Blind Date with a (Library) Book

What REALLY happens behind the reference desk? On this episode of Book Lounge by Libby, host Joe Skelley is joined by Becky Cameron and Kate Merlene from Cuyahoga County Public Library and Morgan Schultz from Lutheran West School for a very candid, very fun conversation about life as a librarian.   We're spilling the librarian tea on wild patron questions, unexpected library requests, book recommendations, overhyped authors, underrated reads and the services your library offers that you might not even know about.   Plus, we're getting into librarian superpowers, memorable library moments, favorite programs and the realities of working with readers of all ages.   Whether you're a lifelong library lover, a curious reader or someone who has ever wondered what librarians REALLY think, this is your invitation behind the scenes.   Get ready for library secrets, bookish hot takes, hilarious stories and plenty of reasons to visit your local library. Grab your library card and join the conversation!  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:20 Intro 00:01:03 Getting to know our guests 00:05:12 Assumptions about librarians 00:15:55 The most checked-out authors 00:25:07 Let’s get shady 00:32:40 Strangest patron questions 00:55:06 What’s a favorite program or service? 00:59:27 Outro  Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge  Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378    Happy Reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you let your local library surprise you? For the Season 4 premiere of Book Lounge by Libby, we're celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month with a little literary mystery, a few unexpected projects and a whole lot of library love.  Joe is joined by Meara (@mearaisreading) for a Blind Date with a (Library) Book! We each head to our local libraries with three missions: get a book recommendation from a librarian, choose a book from a library display and discover a third surprise in the form of a unique activity, craft or project.  Then we come back together to reveal our picks, share what we got up to and compare notes on our library adventures. Expect book recommendations, library discoveries, creative chaos and a lil vlog moment because apparently talking about books wasn't enough.  Whether you're a lifelong library lover or haven't stepped into your local branch in a while, this episode is your invitation to explore, get curious and let your library surprise you.  Grab your library card and come hang out in the Book Lounge!  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Book recommendations:  We – Yevgeny Zamyatin  West with Giraffes – Lynda Rutledge  The Unfortunates – JK Chukwu  Checked Out – Katie Fricas  Who’s in this episode:   Meara - Links  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:20 Intro 00:02:06 Vlogging to the Library 00:04:40 Diving into our library prompts and experience 01:04:41 What’s next and outro   Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge  Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378    Happy Reading!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What scares you? For bestselling author Jeneva Rose, the answer might be… literally anything. 👀  Jeneva joins Book Lounge by Libby to talk about her new horror collection, Sometimes I Scare Myself, a trio of twisted stories filled with séances gone wrong, creepy houses, cursed objects and the kind of decisions that make you want to yell at a character through the page.  We’re getting into what makes a horror story actually scary, why familiar settings can make the best nightmares and what happens when you take classic horror tropes and give them a Jeneva Rose twist. Plus, Jeneva reveals what scares her — because apparently even the person writing the nightmares has nightmares.  If you’re looking for your next horror book, spooky-season read or thriller to keep you up way too late, consider this your sign to add Sometimes I Scare Myself to your TBR.  Sometimes I Scare Myself is out September 22, 2026.  Book Lounge by Libby is your place for book conversations, recommendations and the people behind the stories. Grab your favorite drink, get cozy and meet us in the Lounge.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Who’s in this episode:   Jeneva Rose – links  Books by Jeneva:  Sometimes I Scare Myself (out September 22, 2026)  The Perfect Marriage  The Perfect Divorce  One of Us is Dead  You Shouldn’t Have Come Here  #CrimeTime  Home is Where the Bodies Are  The Girl I Was  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:07 Getting to know Jeneva Rose 00:02:01 Scaring Yourself 00:26:37 A trope you’re determined to reinvent 00:49:52 Horror Lightning Round 00:52:19 Outro   Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel.  Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378    Today's featured books: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41555  Happy Reading!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Virginia Woolf has inspired generations of readers, but what happens when you take one of her novels and bring it to a modern audience?   This week, Joe is joined by Justine Waddell, writer and producer of Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, to talk about her love of Woolf, the process of adapting a classic novel and the changes that have to be made when bringing an older story into the present day.  They dig into what makes Woolf’s work so enduring, the challenges of translating a classic for contemporary audiences and the decisions that come with adapting a beloved novel while staying true to its spirit. And yes, there are spoilers! Spoilers begin around 26:10 and run through 32:36.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Book recommendations:  Night and Day – Virginia Woolf (ebook)  Night and Day – Virginia Woolf (audiobook)  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Welcome and Intro 00:00:45 Conversation with Justine Waddell 00:50:18 Outro  Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge  Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378    Happy Reading!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

September is bringing some SERIOUS TBR temptation. This week, Joe is joined by Madison (@simon.says.read) to dive into the September 2026 book releases they’re most excited to read.  From gothic romantasy and fantasy to thrillers, romance, historical fiction and spooky season reads, there are way too many new books fighting for a spot on the TBR. Plus, Joe and Madison reveal the books they’re already counting down the days to read, the titles they almost included and which September releases might become your next obsession.  What September 2026 book are you most excited to read? Add it to your TBR and let us know!  Book Lounge by Libby is your place for book conversations, recommendations and the people behind the stories.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Follow Madison on Instagram!  Books Recommendations:   Madison's Picks:   The Knave and the Moon – Rachel Gillig  Taipei Story – RF Kuang  The Thoroughbreds – Elin Hilderbrand  Grim Tidings – BK Borison  The Pirate Queen – Ariel Lawhon  Tempest – Victoria Aveyard  Threshing Day – Rebecca Yarros  The Witches of Cambridge – Alice Hoffman  A Time of Witches – Madeline Martin  Fallow – Sarah Anderson    Joe’s Picks: Honorable mentions:   The Most Dangerous Games – MrBeast, James Patterson  Building 903 – Lois Lowry  Hollywood, Ending – John Green  Incarnate – Alma Katsu  Sometimes I Scare Myself – Jeneva Rose    Kiss Slay Replay – Rachel Harrison  The Dating Game – Ally Zetterberg   Your Boyfriend Needs an Exorcist – Justine Pucella Winans  Scion – James Islington  Asmodeus – Rita Indiana (tr. Achy Obejas)  Mischief Girls – Aashna Avachat  Feeling Like an ADHD Alien – Pina Varnel  Pretty Evil – Rebekah McKendry, David Ian McKendry  The House of Gardenias – Isabel Cañas  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:05:51 Our September 2026 Book Picks 01:30:42 Outro   Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on https://pages.libbylife.com/BL-Links   Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Browse our cumulative reading list for the season: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41378  Today's featured books: https://marketplace.overdrive.com/Marketplace/OneCopyOneUserAndMeteredAccess/SuggestedList/41379   Happy Reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you take the Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet approach to books? Absolute chaos.  Joe is joined by Meara to dig through reviews of books they love and discover what happens when readers have opinions. From hilarious hot takes to reviews that make absolutely no sense, this episode is full of laughs, nonsense and some truly unforgettable book commentary.  Want us to do this again? Tell us what books we should hunt for or send us random reviews to react to!  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Who’s in this episode:   Meara – link  Check out Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet here: https://www.beachtoosandy.com/  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:02:22 What’s your relationship with book reviews?  00:06:00 How do you write your reviews?  00:09:50 A conversation about negative reviews 00:13:50 We dive into reading reviews! 01:30:03 Wrapping up and outro  Enjoying the show? Follow Book Lounge by Libby, leave a rating or review, and watch every episode on the Libby App YouTube channel. Find us on Libbylife.com/booklounge  Got a book recommendation, dream guest or just want to say hi? We'd love to hear from you at [email protected].  Looking for Book Lounge merch? Visit Plot Threads.   Library friends: Add episodes of Book Lounge by Libby to your digital collection for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. You can also purchase the titles featured in today's episode in OverDrive Marketplace.  Happy Reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

August 2026 books are here, and Joe is joined by Bre (@locd_booktician_) to share the new releases they're most excited to add to their TBRs. Covering everything from horror, thrillers, romance, fantasy, literary fiction, and beyond, they're highlighting some of the month's biggest releases alongside a few books that deserve more attention.  As always, the recommendations are only part of the fun. Expect plenty of laughs, bookish tangents, and chaotic energy as Joe and Bre count down the August titles they can't stop thinking about.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Book Recommendations  Bre’s Picks:  Clean Slate – Brianna Labuskes  Ghost in the Night – Tiffany D. Jackson  Murder at University Park – Cheryl Miller Dellasega  Death Card – Jasmine Smith   The Secrets We Hide – Karin Slaughter   Stay Buried – Jennifer McMahon  The Butcher Legacy – Alaina Urquhart   Bound by Fury – Noelle Monet  These Walls Remember – Del Sandeen   Joe’s Picks:   Barbie: Dreamscape – Alex Aster  Queens of the Crypt, Vol 1 – Dom & Ink  Devil Inside – Clay McLeod Chapman  Survival Show – Juno Dawson  My Killer Family Reunion – Dinesh Thiru  (Mostly) Human Resources – Grace Viall  Killing Sadie – Rachel Peterson   Summer Coven – Kat Killis, Rosiee Thor  Who’s in this episode:   Bre - Links  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro 00:01:11 Welcome and catchup with Bre! 00:13:27 August 2026 Book Picks 01:38:28 Thanks and outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's better than talking about great books? Talking about all the great books.  This week, Joe is joined by romance novel matchmaker, bookseller, and creator Destinee for a delightfully bookish conversation that bounces around bookish things everyone can't stop talking about.  Grab your headphones, your library card, and maybe a notebook—you'll definitely leave with a longer TBR.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Who’s in this episode:   Destinee - links  Time stamps:  00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Welcome and Introductions 00:01:52 A chatty episode with Destinee 01:03:55 Wrapping up and outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy.   Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Summer is heating up... so naturally it's time for ghosts, monsters, haunted camps, cursed lakes, and things that go bump in the night.  Joe is joined by Bre to celebrate Summerween 2026, the growing tradition of bringing spooky season into the middle of summer. Whether horror readers are looking for gothic classics, unsettling literary horror, creepy middle grade adventures, camp slashers, psychological thrillers, or terrifying short story collections, this episode is packed with recommendations to fill every Summerween TBR.  From vampires and haunted campgrounds to folk horror, cosmic dread, ghost stories, and nostalgic Halloween favorites, this conversation explores horror across every age and subgenre. Along the way, Bre also shares details about her July Noir 2026 reading weekend and Discord community for readers looking to celebrate all month long.  Whether Summerween is already an annual tradition, or this is the first spooky-season celebration in July, this episode is full of horror book recommendations perfect for every kind of reader.  Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Links:  Bre’s links  July Noir 2026 Announcement  July Noir Discord  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locd_booktician_/   Titles mentioned:  Bre’s Picks:  Carmilla – Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu  Dead First – Johnny Compton  On Sundays She Picked Flowers – Yah Yah Scholfield  Gyo – Junji Ito  You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight – Kalynn Bayron  The Jumbies & Rise of the Jumbies – Tracey Baptiste  Why I Love Horror – ed. Becky Siegel Spratford  Joe’s Picks:   How to Survive Camping Series (Book 1: How to Survive Camping) - Bonnie Quinn   The Lady in Chains  The Ancient Things (September 2026)  The Unmothers – Leslie J. Anderson  The Bog Wife – Kay Chronister   Smothermoss – Alisa Alering  Don’t Turn Out the Lights – ed. Jonathan Maberry  Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – Alvin Schwartz  Our Shadows Have Claws – ed. Yamile Saied Méndez, Amparo Ortiz  The Lake House – Sarah Beth Durst  Tastes Like Candy – Jessica Lacy   Camp Scare – Delilah S. Dawson  Summer’s Never Over – Darby Bozeman   A Murder Most Camp – Nicolas DiDomizio  13 Months Haunted – Jimmy Juliano  Chasing the Boogeyman – Richard Chizmar  80s Ghosts – VS Lawrence  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Intro & Seasonal Update 00:01:40 Thoughts on Summerween 00:07:24 Our Summerween 2026 picks! 01:28:46 Thank you to Bre and outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode!  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the United States prepares to commemorate America 250, how can we celebrate the nation's history while also making room for reflection, honesty, and meaningful conversation?  This week on Book Lounge by Libby, Cameron Walpole, Associate Director of Interpretation and Public Programs, and Callie Hawkins, Executive Director of President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, DC, join the show to explore how their organization is approaching America's 250th anniversary with thoughtfulness, curiosity, and a commitment to telling a fuller story of our shared history.  The conversation dives into Abraham Lincoln's enduring legacy, why President Lincoln's Cottage remains such an important place today, and how books help us better understand both the past and the present. Then, for a fun twist, Cameron and Callie recommend books they think President Lincoln would have loved reading if he were browsing a library today.  Whether you're a history enthusiast, a Lincoln admirer, or simply looking for thought-provoking nonfiction and historical fiction recommendations, this episode offers fresh perspectives on American history, civic engagement, and the power of reading.  For more info, check out: https://www.lincolncottage.org/   Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel!  Book recommendations:  Cameron’s Titles:   Differ We Must – Steve Inskeep   Macbeth – William Shakespeare   Wonder – R.J. Palacio  Callie’s Titles:  Joyful Anyway – Kate Bowler  You Better Be Lightning – Andrea Gibson  James – Percival Everett  Everywhere Still – MH Clark  Joe’s Titles:   Feeding Ghosts – Tessa Hulls   A Manual for Cleaning Women – Lucia Berlin   Separation of Church and Hate – John Fugelsang  Time stamps: 00:00:00 Title 00:00:23 Welcome and introductions 00:02:23 What is President Lincoln’s Cottage?  00:22:56 Our recommended reads 00:51:08 Final Thoughts and Outro  Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy.  Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog!  We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!   Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices