Best Austin Public Library Podcasts (2024)

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EPISODE 1: Long Island Tea 43:41

3d ago43:41

43:41

Welcome to Season 3 of APL Volumes! Hosted by Genn Mehalik, avid reader and admin senior in APL’s Customer Access division, this is our Book Banter season. Genn and their guest, Jana, kick it off with an episode about celebrity memoirs, talking about why memoirs are a status symbol for stars, how memoirs can be used to tell larger stories, and whic…

1
EPISODE 6: MADE YOU COOK 51:59

5M ago51:59

51:59

In this scrumptious episode, Leticia and her guests, Rachele and Katie, discuss the joy of cooking for friends, failed (and very salty) experiments, and all the delightful food programs – from candy sushi to recipe swaps – at APL. A transcript of this podcast episode is available on the APL Volumes website. Follow the Austin Public Library on insta…

1
EPISODE 5: CRAFT LIFE 33:06

5M ago33:06

33:06

In this episode about crafts, Leticia and her guests, Jennifer and Claudia, get inspired as they talk about community crafters, niche crafting interests, and how you’re NEVER too old for arts, crafts, and creation. A transcript of this podcast episode is available on the APL Volumes website. Follow the Austin Public Library on instagram, and find a…

1
EPISODE 4: VINYL VIBES 49:49

6M ago49:49

49:49

In this rockin’ and rollin’ episode, Leticia and her guests, Anthony and Patrick, discuss the music scene in Austin and at APL, the future of music production, and how Kenny Loggins truly is one of the best singers of our time. A transcript of this podcast episode is available on the APL Volumes website. Follow the Austin Public Library on instagra…

1
EPISODE 3: SEED BETWEEN THE LINES 49:29

6M ago49:29

49:29

This episode is for all the green-thumbs (and wannabe greenies)! Leticia and her guests, Kate and Monica, dig into a conversation all about the joys of being a lazy gardener, the APL seed libraries and gardening programs, and some light plant theft. Got seeds or need seeds? Come to the SEED SWAP at APL Central Library on Saturday, October 28 from 1…

1
EPISODE 2: WHAT'S IN A GAME? 38:57

7M ago38:57

38:57

In this episode about board games, Leticia and her guests, Jace and Tina, explore the idea of board games a community-building activity, reveal what the future of games at APL could be, and accept their true alignments. WANT TO PLAY A GAME IN PERSON? We've got a bunch of board game events coming soon to an APL location near you. Check out the sched…

1
EPISODE 1: ZINE SCENE 35:18

7M ago35:18

35:18

Welcome to Season 2 of APL Volumes! Hosted by Leticia Leal, a Teen Program Specialist at APL, this is our “everything but the books” season. Leticia and her guests, Frida and Jennifer, kick it off with an episode about zines, talking about unexpected collaborations, why zines defy definition, and how the Austin History Center is looking to zines as…

1
APL Volumes returns on September 27th! 1:21

8M ago1:21

1:21

Get ready for SEASON 2 of APL Volumes with your new host, Leticia. This season, we are going beyond books and checking out EVERYTHING ELSE you can find at APL. Stay tuned!By Austin Public Library

1
APL Innovate opens to the public on July 5th 0:58

10M ago0:58

0:58

APL Innovate is Austin Public Library’s digital makerspace for collaboration and creation. Located on the 5th floor of the Central Library, we are providing community access to state-of-the-art computer hardware and software to create digital content such as podcasts, videos, 3D renderings, music, and more. Open to the public on July 5th, 2023! Lea…

1
APL After Dark on June 30th 1:19

11M ago1:19

1:19

APL After Dark is an adults-only (21+) evening in the Austin Central Library that explores a fun theme. Come out for entertainment, games, storytelling, music, drinks & more — inside your favorite library! On June 30th, explore the outdoors and learn about local wildlife with activities from our local favorites, the Parks and Recreation Department …

1
EPISODE 7: TENDER IS THE FLESH 48:27

11M ago48:27

48:27

In this episode about Visceral horror and Tender Is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica, Maddy and her guest, Hannah, try not to lose their lunch as they discuss the most stomach-turning moments of the book, their own relationships to gory horror, and what and who they’d most like to see in the upcoming TV adaptation. You can find a list of books, sh…

1
EPISODE 6: THE PALLBEARERS CLUB 52:09

12M ago52:09

52:09

In this episode about Psychological horror and The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay, Maddy and her guest, Dale, talk about the influence of Shirley Jackson on their lives, what happens when horror isn’t scary, and how many bands you can get kicked out of before you realize you’re the problem. You can find a list of books, shows, movies, and other …

1
EPISODE 5: THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS 48:15

12M ago48:15

48:15

In this episode about Paranormal horror and The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, Maddy and her guest, Mike, discuss SGJ’s evocative writing style, what scenes are burned into their brains, and their vastly different middle school biology class experiences. You can find a list of books, shows, movies, and other podcasts we mention here. Fo…

1
EPISODE 4: JOHN DIES AT THE END 44:45

1y ago44:45

44:45

In this episode about humor horror and 'John Dies at the End' by Jason Pargin, Maddy and her guest, Bryce, talk about what makes horror so relatable, the interesting choices of the movie adaptation, and why they’ll never look at Ronald McDonald the same way again. You can find a list of books, shows, movies, and other podcasts we mention here. Foll…

1
EPISODE 3: THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER + WHAT MOVES THE DEAD 1:10:27

1y ago1:10:27

1:10:27

This episode is all about Gothic horror and the books “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe and What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. Join Maddy and her guests, Kelly and Kathleen, as they discuss the mysterious powers of mushrooms, their ideal retelling of “Usher”, and why Gothic is obviously the best horror subgenre. You can find a …

1
EPISODE 2: THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM 56:04

1y ago56:04

56:04

In this episode about Cosmic horror and The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle, Maddy and her guest, Genn, explore the power of reclaiming stories, the human and eldritch monsters in Ballad, and H.P. Lovecraft’s long-enduring legacy. You can find a list of books, shows, movies, and other podcasts we mention here. Follow the Austin Public Library…

1
EPISODE 1: THE SHINING 1:16:32

1y ago1:16:32

1:16:32

Welcome to APL Volumes! The first season of this new podcast from the Austin Public Library is a deep-dive genre study into Horror. In this episode, APL librarian Maddy and her guests, Jesus and Nancie, talk about the history of horror and its subgenres; Stephen King’s role as the modern, well, king of horror; how The Shining shaped their relations…

1
APL Volumes is coming soon... 1:15

1y ago1:15

1:15

In a new season of APL Volumes, we dig up the history of the horror genre! Join host and APL Librarian, Maddy Newquist, as she breaks apart the ingredients of a truly frightening tale, and discusses books (and movies) like The Shining, Tender is the Flesh, John Dies at the End, and more with fellow horror fans. Episodes will be available starting i…

1
Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose 36:26

3+ y ago36:26

36:26

Works by Umberto Eco The Name of the Rose Foucault’s Pendulum The Prague Cemetery On the Shoulders of Giants Other Related Books or Materials Signs and Secrets: the Worlds of Umberto Eco (2013 documentary) Always Narrating: The Making and Unmaking of Umberto Eco (link opens a 2020 Los Angeles Review of Book article) The Man Who Loved Books: Intervi…

1
Austin Clarke: Sometimes, A Motherless Child 42:51

3+ y ago42:51

42:51

Works by Austin Clarke In This City They Never Told Me and Other Stories The Polished Hoe Other Related Books or Materials Odetta’s 1960 recording of “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child” (link opens a Youtube video) Austin Clarke’s Harlem (link opens part of a CBC audio documentary produced by Austin Clarke in 1963 about the Civil Rights Move…

1
Doris Lessing: Homage to the New Man 41:06

3+ y ago41:06

41:06

Works by Doris Lessing The Golden Notebook Stories by Doris Lessing The Grandmothers: Four Short Novels The Grass is Singing (ebook) Other Related Books or Materials Doris Lessing: A Biography by Carole Klein Doris Lessing: First Visit to Toronto (link opens a 1984 photo by Reg Innell, courtesy of Toronto Star Archives at Toronto Public Library) Do…

1
Eduardo Galeano: Memory of Fire 24:11

3+ y ago24:11

24:11

Works by Eduardo Galeano Memory of Fire Volume One: Genesis Memory of Fire Volume Two: Faces and Masks Memory of Fire Volume Three: Century of the Wind Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History Soccer in Sun and Shadow Las venas abiertas de américa latina (ebook) Other Related Books or Materials The Pan American: The World of Eduardo Galean…

1
Angela Carter: Nights at the Circus 33:54

3+ y ago33:54

33:54

Works by Angela Carter Nights at the Circus The Bloody Chamber, Wise Children, Fireworks Writers Talk: Angela Carter with Lisa Appignanesi (evideo) The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman (ebook) Other Related Books or Materials Angela Carter: A Literary Life by Sarah Gamble Nights at the Circus is Feminist... (link opens an article from The…

1
Luisa Valenzuela: Love of Animals 18:19

3+ y ago18:19

18:19

Works by Luisa Valenzuela The Lizard’s Tail (print book) The Wanderer by Luisa Valenzuela, translated by Marguerite Feitlowitz (link opens a short story from The Brooklyn Rail's InTranslation) He Who Searches Latin American Literature Series (link opens Dalkey Archive Press site with two translated works - print on demand) Collections/Anthologies C…

1
Richard Wagamese: A Quality of Light 27:27

4y ago27:27

27:27

Works by Richard Wagamese A Quality of Light (ebook) One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet (all formats) One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet (audiobook) Starlight (ebook) Indian Horse Other Related Books or Materials Honouring Richard Wagamese (link opens a 2017 article from Indian Horse) Richard Wagamese’s final novel ‘a captivat…

1
John Irving: A Prayer for Owen Meany 37:48

4y ago37:48

37:48

Works by John Irving A Prayer for Owen Meany The World According to Garp (book in various formats) The World According to Gary (1982 film starring Robin Williams, Glenn Close and John Lithgow) Avenue of Mysteries The Cider House Rules Last Night in Twisted River Other Related Books or Materials 13 Facts about A Prayer for Owen Meany (link opens an …

1
Bruce Chatwin: The Songlines 46:54

4y ago46:54

46:54

Note: given the current temporary closure of TPL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made our best efforts to offer suggestions below for materials which are part our online collections (indicated) and available at home to anyone with a current Toronto Library card. Read: Why are wait times on ebooks or audiobooks sometimes so long? Works by Bruc…

1
Lee Maracle: The Raven 22:42

4y ago22:42

22:42

Note: given the current temporary closure of TPL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made our best efforts to offer suggestions below for materials which are part our online collections (indicated) and available at home to anyone with a current Toronto Library card. Read: Why are wait times on ebooks or audiobooks sometimes so long? __ Books by L…

1
Austin Clarke: Doing Right 43:13

4y ago43:13

43:13

Note: given the current temporary closure of TPL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made our best efforts to offer suggestions below for materials which are part our online collections (indicated) and available at home to anyone with a current Toronto Library card. Read: Why are wait times on ebooks or audiobooks sometimes so long? __ Works by A…

1
Gloria Naylor: Mama Day 34:04

4y ago34:04

34:04

Note: Given the current temporary closure of TPL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made our best efforts to offer suggestions below for materials which are part our online collections (indicated) and available at home to anyone with a current Toronto Library card. __ Works by Gloria Naylor The Women of Brewster Place (ebook) The Novels of Glori…

1
Nikki Giovanni: Road Tripping 29:00

4y ago29:00

29:00

Works by Nikki Giovanni The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni: 1969 - 1998 The Sun Is So Quiet: Poems Rosa (a short video) Rosa (a kids biography) I Am Loved Other Related Books or Materials Nikki Giovanni: In her Revolutionary Dream (link opens Los Angeles Review of Book article) About the Host Novelist Randy Boyagoda is a professor of English at…

1
Grace Paley Saves the World 24:00

4y ago24:00

24:00

Works by Grace Paley Later the Same Day Just As I Thought A Grace Paley Reader The Little Disturbances of Man Other Related Books or Materials Grace Paley, the Saint of Seeing by George Saunders (link opens a New Yorker article) Grace Paley’s Crowded World (link opens article in The Nation) The Value of Not Understanding Everything: Grace Paley’s A…

1
Nikki Giovanni - Part One: Soothing the Longings 25:51

4y ago25:51

25:51

Works by Nikki Giovanni A Good Cry: What We Learn from Tears and Laughter The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni, 1969-1998 Lincoln and Douglass: an American Friendship Bicycles: Love Poems Rosa Vacation Time: Poems for Children Nikki Giovanni: “Martin Had Faith in People” (link opens article from The Atlantic) About Nikki Giovanni Nikki Giovanni: …

1
A Life of Activism: Larry Kramer in Conversation with June Callwood 43:32

4y ago43:32

43:32

Works by Larry Kramer The American People: Volume 1: The Search for My Heart The American People: Volume 2: The Brutality of Fact: a Novel The Normal Heart The Destiny of Me: a Play in Three Acts Larry Kramer: What Pride Means to Me (link opens Salon.com article from June, 2019) About Larry Kramer We Must Love One Another or Die: the Life and Legac…

1
Gwendolyn Brooks: The World Might Continue 17:21

4+ y ago17:21

17:21

Works by Gwendolyn Brooks The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks Selected Poems Gwendolyn Brooks (Poetry Foundation article) Other Related Books or Materials Gwendolyn Brooks Conversations with Gwendolyn Brooks A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks The Importance of Being Ordinary (New Republic article from July 2017) Jane Addams: Spirit in Action On Gwendolyn Brook…

1
“Traveling” with Grace Paley 15:28

4+ y ago15:28

15:28

Works by Grace Paley The Collected Stories A Grace Paley Reader Just As I Thought Fidelity: Poems Other Related Books or Materials The Art and Activism of Grace Paley (link opens a New Yorker article from 2017) Margalit Fox’s 2007 obituary of Grace Paley (link opens New York Times article) Grace Paley: the Art of Fiction (link opens a Paris Review …

1
Gwendolyn Brooks: Poems That (Don't) Cough Lightly 19:38

4+ y ago19:38

19:38

Works by Gwendolyn Brooks The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks Selected Poems A Street in Bronzeville Bronzeville Boys and Girls (children’s picture book by Brooks) Other Related Books or Materials A Surprised Queenhood in the Black Sun: the Life & Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks Conversations with Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Books (Poetry Foundation article a…

1
Writers Off the Page: Jim Harrison - Part Two: “Don’t Make Me Dirty, Darling” 19:58

4+ y ago19:58

19:58

Works by Jim Harrison The Road Home Legends of the Fall The Essential Poems The River Swimmer: novellas Other Related Books or Materials “Alfresco” a poem by Merrill Gilfillan (Poetry Foundation) Grizzly Years by Doug Peacock Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories by Thomas McGuane Gallatin Canyon: Stories by Thomas McGuane Driving on the Rim: a No…

1
Writers Off the Page: Jim Harrison - Part One: “You’ve Made Quite a Living From Your Fibs” 23:03

4+ y ago23:03

23:03

Works by Jim Harrison The Road Home Legends of the Fall Dalva True North Works about Jim Harrison Off to the Side: a Memoir Jim Harrison, the Art of Fiction, No. 104 (Paris Review article, summer 1988) Jim Harrison, the Mozart of the Prairies (New Yorker article, March 2016) Other Related Books or Materials The Raw and the Cooked: Cooking Your Life…

1
Writers Off the Page: Susan Sontag - Part Four: "Make Something Better" 19:25

4+ y ago19:25

19:25

Works by Susan Sontag From America The Volcano Lover Tuesday, and After: New Yorker Writers Respond to 9/11 (New Yorker article from Sep 2001) Regarding the Pain of Others Debriefing: Collected Stories Works about Susan Sontag Sontag: Her Life and Work by Benjamin Moser Robert Fulford: A Sojourn With Susan Sontag (National Post article from 2012) S…

1
Writers Off the Page: Susan Sontag - Part Three: “The Arts Give Humans Dignity” 19:05

4+ y ago19:05

19:05

Writers Off the Page is a biweekly podcast series produced by Toronto Public Library that presents the best of 40 years from the archives of the Toronto International Festival of Authors (formerly known as IFOA: International Festival of Authors). Between 10-20 minutes long, episodes feature interviews, readings and discussions with some of the 20t…

1
Writers Off the Page: Susan Sontag - Part Two: “The Little Illness Book” 19:12

4+ y ago19:12

19:12

Books by Susan Sontag The Benefactor Illness as Metaphor/AIDS and Its Metaphors From America Books about Susan Sontag Sontag: Her Life and Work by Benjamin Moser Other Books or Materials Mentioned Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Film: David Lean’s 1946 version of Great Expectations (Criterion Collection) The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bu…

1
Writers Off the Page: Susan Sontag - Part One: “This God-Damned Celebrity Culture” 23:44

4+ y ago23:44

23:44

Books by Susan Sontag: Illness as Metaphor/AIDS and Its Metaphors In America: A Novel Fascinating Fascism: Susan Sontag on Leni Riefenstahl (The New York Review of Books) Notes on "Camp" Books about Susan Sontag: Sontag: Her Life and Work by Benjamin Moser About the Host: Novelist Randy Boyagoda is a professor of English at the University of Toront…

1
Chewing the Fat Summer Edition, Part II 30:37

5y ago30:37

30:37

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat as they continue to travel the highways and byways of Arkansas in search of the best of Arkansas history, culture, and (most importantly) food.

1
Chewing the Fat Summer Edition, Part I 33:29

5y ago33:29

33:29

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat on their latest adventure travelling and eating across the state of Arkansas.

1
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Review 1:06:47

5y ago1:06:47

1:06:47

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat on the morning after the third annual Arkansas Food Hall of Fame induction event. They carry on about how hard it is to be on the selection committee and all the wonderful food they get to eat and nice people they get to meet and try to make people feel sorry for them, contrast the red-carpet experience at the …

1
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame 58:07

5+ y ago58:07

58:07

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about the recently released list of the 2019 finalists for induction into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame and talk about where to get great fried chicken, famous sons of Fordyce, how Rex certainly did not buy dirty books at a newsstand known for such, how classic restaurants and cafes got started, where to get t…

1
Western Arkansas Sojourn, Part II 39:09

5+ y ago39:09

39:09

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about their sojourn in western Arkansas (part two), starting up Rich Mountain on a cold afternoon. And being dazzled by the drive up the mountain and rapidly dropping temperatures, checking in at the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism's wonderful Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, admiring Lum and Abner at theDepot …

1
Western Arkansas Sojourn, Part I 44:10

5+ y ago44:10

44:10

...in which Rex and Paul chew the fat about their sojourn in western Arkansas (part one), starting at Texarkana and heading north. And admiring four beautiful lakes, checking out the museum at Ashdown, pondering the origins of the name De Queen and admiring cool things going on there, humoring Rex's sore feelings about a football state championship…

1
End of Summer Musings 59:15

5+ y ago59:15

59:15

...in which Rex and Paul offer end-of-summer musings, describe their recent farm-to-table expeditions, and discuss Paul's award-winning pig from 4H days. Rex utters the oddest statement in the history of Chewing the Fat in reference to eating, "We had had enough,"" as the boys celebrate dining experiences at Greers Ferry Lake, Palestine, Des Arc, D…

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