As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books, about her deep love for libraries, the real-life banned books that inspired her book, and how she tackled book banning, censorship, and the power of literature, all while retaining a humorous and engaging tone. Stick around for another edition of The Circ Desk with Rebecca and Yaika as they discuss different types of satire, “books about books”, and give their read-al...
Jun 25, 2024
As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Amita Murray, author of Unladylike Rules of Attraction, the second novel in her Marleigh Sisters series, about her experiences with libraries, the inspiration behind her writing, and why incorporating diverse elements into her Regency romances is so crucial. At the Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika talk about Regency romances and give their reading recommendations from Library Reads and NoveList! Read the transcript! Amita Murray lives in Lo...
Jun 18, 2024
As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Cory Doctorow, author of The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, about the concept of enshittification, Cory’s creative process and prolific writing during the lockdown, his strategies for managing information intake, and much more. And stay tuned for the debut of The Circ Desk featuring Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList, who discuss cyber- and techno-thrillers, and read-alikes for The Bezzle! Read the tran...
Jun 11, 2024
Steve chats with Audrey Barbakoff and Noah Lenstra, authors of The 12 Steps to a Community-Led Library, about the motivations behind writing the book, the principles of community-led library work, emphasizing equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice, and practical advice for librarians interested in adopting this model. Read the transcript! Audrey Barbakoff is the CEO of Co/lab Capacity LLC, which provides community-centered consulting for libraries and social good organizations. During ...
May 28, 2024
Steve chats with Tom Bober and Rebecca Newland, authors of Literature and Primary Sources: The Perfect Pairing for Student Learning, about their time working at the Library of Congress, why primary sources are important, how librarians and teachers can better collaborate, and how today’s digital media will become tomorrow’s shoeboxes full of photos. Read the transcript! Tom Bober is an elementary librarian in Clayton, Missouri, USA; a former teacher in residence at the Library of Congress, a mem...
May 14, 2024
Steve chats with Max Brallier, author of The Last Comics on Earth: Too Many Villains, the second book in the Last Comics graphic novel series spun off from his bestselling Last Kids on Earth series. They chat about balancing an apocalyptic background with a light-hearted tone, the differences between the Last Kids and Last Comics series, which jokes may’ve been 4am jokes that slipped through editorial, and much more! Read the transcript! During a quick pause from defeating monsters, Jack, June, ...
Apr 30, 2024
Steve chats with Sylvie Golod and Thomas Maluck from Richland Library about why financial literacy is an important topic for libraries to cover, the programs and services Richland offers in its Business, Careers, and Resources Center, how to make the subject appealing to teens and adults, and the importance of community partners. Plus, a Secret Stacks recommendation from Thomas! Read a transcript! Sylvie Golod is a Career Services Specialist for Richland Library Business and Careers Center. Sinc...
Apr 17, 2024
Steve chats with Elizabeth A. Wahler and Sarah C. Johnson, authors of the book, Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons , about how they came to work with libraries, what a person-centered approach to library work looks like, why it’s important for both library staff and administration to buy in to the approach, and what future trends they see in this area. Read the transcript! Elizabeth A. Wahler is Professor and Director of the School of Social Work...
Apr 02, 2024
Steve chats with Sam Helmick and Ray Pun, the 2024 candidates for the President of the American Library Association, about why they want the role, how the profession can live up to its diversity goals, how they would help make the organization more attractive to new and prospective members, and whether libraries are (or ever can be) neutral. Read the transcript! Sam Helmick is the Community & Access Services Coordinator at Iowa City Public Library, immediate Past President of the Iowa Librar...
Mar 11, 2024
Steve welcomes C. J. Box, author of the new book Three-Inch Teeth , the newest entry in his Joe Pickett series, back to the show. They chat about how Box keeps the series fresh after 24 novels, the world of Joe Pickett, the research Box has done on grizzly bears and falconers, and the return of one of Joe Pickett’s deadliest adversaries. Read the transcript! Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett faces two different kinds of rampaging beasts—one animal, one human—in this riveting new novel from #1 New ...
Feb 27, 2024
Steve chats with James LaRue, author of the book On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the US, about his path to librarianship, the four main reasons people seek to censor books, his biggest challenges when he led the ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, how to deal with politically-motivated censorship, and his theory of librarianship. Read the transcript! James LaRue is the director of the Garfield County (Colorado) Public Library District. Author of “The New Inquisitio...
Feb 19, 2024
Steve chats with Janette Derucki and Grant Halter from RAILS: Reaching Across Illinois Library System about how they got interested in the library and data science fields, what RAILS does for libraries in Illinois, how they work to gather and present data via dashboards and other methods, statewide initiatives like the SLIDE and SLATE projects,. and lots of deep data nerdery! Read the transcript! Janette Derucki joined RAILS in January 2022 as part of the SLATE (School Library Advocacy Through E...
Feb 05, 2024
Guest host Thomas Maluck from the late, lamented Secret Stacks podcast chats with Ashley from Bookish Realm, about reviewing books online, navigating book challenges, how publishing has changed young adult literature, and the positives and negatives of social media. Read the transcript! Ashley is an avid reader who pretty much has an interest in all types of genres and has recently become a big fan of manga/comics. She runs a blog at BookishRealmReviews also makes YouTube videos – all related to...
Jan 17, 2024
Steve chats with Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, Director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, about her path to librarianship, her experience of joining the Smithsonian, how they support equity, diversity, and inclusion, some favorite hidden gems held by the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, and her plans for the future. Read the transcript! Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty is the director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. The recently integrated Smithsonian Libraries and Archives co...
Jan 02, 2024
In June 2021, Steve chatted with Tracie D. Hall, then-Executive Director of the American Library Association, about her path to librarianship, her role as ALA’s Executive Director, what ALA has done and can do for library workers, libraries working for social justice, and accepting ourselves as members of the human race. Hall resigned from the Executive Director position in October 2023. Read the transcript! Tracie D. Hall was the American Library Association’s 10th executive director in its 143...
Dec 11, 2023
Steve chats with Kerri Maher, author of All You Have to Do Is Call , about her personal experiences with libraries, how she researched the Jane Collective, why she decided to feature original characters rather than real, historical people, and how her stories reveal themselves in the writing. Read the transcript! Kerri Maher is the USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller , The Girl in White Gloves , The Kennedy Debutante , and, under the name Kerri Majors, This Is Not a Writing Manu...
Oct 31, 2023
Steve chats with Susan D. Ballard and Sara Kelly Johns, authors of Elevating the School Library, about why developing a brand is important for school libraries, how to separate your personal brand from your organizational brand (including who does it right), and why it’s important to do this work proactively. Read the transcript! What is your school library’s brand? This book will help school librarians improve their practice and strengthen their influence within their learning communities, incr...
Oct 11, 2023
Steve chats with Alyssa Wees, author of Nocturne and The Waking Forest , about her youth services work in libraries, writing Beanie Babies fan fiction, her love of ballet, the appeal of fairy tales and the dark fantasy genre, and why she probably won’t ever write your next beach read. Read the transcript! Alyssa Wees is the acclaimed author of The Waking Forest and Nocturne. She grew up writing stories about her Beanie Babies in between ballet lessons. She earned a BA in English from Creighton U...
Sep 27, 2023
Steve chats with Emily J. M. Knox, author of Book Banning in 21st Century America and Foundations of Intellectual Freedom , about her path to the library field, understanding the reasons behind book banning and challenges, the fight for public services, and the power of the book. Read the transcript! Emily Knox is an associate professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign . Her research interests include information access and intellectual free...
Sep 05, 2023
Steve chats with Steve Albrecht, author of The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure , about how he transitioned from working with law enforcement to libraries, the importance of having a security plan, learning to why assertiveness is the key to maintaining a safe environment, and the culture of cops that librarians need to understand. Read the transcript! Dr. Steve Albrecht has trained thousands of library employees in 28+ states, live and online, in service, safety, and s...
Aug 15, 2023
Steve chats with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, authors of The First Ladies , about their thoughts on libraries as professional writers, why readers are fascinated by Marie’s and Victoria’s friendship and writing partnership, how the friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune developed, and what Marie and Victoria have learned from each other as friends and authors. Read the transcript! photo credit: Phil Atkins Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten yea...
Aug 02, 2023
Steve chats with Troy Swanson, author of Knowledge as a Feeling: How Neuroscience and Psychology Impact Human Information Behavior , about how his research has evolved over the years, how we think our brains process information (and how our brains REALLY process information), how memories and emotions are linked, and what it means to “know” something. Read the transcript! Troy A. Swanson is Teaching & Learning Librarian and Library Department Chair at Moraine Valley Community College. Troy i...
Jul 11, 2023
Steve chats with PeMento founders Lindsay Cronk, Maurini Strub, Ashley Krenelka Chase, and Rachel Fleming about what the concept of mentoring means to them, how PeMento got started, why they plan to keep PeMento in a perpetual “pilot” state, and what Steve’s new podcast should be called. Read the transcript! Lindsay Cronk is currently Assistant Dean for Scholarly Resources and Curation at the University of Rochester. She’s a passionate advocate and champion for libraries and library workers who ...
Jun 15, 2023
Steve chats with LibraryReads Executive Director Rebecca Vnuk and LibraryReads Advisory Board member Stephanie Chase, about the tenth anniversary of LibraryReads, how it’s changed over its first decade, how it works with publishers, its commitment to diversity, and planning for the future. Read the transcript! Rebecca Vnuk is the Executive Director of LibraryReads, an organization that works with public library staff and U.S. publishers to promote adult reading. She has an MLIS from Dominican Un...
May 24, 2023
Steve chats with the editors of Hopeful Visions, Practical Actions: Cultural Humility in Library Work , Sarah R. Kostelecky, Lori Townsend, and David A. Hurley, about what cultural humility is, the importance of self-reflection, mitigating power differentials, and why Venn diagrams are always the answer. Read the transcript! Sarah R. Kostelecky is the Director of Digital Initiatives and Scholarly Communication (DISC) for University of New Mexico Libraries. Her research focuses on outreach effort...
May 09, 2023
Guest host Troy Swanson chats with CJ Ivory, Angela Pashia, and Mary Ann Cullen about Open Educational Resources, working with faculty and administration in implementing OERs, being mindful of whose voices are being considered in the creation of OERs, and why libraries should (or should not) lead the efforts to create OERs. Read the transcript! CJ Ivory is an Associate Professor and Librarian at the University of West Georgia, where she teaches Information Literacy & Research. With expertise...
Apr 25, 2023
Steve chats with C. J. Box, author of Storm Watch, the 23rd book in his bestselling Joe Pickett series, about his early experiences with libraries, how he gets started with a new book, how his characters have changed over the years, and what it’s like to see his creations adapted for the screen. Read the transcript! C. J. Box is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels including the Joe Pickett series. He won the Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel ( Blue Heaven , 2009) as well as t...
Mar 28, 2023
Steve chats with the 2023 candidates for President of the American Library Association, Cindy Hohl and Eric D. Suess, about why they want the role, creating safe and equitable environments for library workers and patrons, neutrality, and how new members can find their way in the Association. Read the transcript! Cindy Hohl is past president of the American Indian Library Association and is an active member of other ALA affiliates, including the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, Blac...
Mar 19, 2023
Steve chats with Grace M. Jackson-Brown, author of Promoting African American Writers, about her path to librarianship, her involvement with the African American Read-In program, why libraries should include programs promoting African American writers, teaching critical thinking skills through reading, and how writing the book was beneficial for her. Read the transcript! Grace M. Jackson-Brown is a professor for research and instruction at Missouri State University Libraries in Springfield, Miss...
Feb 28, 2023
Steve first chats with Falon Ballard, author of Not My Type and Lease on Love, about her experience with libraries, her writing process, her two novels and her podcast, and which Marvel romance she would love to write. Then, Steve gets the rundown on the romance genre with Robin Bradford, author of the Readers’ Advisory Guide to Romance! Read the transcript! Falon Ballard is the author of Just My Type and Lease on Love. When she’s not writing fictional love stories, she’s helping real-life coupl...
Feb 14, 2023
