Maryland State Library Agency

The Neuroplasticity and Development Lab at Johns Hopkins is seeking participants for an MRI Research Study on cognition. The study aims to investigate how lifestyle experience shapes the human brain. JHU is interested in how the brain adapts to the absence of vision. To answer this question, they are neuroimaging to compare the brains of individuals with different life histories, people who were b...

Identity Theft Awareness Week 2023, Jan. 30 - Feb. 3 Has someone used your personal information to open accounts, steal your tax refund, or file fake health insurance claims? That’s identity theft. It can happen to anyone, but simple steps can help lessen the chance it will happen to you. Join Kelle Slaughter and Ashley Biggs as they explore this topic. 

On Saturday, January 7th, the Technology User Group (TUG) welcomes the Maryland Technology Assistance Program (MDTAP).  Administered through the Department of Disabilities, MDTAP enhances the lives of all Marylanders with disabilities, older Marylanders, and their families by providing access to assistive technology (AT) devices and services.  Several years have passed since MDTAP’s...

On Saturday, December 11, the Technology User Group will showcase the five best new apps to debut in 2021, as well as look forward into 2022 to highlight upcoming trends and the tech that will be disappearing. Have you discovered a smart phone app that you enjoy? Feel free to share information about the app with all of us. The presentation will be virtual and may be joined by calling 319- 527-4994...

Winter 2023 Edition. A service of the Technology User Group at the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Print Disabled . Feel free to share this newsletter.

This Thanksgiving, incorporate some Maryland recipes into the usual menu. Check out this title to discover some new, simple recipes to bring to the table. Cooking DBC 12432  – I Can Cook, You Can Cook! Simply Great Maryland Recipes , by Wayne O. Broke, narrated by Maxine A. Cohen An award-winning Baltimore chef and restaurateur recounts his days as a casual proprietor at the popular Wayne's B...

November is Native American Heritage Month. Here’s a few recent titles from Native voices. The Sentence , by Louise Erdrich BR 24020 ; DB 105798 After her release from prison, Tookie takes a job at a Minneapolis bookstore. The store is haunted by the ghost of Flora, a former customer who had a habit of claiming to have Native American heritage. Tookie must solve the mystery of this haunting while...

The Department of Disabilities, Assistive Technology Program (MDTAP) enhances the lives of all Marylanders with disabilities, older Marylanders, and their families by providing access to assistive technology (AT) devices and services. MDTAP offers a variety of services, including assistive technology libraries across the state, AT demonstrations, consultations, short-term device loans, a high-tech...

Technology User Group Meeting: Google & Alexa Contributed by Jerry Price, Assistive Technology Training Coordinator On Saturday, November 5 th , the Technology User Group is pleased to present our 13 th annual look at assistive technology gifts for the holidays! Gadgets, gizmos and exciting products for the home, office and play. Most items profiled will cost less than $100. Many vendors will...

October 2022 U.S. History DBC 12466  – Hell Comes to Southern Maryland: The Story of the Point Lookout Prison and Hammond General Hospital , by Bradley M. Gottfried, narrated by Sabrina Dames Called the “Andersonville of the North,” the Point Lookout Civil War Prisoner of War Camp for Confederates was the largest facility in the North. This book takes a fresh look at all aspects of the prison...

 LBPD welcomes Alex Chan from the Maryland Extension Office of Family and Consumer Sciences. He's a mental and behavioral specialist from University Maryland Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Program. He's here to talk to us about stress management, family relations, and the holiday buzz that happens every year during this month. His recent program development has focused on stigma reduc...

On Saturday, November 5 th , the Technology User Group is pleased to present our 13 th annual look at assistive technology gifts for the holidays! Gadgets, gizmos and exciting products for the home, office and play. Most items profiled will cost less than $100. Many vendors will also be profiling their wares in this special two-hour event. Please note that in November, the Technology User Group wi...

Collection Highlight: October 2022 Contributed by Jordan Wohlfort, Collection Development Librarian October 2022 National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15th-October 15th. Check out this sampling of works from Hispanic authors. Our America: A Hispanic History of the United States, by Felipe Fernández-Armesto. DB 78528History professor examines the Hispanic past of the United States, f...

Guide to Indigenous Maryland is a multi-faceted community engagement initiative of the Maryland State Library Agency and Maryland’s public libraries. Through the development and curation of educational resources, the project aims to teach Marylanders about the history of local Native and Indigenous peoples and how their heritage influences contemporary life in Maryland. Content for the app and web...

Join us as we explore the spooky stories of Maryland's witchy past. Hear true tales and folklore from across the state and find out what Colonial Maryland was really like for those accused of witchcraft. Can you tell fact from legend?" Amanda Hughes has been working in museums, archives, and libraries all across the country for over 10 years. Her current home is the Maryland Department of Enoch Pr...

August 2022 Ridgley, MD, located in Caroline County, is brought to life in this 19th century romantic tale. Historical Fiction DBC 12461  – Where This Road Ends, by Rebekah Colburn, narrated by Roberta Jackson Ella Mae Hutchins knows exactly what she wants from life. Getting it turns out to be much harder than she expects. She has only two dreams: to marry Daniel Evans and to become a success...

August 2022 Get ready for the first day of school with these titles that tackle the nerves and excitement often felt before the big day. Print/Braille Butterflies on the First Day of School , by Annie Silverstro BR 23020 The night before the big day, Rosie's excitement about starting school turns into a tummy ache. Rosie's mom reassures her that it is just butterflies. Much to her surprise, one fl...

On Saturday, October 1 st , the Technology User Group (TUG) is pleased to introduce iOS 16 and demonstrate all of the new accessibility features you can now enable on your iPhone. In addition, we will reveal how to use the voice memo editing feature. Please note that during the months of October and November, the Technology User Group will meet on the first Saturday of the month. The presentation...

Andy Duncan joined the English faculty of Frostburg State University in 2008. He teaches writing courses, including journalism, fiction, creative nonfiction, business writing and advanced composition, and is coordinator of the minors in journalism and public relations. He holds a B.A. in journalism (news/editorial) from the University of South Carolina, an M.A. in creative writing (fiction) from N...

Natural disasters can happen at any time. The Department of Disabilities wants you to be prepared for any situation with a disaster plan.  Cecilia Warren Director for Emergency Preparedness Policy for the Maryland Department of Disabilities As the director for emergency preparedness policy for the Department of Disabilities, Ms. Warren ensures that emergency operations plans address the acces...

On Saturday, September 10th, the Technology User Group (TUG) will showcase accessibility options and features of the Pixel 6. This smartphone has many tools developed by Google that will impress and delight tech enthusiasts. After listening to this demonstration, you might be ready to switch to Pixel! The presentation will be virtual and may be joined by calling 319-527-4994. You do not have to RS...

Fraud is part of our everyday lives. Learn how to prevent it with the Federal Trade Commission! Kelly Slaughter visits with LBPD to learn how to protect yourself from scams.  Kelle Slaughter is a Senior Investigator for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the Southwest Region.  She has served as the Identity Theft Program Manager and is the new Collection Protection Group Coordinator....

On Saturday, August 13th, the Technology User Group (TUG) will do a presentation concerning NaviLens and Apple AirTags. NaviLens is a revolutionary labeling system that is simple to set up and use, allowing you to easily label and find identified products.  Imagine being able to spot a can of corn from nine feet away or even locate the entrance to a building! Apple AirTags can help you find a...

In the 200-plus years since the industrial revolution began, the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has increased due to human actions. During this time, the pH of surface ocean waters has fallen by 0.1 pH units. This might not sound like much, but the pH scale is logarithmic, so this change represents approximately a 30 percent increase in acidity. https://www.noaa.gov/educat...

As part of its braille modernization initiative, NLS is launching the Braille-on-Demand pilot project on Monday, June 20, 2022. This project will allow active NLS patrons to request and receive one hard-copy braille title per month, which they can retain for their personal use. If an individual who is not registered as a patron submits an order, NLS will refer the individual to their local network...