In Episode 63, Call Number with American Libraries looks at outdoor-related activities with conversations about bugs, beach reads, and outdoor learning. 

First, ALA Editions Senior Acquisitions Editor Rachel Chance speaks with Erin Rothenbuehler and Sean Duffy from Ohio County (W.V.) Public Library about a series of programs the library offers on bugs, most notably the Brood Ten cicadas. Next American Libraries Associate Editor Sallyann Price talks with Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection Management and Library Outreach, at Booklist, and host of the Shelf Care podcast, about this summer’s best beach reads. Finally, American Libraries Senior Editor and Call Number host Phil Morehart speaks with Denni Grassel, director of Delmont (Penn.) Library, about Delmont's new outdoor learning center.

Episode 63: Getting Outdoors

Librarians in the US serve different populations, each with a distinct set of needs. Among those are veterans, who often face unique challenges when returning to civilian life after their military service ends. Many of them turn to the library for help and resources, so it’s essential for library workers to know more about this community to better serve its members.

On Episode 65 of Call Number with American Libraries, we look at library services to veterans. First, American Libraries Senior Editor and Call Number host Phil Morehart speaks with Angela Maranville, a US Air Force veteran and director of knowledge access and resource management at West Virginia University (WVU) Libraries in Morgantown. They talk about her experiences as a veteran in the library profession as well as services that WVU Libraries offers for the university’s student veterans.

Next, Morehart speaks with Michael Steinmacher, director of Barr Memorial Library in Fort Knox, Kentucky, about libraries on military bases and the services they provide for vets and enlisted members.

Episode 65: Serving Our Veterans

In Episode 66, Call Number with American Libraries looks at two libraries featured in American Libraries magazine’s 2021 Library Design Showcase.

First, American Libraries Senior Editor and Call Number host Phil Morehart speaks with Heather Hart, manager of Salt Lake City Public Library’s Sprague branch, about renovations that were made to the 93-year-old, English Tudor–style library after a flood destroyed much of the building in 2017. Next, Morehart talks with Sean Ngo from architecture firm DLR Group about constructing the Cybrarium, a new technology-focused library in Homestead, Florida.

Episode 66: Library Architecture and Design: The Past Meets the Future

As November draws to a close, thoughts naturally turn toward food. It brings people together, bridges cultures and divides, and can be used as a teaching tool, providing insights into everything from history and politics to mathematics and problem-solving.

On Episode 68, Call Number with American Libraries looks at the wonderful world of food. First, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski speaks with model, author, and Top Chef host and producer Padma Lakshmi about the intersection of cooking and family and the value of creating space for everyone’s food story. Next, American Libraries Editor and Publisher Sanhita SinhaRoy speaks with Hannah Appleby-Wineberg, library intern at America’s Test Kitchen, about working on the popular television show and how its library is used to develop recipes. Finally, American Libraries Associate Editor Sallyann Price talks with author Mayukh Sen about his book Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America.

Episode 68: Food, Glorious Food

In Episode 71 of Call Number with American Libraries, “Setting Up for Self-Care,” we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, observed each May. The importance of self-care has become clearer than ever in recent years, especially in the age of the pandemic. In this episode, we look at some of the ways library workers have taken care of themselves—and others—in stressful times.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and podcast Diana Panuncial speaks with Randa Lopez Morgan, programming and events librarian for Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, about LSU’s Relaxation Room and how it has helped students decompress during finals week.

Next, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski interviews Rebecca Tolley, author of A Trauma-Informed Approach to Library Services (ALA Editions, 2020) and professor and librarian at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. They discuss what it takes to be a trauma-informed library and how institutions can prioritize the well-being of patrons and employees.

Finally, Phil Morehart, communications manager for the American Library Association, chats with Michelle Schaub, library media specialist for Monona (Wis.) Grove High School. Schaub, who is also a certified yoga teacher, was featured in the Bookend section of the March/April issue of American Libraries for implementing yoga classes and promoting mental wellness at her school.

If you have feedback for the podcast team, send us an email or call us at 312-280-4218. You can also follow us on Twitter or SoundCloud and leave a review on iTunes.

Episode 71: Setting Up for Self-Care

As any library staffer who has gone through a building renovation knows, significant behind-the-scenes work goes into updating or overhauling a facility. From working with architects to communicating with committees to soliciting community feedback, rethinking a library doesn’t happen overnight. On Episode 75, the podcast team focuses on library design and architecture.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Michael Haddock, associate dean for research, education, and engagement at Kansas State University Libraries in Manhattan. They talk about the fire that damaged Hale Library in 2018, the flagship library of K-State, and how staffers have rallied around a rebuild. 

Then, former Associate Editor Sallyann Price speaks with Amelia Anderson, assistant professor at Darden College of Education and Professional Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and Abigail Phillips, assistant professor at the School of Information Studies at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. They discuss how to create public library makerspaces that are accessible for all.

Episode 75: Rethinking Your Space

It’s been three years since COVID-19 brought the country to a standstill. In March 2020, the pandemic shuttered library buildings and prompted staffers to shift programming and priorities for a changing world.

In Episode 81, Call Number hears from three libraries that expanded, pivoted, and reimagined their offerings to reach community members who needed their services most.

First, American Libraries Editor and Publisher Sanhita SinhaRoy talks with John Schaffer, the voice behind Curbside Larry, the character who went viral in 2020 for his infomercial-style videos advertising curbside services at Harris County (Tex.) Public Library.

Then, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski speaks with Ray Baker, director of Miami-Dade Public Library System in Florida, about the Drive-Up Wi-Fi initiative the library started in the early days of the pandemic.

Finally, American Libraries associate editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial chats with Julie Curry, principal of John K. Hubbard Elementary School in Noble, Oklahoma, and Courtney Gerow, signature services coordinator of Shawnee (Okla.) Public Library. The two are behind Sunday Stars, a tutoring program helping elementary school students across several counties recover from COVID-19 learning loss.

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and SoundCloud and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome feedback and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for listening.

Episode 81: Pandemic Pivots

Small businesses are a big part of every community, and libraries offer a wealth of resources to support them. From research assistance to specialized programs and grants, libraries help entrepreneurs of all kinds flourish.

In Episode 83, Call Number highlights how libraries and librarians are supporting small business owners—particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. 

First, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett talks with Madeleine Ildefonso, managing librarian at Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). They discuss LAPL’s Be a Successful Street Vendor program, a new offering that provides educational resources for local street vendors.

Then, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Saira Raza, business librarian at Emory University in Atlanta. Raza shares how academic librarians can help students fine-tune their business ideas and create a plan for success.

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and SoundCloud and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome feedback and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for listening.

Episode 83: Supporting Small Business

Episode 85 of Call Number dives into the colorful world of comics, graphic novels, and manga.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett speaks with Jenny Robb, head curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University in Columbus, which houses the world’s largest collection of print cartoon art.

Then, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial hits the halls of ALA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago for rapid-fire interviews with graphic novelists Harmony Becker, Kazu Kibuishi, Pedro Martín, and Dave Scheidt. They discussed their work and what comics, graphic novels, and manga influenced them.

And finally, Panuncial chats with Jillian Rudes, school librarian at the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School in New York City. Rudes, who also serves as Japanese culture and manga librarian for the city’s Department of Education, discusses the benefits of reading manga and her tips for librarians who want to develop manga collections.

Episode 85: The Colorful World of Comics

It’s that time of the year again: School is back in session, including for students working toward their master’s degrees in library and information science.

In Episode 86, Call Number looks at what’s new in library school.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial explores iBlackCaucus, a student organization formed by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA).

She chats with Ana Ndumu, assistant professor in the College of Information Studies at University of Maryland in College Park; Shauntee Burns-Simpson, associate director at the Center for Educators and Schools at New York Public Library and immediate past president of BCALA; and Marlena Okechukwu, iBlackCaucus fellow and recent MLIS graduate who is now outreach coordinator at Hennepin County Law Library in Minneapolis. They discuss iBlackCaucus’s mission of fostering camaraderie and creating mentorship in the field.

Then, Panuncial learns more about the master’s in library and information science and social work dual degree program at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.

She speaks with Peggy Ryan, director of Dominican University’s School of Social Work’s field education office; Don Hamerly, director of Dominican’s School of Information Studies; and Molly Layton, current student in the program. They discuss the overlap between these two disciplines and why it’s needed in library school.

Episode 86: What's New in Library School

The recent wave of book bans and other censorship attempts have threatened democracy, restricting access and the rights of many readers. 

In Episode 87, Call Number looks at how libraries and library workers are on the front lines defending intellectual freedom. 

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Peter Coyl, immediate past president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and director and CEO of Sacramento (Calif.) Public Library. They talk about FTRF’s recent work in support of intellectual freedom and library workers. They’re joined by Sukrit Goswami, current president of FTRF and director at Haverford (Penn.) Free Township Library, who shares his presidential goals. 

Then, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett talks with Martha Hickson, media specialist at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, New Jersey. They discuss Hickson’s efforts to fight book bans and protect children’s right to read, including recruiting the help of author David Levithan, despite the personal attacks she has faced from community members.

And finally, Kim Crutcher, a licensed mental health counselor who was onsite at ALA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition’s Community of Care room, offers a special guided meditation—a good reminder for all to prioritize our wellbeing.

Episode 87: Protecting the Right to Read

Grab your spell books, get those cauldrons bubbling, and ready your broomsticks. In Episode 88, Call Number delves into the world of witchcraft.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett speaks with Dan Lipcan, of Phillips Library at Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. The two discuss the library’s vast collection of materials related to the 1692 Salem Witch Trials and debunk common myths and misconceptions.

Then, three staffers from Troy (Mich.) Public Library—director Emily Dumas; livia Olson, head of community engagement; and Nicole Armstrong, marketing associate—share spine-tingling snippets from the winning entries of the library’s 2022 Scary Story Contest.

Finally, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with KL Pereira, archivist and curatorial information manager at Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Pereira has taught classes at libraries on how to perform tarot card readings and shares the ways in which library workers can implement similar programs. Plus, watch the video on americanlibraries.org to hear Pereira giving Panuncial a personal reading—you don’t want to miss Pereira’s expertise at work.

Episode 88: Every Witch Way

Libraries can be a lifeline for incarcerated or detained individuals and their families. In Episode 89, Call Number discusses creative programs in prison libraries.

First, poets and prison reform activists Reginald Dwayne Betts and Randall Horton talked with former ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall back in an interview conducted last July. Betts and Horton, who were formerly incarcerated, now spearhead respective literary program: Betts founded Freedom Reads, which installs 500-book Freedom Libraries in prisons and juvenile detention centers, and Horton cofounded Radical Reversal, which holds literary and musical workshops and creates performance and recording spaces in detention centers and correctional facilities. They discussed the importance of access to books while incarcerated, how censorship creates barriers to that access, and what they hope for ALA’s newly revised Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained.

Then, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Lisa Prins, manager of adult and community education, and Allison Sivak, faculty engagement librarian, both at University of Alberta in Edmonton. In 2022, the university launched its Correspondence Book Club at the Edmonton Institution for Women, which provides women who are incarcerated with themed writing and art-making prompts. They were joined by Mariel Silva, a formerly incarcerated individual and former book club participant.

Note: The sound quality in the Correspondence Book Club segment varies.

For more on ALA’s newly revised Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained and our episode guests, check out our November/December feature story, “Lighting the Way.”

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on Twitter/X, SoundCloud, or Spotify and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome feedback and hope to hear from you soon. Thanks for listening.

Episode 89: Services for the Incarcerated

From chatbots to image generators to robot companions, artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic across many industries right now. In Episode 93, Call Number explores how AI is emerging in libraries.

First, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett speaks with Cheryl Eberly and Larry Singer, both from Santa Ana Public Library in California. They discuss the library’s AStounD initiative, which provides neurodivergent youth with access to robots that help them build social-emotional skills. This includes an AI robot named Moxie, who is available for checkout.  

Then, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Elissa Malespina, teacher-librarian at Union High School in New Jersey. Malespina’s website and newsletter, the AI School Librarian, offers news and resources to help other information professionals navigate the fast-growing technology. They discuss generative AI and the ways in which today’s students, teachers, and librarians are using it in schools.

Episode 93: Decoding AI

In Episode 94, Call Number celebrates Preservation Week, this year held April 28–May 4. With the theme of “Preserving Identities,” the week’s events aim to raise awareness of the role libraries and cultural institutions play in protecting historic and culturally significant collections. 

First, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski speaks with Indigenous author Traci Sorell, the honorary chair of this year’s Preservation Week. Sorell, a former attorney who worked on Native Nations policy, discusses preservation’s part in telling stories. 

Next, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Kathleen Monahan, special collections public services supervisor at Boston Public Library, about the importance of security in preservation. Monahan, who cochairs the Security Committee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of ALA’s Association of College and Research Libraries, provides insight into the committee’s recently updated Guidelines Regarding the Security of Special Collections Materials.

Finally, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett speaks with Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone, cofounders of the Poison Book Project, a joint initiative of Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library (WMGL), and the University of Delaware (UD) in Newark. Grayburn is head of the scientific research and analysis laboratory at WMGL and an affiliated associate professor in the Winterthur–UD program in art conservation. Tedone is assistant professor for library and archives conservation at UD and associate director of the Winterthur–UD program in art conservation. They discuss their research on potentially toxic bookbinding materials from the 19th century. 

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), SoundCloud, or Spotify and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome your feedback.

Episode 94: Preserving History

In Episode 95, Call Number highlights ways libraries are practicing and promoting sustainability. 

First, American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski pays a visit to the Sulzer Regional branch of Chicago Public Library, which hosts a repair café every month. At these events, participants bring household items in need of mending to the library. Volunteers with toolkits fix the items, sparing them from the landfill. 

Next, members of ALA’s Sustainability Round Table share what their libraries do to help the environment. 

Finally, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Dan Wilson, deputy director of Claude Moore Health Sciences Library at University of Virginia in Charlottesville. They discuss one-page disaster plans—what they are and why your library might need one. 

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), SoundCloud, or Spotify and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome your feedback.

Episode 95: Sustainability Strategies

Next week, we’re on route to San Diego for the American Library Association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition. In Episode 96, Call Number explores “America’s Finest City” through the lens of local librarians.  

First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Tim Tully, instruction and outreach librarian for San Diego State University’s Surf and Skate Studies Collaborative. He shares the origins of these local subcultures, how they have evolved, and where to go if you want to catch waves or hit a kickflip. 

Then, librarians from the area recommend their favorite spots to grab a taco. 

Finally, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett chats with Kelley Woolley, who oversees the library for San Diego Zoo Safari Park. They discuss notable items in the zoo’s library and the role the city’s 52-year-old institution plays in animal conservation. 

Is there a story or topic you’d like us to cover? Let us know at  callnumber@ala.org. You can also follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), SoundCloud, or Spotify and leave a review on iTunes. We welcome your feedback.

Episode 96: Sunny San Diego

Summer is in full swing. This means getting outside, soaking up some sunshine, and listening to our favorite tunes—from oldies-but-goodies to today’s hits. In Episode 97, Call Number covers music.

Some libraries offered programs, hosted listening parties, and transformed into mini concert venues to celebrate their favorite musician’s latest release. American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Kafi-Ayanna Allah, adult services program coordinator at Orange County (N.C.) Public Library; Yesenia Baltierra, assistant library director at Placentia (Calif.) Library District; and Lizbeth Gamez, public service specialist at Dallas Public Library, about events they organized for local patrons who love Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and K-Pop.

Then, library workers at the American Library Association’s 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego share memories from the first concert they attended.

Finally, American Libraries editor-at-large Anne Ford speaks with librarian and Grammy Award–winning French horn player Joy Worland. Worland is the consultant for continuing education and small and rural libraries at the Vermont Department of Libraries. She has performed regularly with a number of professional orchestras and chamber music groups, including the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, where she earned multiple Grammy Awards as associate principal horn. They discuss her illustrious career as a librarian and musician and how the worlds connected.

Episode 97: For the Love of Music

As any library staffer who has gone through a building renovation knows, significant behind-the-scenes work goes into updating or overhauling a facility. From working with architects to communicating with committees to soliciting community feedback, rethinking a library doesn’t happen overnight. On Episode 75, the podcast team focuses on library design and architecture.First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Michael Haddock, associate dean for research, education, and engagement at Kansas State University Libraries in Manhattan. They talk about the fire that damaged Hale Library in 2018, the flagship library of K-State, and how staffers have rallied around a rebuild. Then, former Associate Editor Sallyann Price speaks with Amelia Anderson, assistant professor at Darden College of Education and Professional Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and Abigail Phillips, assistant professor at the School of Information Studies at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. They discuss how to create public library makerspaces that are accessible for all.

Rebroadcast of Episode 75: Rethinking Your Space

The recent wave of book bans and other censorship attempts have threatened democracy, restricting access and the rights of many readers. In Episode 87, Call Number looks at how libraries and library workers are on the front lines defending intellectual freedom. First, American Libraries Associate Editor and Call Number host Diana Panuncial speaks with Peter Coyl, immediate past president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and director and CEO of Sacramento (Calif.) Public Library. They talk about FTRF’s recent work in support of intellectual freedom and library workers. They’re joined by Sukrit Goswami, current president of FTRF and director at Haverford (Penn.) Free Township Library, who shares his presidential goals. Then, American Libraries Associate Editor Megan Bennett talks with Martha Hickson, media specialist at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, New Jersey. They discuss Hickson’s efforts to fight book bans and protect children’s right to read, including recruiting the help of author David Levithan, despite the personal attacks she has faced from community members. And finally, Kim Crutcher, a licensed mental health counselor who was onsite at ALA’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition’s Community of Care room, offers a special guided meditation—a good reminder for all to prioritize our wellbeing.

Rebroadcast of Episode 87: Protecting the Right to Read

Libraries are so much more than their physical collections. They offer digital resources, innovative programs, essential services, new technologies, and opportunities to socialize. But not everyone knows this. That’s why OverDrive has started Check Out Your Library, an initiative that aims to reintroduce communities to their local libraries.

In this bonus episode, sponsored by OverDrive, we learn more about Check Out Your Library and the campaign’s Fiction and Film Tour. American Libraries Managing Editor Terra Dankowski talks with Jen Leitman, chief marketing officer of OverDrive, about how the program is building public awareness and helping libraries fulfill their missions.

For more information on Check Out Your Library—and how you can get involved—visit checkoutyourlibrary.com. And for marketing tools, trainings, and more, visit OverDrive’s Resource Center at resources.overdrive.com.

Bonus Episode: Check Out Your Library

Books flying off the shelves. Shadowy figures roaming the hallways. Unexplained sounds.

What’s going on at Peoria (Ill.) Public Library? Is the building possessed by spirits hovering above cursed ground? Or are these apparitions just a sign that librarians have been spending too much time in the stacks?

Do not attempt to adjust your audio. In this rebroadcast of Episode 31, “The Haunting of Peoria Public Library,” past-host Phil Morehart road-trips to Central Illinois to get to the bottom of these strange happenings.

Along the way, he enlists the advice of professionals—including award-winning nonfiction author and well-known debunker Mary Roach (Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife) and paranormal writer and speaker John B. Kachuba (Ghosthunting Illinois)—and interviews staffers at Peoria Public Library and Bradley University Library about their otherworldly encounters.

Philip Morehart's Album

Rebroadcast of Episode 31: The Haunting of Peoria Public Library

Small and rural libraries don’t always have the same resources and opportunities that urban libraries do. But they still have big ideas about how to serve their communities—and, as we hear in Episode 98, they find ways to realize them.

At Burlingame (Kans.) Community Library, sensory spaces and a new loanable resource collection are improving the lives of patrons with disabilities and their families. Meanwhile, at North Liberty (Iowa) Library, staffers are moderating discussions on hot-button topics that are getting community members to open up, listen to one another, and connect.

Both libraries have received funding from the American Library Association’s Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) grant program.

Learn more about LTC grant-funded projects throughout the US in “Libraries Transforming Communities, One Year Later,” published in the November/December 2024 issue of American Libraries.

Episode 98: Small Libraries, Big Ideas

As 2024 comes to a close and we look ahead, Call Number with American Libraries reflects on the important work of librarians and our beloved institutions.

In Episode 99, the Call Number team presents exclusive clips from conversations with authors we interviewed this past year, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Kwame Alexander, Connie Chung, Kate DiCamillo, Max Greenfield, Vashti Harrison, Maggie Nichols, and Jesús Trejo. In these clips, they share the role that books, libraries, and library workers have played in their lives.

Episode 99: 2024 Author Chats by Call Number with American Libraries

In Episode 14 of the Dewey Decibel podcast, American Libraries examines a multi-faceted issue: privacy, both inside and outside the library.

AL Associate Editor and host Phil Morehart talks with Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom and the Freedom to Read Foundation, about privacy concerns that affect libraries.

Next, Phil discusses the right to be forgotten—legislation that forces online search engines to remove information flagged as inaccurate or irrelevant by petitioners—with Jim Neal, university librarian emeritus at Columbia University and ALA president-elect.

Finally, AL Editor-at-Large Anne Ford speaks with Alison Macrina, director and founder of the Library Freedom Project, about the organization’s mission to help libraries secure patrons’ privacy.

If you have feedback for the Dewey Decibel team, email us at deweydecibel@ala.org. Tell us what you like, what you don’t like, or what you’d like to see us cover. Follow us on Twitter and leave us a review on iTunes.

Episode 14: "Protecting Our Privacy"

In Episode 16 of the Dewey Decibel podcast, American Libraries magazine looks at the "fake news" phenomenon—its history, how we become susceptible to it, and how we can fight it.

Host and AL Associate Editor Phil Morehart talks with Joanna Burkhardt, fake news expert, professor and director of the University of Rhode Island branch libraries, and author of Teaching Information Literacy Reframed: 50+ Framework-Based Exercises for Creating Information-Literate Learners, about the history of fake news and how and its pernicious presence in today's media landscape.

Next, Dewey Decibel Senior Game Show Correspondent and AL Associate Editor Terra Dankowski quizzes librarians on fake news headlines and talks with them about news literacy at their libraries.

Finally, Morehart talks with Marnie Shure, managing editor of The Onion, about the satirical newspaper's very specific brand of fake news, the role of comedy in truth telling, and how current US politics affects its work.

Episode 16: "Fighting Fake News"

Weeding is an essential but controversial task. Removing outdated, unused, or deteriorating books ensures that a library's collections remain fresh and relevant, but some critics consider the library to be a repository for all materials, regardless of content or physical condition.

In Episode 36, two librarians discuss different aspects of the weeding process. "American Libraries" Senior Editor and "Dewey Decibel" host Phil Morehart speaks with Rebecca Vnuk, executive director of LibraryReads and author of "The Weeding Handbook: A Shelf-By Shelf Guide" (ALA Editions, 2015) about why weeding is necessary, how to get started, and what to say to naysayers about its importance. 

Next, Morehart talks with Brian Greene, a librarian at Columbia College in Sonora, California, who cowrote an article in the October 2018 issue of "C&RL News" on large-scale ebook weeding undertaken by the Community College Library Consortium in California. Greene discusses what he learned from the project and offer tips for completing such an endeavor.

Episode 36: Spring Cleaning: Weeding Your Collections

Artificial intelligence (AI) no longer exists solely in the realm of science fiction—it's everywhere. From virtual assistants in smart phones and self-driving cars to data-crunching machine learning programs, AI is changing how we live and work. And it's now being used in libraries across the country.

In Episode 37, Dewey Decibel looks at how two academic libraries are using AI to reach students and help advance research. First, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart speaks with Nicole Coleman, digital research architect at Stanford University Libraries, about the importance of AI for libraries and the university's multiple AI programs. Then Morehart talks with Boyhun Kim, chief technology officer and associate professor at University of Rhode Island Libraries, about the university's AI lab for students and faculty, as well as tips for libraries interested in exploring AI.

Episode 37: AI in Academic Libraries

Spring has sprung, and people are outside tending to their gardens and outdoor spaces—and the library is no different. Libraries across the country have repurposed spaces into gardens that are used to educate patrons about plant life and sustainability—and are helping to feed communities along the way.

In Episode 38, Dewey Decibel examines how libraries are using outdoor spaces for gardening and food production. First, ALA Editions Acquisitions Editor Rachel Chance speaks with Kathy Lane, programming, events, and outreach coordinator at Boulder (Colo.) Public Library (BPL), and the BeeChicas of Boulder, beekeepers who advocate for sustainable pollination and beekeeping, about BPL’s rooftop beehives.

Then, ALA Editions Acquisitions Editor Jamie Santoro discusses the Cellcom Children’s Edible Library at Brown County (Wisc.) Public Library (BCPL) in Green Bay, with Leah Liebergen, library services associate at BCPL.

Episode 38: The Buzz on Library Gardens

On February 24, Tracie D. Hall took the reins at the American Library Association as the new executive director. In this special bonus episode of the Dewey Decibel podcast, Hall sits down with American Libraries Editor and Publisher Sanhita SinhaRoy to discuss the changing face of the Association, the future of librarianship, library work with social justice issues, her favorite music, and more.

Bonus Episode: One-on-One with New ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall

This past summer, American Library Association (ALA) President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. toured the US—virtually—to spotlight issues affecting libraries across the country, in particular small and rural libraries.

In Episode 54, we speak with Jefferson, as well as two librarians whose work was showcased on his tour. First, host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart discusses small-library concerns with Corey Christians, director of Yavapai County (Ariz.) Free Library District. Next, Morehart talks with Stacey Russell, interim executive director of Muskingum County (Ohio) Library System, about her library’s efforts to bridge the digital divide in the rural county.

Episode 54: Small and Rural Libraries

Call Number is the popular podcast series from American Libraries, the magazine of the American Library Association. Each month, your host and American Libraries Associate Editor Diana Panuncial will be your guide to conversations with librarians, authors, thinkers, and scholars about topics from the library world and beyond.

Call Number with American Libraries Podcast

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