Check it Out:

Are you listening to our podcasts? Join in!

browsing books logo

One of the services our members know from us is our podcasts. We produce and share two different episodes every week, and have done this for a few years now!

What might you find in our podcasts? Thanks for asking!

We have two “content” podcasts – pods that are a little longer and that share the content library staff need.

This week we are starting a new season of Linking Our Libraries – season ten! We will be talking about programs you can bring to your library. We also are starting a new series of Browsing Books, where we look at Minnesota historical locations – and sharing related books. Join us for all the fun!

Where should you start?

Want to be in a book group?

Reading With Libraries looks at different genres of books each week. We provide information about different kinds of books people might ask for in libraries. We also give resources library staff can use to learn more about the genre. We spend time discussing different books people might enjoy. And, because we regard this as a book group, we also provide recipes to the beverages that match the theme of the weekly discussion!

Here are our episodes from the past year: Seasons Eight and Nine. Check them out!

Want to hone your library skills?

Linking Our Libraries looks at all sorts of different skills library staff members will need to be successful. We have a variety of Guest Hosts who come to share their experiences and ideas on these skills. You can use them across every job, in every library.

This season we worked through the ten ALA/ALA Support Staff Certification skills. Join us!

Like Minnesota AND Books?

We have spent six seasons of Browsing Books looking at all the counties of Minnesota. We admire each, take an interesting fact about it, and then recommend six books from that fact. It’s a quick, about ten minutes, episode to give you some cheerful Minnesota fact and also to give you a few books you might enjoy!

You can’t subscribe to this feed, unlike the other two. We drop this every Tuesday, in the feed of either RWL or LOL – whichever one is on hiatus. So it doesn’t matter which one you subscribe to; there is always something in your feed, every single week!

These drop every single Tuesday, all year long. It will also always be available to stream on our website. Here are a couple of seasons we shared this year:

Season Six:

  • This week we admire Red Lake County. This county contains Equality Township. To celebrate this county, we suggest that you read a book about equality in any way. 
  • This week we admire Renville County. This county was named after Joseph Renville (1779-1846), interpreter for early explorations of the Louisiana Purchase. To celebrate this county, we suggest that you read a book with a bilingual character. 
  • This week we admire Rock County. In honor of the very cool county name, we suggest you celebrate it by reading a book about geology.
  • This week we admire Roseau County. This county contains Canadian National Depot, 1914 station of the Canadian National Railway on U.S. soil, used by many immigrants leaving for Canada. To celebrate this county, we suggest you read a book about the experiences of immigrants.
  • This week we admire Scott County. This county is home to the Elko Speedway. To celebrate this, we suggest that you read a book about cars or racing.
  • This week we admire Sherburne County. One bonus fact to celebrate here: this is one of the CMLE member counties! All the libraries in this county are members of CMLE, and we are so happy to have you. This county is the home of Oliver H. Kelley Homestead, Farm occupied 1850–1870 by Oliver H. Kelley, founder of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. We’re going to dodge the specifics there, and suggest that you read a book with a husband.
  • This week we admire Sibley County. This county is the home of Transit Township. To celebrate that, we suggest that you read a book about going somewhere.
  • This week we admire Steele County. This county is the home of the Blooming Prairie Township. To celebrate it, we suggest that you read a book with flowers of any sort.
  • In 1872, there is evidence of a train derailment in Pine County that resulted in that train falling in and sinking into Devil’s Lake. To date, this train has not been found, but theories abound as to the events of the day. Read a book with a mysterious event.
  • This week we admire Traverse County. The Traverse County Fair is held in August. To celebrate that event, we suggest that you read a book about a fair or other big celebration
  • This week we admire Wadena County. Over the years there have been approximately ten creameries in the county and ten cheese factories. To celebrate that good stuff, we suggest that you read a book with dairy products. 
  • This week we admire Washington County. This county is named after George Washington (1732-1799), first president of the United States (1789-1797). To celebrate this county, we suggest that you read the first book in a series. 
  • This week we admire Watonwan County. The county names name reflects the Dakota word “watanwan,” meaning “fish bait,” or “plenty of fish.” We suggest you celebrate it by reading a book with fish or fishing.
  • This week we admire Winona County. Named after Wee-No-Nah, Sister or Cousin of Chief Wabasha III. To celebrate this woman, we suggest that you read a book about an interesting woman, especially one who does something first.

Season Five

  • This week we admire Norman County. To celebrate early Norwegian settlers, also known as Norman settlers, we’re reading books set in Norway or another Scandinavian country. 
  • This week we admire Mower County. This county is the location of the Paramount Theater, a 1929 movie theater, the only atmospheric theater and commercial use of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Let’s celebrate this historical theater by reading a book made into a movie!
  • This week we admire Meeker County. This county was named for Bradley B. Meeker (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849–1853). To celebrate the county, we suggest that you read a book set in a courtroom.
  • This week we admire Martin County. This county contains contains Fairmont Opera House, theater built in 1901, it is  a well-preserved and longstanding venue for cultural and social events. To celebrate this, we suggest that you read a book about a cultural or social event. You can find all our book suggestions on our show notes page!
  • This week we admire Lyon County. This county contains Lady Slipper Lake. To celebrate the fancy name of this lake, read a book with people on the cover or in the plot who wear fancy clothes.
  • This week we admire Lac qui Parle County. Lac qui parle is a French phrase meaning “lake which talks”. To celebrate that meaning, read a book set in France or with a French character.
  • This week we admire Koochiching County. This county contains contains the Smokey Bear State Forest; to celebrate that we suggest that you read a book about bears or Teddy Roosevelt. 
  • This week we admire Kittson County. In this county is the town Pelan – officially a ghost town. To celebrate this county, we suggest that this week you read some scary stories, particularly if they have a ghost and especially if you stay up late and enjoy them or if you read them around a campfire while enjoying the outdoors. 
  • This week we admire Itasca County. Our prompt comes from Lake Itasca, source of the Mississippi River. We suggest you celebrate by reading a book with someone who visits the Mississippi River!
  • This week we admire Isanti County. Its county seat is Cambridge, so celebrate that fact by reading a book set in a college or university. And since Isanti County is in CMLE’s geographic territory, that means all the libraries located there are our members! Hooray for CMLE libraries! 
  • This week we admire Goodhue County. James Madison Goodhue was the first newspaper editor in Minnesota. To celebrate the value he brought to Minnesota, read a book with a journalist or involving a newspaper.
  • This week we admire Faribault County. Two 1903 buildings are representative of the substantial railroad activity in Wells: a train station and a freestanding lunchroom that served crew and passengers. We suggest you celebrate these facts by reading a book about trains or train travel. 

We always enjoy these podcast, and hope that you do too! Join us every Tuesday and Thursday to hear some new things, to enjoy some books, and to just enjoy hearing about the library culture!