Library Podcasts

This page contains examples of library podcasts. For each entry, please include a URL and a brief description of the example.

• Denver Public Library’s podcasts -- http://podcast.denverlibrary.org/ -- provides book readings, interviews, songs, nursery rhymes, folk and fairytales, and works of Beatrix Potter. These provide readings of a variety of children’s books and stories that young children will find interesting. It can be an excellent source for children who wish to hear stories, and are good ideas for bedtime stories or any other occasion. They are available at no cost at any time of the day or night. While it is not a complete source of all children’s works in the library, it is a good way for children to hear stories at home or elsewhere. Other libraries might find such a service beneficial.

• Common Craft Show podcasts -- http://www.commoncraft.com/show -- offers concise explanations of various topics using simple, easy to understand language and entertaining visuals.  The presentations include several tools that may be useful in accessing and organizing information on the web, such as RSS, Wikis, and Social Bookmarking.

• LiveVibe Library podcasts -- http://libvibe.blogspot.com -- is a grouping of podcasts for librarians, by librarians.  They include different headline stories from libraries all over the country and also have speakers on topics that are relevant to librarians right now.  One can comment on the podcasts either by adding comments to the blog that is connected to the podcasts or by calling in during the show's first run.  This is a great resource for anyone hoping to know what is going on with libraries all over the nation.  It really shows that dispite being in various areas of the country, libraries all deal with many of the same issues.  One can subscribe to an RSS feed to have updates sent to a reader or directly to iTunes or other mp3 devices.  

• Ohio University Alden Library podcasts -- http://www.library.ohiou.edu/vtour/podcast/ -- allows users to take a tour of the library using MP3 files.  These files can be downloaded to an MP3 player or iPod and used to take a walking tour of the library, or files can be download and listened to at a desktop.  Files are divided so that users can listen to the entire tour or just one floor of the library at a time.  Users can subscribe to an RSS feed to stay informed when new podcasts become available. 

   

• Cuyahoga County Public Library "What to Read" podcasts -- http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/StdBackPage.aspx?id=11675#PODCASTS -- allows users to listen to book reviews of newer book titles by librarians of CCPL.  These files can be downloaded (MP3) or listened to at the computer.  Cover art is provided for each title and a link to each book in the library catalog is also available on the website.  So if you listen to the podcast and want to find the book, it's just a click away.   Archives of previous podcasts are also available.  Great for patron reader's advisory or even for other librarians to get a short description of newer titles without reading them all. 

• Orange County Library System Podcasts -- http://www.ocls.info/Programs/podcastAndRSS.asp?bhcp=1/ --This is a collection of podcasts for children, teens, and adults highlighting popular programming and various events taking place in the library. Users can either subscribe through itunes or another RSS feed reader to have podcasts sent automatically as they are updated, or they can have the podcasts downloaded to their computer with streaming audio. They are available in both WMA or MP3 formats. The children's podcast page contains some of the Library's storytellers' favorite tales to share with children of all ages. Archived podcasts going as far back as 2006 are available as well.

• Podcast Library-- http://www.oculture.com/2007/06/podcast_library.html--This website has hundreds of cultural and educational podcasts ready to load on your iPod.  The site is hosted by Openculture which explores podcasts, videos and other web media.  There are also instructions on how to use podcasts.

• Nancy Pearl Book Reviews Podcast-- http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=4949408-- an interesting podcast that shares Nancy Pearl's reviews on many different genre's of books. She wrote two books, Book Lust and More Book Lust. She is also a contributor on NPR.

• The Library 2.0 Gang hosted by Richard Wallis -- http://librarygang.talis.com/ -- a regular monthly roundtable podcast on Library 2.0 issues.

• Nancy Keane Booktalks Quick and Simple-- http://nancykeane.com/rss.html -- daily booktalks by Nancy Keane on an aray of themes and genres perfect for children, tweens and teens.  These are just a simple supplement to her fantastic website with possibly hundreds of lists and recommendations of fantastic books and topics.

• Library 2.0:  Case Study Slideshow -- http://www.slideshare.net/johannvanwyk/engaging-academia-through-library-20-tools-a-case-study-education-library-university-of-pretoria -- This case study from University of Pretoria, South Africa, demonstrates the value of library 2.0 tools in an academic ecosystem.  It is a presentation that reinforces user participation, which furthermore encourages effective collaboration to create meaningful content.  Moreover, web 2.0 tools underpins the overall benefits of cooperative learning.  A nice resource that displays and validates the usefulness of library 2.0 applications.