Beyond the Shelves

Looking to embrace those 90’s Summer vibes? Em Poertner and Caitlin Gills check in on their Roanoke County Bingo cards. Focusing on free events and everything you get with your library card, there’s a lot of ways to get out in Roanoke Countyfor a screen free summer. LIBRARY BINGO CARD ROANOKE COUNTY BINGO CARD Check out the Hollins Library Construction Project   VA250 EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY Revolut...

On the next episode of Beyond the Shelves , Caitlin and Bayleigh are catching up on all things RCPL! Hear about the changes coming to the Hollins Library, important updates like the library’s new phone number, what to expect for Summer Reading, and plenty more library news, events, and behind-the-scenes fun along the way. Tune in and get ready for a summer full of stories, programs, and community...

In our next Beyond the Shelves episode, we’re diving into everything happening at your library this season! We chat about the new library catalog and how it makes finding your next read easier than ever, share details on the Kids Winter Reading , learn about the upcoming Teen Art Show , and preview the upcoming Local Author Fair . Tune in for a cozy conversation full of library updates, inspiratio...

Kick off the new year with Beyond the Shelves! In this episode, we’re sharing what we’re most excited about in 2026—from upcoming programs to fresh ideas at the library. We also review the brand-new Library BINGO card and how you can play along, plus highlight the Winter Reading Program, including a fun perk for kids: the chance to score free tickets to a Rail Yard Dawgs hockey game. Tune in to he...

It’s the grand finale of the 2025 Beyond the Shelves podcast! Join Em (from the Public Information Office) and Caitlin as they wrap up the year with a look back at some of the season’s most festive holiday happenings across the County and Library. They’re also crafting a 2026 Library BINGO card —packed with fun goals for the year ahead. And don’t miss a very special guest all the way from the Nort...

This month on Beyond the Shelves , we’re wrapping up fall and diving into the holiday season! Join us as we recap all the Halloween fun at the library and with Roanoke County Parks and Recreation. We’re joined by special guests Alex North from Parks and Recreation and Kelsey Frey , our Community Outreach Librarian, to share favorite moments, community highlights, and a peek behind the scenes. We’l...

October is one of our favorite months, and this episode of Beyond the Shelves is packed with fall fun at Roanoke County Public Library! We’re chatting about the Friends of the Library’s big Fall Book Sale, our western-themed Mystery Night, and all the spooky (and not-so-spooky) Halloween happenings for all ages. Plus, October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we’ve partnered with Roanoke Count...

This month, we’re celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month ! In our latest episode, we share why a library card is the most powerful tool in your wallet—from unlocking books, movies, and music to accessing digital resources, community programs, and more. Tune in and discover all the ways your Roanoke County Public Library card can open doors for you this September and beyond! Plus, we are recapping...

Summer Reading officially wrapped on August 2, but we’re not slowing down! In this episode, we’re talking about what’s next — including our brand-new  mural concept contest  that invites YOU to be creative. Tune in to hear how you can get involved and why this project is so exciting for our community. Join us  Beyond the Shelves  as we keep the creativity going!

This month’s episode is sweet as honey —literally! Join us as we recap an unforgettable summer at the library, from hands-on fun in ceramics to the buzzworthy excitement of Beekeeping 101 🐝. We’re also sharing what’s still to come before the season wraps, including can’t-miss programs and one very impressive milestone: over 19,000 books read (and counting!) in our summer reading challenge! 📚 Wil...

Color Your World and earn badges throughout the entire summer by completing reading challenges, using library services, and attending events. When you finish yourreading challenge, you receive a bag to show off your badges! Tune in to learn about how to complete the program, win prizes, and earn badges. Keep reading tohelp us reach our  community reading goal of 30,000 books  and to be eligible to...

You never know what rabbit hole we will go down as we talk about what is happening at your library . Check out Beyond the Shelves as we talk about Summer Reading , the Friends of the Library book sale recap, Mystery Night, Passports , and the list goes on! The library has something for everyone, so stop on by.

This month on the podcast find out how many animals have graced Caitlin's backyard, information about the ⁠Friends of the Library⁠ 's book sale coming up in April, and hear from the Youth Services Divisional Librarian, Jen, about upcoming springtime events for kids and more.

Tune in to hear about what's going on in the library's teen department this spring from an ⁠annual teen art show⁠ to ⁠Teen Volunteer Group⁠ . On an artsy note, see if the Teen Librarian Lindy Manuel and Caitlin Gills can guess the correct title of famous works of art picked out by Bayleigh Vidovich, plus learn about the upcoming ⁠author fair⁠ and it's time for another Summer Reading te...

It’s Love Your Library Month! In need of a sweet treat, find out how you can help support the library and your tummy with a Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser through the Friends of the Library. Tune in to hear about our Blind Date with a Book program, who received recognition for The Roanoke Magazine’s 40 Under 40 , where to get new Books to Grow kits, a Summer Reading teaser, and more! Check it out....

In this special episode, host Caitlin Gills dives deep into the year ahead with two exciting guests on New Year's Eve! Alex North, with Roanoke County's Parks and Rec, joins the conversation to recap Illuminights and talk about upcoming events at ⁠Green Ridge Recreation Center⁠ and other venues. And Bayleigh Vidovich from the South County Library offers expert advice on creating a reading goal for...

Tune in for a holiday edition of the podcast where host Caitlin Gills is joined by Alex North from Parks and Rec and Kelsey Frey, the library’s Community Engagement Librarian, plus another special guest --- you’ll have to tune in to find out who stopped by! Listen here to learn about some of the upcoming Roanoke County holiday happenings --- see if you can guess how many bulbs it takes to illumina...

Hear about what the RoCo Words on Wheels! Bookmobile has been up to and will be doing throughout the end of the year, get a recap of some adorable Halloween fun, and find out about some of our holiday happenings coming up over the next few months. We’ll also cover ways to stay entertained this holiday season while you’re on the road or have some downtime out of work or school. Tune in!

It’s not spooky, or scary! Learn about all of the Early Literacy tools and services that the library has to offer as Caitlin is joined by Children’s Librarian, Jen Whitcomb, to talk about 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, new STEAM to Go kits, Beanstack, storytimes, and more. Plus learn about the Friends of the Library book sale happening this month, fall festivities, Mystery Night, and more! Tune...

Learn about what all the Hoopla is about, discover a clue to find a Golden Ticket, find out how you can Level Up at the library, and more!

Learn about what a rebrand for Out of the Office and at the Library looks like. Don't worry, we'll still be covering all of the great topics - Library events, services, database, initiatives, and more! Visit rocolibrary.org to find all of the great resources at your library.