Using our Library Voices

Reading Room Radio is back, so get ready for your to-be-read pile to get bigger one micro podcast a week.  First up, this magical weekend has both a Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day, so what better read than a recommendation from the horromance genre .  Title: The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas   Recommended by: Nikki S.  Background music: "Shadows and Echos" by Whispers...

Welcome to the second episode of Ideas to Income , the podcast series where real entrepreneurs break down how they turned ideas into profitable businesses. In this episode, we talked with a goldsmith who started her own fountain pen nib business and shares her story about how she turned an uncommon skill into a thriving business. She shares how curiosity evolved into craftsmanship and what it real...

Welcome to the very first episode of Ideas to Income , the podcast series where real entrepreneurs break down how they turned ideas into profitable businesses. In this episode talked with the founder of a successful pressure washing business in Houston, TX, who started out using rental equipment and is now turning a profit using his grit, smart decisions and willingness to learn. If you’ve ever th...

The World Cup is almost here, and sustainability is taking center stage. In this episode, we talk with Elizabeth Carlson, Houston’s World Cup Sustainability Chair, and Laura Smith, HCPL’s Sustainable Library lead, about how the World Cup and Harris County Public Library are teaming up to drive meaningful sustainability efforts. From big-picture goals to local impact, they share how these initiativ...

This month we take a look into the first amendment and try to clear up any confusion around it. We also talk about some of our favorite banned books and the Librotraficante movement. So take a listen and learn why your freedom to speak and read are so important.  Books mentioned in this episode: Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Giver by Lois Lowry, No David by Dav...

This month, we speak with some expats about their experiences living outside the United States and the different processes they went through when becoming citizens/residents of their home away from home.  We also learned about some famous expat authors and digital nomads! Learn more about our library at www.hcpl.net Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library. www.hcpl.net Podc...

How did we all get started in libraries? For our 5th year anniversary episode, we talk to all current cast members of our podcast about their personal journeys into the library world. Listen to our back catalog for more Using Our Library Voices at www.hcpl.net/podcast Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library. www.hcpl.net Podcast Team Members include: Beth Krippel, John Harb...

This month we talk about how the invention of air conditioning has forever changed the future of Houston!  Learn how the humidity and other challenges of our environment affects all aspects of life and the library. Listen to our Fungus Among Us episode here Learn more about our library at www.hcpl.net Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library. www.hcpl.net Podcast Team Member...

Join us this month as we explore inside our brains. John recounts how he learned lines for a Shakespearean role, and Sadina talks with UT Health Neurologist, Dr. Rajesh Gupta about the different ways brains process information.  Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library. www.hcpl.net Podcast Team Members include: Beth Krippel, John Harbaugh, Mary Mink, Dylan Smith, Sadina Sha...

This extra-long episode is a celebration of fantasy, strategy, and storytelling as your Harris County Public Library librarians roll initiative on a journey through their favorite RPG passions! We start with RPG and turn-based combat video games that first opened the portal to imaginative realms. From there, we dig deep into the immersive world of tabletop role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragon...

Houston has a lively theater scene and for this episode we talk with Mary at Spring Branch Memorial Branch Library and  3 other actors in Houston about auditioning and the Houston Theatre scene. Learn more about Acting and Theater in Houston with our Resources for Actors available on our website blog here Actors Aaron Garrett, Dano Colón, and Destiny Duhon join us in this episode. Check out the li...

This episode is bursting with creativity! In honor of this year’s Summer Reading Program theme, Color Our World , we team up with our artsy neighbors at the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts. Discover how this hidden gem next to the Barbara Bush Library brings color, culture, and kid-friendly exhibits to our community. Join Rebecca Burns and Samantha Aguilar from the Pearl as we dive into the vibr...

 Get ready for a jam-packed episode with two epic segments you won't want to miss!  💥 Segment One: Ticketmaster Thunderdome We're diving headfirst into the wild world of snagging K-Pop concert tickets — it's chaos, strategy, and pure adrenaline. From waitlists to war stories, we’ve got the lowdown on how to survive the ticketing frenzy and prep like a pro for the ultimate fan exper...

In this interview, John Schaffer interviews Space City Weather founder Eric Berger discusses Hurricane Beryl's impact on Houston, which caused extensive damage with 97 mph winds. He advises Houston residents to understand their location-specific vulnerabilities while maintaining perspective. Berger highlights climate trends affecting Houston, including longer summers and earlier heat, and emp...

This month, we’re talking about some of the many ways you can go green at the library. We’ll hear some voices from our most recent Repair Cafe, which took place at the Katherine Tyra Branch Library at Bear Creek this past month and we’ll also interview Laura Smith about sustainable libraries.  This podcast was produced by Darla Pruitt, edited by Beth Krippel and hosted by Gisela Parker. This episo...

Join the panel of Gabbing with Librarians to discuss the representation of women in Japanese Anime. How has it changed and how is Japanese culture reflected in the way it portrays women in anime? Anime mentioned include (in no particular order) Kare Kano; Revolutionary Girl Utena; Love Hina; Tenchi Muyo (and subsequent series); Cardcaptor Sakura; Marmalade Boy; Inuyasha; Slayers; Magic Knight Raye...

This month we talked to some of our regular programming partners who are presenting a variety of programs for families and kids. Didn't catch a program over Spring Break? No worries, all three of these presenters will be back in our libraries this summer! For older kids and adults dreaming of getting a Spring Break as a college student, take a listen to our interview with our very own FutureU...

Join Harris County Public librarians as they discuss the winners, losers, and snubs of this years awards season.  PRODUCTION CREDITS:   Episode was produced by Jennifer Finch and edited by Beth Krippel. Featured voices include Crystal Mosley , Genesis Harte-Munoz and our Host, Jennifer Finch.   Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library. www.hcpl.net Podcast Team Members inclu...

Hi! It's a SPECIAL episode! We are doing a deep dive into the many different cooking programs that we offer here at the Harris County Public Library. Come along as we visit the Kingwood, Evelyn Meador, Octavia Fields, and Northwest Libraries and hear about all the delicious foods that they've cook up. Just make sure you've eaten before listening as this episode is sure to stir up yo...

Houston is known for many things, but one thing that may surprise people to find out is the variety of birds that can be found in our area. Since February is National Bird Feeding Month, the team at Using Out Library Voices decided to explore birding as a hobby, talk to an expert, and learn about one very famous type of bird which you can spot here in Houston. Learn more about our local birds at y...

To kick off our first episode of 2025, This month's host, Kara takes us through the different components of the library's citizenship program. In 2024, Harris County Public Library was awarded a grant to expand our citizenship program to meet the community needs. We'll be hearing from some citizenship students about why they started their citizenship journey at the library and our A...

As both the end of the year and chilly weather approach, we all have our ways to seek comfort. Some of us relish the extended darkness and contemplate what may be hiding in the shadows. Others enjoy getting cozy and rewatching their favorite movies and TV series. This month, join us with our host Gisela for an exploration of cryptids and a rewatch of the series Roswell. Also, some of our fellow HC...

The latest Gabbing with the Librarians discusses the latest in Superhero movie news and whether Marvel and DC find themselves in a downward spiral or are just hitting a new stride.  Find Superhero movies, books and graphic novels at your local library or online at www.hcpl.net  Voices include Jennifer Finch, Tony Goodwin, and Eric Ray.  Produced by Jennifer Finch. Edited by Beth Krippel. Created b...

If you've ever seen that map of every state's favorite Thanksgiving food and wondered what the rest of the county Is doing, we're here to say you can find folks with head-scratching Thanksgiving meal traditions much closer to home! This month the whole HCPL podcast team met for a four-course meal debating the finer points of Turkey Day foodstuffs. Then stick around for a tour across...

Join us for the spooky month edition of Using Our Library Voices hosted by Sadina.  Katelyn invites you to read some space horror in the Reading Room segment, while Sadina shares some kitchen magic an a real life supernatural story. Harris County Public Library is home to Houston, AKA Space City- we thought it would be fitting this month to share with you a list of books that place emphasis on tha...