Dewey Decibel Podcast: Libraries of All Shapes and Sizes

September 30, 2019

First, American Libraries Senior Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart speaks with Gretchen Caserotti, director of Meridian (Idaho) Library District, about its 320-square-foot Tiny Library. Next, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski discusses the construction of Austin (Texas) Public Library’s $125 million Central Library with its project manager, Cynthia Jordan. Finally, Morehart speaks with Rachel … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Libraries of All Shapes and Sizes


Dewey Decibel Podcast: Beyond Our Borders

August 30, 2019

First, American Libraries Senior Editor George Eberhart speaks with Nigerian-American science-fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death and The Book of Phoenix) about how her heritage influences her work. Then, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart speaks with Jonathon Hodge, digital literacy service lead at Toronto Public Library, and Mark Williams, chief librarian … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Beyond Our Borders


Author Linda Holmes, photo by Tim Coburn

Newsmaker: Linda Holmes

August 1, 2019

Holmes recently spoke with American Libraries about her fiction favorites, the breadth of the romance genre, and why librarians are the original influencers. Tell me about your relationship with books and reading. Where does fiction fit in your personal pop-culture landscape? When I was a teenager I read a ton of big, heavy commercial fiction, … Continue reading Newsmaker: Linda Holmes


Mo Rocca

Newsmaker: Mo Rocca

July 24, 2019

In your podcast Mobituaries, you exhume little-known facts about both relatively unknown and iconic people and events. How do you go about picking a story that you’d like to pursue? I pursue stories about people and things that interest me. There are people who had obituaries the first time around when they actually died, but … Continue reading Newsmaker: Mo Rocca


Journalist and author Mo Rocca speaks at the Closing Session at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 25.

The Onus of Obituary

June 25, 2019

Which is why it’s no surprise that the CBS Sunday Morning correspondent’s forthcoming book, Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving (November, Simon & Schuster), and podcast of the same name, commemorates people and things—from the station wagon to Neanderthals to Thomas Paine’s legacy—where the common thread is that they’re overlooked and no longer with us. Oh, and there’s another overlap: … Continue reading The Onus of Obituary


Dewey Decibel Podcast: The Buzz on Library Gardens

Dewey Decibel Podcast: The Buzz on Library Gardens

May 31, 2019

In Episode 38, Dewey Decibel examines how libraries are using outdoor spaces for gardening and food production. First, ALA Editions Acquisitions Editor Rachel Chance speaks with Kathy Lane, programming, events, and outreach coordinator at Boulder (Colo.) Public Library (BPL), and the BeeChicas of Boulder, beekeepers who advocate for sustainable pollination and beekeeping, about BPL’s rooftop … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: The Buzz on Library Gardens


North Liberty (Iowa) Community Library Public Services Librarian Heidi Hartke (left) and Assistant Director Jennifer Jordebrek (center) record a podcast episode with Crystal Hall, director of programs at YPN (Young Parents Network).Photo: Melanie Harrison/North Liberty (Iowa) Community Library

A Podcast That Delivers

May 1, 2019

Many studies show that when parents get involved with early literacy, a child is better prepared for school—and life. That’s why North Liberty (Iowa) Community Library developed a monthly podcast aimed at busy, expecting families. Caregivers can learn about the literacy skills kids need to succeed—such as phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and print motivation—whenever and … Continue reading A Podcast That Delivers


Dewey Decibel: AI in Academic Libraries

Dewey Decibel Podcast: AI in Academic Libraries

April 30, 2019

In Episode 37, Dewey Decibel explores how two academic libraries use AI to reach students and advance research. First, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart speaks with Nicole Coleman, digital research architect at Stanford (Calif.) University Libraries, about the importance of AI for libraries and the university’s multiple AI programs. Then Bohyun … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: AI in Academic Libraries


Podcast panel at the PopTop Stage, ALA 2019 Midwinter Meeting, Seattle. From left to right: Gwen Glazer, Joseph Janes, Adriane Herrick Juarez, Phil Morehart.

Podcast Pros

January 27, 2019

Phil Morehart, host of the Dewey Decibel podcast and senior editor of American Libraries, assembled a panel of librarian podcasters to tackle this question and others at “So You Want to Podcast…,” a PopTop Stage program at the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle on January 26. Joining moderator Morehart in … Continue reading Podcast Pros


Dewey Decibel Episode 32, Get a Job

Dewey Decibel Podcast: Get a Job!

November 27, 2018

First, ALA Editions acquisitions editor and Dewey Decibel contributor Jamie Santoro speaks with Caitlin Williams, author of Be Opportunity-Minded: Start Growing Your Career Now (ALA Editions, 2019), about tips for those on the job hunt and job market trends. Next, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries associate editor Phil Morehart talks with David Connolly, recruitment … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Get a Job!


Dewey Decibel Podcast: Cybersecurity

July 31, 2018

In Episode 28, Dewey Decibel looks at cybersecurity in the library world. First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart speaks with Patrick Craven, director of the nonprofit Center for Cyber Security Safety and Education based in Florida. They discuss the center’s mission, its programs for libraries, and tips on making you … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Cybersecurity