Circulating Ideas

Steve chats with Becky Siegel Spratford, editor of Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature, about her deep involvement and interest in the horror genre, the inspiration and process behind her book, the diversity of voices in horror, how horror can foster empathy and address real-world anxieties, and the dangers of quicksand (it’s everywhere). … Continue reading 298: Why I Love H...

Steve chats with Dr. Steve Albrecht, author of The Library Leader’s Guide to Human Resources: Keeping It Real, Legal, and Ethical, about the importance of library leaders learning about human resources, handling performance reviews, onboarding, and why civility is the key to a healthy and effective workplace culture. Read the transcript! The human resources (HR) … Continue reading 297:...

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Nicole A. Cooke, editor of The Legacy of Black Women in Librarianship: When They Dared to Be Powerful, about the history, impact, and ongoing contributions of Black women in the library profession, what drew her to the University of South Carolina, and preserving the stories of trailblazing librarians whose … Continue reading 296: The Legacy of Black Women...

Steve chats with Michael Hanegan and Chris Rosser, authors of Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future, about generative AI as an arrival technology, why librarians should play a central role in shaping an ethical future of AI, practical frameworks for AI integration, and how libraries can leverage … Continue reading 295: Generative AI and Libraries, b...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Rachel Louise Driscoll, author of The House of Two Sisters, about her background as a librarian, the blending of Victorian Gothic and Egyptian mythology in her book, sisterhood (real and mythic!), and why Victorian England was primed for Egyptomania! Following the interview, in The Circ Desk … Continue reading 294: The House of...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with James Yang, author and illustrator of The Universe, Big and Small: A Story About Carl Sagan, about his creative process, the influence of libraries and picture books on his career, working with creative people in his family and later at his publisher, and the picture book … Continue reading 293: A Universe Big & Small: a St...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Sherry Thomas, author of The Librarians, about her love for libraries, learning English from reading books, her Lady Sherlock series, and her writing process, especially for her first contemporary mystery novel. And in The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and from April Mazza … Continue reading 292: The Librar...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Alma Katsu, author of Fiend, about her experiences with libraries, her career in intelligence, the evolving nature of the horror genre, and artificial intelligence. And in The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList offer reading recommendations related to Alma’s … Continue reading...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Jayson Greene, author of UnWorld, about his personal experiences with libraries, the emotional and thematic underpinnings of “UnWorld,” including grief and the concept of memory, as well as the novel’s speculative exploration of AI. And in The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and … Continue r...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Rob Hart, author of The Medusa Protocol, the follow-up to Assassin’s Anonymous, about the importance of libraries in his life (and how he’s fought for them!), the inspiration behind his unique take on the assassin genre, his creative process, and much more! Following the interview, in … Continue reading 289: The Med...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Alison McGhee, author of Weird Sad and Silent, about her childhood experiences with libraries, themes like childhood trauma, resilience, and the importance of being seen, and the real life inspiration for the librarian character in the book! And in The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from … Continue reading 288: Weird Sad and S...

Continuing the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Melanie Sweeney, author of Where You’re Planted, about her experiences with libraries through her life, the inspiration behind Where You’re Planted, her writing process, and how she incorporates intimate scenes with character arcs. And in The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika … Continue re...

In this kick-off to the 2025 Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Jessie Rosen, author of All the Signs, about the inspiration behind her book, her writing process, personal discovery in her narrative, and how much she believes in astrology! In the return of The Circ Desk segment, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika … Continue reading 286: All the Signs by Jessie Rosen –...

In this episode, Steve chats with Bobbi Newman, editor of Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers, about her path to librarianship, the importance of fostering a wellbeing-centric culture in libraries, and topics including vocational awe, emotional and invisible labor, the key role of communication, recognition and appreciation, addressing loneliness, fostering trust and &#823...

Steve chats with Terry Baxter and Libby Coyner-Tsosie, authors of Stories on Skin: A Librarian’s Guide to Tattoos as Personal Archives, about the cultural and historical significance of tattoos, how body art intersects with themes like gender, queerness, and community memory, and broader topics related to archival practices, community engagement, and the evolving nature of … Continue r...

Steve chats with Jason Tyrrell, Executive Vice President, Content at OverDrive, about Jason’s personal experiences with libraries, his journey to Kanopy and then to Overdrive, the impact of streaming services on libraries, and future applications of AI to enhance library services while ensuring data privacy. Read the transcript! Jason Tyrrell is the executive vice president … Continue...

Steve chats with C. J. Box, author of BATTLE MOUNTAIN, the 25th novel in the Joe Pickett series, about how the story picks up from the previous book in the series, Nate Romanowski’s journey of revenge, how the story mirrors real-world suspicions about the government, and what’s next for the Joe Pickett series. And stick … Continue reading 282: Battle Mountain by C. J. Box

Steve chats with Lindsay Cronk and Maria McCauley, the 2025 candidates for President of the American Library Association, about how they got started in librarianship, their visions of leadership, why they wanted to run for ALA President, digital equity and advocacy, and who inspires them. Read the transcript! Lindsay Cronk currently serves as a member … Continue reading 281: ALA Presidential...

Steve chats with Allen Eskens, author of The Quiet Librarian, about Eskens’ personal experiences with libraries, his journey into becoming an author, a deep dive into the inspiration and research behind his new novel, the Bosnian War, and Eskens’ writing process. Plus, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList return to The … Continue reading 280: The Quiet Li...

Steve chats with Stacy Brown, Director of Innovation and Professional Learning at The Davis Academy and author of Revolutionize Youth Book Clubs, about her extensive experience overseeing library and technology programs, how and why she established numerous book clubs for students, parents, and faculty, and her advice on creating successful book clubs, including how to … Continue reading 279...

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with guests Elizabeth Kamper, Gail Porter, and Hunter Dunlap about the ongoing challenges faced by higher education in Illinois due to decades of underfunding, including the devastating impact on librarian positions, particularly at Western Illinois University, which recently eliminated all its faculty librarian roles. Read the transcript! Elizabeth Kamper has …...

Steve chats with Billey Albina, Elizabeth Nelson, and Rebecca Uhl, editors of Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches about their journeys into librarianship, the importance of inclusive cataloging, and how to implement inclusive practices even in small libraries. Read the transcript! Filling a gap in the literature, this volume provides librarians and catalogers with &...

Steve chats with Eliza Evans, author of The Christmas Cookie Wars, about Evans’s experiences with libraries, her inspiration for the book, the influence of her journalism background on her writing, and her process of getting into the Christmas spirit during non-holiday seasons. And Rebecca and Yaika return to The Circ Desk with recommendations for similar … Continue reading 276: The Ch...

Steve chats with Sandra Hirsh, editor of Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries, about her journey into the field of librarianship, insights into the critical role libraries will play in the coming years, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why she retains an optimistic outlook on libraries despite the challenges they face. … Continue reading 275: Library 2035, with Sa...

Steve chats with Melissa A. Wong and Laura Saunders, authors of Reference and Information Services: An Introduction, about their paths to librarianship, how they approached writing and editing a textbook, the evolving role of reference librarians in the face of changing technologies and societal issues, and the practical applications of the book in LIS education, … Continue reading 274: Refe...