County Library Celebrates the Prince George’s Community with Welcoming Week 

Largo, Maryland – From September 13 through September 20, branches across the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) will once again be celebrating Welcoming Week, a global initiative that encourages community organizations like public libraries to host fun and engaging activities meant to build deeper connections among neighbors.

This year’s Welcoming Week theme, “Stories We Share,” aims to foster a sense of belonging and community-wide understanding through storytelling. Highlights from this year’s programming include themed storytimes for kids, presentations by the National Museum of Language and the Surratt House Museum, and several community-led workshops and conversations about the immigrant experience — including a book discussion about Javier Zamora’s memoir, “Solito,” as part of the Library’s monthly “Solidarity Stories” series.

Featured events from this year’s Welcoming Week programming are included below. For a full rundown of this year’s events, please visit the PGCMLS events page.

Featured Welcoming Week Events at PGCMLS

Global Tales and Traditions

Presented by the Surratt House Museum

Free | Saturday, September 13 at 11 am | Ages 5-12 | Surratts-Clinton Branch Library

Let’s take a trip around the world! Celebrate cultures and people from across the globe by exploring a variety of traditions and how they are preserved. This time, kids will enjoy the storybook "Mango, Abuela, and Me" by Meg Medina with illustrations by Angela Dominguez. After the story, they’ll craft their own papel picado banners, a decorative Mexican craft that involves cutting designs into sheets of tissue paper.

What Makes People Laugh

Presented by The National Museum of Language

Free | Saturday, September 13 at 2 pm | Teens and Adults | Beltsville Branch Library

Make laughter the center of your Welcoming Week celebration! The National Museum of Language’s Linda Mitchell Thompson and Laura Murray are partnering with the Library to present "What Makes People Laugh," an exploration of international humor that will include examples of jokes from multiple countries and languages around the world.

Solidarity Stories: Community Led Book Discussion –"Solito" by Javier Zamora

Free | Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 pm | Adults | miXt Food Hall

Join the Mount Rainier Branch Library and Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights for our monthly book club! This month we will discuss the New York Times bestseller and Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of the Century, Javier Zamora’s "Solito: A Memoir." Playful in its approach to language and sophisticated in its emotional scope, this vivid, gripping memoir follows a 9-year-old Zamora as he traverses the 3,000 miles that stretch between El Salvador to the United States.

The Power of Poetry

Presented by The National Museum of Language

Free | Saturday, September 20 at 2 pm | Teens and Adults | Greenbelt Branch Library

The National Museum of Language’s, Laura Murray, and Emily Murray are partnering with the Library to present "The Power of Poetry," a multimedia presentation with examples of poetry from around the world, from ancient times to the present day, on themes relating to social justice.

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About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America and its members, Welcoming Week provides individuals and communities the opportunity to proclaim welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all.

About the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) is a beacon within its diverse and dynamic community. The Library serves Prince George’s County, Maryland’s 966,000+ residents through 19 public branches, a law library in the County Correctional Center, various pop-up services and events, and 24/7 access to free online resources. As a trusted and responsive community leader, PGCMLS democratizes knowledge and opportunity by providing safe, accessible spaces where customers of all backgrounds can freely engage with the resources needed to build knowledge, literacy, skills, and creativity at every phase of life. Learn more at pgcmls.info/about-us.