Call Number with American Libraries Podcast

In Episode 41, Dewey Decibel features conversations that stretch beyond US borders. First, American Libraries Senior Editor George Eberhart speaks with Nigerian-American science-fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death, The Book of Phoenix) about how her heritage influences her work. Then, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart speaks with librarians from Toron...

The Coretta Scott King (CSK) Book Awards, which honors African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To commemorate the occasion, Dewey Decibel invited five past winners and honorees to discuss the awards at a panel discussion at the American Library Association's 2019 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C...

On Thursday, June 20, Washington, D.C. will become the capitol of the library world as thousands of librarians, library workers, students, scholars, and vendors descend upon the district for the American Library Association’s 2019 Annual Conference and Exhibition. In Episode 39, Dewey Decibel explores where to eat and see live music during Annual. First, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Da...

Spring has sprung, and people are outside tending to their gardens and outdoor spaces—and the library is no different. Libraries across the country have repurposed spaces into gardens that are used to educate patrons about plant life and sustainability—and are helping to feed communities along the way. In Episode 38, Dewey Decibel examines how libraries are using outdoor spaces for gardening and f...

Artificial intelligence (AI) no longer exists solely in the realm of science fiction—it's everywhere. From virtual assistants in smart phones and self-driving cars to data-crunching machine learning programs, AI is changing how we live and work. And it's now being used in libraries across the country. In Episode 37, Dewey Decibel looks at how two academic libraries are using AI to reach students a...

Weeding is an essential but controversial task. Removing outdated, unused, or deteriorating books ensures that a library's collections remain fresh and relevant, but some critics consider the library to be a repository for all materials, regardless of content or physical condition. In Episode 36, two librarians discuss different aspects of the weeding process. "American Libraries" Senior Editor an...

February 16–23 is National Entrepreneurship Week. As community hubs and incubators, libraries are perfectly positioned to help new businesses get off their feet and thrive—whether it’s by offering resources and books to spark ideas or hosting programs on the ins-and-outs of business management led by local business leaders. In Episode 35, Dewey Decibel looks at libraries that are leading the charg...

On Thursday, January 25, it begins: the American Library Association’s 2019 Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Seattle. Thousands of librarians, library workers, vendors, students, and scholars will descend upon the Emerald City for five days of programs, speakers, exhibit hall excitement, and more. The action isn’t limited to the confines of the Washington State Convention Center, however—Seattle is...

As 2018 wraps up, Dewey Decibel revisits favorite interviews conducted at American Library Association conferences during the past year. In Episode 33, American Libraries’ editors speak with an array of people about the inspirations behind their new books and the importance of libraries in their lives, including actor Sally Field (In Pieces), Bill Nye the Science Guy (Jack and the Geniuses), poet...

Looking for a job can be arduous and anxiety-inducing. It's not surprising: The end results can be life changing. And organizations looking to hire new employees face challenges, as finding the right candidate for a job can be difficult if the search isn’t conducted correctly. What can job seekers and employers do to improve the process to everyone’s benefit? In Episode 32, we find out. First, ALA...

Books flying off the shelves. Shadowy figures roaming the hallways. Unexplained sounds. What’s going on at Peoria (Ill.) Public Library? Is the building possessed by spirits hovering above cursed ground? Or are these apparitions just a sign that librarians have been spending too much time in the stacks? Do not attempt to adjust your audio. In Episode 31, “The Haunting of Peoria Public Library”—our...

Ever wonder what your colleagues do outside of the library? Many of us have hobbies, intellectual and athletic pursuits, a travel bug, the desire to write or cook—you name it. We all live lives beyond the stacks, of course, but some of us do things that may surprise coworkers and patrons. In Episode 30, we explore these secret lives of librarians. First, American Libraries Associate Editor Terra D...

In Episode 29, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart talks with two architects whose work with libraries was featured in American Libraries’ 2018 Library Design Showcase. We get behind-the-scenes perspectives on the buildings’ designs, construction, and effect on their communities.[/lead] First, Morehart speaks with Jim Stufflebeam from SAAP Design Architects abo...

Cybersecurity has been dominating news cycles this year. Whether its allegations of Russians hacking computers to influence US elections to reports of private individuals who have had vicious malware installed unknowingly on their computers, cybercrimes and cybersecurity affect us all. And libraries are no exception. In Episode 28, Dewey Decibel looks at cybersecurity in the library world. First,...

On Thursday, June 21 it begins: the American Library Association’s 2018 Annual Conference in New Orleans. Thousands of librarians, library workers, book vendors, students, scholars and more will descend upon the Crescent City for five days of programs, speakers, exhibit hall wanderings and more. It’ll be a packed, long weekend, but the action isn’t limited to the confines of the Ernest N. Morial C...

The American Library Association’s (ALA) Policy Corps is an initiative that aims to develop advocates for conveying the importance of libraries and librarians to politicians at the local and national level. On Episode 26 of the Dewey Decibel podcast, host Phil Morehart speaks with four members of the Policy Corp group—Lisa Varga, executive director of the Virginia Library Association; Qiana Johnso...

In Episode 25, Dewey Decibel features interviews with two librarians whose expertise has them on the front lines of environmental disaster relief and preparedness. First, American Libraries' Associate Editor Terra Dankowski talks with Miriam Centeno, a collections care coordinator at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Libraries. Miriam traveled to Puerto Rico to help train librarians t...

Tax season is here, and money, investing, and financial matters are on everyone's mind. For some, making sense of it all can be intimidating and scary. Episode 24 of Dewey Decibel features interviews with two librarians who developed successful financial literacy programs to help their communities overcome money fears. First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart...

In Episode 23, Dewey Decibel looks at two organizations working to preserve films and other moving-image media in an effort to better understand the history of both cinema and the United States. First, Steve Zalusky, manager of communications for the American Library Association's Public Awareness Office, reports from the 6th annual Mostly Lost film workshop at the Library of Congress's Packard Ca...

In this special bonus episode, Dewey Decibel goes behind the scenes at the 2018 Youth Media Awards, held February 12 at the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits in Denver. American Libraries Associate Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart joins the award-selection committees as they make phone calls to the winners the morning before the award announcement event. Moreha...

In Episode 22, Dewey Decibel features two people who are helping to bring more diverse voices and representation to the comic book world and libraries. First, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Associate Editor Phil Morehart talks to G. Willow Wilson, the writer of the Ms. Marvel comic book. They discuss the inspiration behind the character Kamala Khan, the first Muslim-American superhero a...

2017. It’s done. We did it. It was a doozy of a year in many ways, but we at Dewey Decibel are focusing on year-end cheer. Specifically, we’re retreating into and reexamining some of our favorite things (and I’m sure yours)—books. In Episode 21, Dewey Decibel looks back at some highlights from the book world in 2017. First, American Libraries Associate Editor Terra Dankowski talks with author Step...

The recent American Association of School Librarians (AASL) national conference in Phoenix served as the launch site for the updated National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries—a fascinating matrix of shared foundations and competencies that allows librarians and educators to address and meet the needs of 21st-century learners. The Standards were the tal...

In early 2017, A1 Steak Sauce bottles began mysteriously appearing in the stacks at Avon Lake (Ohio) Public Library. How did they get there? Who would do such a thing? And why? In this special Halloween episode of the Dewey Decibel podcast, American Libraries associate editor Terra Dankowski attempts to answer those questions and more as we investigate The A1 Mystery of Avon Lake.

Whodunit? In early 2017, dozens of A1 Steak Sauce bottles began mysteriously appearing in the stacks at Avon Lake Public Library in Avon Lake, Ohio. Dewey Decibel investigates in a very special Halloween episode, available October 25.