Circulating Ideas

Steve chats with Ann Medaille, author of Upskilling for Library Workers: A Guide for Future-Ready Professionals, about why traditional one-off training sessions are no longer enough to keep library staff current in a rapidly changing landscape, how libraries can build cultures of continuous learning, and why managers need to give staff permission to stop doing … Continue reading 325: Upskilling for Library Workers: A Guide for Future-Ready Professionals by Ann Medaille

In this special episode, Steve chats with some of the team behind the PBS series “Roadtrip Nation: Beyond Books,” director Leah Bleich, producer Lori Benitez, and featured student Maryan Liban. They talk about how the documentary came together, planning the three-week RV journey from Los Angeles to Chicago, the casting process, finding the right library … Continue reading 324: Roadtrip Nation: Beyond Books

Steve chats with Gene Ambaum, creator and writer of the webcomic Library Comic, about his new Library Game on Kickstarter, the origins and mechanics of the game, collaborating with his Library Comic artist Willow Payne to create the cards, and how real-life library experiences (including a memorably nude patron!) find their way into his work. … Continue reading 323: Library Game Kickstarter with Gene Ambaum

Steve chats with Bobbi L. Newman and Sam Helmick about their recent Inside Higher Ed article, “The Case for a Professional Foundation in Librarianship,” about their spirited defense of the MLS degree, the shared ethical foundation that library school instills in its students, the importance of growing diversity through widening access rather than lowering standards, … Continue reading 322: The Case for a Professional Foundation in Librarianship, with Bobbi L. Newman and Sam Helmick

Steve chats with Erin Jones, editor of the new 11th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual from the American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, about her winding path from theater studies into librarianship, how she reshaped this edition to be more accessible by writing in plain language, adding personal stories, and diversifying contributor voices, … Continue reading 321: Intellectual Freedom Manual, with Erin Jones

Steve chats with Alma Katsu, author of the new book Incarnate, about her CIA background into early social media research, AI’s threat to creativity and authenticity, the story’s parallels with Picture of Dorian Gray, and the diversity of voices in the current golden age of the horror genre. Then over on the Circ Desk, NoveList … Continue reading 320: Incarnate by Alma Katsu – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Araminta Hall, author of Unreliable Narrator, about the literary concept of an “unreliable narrator,” what it means for writers to be “burglars of life,” how teaching writing changes her own writing, what it was like to have a previous novel adapted by Apple TV, and who gets to tell your story. Then … Continue reading 319: Unreliable Narrator by Araminta Hall – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Kerri Maher, author of Summer of Love, about why this novel is her most personal, intergenerational trauma, researching California’s wine history, her writing process, and her friendship / collaboration with her audiobook narrator. Then NoveList librarians Monica and Dawn suggest readalikes for Summer of Love from The Circ Desk! Read the transcript! … Continue reading 318: Summer of Love by Kerri Maher – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Laura Sims, author of The Man, about her path from poet to librarian to novelist, using the real-life photographer Vivian Maier as inspiration, themes of fear and artistic rebellion, and a teaser about her next interstellar book! Then NoveList librarians Jamie and Suzanne suggest readalikes for The Man at The Circ Desk! … Continue reading 317: The Man by Laura Sims – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026

Steve chats with Zach Weinersmith, creator of the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal and author of the new book, Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home, about how his background shapes his work, the difficulties of crafting an Edwardian farce for eight year olds, how his daughter’s input affected the book, and how … Continue reading 316: Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home by Zach Weinersmith – Summer Reading Spectacular 2026