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 joke…

Dan and Monica discuss why you should vote in the upcoming RAILS Board election, where you can find us during the spring, and how we've expanded opportunities for the My Library Is... grants in 2024. Monica also gives a brief update on library-related legislations in Illinois that would affect library treasurer bonds, threats to libraries, bid thre…

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 Sta…

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 ap…

This month, Dan and Monica highlight the successful launch of the School Library Advocacy through Education (SLATE) data dashboard and emphasize the value of the Freedom Lifted EDI course that is still available to RAILS members. Plus, Monica breaks down all you need to know about library-related legislation that’s making its way through Illinois. …

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 t…

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 tr…

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 li…

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,. an…

In the first episode of 2024, Monica and Dan formally announce the new RAILS Director of Consulting and CE, the SLATE dashboard launch, and all the deadlines members should know about to ensure proper certification and delivery. Relevant Links: RAILS Member Update 2024 Certification Tutorial Delivery Contact Review…

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 al…

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!…

It's the final episode of 2023! Dan and Monica talk about all of the upcoming deadlines that members need to keep in mind during the holiday season, including the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, submitting comments for the draft Illinois State Digital Equity Plan, and making sure you're in compliance with Public Act 103-0100 when submitting your FY…

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 Exec…

RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris introduces our new Director of Marketing and Communications, Dan Bostrom! Together, they discuss what's on the agenda for the upcoming RAILS Member Update, a new EDI resource for members called Freedom Lifted, and the My Library Is... grant opportunity that is now available for all types of libraries. Links: R…

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 bestsel…

Monica recaps the successful banned books week program that she participated in with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and encourages members to submit their public comments on Public Act 103-0100 before the October 25 deadline. Dan and Monica also discuss the recent increase in library bomb threats and, in lighter news, some exciting new develo…

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 schoo…

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 W…

With Banned Books Week quickly approaching, Monica talks about the Book Challenges on the Rise program she'll be participating in with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Dan and Monica also share highlights from the recent joint meeting between RAILS and IHLS at the Illinois State Library. Both systems are collaborating on some exciting events, …

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 Schoo…

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 und…

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 …

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” somethin…

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 Dea…

RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Dan Matthews, Cataloging and Digital Services Librarian at Moraine Valley Community College Library about the benefits of open educational resources and how to get started using OERs.By Reaching Across Illinois Library System

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…

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 t…

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 …

RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Kate Hall, Jennifer Czajka, and Mara Barbel from Illinois Libraries Present, a cooperative programming intitative that provides high-quality online events at equitable prices for member libraries. They talk about how ILP was created, the long-term goals for the program, and how your library can take…

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 Tim…

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 …

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 he…

RAILS (then interim) Executive Director Monica Harris talks with Chicago Public Library (CPL) Commissioner Chris Brown about The Book Sanctuary (committed to protecting banned and challenged books) and the 150th anniversary of CPL. Links: https://www.booksanctuary.org/ https://www.chipublib.org/news/book-sanctuaries-committed-to-protecting-banned-a…

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 t…

Steve chats with John Hubbard, librarian at Washington University in St. Louis and creator of Library Link of the Day, about change management, library vendor consolidation, discovery layers, keeping up with professional news (and why it’s the same topics over and over again), and what the final Library Link of the Day will be. Read the transcript!…

RAILS Interim Executive Director Monica Harris talks with AISLE Executive Secretary Carolyn Kinsella and RAILS Data Research Specialist Janette Derucki about efforts to support school libraries in Illinois, including a statewide partnership and RAILS’ School Library Data Project. Related Links: School Library Data Project Data in Libraries Pulse Pa…

Steve chats with Robin Bradford and Becky Spratford, creators of the Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers course for Learn with NoveList, about how they got started doing anti-racism training, the difference between “not racist” and “anti-racist”, working with NoveList to adapt their in-person presentations to a virtual self-paced format…

Steve chats with Angela Hursh, Manager of Engagement and Marketing for NoveList, author of the blog SuperLibraryMarketing.com, and host of the YouTube series The Library Marketing Show, about her path from television journalism to libraries, how libraries can do better marketing without spending a lot, her work at NoveList, and a special online pro…

Steve chats with Sarah Voels, director of Vogel Library at Wartburg College and author of Auditing Diversity in Library Collections, about her path through librarianship, why diversity audits are an essential tool for library collections, how to find diverse materials to add to collections, and how to get started in conducting a diversity audit. Re…

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Dr. Alison J. Head, founder and director of Project Information Literacy, about PIL’s early days, PIL’s unique place in the information literacy research field, the importance of student and information agency, and what’s next for the PIL group! Read the transcript! Alison J. Head, Ph.D. is an information scientis…

Steve chats with Madeline Martin, author of The Librarian Spy, about her childhood experiences with libraries, her love of history and historical fiction, how she does her research, and the wonder of visiting the Library of Congress! Read the transcript! Madeline Martin is a New York Times and International Bestselling author of historical fiction …

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Jacoby Cochran, host of City Cast Chicago, about the joys and challenges of covering local community news, the future of journalism, upcoming Chicago elections, and managing misinformation. Read the transcript! Jacoby Cochran is a writer, educator, and storyteller. He is the award winning host of City Cast Chicago…

Steve chats with library historian Wayne Wiegand about how he came to the library profession, how to view historical figures and actions honestly (warts and all), the history of American libraries, the life and times of Melvil Dewey, and the vital places coffee and cats hold in American library history. Read the transcript! Wayne A. Wiegand is the …

RAILS Executive Director Deirdre Brennan talks with Lynn Stainbrook and Leon Smith of Rockford Public library, and Leila Heath of RAILS about Career Online High School, a nationally accredited online high school degree program. Lynn and Leon discuss the program’s tremendous success at their library and how it makes a huge impact on lives. RAILS off…

Steve chats with Jeanie Austin, Jail and Reentry Services Librarian with San Francisco Public Library and author of Library Services and Incarceration: Recognizing Barriers, Strengthening Access, about their path to librarianship, the history and present state of library service to incarcerated persons, and why libraries should focus services on in…

Steve chats with Addison Armstrong, author of The War Librarian and The Light of Luna Park, about her experiences with libraries, what she likes about writing historical fiction and dual timelines, finding story ideas in her historical research, and how her love of school supplies and ants fueled her writing life as a young girl! Read the transcrip…

Guest host Natalia Estrada chats with Liladhar Pendse, librarian for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies and the Caribbean and Latin American Studies at the University of California-Berkeley, about the concept of Area Studies, his work archiving Afghanistan’s digital and cultural content after the US withdrawal, the challenges of archiving …

Steve chats with Allison Waukau, Native Community Liaison at Hennepin County Library, about her work connecting the library with the Native community, how libraries can better hire and retain Native staff, how publishing is (slowly) improving at telling authentic Native stories, and the importance of land acknowledgements. Read the transcript! Alli…

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Dr. Virginia Campbell, host of the Brain Science Podcast and author of Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty, about why she created and continues the podcast, the hidden layer of the brain, how cognition differs from knowing, and why science is not just a set of boring facts you learn in school. Read …