Coffee and Cookies with the Curators

News item published on: 2026-02-19 13:53:00

Join University Libraries Special Collections in McCain Library and Archives on March 5 from 10 – 11 a.m. for Coffee and Cookies with the Curators of “The Taste of Community: Community Cookbooks from the United States and Britain.”

Spend the morning enjoying sweet treats and conversation while learning more about the exhibit, which explores cookbooks as powerful representations of community, culture, and shared identity. Far more than simple recipe collections, community cookbooks document traditions, preserve local histories, and reveal the social networks that bring people together around the table.

Drawing from Special Collections’ rich holdings, the exhibit features cookbooks from the United States and Britain created by churches, civic groups, organizations, chefs, and authors. Co-curated by Jennifer Brannock, curator of rare books and Mississippiana in Special Collections, and Andrew P. Haley, a professor of history, the exhibit invites visitors to consider how cookbooks serve as historical records—capturing voices and histories often absent from more formal archives.

The exhibit will be available through March 27. Come sip, snack, and discover the stories behind the recipes!

For questions about the exhibit or cookbook collection, contact Jennifer Brannock at .