28
Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar February 25
Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham March 25
The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni April 22
Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner May 27
The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar June 24
The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld July 22
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman August 26
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood September 23
Maryland One Book TBD October 28
Playground by Richard Powers November 25
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney December 23
Video meeting sessions are available - Email mike@mdcsr.com for link
Books Discussed and Recommended by the Group
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
Lifelines by Leana Wen
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocum
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Friends of the Laurel Library Board
Theresa Held - President
Emily Moser - Vice President
David Whitman - Membership VP
John DiGiovanni - Treasurer
Maria Wilder Car - Member
Amra Bharati - Member
Mike DiFilippo - Secretary & Webmaster mike@mdcsr.com
Karin Luoma - North Area Director | Beltsville, Bowie, Greenbelt, Laurel and South Bowie Branches
Meetings of the Friends of the Laurel Library are usually held the third Monday of each month. Email mike@mdcsr.com for details.
