Shush-Free Zone - Where librarians get loud!

In the first episode of Season 2, host Dawn Brushammar is joined by librarian, researcher, author, and technology evangelist Ole Olesen-Bagneux for a wide-ranging conversation about knowledge organization, metadata, semantics, and why library and information science is more relevant today than ever before. Ole shares how a fascination with rare books, computers, and organizing information eventual...

Season 1 of The Shush-Free Zone is officially wrapped and in this special bonus episode, host Dawn Brushammar looks back at the conversations, career journeys, and unexpected paths that shaped the first season. When Dawn started the podcast, the goal was simple: challenge the outdated stereotype of librarians as quiet people who only work with books. Librarianship has always been about solving pro...

In this episode of Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Marydee Ojala, Editor-in-Chief of KMWorld magazine, writer, researcher, speaker, and longtime observer of the information and knowledge management profession. Marydee shares her journey from shelving books as a teenager to working in corporate libraries, and ultimately becoming one of the most influential voices covering knowl...

In this episode of the Shush-Free Zone , host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Nicole Buckenwolf, Senior Staff Ontologist at Spotify, to unpack the invisible knowledge systems shaping how millions of people discover music and audiobooks every day. Nicole’s journey is anything but linear. From growing up in rural Ohio and falling in love with a single encyclopedia volume, to studying medieval history...

In this episode of Shush Free Zone , host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Heather Johnson - a public health professional working at the intersection of evidence synthesis, health communication, and implementation science. Heather’s career is a powerful example of what this podcast is all about: taking core library and information science skills such as organizing knowledge, evaluating evidence, tra...

In this episode of the Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Angela Pashia, a leadership and career development coach, about her journey from academic librarian to coaching library professionals. They discuss the importance of curiosity in coaching, the challenges of leadership, and how librarians can translate their skills into new contexts. Angela shares insights on handling difficul...

In this episode of The Shush-Free Zone , host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Matthew Noe, a health sciences librarian at Harvard Medical School who specializes in graphic medicine. Matthew shares his path into librarianship, how comics became central to his professional identity, and why storytelling is such a powerful tool in health education. They explore how graphic novels can deepen understanding...

In this episode of The Shush Free Zone , host Dawn Brushammar talks with Jessica Talisman - librarian, semantic systems expert, and founder of Ontology Pipeline - about what it really takes to build knowledge systems that work for both humans and machines. Jessica shares her journey from GLAM institutions into the corporate world, where she discovered just how urgently library skills are needed to...

In this episode of the Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar chats with MJ D'Elia, founder of Thirdway Think and Director of LLEAD, about his journey from academic libraries to teaching and creative facilitation. MJ shares insights on leadership, innovation, and the importance of stepping away from traditional roles to embrace creativity and collaboration. The conversation touches on MJ's...

In this episode, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with the unstoppable Clare Bilobrk , whose decades-long journey across school, public, and law libraries has evolved into a career in content strategy and remote knowledge work. Clare shares how her love of literacy began with cloth books at age three, how a Saturday job at Torquay Central Library set her on the path to librarianship, and why underst...

In this episode of Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Mairead McKeown, Knowledge and Market Intelligence Manager at Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board. They discuss Mairead's journey into librarianship, the evolution of Bord Bia's library services, and the impact of AI and emerging technologies on knowledge management. Mairead shares insights on the importance of lifelong learni...

In this episode of Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Laura Pike Seeley, a knowledge management and digital workplace strategist. Laura shares her journey from a love of libraries to her current role at HKS, where she focuses on user-centered design and knowledge strategy. They discuss the intersection of history and librarianship, the impact of AI on knowledge management, and the i...

In this episode of Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Jennie Pu , director of the Hoboken Public Library, whose career path in the library world has been anything but linear. From childhood memories of summer reading to leading one of the most dynamic public libraries in America, Jennie shares how she’s turned a traditional institution into a sanctuary for creativity, dignity, an...

Welcome to The Shush-Free Zone ! In this short intro episode, host Dawn Brushammar shares her unexpected path from political science student to librarian, consultant, and podcast host. Get to know the voice behind the mic and the big ideas behind this podcast celebrating librarians who’ve stepped outside the stacks. The Shush-Free Zone releases new content the first Friday of each month. Please co...

The Shush-Free Zone is a podcast that celebrates the bold, creative, and unexpected paths librarians are taking beyond traditional stacks and shushed reading rooms. Your host is Dawn Brushammar, an independent knowledge management consultant, advisor, evangelist, and longtime librarian. This show dives into the fascinating lives and careers of library professionals who are redefining what it means...