Michael W. Twitty is an acclaimed culinary historian, independent scholar, and living history interpreter specializing in African American foodways and the culinary traditions of Africa and its Diaspora. He is known for reconstructing historic Southern cuisine as prepared by enslaved African American cooks using period ingredients, cooking methods, and food traditions. Twitty founded Afroculinaria, one of the first major platforms dedicated to preserving historic Black food culture, and has worked with institutions including the Smithsonian, Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello, and Oxford University. His award-winning book, The Cooking Gene, earned two James Beard Awards, and he was named a TED Fellow in 2016. He joins us to discuss the importance of Soul Food in Maryland.

Books in the NLS collection:

• The Cooking Gene (DB 88916)
• Koshersoul (DB 110343, DB 110375, BR 024554)

Natural History Society of Maryland Education Director Bronwyn Mitchell-Strong joined the MSLA Guest Hour to discuss the Society's partnership with Maryland libraries and its efforts to educate the public during 2026 Summer Reading and Learning Programs - and beyond.

Think you have mastered your Victor Reader Stream 3? Not so

fast! May's Technology User Group (TUG) meeting is

pulling back the curtain on the advanced, hidden, and seriously

powerful features that most users never tap into. This isn’t just

another demo. It’s a hands-on, guided exploration of the Stream 3

as a reading, learning, and productivity machine. Whether you

have been using the Stream for years or you’re just a novice

Stream user, you will walk away with new tricks and a whole new

appreciation for what this handheld device can really do. We will

cover:

• Organizing your life with categories for recorded notes
• Pairing your Stream with TuneIn for effortless radio and
• podcast listening
• Unlocking new reading formats, like BRF and EPUB
• Using Audible directly on your device
• Exploring powerful settings that make everyday use faster
• and more intuitive

What's happening at LBPD in May and June in 2026? Find out here.

The Technology User Group (TUG) rolled out the virtual red carpet for Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, the unmistakable voices behind Double Tap, a podcast for blind and partially sighted people to talk and learn about technology. The two presenters brought a rare mix of sharp insight, quick humor, and lived experience that turned accessibility from a technical topic into something lively, relatable, and genuinely fun.

May is American Cheese Month, and today we are celebrating all things cheese. Despite Wisconsin being thought of as a cheese haven, Maryland has a rapidly growing cheese-making community, led by our guest, Dan Porter of FireFly Farms. Learn more about how cheese is made right here in Maryland.

This month, the Technology User Group (TUG) put the spotlight on two breakthrough tools that are changing how people interact with their smartphones: the Hable One and the Hable Easy Smartphone Remote Controllers.

These compact, affordable devices were originally designed for individuals with neuropathy and other physical challenges, but their impact goes far beyond that. They make smartphone use faster, easier, and more intuitive for anyone who prefers tactile control over touchscreens.

In this podcast, you’ll get a clear look at:

• What each device can do
• How they differ in design and function
• Which one might be the best fit for your needs

Expect hands-on insights, lively discussion, and practical takeaways you can use right away.

In honor of Women’s History Month, the LBPD podcast features Sandra Pinnington, Founder and CEO of Exec Insights 360 and an executive coach with more than 30 years of experience helping leaders and organizations strengthen accountability, performance, and trust. In this episode, Sandra shares insights on women in leadership, the importance of self-awareness, and how effective leadership can drive meaningful organizational results.

On Saturday, February 7th, at 10 AM, the Technology User Group

(TUG) welcomed Elizabeth Whitaker of Freedom

Scientific for an in‑depth presentation you will not want to miss.

This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the leading

voices behind the tools so many rely on every day.

Elizabeth walked us through the newest updates to JAWS and

ZoomText, including:

• The redesigned login process that streamlines access and improves security;
• Page Explorer, a powerful feature that enhances navigation and efficiency, and
• Training resources and podcasts that are available to all users,
• offering ongoing learning and support.

This session looked at features that can make a real difference in daily technology use. This is your opportunity to experience cutting-edge tools, ask questions, and connect with others passionate about technology and its impact.

This episode explores the neuroscience of reading, unpacking how the brain learns to transform written symbols into meaningful language. We talk about why reading is a taught skill rather than an automatic one, and what brain research reveals about how children and adults develop reading networks over time.

Dr. Donald (DJ) Bolger is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology in the College of Education, where he directs the Laboratory for the Neurodevelopment of Reading and Language. He also co-directs the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity, a joint institute with Morgan State University that bridges research and practice in literacy across PK-12 education and communities. For over 20 years, Dr. Bolger has studied reading and language achievement with typically developing children as well as neurodiverse learners and those with learning disabilities including dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder using behavioral and functional neuroimaging methods. His research also extends to the role of executive functioning and working memory in learning and the intersection of language and math development. Dr. Bolger has a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh’s Learning Research and Development Center.