Podcasts for Library Lovers
Podcasts for Library Lovers
What do you picture when you imagine a librarian? Is it an old white lady with a skirt, sensible pumps, and a severe bun pulled a bit too tight? Is she glaring at you upon entry to her domain, Ye Olde Book Repository? Does she...shush you?
Yeah, you wouldn’t be the only one to think that. But as someone who has been in public libraries for almost a decade now, let me be the one to tell you that librarians? Are a wild bunch.
(Okay, your mileage may vary in terms of defining “wild,” but work with me here.)
The thing is, whether or not the libraries of your youth were meant to be silent monuments to the written word, libraries have been keeping up with the times more than you think--and so have librarians. And a lot of librarians? Love to talk. We’re passionate people! We have lots of feelings and Opinions™ about the state of librarianship, our communities, and, of course, what we’re reading (and watching, and listening to, and...you get the idea).
We also, as you’ve guessed by now, love podcasts. And we have a lot of them.
While it would take me too long to list them all, or even just all of the ones I think are worth checking out, below are some choice podcasts that are either by librarians, about library life, or are, more specifically, excellent resources for books, author talks, and reviews (which makes them very, very useful for librarians as well as anyone listening!).
Book Club for Masochists “A Readers’ Advisory Podcast about becoming better library staff by reading every genre, whether we like them or not!”
None of us has time to read every book out there, nor would we want to even if we did! But Readers’ Advisory is a big part of being a public librarian, and you have to be able to assist your patrons in finding books you think they’ll like...even if you hate those particular books, yourself. That’s where Book Club for Masochists comes in.
Books in the Freezer “A bi-weekly book podcast dedicated to the deliciously disturbing world of horror fiction.”
Books in the Freezer has author interviews, book recommendations, breakdowns of subgenres and tropes, and even extras like playlists to accompany a specific theme. How cool is that?!
Call Number “American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart will be your guide to conversations with librarians, authors, thinkers, and scholars about topics from the library world and beyond.”
Previously known as The Dewey Decibel Podcast, this popular show from American Libraries Magazine features folks in and around the world of libraries discussing trending topics and ongoing issues.
FYI Podcast “Hosted by Public Libraries Online, the companion website to the bi-monthly print publication, Public Libraries, the official magazine of the Public Library Association.
Similar to Call Number, FYI talks about current goings-on in the public library sphere and includes not just information and ideas for librarians, but information about librarians and librarianship itself as well.
Library Land Loves “Library professionals are passionate about a lot of things. Be it the pop culture they consume or the databases that drive their libraries, Library Land Loves A Lot!”
This podcast from the Ontario Library Association has it all--book reviews, programming ideas and tips, leadership and onboarding discussions, and more. If you’re a librarian, wanting to become a librarian, or just interested in how libraries work? This podcast is where to go.
Library Life “The podcast where we talk about all things library and some things not.”
The show’s official description sounds simple, and it is! But it’s also more than that, as Shaena and Jenna open up a can of worms each episode on topics like the place of problematic books, what professionalism means in today’s library, who gets to be called a librarian, and more.
Reading Glasses “No matter what you read or how you read it, Reading Glasses will help you do it better.”
This one is super fun, y’all, and delves beyond the surface-level reader suggestions with episodes on tropes, banned books, dealing with disappointing titles, where to buy (and get rid of) books, and a whole lot more.
The Librarian is In “The New York Public Library’s podcast about books, culture, and what to read next.”
You want books? You want movies? You want all manner of commentary on the pop culture zeitgeist? You want it with fun and snappy conversations? This is the show for you.
The Library Pros “The Library Pros is a show by a technology librarian and an Information Technology professional who are both employed in the public library sector.”
The Library Pros discusses new and developing technology and how it applies to the public library world, and it features guests who talk about innovative things they’re doing in their libraries, issues that face the industry, and special episodes like this two-parter talking to librarians of color about what it’s like in the field.
The Stacks “The Stacks is your one stop shop to talk books and reading. Traci Thomas and guests engage in lively discussions about books and the ways they have shaped their lives, and they way we all understand culture, race, politics, and more.
This podcast truly delves deeply into how books and reading intertwine with current events and culture, and Traci Thomas is an excellent interviewer who asks great, meaty questions.
Not enough for you? Click here to check out one of Book Riot’s eight (yeah, you read that right, eight) different book-related podcasts, or you could go to WebJunction for this nice little roundup of even more library podcasts.
Happy listening!
Kayla Martin-Gant (she/her) is a queer disability advocate, full-time librarian, and lover of all things spooky. She wrote her first story, called The Haunted Dollhouse, when she was seven years old and received rave reviews from the playground crew. You can find her yelling about various and sundry things on Twitter at @poultryofperil.
