Overdueing It: The Rhode Island Library Podcast

Host Lauren chats with Blithewold 's Director of Museum Operations & Communications Tree Callanan and Curator Kristen Costa about the historic home's past, present, and future. They also discuss independent Gilded Age women, a very slow-burning house fire, and Netflix's adaptation of Lauren's favorite book. In the Last Chapter they share their favorite and least favorite historical books and media...

F*cked Up Fairy Tales by Liz Gotauco has just been published in paperback, which feels like the perfect opportunity to revisit this episode from October 21, 2025, wherein host Dave talked to author Liz Gotauco and illustrator Jade Gotauco. Naturally, you can find a copy of F*cked Up Fairy Tales at your local library, but it would also make an excellent gift this holiday season. Check out your favo...

Ep. # 58- The Kid's (Lion) Run the Show   In early 2026, Barrington Library hosted author Sara Pennypacker to talk about her book The Lion's Run . Before the visit, middle grade students in Barrington met at the library for a special Jeopardy! style book discussion, recorded as a podcast segment. Emily sat down with Children's Librarians Lisa and Pat from Barrington to talk about that experience....

Host Dave is joined by Cleveland Kurtz and Max Whiting from the Rhode Island Rhythm & Blues Preservation Society to discuss their work making music and inspiring the next generation of musicians in the Ocean State. During the Last Chapter they discuss: do you listen to music while you read? Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is prod...

Host Lauren chats with Program Director Jodie Vinson about LitArts RI and their upcoming programming. They also discuss imposter syndrome, the importance of having a dedicated space for writing, and everyone's favorite 3,000-year-old epic poem. In the Last Chapter they share their favorite books by local authors.    Overdueing It is a project funded by the  Rhode Island Office of Library and Infor...

This episode was originally published on January 27, 2026. What even is AI anyway, and how do we harness it for the good of the people? Host Emily talks technology and public power in this episode with Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders, authors of Rewiring Democracy: How AI will Transform our Politics, Government, and Citizenship. Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Lib...

Host Dave is joined by local authors Diane Josefowicz and Carla Panciera to talk about their latest books, their families' journeys to Rhode Island, and how the Ocean State has informed their writing. In the Last Chapter they discuss: how do you organize your home bookshelves? Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by librar...

Host Lauren chats with documentarians Christian De Rezendes and David Lawlor about the making of the docuseries Slatersville: America's First Mill Village . They also discuss Stephen Spielberg movies, uncovering difficult histories, and the Mandela Effect. In the Last Chapter they answer the question: If you could have the answer to one mystery, which one would you choose?   Overdueing It is a pro...

In this bonus episode, recent guest Eden Royce is interviewed by the Alfred Lima Elementary School's Lima News Crew as part of the 2026 Kids Reading Across Rhode Island programming. Thanks to the students in the Lima News Crew and the audience members who attended and asked such great questions!   Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and...

Special host Danielle, chair of Kids Reading Across Rhode Island takes the mic and chats with KRARI author, Eden Royce (@edenroycebooks) about her book Conjure Island, and all things Southern Gothic, spooky and spectacular. Follow along with Eden at edenroyce.com and find Conjure Island and other titles at your local library!   Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Librar...

Host Lauren talks with local luminary Allison Horricks; park ranger, historian, podcaster and author of Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl.    Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by library staff around the Ocean State. We are proud to be a resident partner of the Rhode Island Center for the Book . The vi...

Host Emily connects with Elvira from Now or Never PVD about all the hobbies we love to try, want to try, and how exploring crafts is a nexus for making meaningful friends and connections. Want to explore a new craft or hobby and meet new people? Visit @noworneverpvd at their next art cafe or special workshop! Find Now or Never on Instagram, Tik Tok, or at nonpvd.com.   Overdueing It is a project f...

Emily and Lauren are both on vacation celebrating their birthdays, and they left you with some throwback Rhody Recommends episodes to share with you. Back when we were working on Rhody Radio, these would be short Friday segments sharing what the team has been reading, watching, and listening to. This is the perfect opportunity for you to line up some summer reading lists and decide what streaming...

Host Lauren is joined by Khamry Varfley and Amanda Strauss to introduce us to The Alcove, a feminist cultural center in Providence celebrating women and gender expansive people. In the Last Chapter, they discuss: what is the last book you bought, and have you read it yet? Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by library sta...

Host Lauren chats with poet, Special Projects Manager at Providence Art, Culture & Tourism, and Reading Across Rhode Island Honorary Chair, Charlotte Abotsi about this year's RARI pick, Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. They also discuss poetry, Providence's artsy vibe, and the impact of their high school English teachers. In the Last Chapter they answer the question: What is a poem or a line fr...

Host Emily is joined by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of the 2026 Reading Across Rhode Island selection Happy Land , to discuss the themes of family and community in her book. They also dig into strong sisterhood bonds, Queen Charlotte, and crab cakes. In the Last Chapter, Emily asks: is there a character from a book whose story you'd like to see get a different ending? Overdueing It is a project f...

Host Lauren chats with  artists  Michael Townsend and Leah Smith   about Tape Art, the secret apartment that Michael created in the Providence Place Mall, and  its  eponymous documentary,  Secret Mall Apartment .   They also discuss  world cinema ,  the ease of keeping secrets before the inven tion of the iPhone, and  creative ideas about what to do with  t he  Providence Place Mall .   In the Las...

Host Dave talks to Liza Birch, founder and board president of the Providence Streets Coalition, about their work advocating for a public transit system that can meet the needs of all Rhode Islanders. They also discuss why even car drivers should want a robust public bus system, Heated Rivalry, and Jesuits in space. In the Last Chapter they reveal the worldbuilding details they love to see in works...

On this hostful episode, Emily, Lauren, and Dave take a walk down memory lane and share their favorite books, movies, games, and treats from their childhoods. They also discuss the poetry of Andrea Gibson, book-logging apps, and being territorial about little treats. In the Last Chapter they swap childhood memories of going to the library.   Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Of...

Host   Lauren chat s  with  Anne Conway, Director of the  Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket.  They talk about  the  M useum ,   the Winter Olympics, and how 20 th  century Quebecois  textile workers  kept their culture alive after im migrating to  the U.S .   In the Last Chapter they  discuss:  When you walk into a bookstore or a library,  what's  the first thing you look for?       For inf...

Host Dave talks to Kate Schapira, author of Lessons From the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth , about how we all can take a measured approach to responding to the many anxieties we face in this modern era. They also discuss affording everyone an expansive view of their humanity, the need for layered meanings in books that make us think, and the need for real community. In the Last Chapter Dave ask...

What even is AI anyway, and how do we harness it for the good of the people? Host Emily talks technology and public power in this episode with Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders, authors of Rewiring Democracy: How AI will Transform our Politics, Government, and Citizenship. Find the book at your local library!   Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information...

Host Emily chats with Rhode Island Librarians about the Winter Reading Challenge coming to a library near you this February. Learn more and head to your local library to sign up and win some sweet prizes!    Overdueing It is a project funded by the Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services and is produced by library staff around the Ocean State. We are proud to be a resident partner...

This week we're bringing you an ITEM RENEWAL from our archives. In this episode of Rhody Radio first released on December 19, 2023, Liz Gotauco AKA Cosbrarian dispenses with the merry and instead wishes you a Very Scary Christmas, sharing some macabre yuletide folk tales to accompany a dark winter night. If you love this episode and haven't yet, be sure to read Liz's book and listen to our episode...

Civic engagement correspondent Meg Hamlin-Black talks to Rebecca Davis, co-director and producer of the 2023 documentary  Join or Die , a film about why you should join a club, and why the fate of America depends on it. The doc follows the story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of Robert Putnam, whose legendary "Bowling Alone" research into American community decline may hold the...