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The photograph depicts a Ukranian jug with a stopper, decorated in flowers and vines in shades of white, brown, green, and blue.

Ukrainian Pottery

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The photograph depicts a Ukranian pottery plate on a white plate stand. The plate depicts plants growing from the earth, with blossoms and seeds, and two birds perched on the flowers of the plant.

By Nancy T.

Preserving Culture Through Clay: Tradition, Resilience, and Artistry

Through the month of May, HCLS Miller Branch presents a beautifully curated exhibit that blends tradition, resilience, and artistry: Finding Identity and Honoring Tradition Through Ukrainian Pottery. The display highlights the intersection of heritage and contemporary creation, featuring works by Maryland-based studio potter Natalia Kormeluk, alongside pieces by resident artists from the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery in Opishne, Ukraine.

The photograph depicts an assortment of Ukranian bowls, pitchers, candlesticks and other pottery on a round white tabletop.

Opishne, a town in central Ukraine, is widely regarded as the heart of Ukrainian ceramics. Since its founding in 1986, the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery has built one of the world’s largest collections of traditional Ukrainian pottery and hosts the most extensive open-air modern clay sculpture installations anywhere on the globe. Despite the devastation brought by Russia’s 2022 invasion, the museum has remained steadfast in its mission—reopening to the public in 2023 and continuing to host artist residencies, international symposiums, and scholarly research opportunities.

The Maryland-based ceramic artist Natalia Kormeluk.

Among those who returned to support the museum’s work is Natalia Kormeluk, an experienced studio potter and educator. Natalia is the Coordinator of the Graduate Ceramics Program at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, and also teaches at the Columbia Art Center. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is part of both private and institutional collections, including the University of Pittsburgh and the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery.

Artist Talk: Finding Identity and Honoring Tradition Through Ukrainian Pottery

«Пізнання ідентичності і вшанування традицій через українське гончарство»

The photograph depicts a Ukranian jug with a stopper, decorated in flowers and vines in shades of white, brown, green, and blue.

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2025
Time: 2 – 3:30 PM
Location: HCLS Miller Branch
Free | Registration encouraged
Register here.

Join Maryland ceramic artist Natalia Kormeluk as she shares her experiences living and working at the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery during wartime. Through stories, images, and firsthand accounts, Natalia offers insight into how artists continue to live, create, and teach amid conflict. She highlights the museum’s unwavering commitment to cultural continuity and explore how ceramics serve as a vessel for identity, connection, and hope.

The photograph depicts a display case at the Miller Branch of Howard County Library System with Ukranian pottery, including animal figurines, a plate, a teapot, and several pitchers, most of them in shades of brown and gold with colorful highlights in blue or red.

This exhibit and accompanying talk offer a rare and deeply human glimpse into the world of Ukrainian pottery—an art form rooted in history and shaped by resilience. It stands as a testament to cultural survival, creative defiance, and the enduring power of art to connect, heal, and carry traditions forward.

Includes Q&A. In partnership with the Baltimore-Odesa Sister City Committee.

Nancy T. is an instructor and research specialist and the display coordinator at Miller Branch. When she’s not in the branch, you’ll find her in the swimming pool, sitting with her cat, or out walking in the fresh air.

The image depicts four members of the dance troupe Arte Flamenco, with arms extended above their heads, holding closed fans.

Global Neighbors: Dance Edition

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By Piyali C.

The image depicts eight members of the dance troupe from the Howard County Chinese School, wearing matching pink dresses with long, flowing sleeves and pink flowers in their hair. They are stationary and posed for a group photo.
Howard County Chinese School
Indian classical dancer Jaya Mathur

The Global Neighbors team is back with an exciting cultural journey into the various dance forms that our neighbors from around the world bring to Howard County. We invite you to celebrate the rich diversity of movement, rhythm, and storytelling on Sunday, May 4 from 2 to 4 pm in Global Neighbors: Dance Edition at Miller Branch.

An irish dancer appears in mid-air with her leg extended and toe pointed, fists at her sides, She is wearing a red, black and white costumer with green trim.
Irish dancer Coco Ward from Kavanagh Porter Dance Academy

From the elegance of traditional Korean dance to the strength and fluidity of Chinese dance forms to the intricate storytelling of Indian classical dance to the rapid footwork and rhythmic precision of Irish dancing to expressive and passionate Flamenco to high-energy Hip Hop, Global Neighbors: Dance Edition hopes to showcase the artistry, emotion, and cultural significance of movement across the world.

The image depicts four members of the dance troupe Arte Flamenco, with arms extended above their heads, holding closed fans.
Arte Flamenco Studio

Join us in celebrating the power of dance to unite communities and share stories beyond words! Let us learn about the richness of the cultures that surround us, connect with our neighbors, and grow in our knowledge of each other to form a more cohesive society.

The image depicts seven members of the dance troupe B. Funk, seated in chairs in various poses. All are wearing jeans and matching orange shirts and tan shoes.
B. Funk Dance Company.

Register via the link below to attend Global Neighbors: Dance Edition on Sunday, May 4 from 2 – 4 pm at Howard County Library System’s Miller Branch.

https://howardcounty.librarycalendar.com/event/global-neighbors-dance-edition-270577

The picture depicts eight members of Korean Culture and Art performing a traditional dance. They are wearing colorful costumes with floor-length and holding pink flowers with yellow centers.
Korean Culture and Art of MD

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch, where she facilitates two book discussion groups: Light But Not Fluffy and Global Reads. She keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.

Several children stand around a library instructor, everyone strumming a ukulele.

Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month

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Several children stand around a library instructor, everyone strumming a ukulele.
Ukulele series Play, Practice & Perform, HCLS Savage Branch.

by Sahana C.


This Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebrate the incredible diversity and cultural influence of folks under the AAPI umbrella. AAPI culture has become more prominent recently, though it has long been an integral part of our community and our county. Going from K-Pop to Bollywood, from Vietnamese cuisine, Thai food, and Chinese staples, to things like ukuleles and tattooing that hail from the Pacific Islands, there are traces of and homages to AAPI influence across society. Howard County Library System has a World Language Collection, and while the specific materials may differ between branches, we have DVDs, books, and other materials in a wide variety of languages, including Bengali, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese, to name a few.

I grew up listening to Bollywood and watching Bollywood movies that we would bring home from the library. Having the World Language Collection as a staple within the library has always been incredibly significant to me. It’s a tangible connection to my culture. I try always to recommend that folks looking for new and different movies give Bollywood a try, and the expanse of our World Language selection makes that possible.

This spring we have a wealth of classes to highlight AAPI authors, traditions, art, food, and culture. We’ll jam out at Savage Branch using ukuleles (that can be requested and borrowed!) with Savage Ukes. We’ll create origami flowers and learn about the history of kusudama, participate in Anime Clubs at Savage and Miller branches to talk about our favorite anime and manga, and read books like Interior Chinatown together (with the Reading Human Rights book discussion group) so that we can discuss in community.

We would love to see you at the branches, attending any of our events. Discover more on our classes and events calendar.

Asian Cuisine Made Easy!
For adults. Register here.
Thu Huynh, a registered dietitian nutritionist with the Health Living Team at Giant Food, presents seven top tips on how to incorporate Asian cuisine and lifestyle into your life.
Wed, May 3 | 7 – 8 pm
online

Nonfiction Addiction
For adults. Register here for the in-person session and here for the online/hybrid session.
bit.ly/econfa11
Explore the genre of nonfiction.
In May: The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui.
Thu, May 18 | 7 – 8 pm
East Columbia Branch

Glenwood Goes to Hawaii
Ages 0-5. Ticketed; free tickets available 15 mins before class starts.
Shake off winter blues and go Hawaiian as we catch a wave. Enjoy tropical music, games, and stories under palm trees on beach blankets. Tropical attire encouraged.
Fri, May 19 | 10:30 – 11:15 am   
Glenwood Branch

High Tide in Hawaii: A Magic Tree House Special
Ages 6-10. Ticketed; free tickets available 15 mins before class starts.
Join Jack & Annie in the Magic Tree House as they escape high tide in Hawaii. Enjoy games, music, and a craft under palm trees and sunny skies. Tropical attire encouraged. Catch a wave!
Fri, May 19 | 2 – 3 pm     
Glenwood Branch

National Museum of Asian Art
All ages.
Investigate scenes and objects of daily life in works of art across Asia to discover what people in the past valued and how they celebrated through food and rituals. Through the objects you examine, compare daily life in the past to today.
Fri, May 19 | 2 – 3 pm
Elkridge Branch

Global Neighbors – Republic of Korea
All ages.
Experience the culture and contributions of one of the largest demographics in our community. Enjoy a presentation and celebration showcasing traditional Korean music, Taekwondo, Korean Fan Dance, K-Pop dance demonstration, and Korean origami and calligraphy. Celebrate the diversity of our community!
Sun, May 21 | 2 – 4 pm
Miller Branch

Craft Pop-up Shop: AAPI Heritage Month Edition
Ages 4 and up. Allow 15 minutes. Drop in.
Pop in and make a craft inspired by AAPI Heritage Month.
Tue, May 23 | 5:30 – 7 pm
Miller Branch

Recipe Exchange: Asians Chefs and Asian American Cuisine
For adults.
Learn about Asian chefs and the history of Asian American cuisine. Meet other foodies to learn new recipes or share some your favorites.
Wed, May 24 | 7 – 8 pm
Savage Branch

Sahana is an Instructor and Research Specialist at the Savage Branch. They enjoy adding books to their “want to read” list despite having a mountain of books waiting for them already.

The photograph depicts a woman in traditional Indian clothing of red, black, white, holding a microphone with arm outstretched as if belting out a song. She stands in two spotlights shining on her from above, and in front of a representation of the globe with the words "World Language Karaoke" surrounding the globe in yellow. All of this is against a backdrop of twinkling stars against in the darkness of outer space.

World Language Karaoke

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The photograph depicts a woman in traditional Indian clothing of red, black, white, holding a microphone with arm outstretched as if belting out a song. She stands in two spotlights shining on her from above, and in front of a representation of the globe with the words "World Language Karaoke" surrounding the globe in yellow. All of this is against a backdrop of twinkling stars against in the darkness of outer space.

by Piyali C.

“Reading is not really my thing. I don’t come to the library.” My customer told me this as he waited for me to find a book that he needed for his school project. He was honest with me about his preferences. He was only at the library because his teacher made him come.

“Do you like music?” I asked him.

“Oh yes. I love music.” He replied enthusiastically.

“Did you know that we are having a class called World Language Karaoke ” I asked him.

“WHAT? You can do karaoke in a library?” He was incredulous.

The idea of library being a quiet place filled with books is a thing of the past. To quote Paula Poundstone, libraries have truly become, “raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy, and community.” And we love to celebrate our diverse community every chance we get. Our community speaks so many different languages. It makes us smile as we walk around our library and hear the plethora of languages being spoken around us. We thought, why not celebrate all these different languages and bring everyone together for an evening of music? After all, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow did say that “music is the universal language of humanity.”

Join us on Thursday, January 26 at 7 pm for World Language Karaoke at Miller Branch to sing songs in the language that you prefer, INCLUDING ENGLISH.

When you register, please tell us the song or songs that you are going to sing in the ‘Special Notes’ field, so we can create a playlist before the class and keep it ready for you to belt it out!

Register for the class here.

Piyali is an instructor and research specialist at HCLS Miller Branch, where she co-facilitates Global Reads and facilitates Light But Not Fluffy (starting in March 2023!) and keeps the hope alive that someday she will reach the bottom of her to-read list.