Blog Every Day in June Day 5: Podcasts for librarians

Do you have a long commute to and from work? or just looking for something new to listen to?
Why not try out a Podcast?

I've put together a short list of podcasts focused on librarians, libraries, literature plus one of my favourite radio shows that I hope you will like too:

First off is LibraryChat. The general format is an interview with an LIS professional on key issues, challenges and opportunities in their field of work. A great way to learn more about the different sectors, and innovations!

Next is Circulating Ideas. It follows the format of an interview with a LIS professional like LibraryChat. It features librarians (generally from the US) from all areas of the profession.

In the Library with a Comic Book  is all about Comic books in libraries. The creators, Jack Baur and Amanda Jacobs Foust, say they "want to show librarians what makes good comics good, and help them learn how to select for comics collections and really serve their readers."

Thirdly, we have First Thus: This podcast is focused on data, catalogues and their future.

Books+  from Radio National is a great way to keep abreast of great books and authors.

One great fictional radio show that I love is Welcome to Night Vale described as "Twice-monthly community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events."

So that's my list, do you have a favourite Library podcast? Let us know in the comments below.

-Caitlin Williams
Social Media Officer, ALIA Sydney

Library Podcasts

Do you listen to podcasts? I find that I listen to them on and off. If I have more driving to do, I listen to more podcasts, and I sometimes listen to a few in a row when I am doing other jobs around the house. I like using Instacast to manage my podcasts, it's easy to work with and syncs up nicely on various hardware.

In January a library conversation podcast called Library Chat commenced. Corin Haynes chats with different guests about topics in the library and information sector. Typically the talks are about 40 minutes and a new one is posted about every month. I've really enjoyed his style and the topics so far.

Established a while longer is the podcast Circulating Ideas - the librarian interview podcast. Hosted by Steve Thomas and originating in the US, it mostly has interviews with various librarians on their area of interest, but occasionally has a topic under discussion by a panel rather than a one on one. Naturally the focus in on US people and issues, and there were several in a row devoted to the ALA Elections this year.

Another podcast I subscribe to, is the LITTech podcast "hosted by Library Specialist Emily Thompson, highlights the innovative news, gadgets, and resources for the literary educator." LITTech posts each week, and their topics are interesting and worth looking through to see if they have covered something you are currently interested in. Because new recordings are posted so regularly, they often cover whatever the current hot topic is, so it's good for keeping up to date.

One that I haven't yet picked up, but will add to my list is Bibliotech. Perhaps you are already a devoted listener.

Podcasts are an easy way to keep abreast of current affairs in library circles and often refer to other sources which are useful. I'd love to hear from any of you about other podcasts, especially any originating in Australia.

Lauren Castan

Podcasts and Collective Innovation

The Rise of the Podcast 

‘Read widely’, this statement is made again and again to new and emerging librarians. We need to absorb information not just from our industry, but from across the board because you never know where that next little nugget of inspiration will come from. Podcasts can provide an alternative source of material for those times when reading print might not be practical (car, gym, pub, etc). There are literally thousands of podcasts available that can deliver professional, trend and technical information from the internet directly into your ears. Recent research out of the US highlighted the ‘potential podcasts hold as a professional information source’ and their usage is on the rise (Peoples & Tilley, 2011). The latest information from the Pew Internet Project found that nearly 20% of all internet users download podcasts, those numbers are up from 7% from April 2006 (Madden & Jones, 2008).

Collective Innovation  

What makes certain podcasts unique from other types of information sources is how the information is constructed. The podcasts that are featured below all have a similar format where a panel of experts, critics and academics discuss topics, projects and news in their respective fields. What makes this special is something that author Steven Johnson discusses in his 2010 book Where Good Ideas Come From:  The Natural History of Innovation. Johnson writes about the research psychologist Kevin Dunbar preformed on scientists in the 1990’s trying to find out where their ‘eureka moments’ came from. Dunbar found that

The most productive tool for generating good ideas remains a circle of humans at a table, talking shop, the lab meeting creates an environment where new combinations occur, where information can spill over from one project to another (Johnson, p 61) 

We have all experienced something similar at industry conferences. We sit in a darkened lecture hall and listen to an expert talk about an amazing project relevant to our profession, but the truly inspirational moments come at the lunchtime discussions with colleagues. (Or else why would the Unconferences be so popular). Particular podcasts can replicate the experience. Take a mix of specialists in literature, film, technology, and information literacy, whatever; give them topics to discuss and start rolling the tape. The resulting discussions can be powerful as the information ‘spills over’. The collective energy can produce something more insightful than that of the individual. 

Practicalities 

So where can one source podcasts? Since the iTunes store was launched in 2003 there has been an easy distribution channel for podcasts. Not that iTunes is the only game in town; quality podcasts can be located through directories like PodcastAlley.com and Learn Out Loud or search engines like Podscope and Double Twist. Whatever your passion, these sources will help to locate a podcast. But one final clever idea for locating podcasts comes from Wendy Boswell, associate editor at Lifehacker: 

You can also use this little trick to find even more podcasts you're interested in:

inurl:podcast "star trek"

This works well in Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com; not quite as well in MSN 

but you can still find a few goodies

Below is a short list of serial podcasts that offer panel discussion in their subject areas. All are updated at least monthly and are current as of this blog post. This is by no means a comprehensive list of useful serial podcasts, so please share any others in the comments page.

Gweek

This brand spanking new is podcast produced by arguably one of the most influential blogs on the net, Boing Boing. Hosts Rob Beschizza and Mark Frauenfelder talk about comic books, games, sci fi, books, movies and more. Recent episodes (of which there are only 6) include an interview with sci fi author Ernest Cline, a discussion on the first-person puzzle video game Portal 2 and a chat with Eisner nominated comic book ‘troubadour’ Tony Moore. It will be interesting to see how this podcast develops.

Books You Should Read

This podcast presented by Kennedy Gordon and others doesn’t just talk about the new release books, but also discusses older series as well. The format is fast, opinionated, and covers a lot of ground. Past themes have include CS Lewis, Harry Potter, the holocaust, fantasy books, chick lit, vampires and Russian literature.

 (A bit of a language warning comes with this one)

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Each week Linda Holmes, editor of NPR's (National Public Radio) entertainment and pop-culture blog, Monkey See, is joined by music editor Stephen Thompson, arts editor Trey Graham and comics blogger Glen Weldon to discuss books, movies, TV, and more. This podcast is a great way to keep up with all things pop culture with a group of people who are passionate but don’t take it too seriously. This is a funny, smart, critical, and sometimes snarky look at popular culture. It is worth listening to just for the ‘What’s making us happy this week’ whip around at the end of each show.

Digital Living

Anne Delaney on ABC Riverina talks technology with Charles Sturt University academics Peter Adams, Phil Roy and Dr Barney Dalgarno. Recent episodes included epic fail, augmented reality, GPS, social media mash ups, tablet reviews.  What’s refreshing about this tech podcast is that it has an Australia focus but with a global view. The information is useful and accessible even for the biggest technophobe. 

Digital Living describes the latest technology for work and home, from the newest in entertainment options through to forthcoming releases in software and even changes in industry standards.

Adventures in Library Instruction

Adventures is a must listen for anyone in the library and information industry, not just those who are IL instructors. This monthly podcast is hosted by Jason Puckett (2010 winner of ALA mover and shaker award), Anna Van Scoyoc, Rachel Borchardt, with many guests. The focus is on library related issues including, professional development, inspirational ideas, book reviews, conferences, Zotero, technology, Google, teaching techniques, information literacy,  transliteracy, and of course, zombies. 

References

Johnson, Steven (2010). Where good ideas come from:  the natural history of innovation. Penguin Books Limited, London.

Madden, M., & Jones, S. (2008). Podcast downloading 2008. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2008/Podcast-Downloading-2008/Data-Memo.aspx

Peoples, B., & Tilley, C. (2011). Podcasts as an emerging information resource. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 18(1), 44-57.

Amy is an ALIA Sydney committee member on Twitter @unlikelylibrary