📚🍂 Fall 2026 Book Club Announcement 🍂

Join Us for the Fall 2026 Book Club!

This fall, we invite you to embark on a rich and inspiring exploration of food, history, culture, and identity through our featured selection:

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America

By Jessica B. Harris 

In this award-winning book, Jessica B. Harris traces the remarkable journey of African food traditions from the African continent to America, revealing the profound influence of the African diaspora on American cuisine and culture. Through engaging storytelling and historical insight, readers will discover how food preserves heritage, builds community, and tells the story of resilience and innovation. 

Whether you are passionate about history, food, culture, or lifelong learning, this book offers a unique perspective on the foundations of American cuisine and the often-overlooked contributions of African Americans. 

Date: September 22, 2026
Location: Sign up here
Time: 12:15 pm

No reading is required for the first meeting. Come meet fellow readers, learn about the book and author, and prepare for a season of engaging discussions.

We look forward to sharing this journey through history, culture, and cuisine with you!

Happy Reading! 📖🍽️🍁

New ASL Training for Diabetic Patient Care

 

We are excited that our next R4 Connections webinar is coming up this WEDNESDAY September 9! 

Learn about DeafDiabetesCan.org, the first-ever diabetes education website created in American Sign Language.

Registration is required to attend. Please note: You must be a NNLM member to register (it’s free!). Can’t join us live? Register anyway to receive the recording after the event.

SIGN UP HERE

• Date and Time: WED, Sept. 9, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. PDT
• Session Length: 60 minutes
• Guest Speakers: Dr. Michelle Litchman and Karissa Mirus
• Description: Dr. Michelle Litchman, PhD, FNP and Karissa Mirus, MSHA will present information about DeafDiabetesCan.org, the first diabetes education website in American Sign Language. Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people are 3.2 times more likely to report living with diabetes compared to hearing individuals. Unfortunately, American Sign Language interpreters are not always provided in clinical visits, making it more challenging for DHH individuals to access the health information they need to manage their diabetes. DeafDiabetesCan.org includes an ASL Glossary of diabetes terms, diabetes education videos, and tip videos provided by a DHH community advisory board. DeafDiabetesCan.org is funded by the National Library of Medicine (G08LM014312).

Welcome Back, Students! 💙

 

Welcome to Fall Semester 2026! Whether you are returning to campus or beginning your journey at Charles R. Drew University, the CDU Health Science Library is here to support you every step of the way. As we celebrate CDU’s 60th anniversary, we’re excited to welcome all COM, CON, and COSH students back to campus. This semester is a new opportunity to learn, connect, discover, and make your own mark in the CDU community.

🍁 Fall Into Reading with the 2026 Book Club! 📖

Join us this fall as we embark on a fascinating journey through history, culture, and cuisine with High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Dr. Jessica B. Harris.

This acclaimed book traces the enduring influence of African food traditions on American cuisine, revealing stories of resilience, innovation, and cultural heritage that have shaped the foods we enjoy today. Through rich historical insights and engaging storytelling, Harris celebrates the profound impact of African Americans on the nation's culinary landscape. COMING SOON!

Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Training

 

M. Howard Edwards African-American History and Culture Book Collection

  

Born and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana, Merle Howard Edwards (1936–2020) was a U.S. Army veteran who served three years in cryptographic analysis before graduating from Indiana State University in 1963. He built a distinguished career in purchasing and contracts management, serving in leadership roles for the Federal Government’s General Services Administration, the City of Palo Alto, and Kaiser Permanente as Regional Director of Materiel Management for Northern California.

Deeply committed to his community, Mr. Edwards served as President of the African American Genealogical Society (Bay Area), Treasurer of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Gamma Chi Lambda Chapter), and a literacy tutor at the Hayward Public Library. Above all, Mr. Edwards was a committed and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend.

Having been blessed with a very curious mind, he was an avid reader and collected over 1000 books over his lifetime of 83 years. An important part of his legacy lives on through the donation of his 400-book collection on African American history and culture to the Charles R. Drew University Library and the establishment of the M. Howard Edwards Memorial Scholarship for financially and educationally disadvantaged medical students at Charles R. Drew University.

Meet and Greet Author of Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions

 As we conclude our Summer Book Club reading of Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions by Dr. Omolola Ogunyemi, we are excited to host a special meet-and-greet with CDU's very own author and this year's Summer Reading selection.

Join us for an engaging discussion about this remarkable book, its themes, and the inspiration behind it. Don't miss this unique opportunity to connect with the author and fellow readers!