OCL Sound Waves

Calling all "Hunger Games" aficionados and book lovers? In this episode, librarians Casey, Ryan and Vince dive into Sunrise on the Reaping , the latest installment of Suzanne Collins's gripping dystopian saga. Join them for an absorbing discussion of all things Panem - and may the odds be ever in your favor. Spoilers included!

As Wheeler Talk's retrospective of Point Pleasant Beach native, D-Day hero and Ocean County icon Leonard "Bud" Lomell concludes, you will hear intimate recollections from members of his immediate and extended families. You will come to understand the integrity and character of this celebrated citizen, and to see why he received, and sought to share, the success, respect and admiratio...

Welcome, adventurers! Join your host Thomas for tips to help you create fictional belief systems for the population of your developing world as he elaborates on details to remember. This will help you to create a more realistic, unique, and interesting belief system that your viewers will remember. As we continue our world-building adventure, be sure to return for Episode 7, in which we'll div...

Welcome, adventurers! In this episode your host Thomas will reveal tips about creating a group of people and the details that are entailed. This will help you to create a more realistic and interesting classification of people that your viewers will remember. Hope you'll join us to continue our "Forge Your Imagination" world-building adventure as we dive into creating "Beliefs and Culture" in Epis...

Join Courtney and Diane of the Ocean Pride Committee for a discussion of the many ways that Brianna R. Shrum and Sara Waxelbaum keep Margo Zimmerman Gets the Girl breezy and well-paced while raising significant real-life issues. You'll hear insights about topics including what it means to be gay, "queer culture," and Autism and neurodivergence in today's world. Titles mentioned i...

Have you noticed over the years, how many video games have been adapted into book and movie form, and how many books and movies have become video games? Have you seen how gaming can take a good story into new territory, and how spinoffs, prequels and sequels develop? Join our gamer librarians Chris, Cat and Vince for a fun discussion of their favorite video games, the books behind them, and why th...

Which books that you love have been turned into films that you love even more? Which books that seemed dull became movies that jumped off the screen? Which movies didn't live up to the books that spawned them? Join librarians Casey, Vince and Ryan for this insightful look at their most- and least-favorite book-to-film conversions. Titles mentioned in this podcast: Malevolent (2018), dir. Olaf...

Welcome, adventurer! Join your host Thomas for tips about creating a map for the world you're building and the necessary details that it entails. You'll be on your way to creating an iconic, unique map that your viewers will remember. Be sure to return for our next "FYI" episode as you continue your world-building adventure. We'll dive into the creation of "Classificatio...

Welcome to Sea of Stories, a new podcast for children and caregivers by the Ocean County Library! This new podcast will feature book talks, as well as stories and other fun activities. In anticipation of our annual Autism Resources Fair on April 5, our debut episode features a book talk by Dan and Wendi focusing on books about autism. Titles mentioned in today's episode include: - "My Lif...

Listen as librarian Allison and Renée Lomell draw an intimate portrait of the larger-than-life figure Leonard "Bud" Lomell, whose death-defying actions on June 6, 1944, in Normandy are credited with providing the foothold the Allies needed to turn the seacoast invasion from disaster to success, and thereby signaling a turn in the entire European Theater effort. You'll hear Renée's personal recolle...

How does a book cover influence your decision to read it, or to let it be? Does the cover leave you with preconceived notions of the content, and if so, are you ever surprised by what you find? Join librarians Summer, Chris and Casey for lots of lively banter about great books they almost passed up, "meh" books with covers that drew them right in, and a lot of interesting stops in between.

Welcome, adventurers! In this episode, your host Thomas will offer tips about creating an environment in greater detail. This will help you to create a more iconic and unique climate and biome that will stay in your viewers' memories. Be sure to mark your calendar for the first Wednesday in April when our "Forge Your Imagination" world-building adventure continues. We'll dive int...

Angie’s novels and essays have been showered in praise and prizes. Notably, Miracle Creek captured the ⁠Edgar Award⁠ , ⁠Pinckley Prize⁠ , ⁠ Strand⁠ ⁠ Critics’ Award⁠ and ⁠ITW Thriller Award⁠ and landed among Time Magazine’s 100 best thrillers of all time. Happiness Falls topped the New York Times bestseller list, won the ⁠Virginia Literary Award⁠ and became ⁠Oprah Daily⁠ ’s highest-rated novel of...

Setting out to create the world that your players and characters will inhabit? Want to know some indispensable fundamentals that will let all the action flow seamlessly? Join our librarian Thomas as he discloses some secrets of his success as a longtime gamer and Dungeon Master.

The Ocean County Library and Waves of YA are thrilled to bring into our spotlight one of the hottest authors in the genre as we enter 2025. Join librarians Summer and Vincent in a casual-yet-deep chat with Tatiana Schlote-Bonne, whose debut novel Such Lovely Skin lit up the literary world. You'll find unexpected links that connect storytelling, community and video games.

Join Frank and Diane for a thought-provoking discussion of TJ Klune's newest, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Find out why his singular combinations of realism and fantasy, toughness and vulnerability attract legions of fans who read his entire catalog and hunger for more. Books discussed, all by TJ Klune: Somewhere Beyond the Sea House in the Cerulean Sea Under the Whispering Door In the Lives of P...

Much has been written through the decades about the wartime exploits of Leonard "Bud" Lomell, the Ocean Countyan whose bravery is universally credited with changing the fortunes of the Allies during D-Day. But he was more than an icon. He was a husband, a father, a reliable friend to those who knew him and a diligent pillar of his community who carried on his life with candor, wit and mo...

A.R. Vishny masterfully blends humor and gravity, past and present, natural and supernatural in Night Owls . Join our librarians Summer and Rachel and A.R. Vishny for a wide-ranging, freewheeling discussion about this compelling debut novel.

Welcome, adventurers! Join Thomas for the debut of this thought-provoking series aimed at helping you to build the skills you'll need to create the world you desire for gaming or writing purposes. You'll become familiar with the topics that "FYI" will cover and also with Thomas's extensive personal experience and expertise in the field. Be sure to join Thomas each month and "Forge Your Imagination...

Welcome to a seat at the table with members of the Ocean County Library's Ocean Pride Committee as they explore current literary works with main characters who identify as asexual, and how the evolution of sexual identity is informing content and transforming viewpoints. Titles mentioned in this episode include: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire "Wayward Children" series by Seanan McGuire I...

This new short sequence will provide you with brief conversations of what is happening at Ocean County Library. It can be about books, digital materials, programs and events, or exciting news we want to share with you! Tune in to learn more about the Ocean County Library and what we have to offer!

Like your lit scary and gripping and you just can't wait for the next page? Meet rising YA Horror superstar Jamison Shea. Join our librarians Summer and Chris for a look inside Jamison's newly published novel I Am the Darkness That Answers When You Call , available at the Ocean County Library.

Join Diane and Megan for a look inside Luma Mufleh's poignant, compelling memoir From Here . The discussion is sure to provide insights about what changing social mores have meant through the recent past and what they might mean in the future.

The Pine Barrens constitute roughly 22 percent of New Jersey's total land area, and there is much more to this preserved acreage than the famed Jersey Devil of folklore. In this episode, discover why cranberries grow effortlessly there and why you can credit the Pine Barrens for the bushels of bright blueberries that make the produce section of your favorite market look a little more festive. Get...

Which books have you read in your lifetime that left you absolutely grateful for having spent time in the pages? Join librarians Summer, Casey and Chris as they comb their memory banks for titles and authors that have shaped their lives.