Steve chats with Max Brallier, author of The Last Comics on Earth: Too Many Villains, the second book in the Last Comics graphic novel series spun off from his bestselling Last Kids on Earth series. They chat about balancing an apocalyptic background with a light-hearted tone, the differences between the Last Kids and Last Comics series, which jokes may’ve been 4am jokes that slipped through editorial, and much more! Read the transcript! During a quick pause from defeating monsters, Jack, June, Quint, and Dirk face their trickiest challenge in THE LAST COMICS ON EARTH: TOO MANY VILLAINS!, the ..read more

Steve chats with Sylvie Golod and Thomas Maluck from Richland Library about why financial literacy is an important topic for libraries to cover, the programs and services Richland offers in its Business, Careers, and Resources Center, how to make the subject appealing to teens and adults, and the importance of community partners. Plus, a Secret Stacks recommendation from Thomas! Read a transcript! Sylvie Golod is a Career Services Specialist for Richland Library Business and Careers Center. Since 2011, she has worked with an impressive team who were recipients of the 2022 National Career Deve ..read more

Steve chats with Sam Helmick and Ray Pun, the 2024 candidates for the President of the American Library Association, about why they want the role, how the profession can live up to its diversity goals, how they would help make the organization more attractive to new and prospective members, and whether libraries are (or ever can be) neutral. Read the transcript! Sam Helmick is the Community & Access Services Coordinator at Iowa City Public Library, immediate Past President of the Iowa Library Association, and the current ILA Government Affairs chair. Helmick is a current member of th ..read more

Steve welcomes C. J. Box, author of the new book Three-Inch Teeth, the newest entry in his Joe Pickett series, back to the show. They chat about how Box keeps the series fresh after 24 novels, the world of Joe Pickett, the research Box has done on grizzly bears and falconers, and the return of one of Joe Pickett’s deadliest adversaries. Read the transcript! Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett faces two different kinds of rampaging beasts—one animal, one human—in this riveting new novel from #1 New York Times bestseller C.J. Box. A rogue grizzly bear has gone on a rampage—killing, among ..read more

Steve chats with James LaRue, author of the book On Censorship: A Public Librarian Examines Cancel Culture in the US, about his path to librarianship, the four main reasons people seek to censor books, his biggest challenges when he led the ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom, how to deal with politically-motivated censorship, and his theory of librarianship. Read the transcript! James LaRue is the director of the Garfield County (Colorado) Public Library District. Author of “The New Inquisition: Understanding and Managing Intellectual Freedom Challenges,” (2007) and “On Censorship: A Public ..read more

Steve chats with Janette Derucki and Grant Halter from RAILS: Reaching Across Illinois Library System about how they got interested in the library and data science fields, what RAILS does for libraries in Illinois, how they work to gather and present data via dashboards and other methods, statewide initiatives like the SLIDE and SLATE projects,. and lots of deep data nerdery! Read the transcript! Janette Derucki joined RAILS in January 2022 as part of the SLATE (School Library Advocacy Through Education) Project before transitioning to her current role as Data Research Specialist. She is a se ..read more

Guest host Thomas Maluck from the late, lamented Secret Stacks podcast chats with Ashley from Bookish Realm, about reviewing books online, navigating book challenges, how publishing has changed young adult literature, and the positives and negatives of social media. Read the transcript! Ashley is an avid reader who pretty much has an interest in all types of genres and has recently become a big fan of manga/comics. She runs a blog at BookishRealmReviews also makes YouTube videos – all related to books! Thomas Maluck is a Teen Services Librarian for Richland Library. He has worked in public l ..read more

Steve chats with Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, Director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, about her path to librarianship, her experience of joining the Smithsonian, how they support equity, diversity, and inclusion, some favorite hidden gems held by the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, and her plans for the future. Read the transcript! Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty is the director of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. The recently integrated Smithsonian Libraries and Archives contains nearly 3 million library volumes and over 44,000 cubic feet of archival materials chroniclin ..read more

In June 2021, Steve chatted with Tracie D. Hall, then-Executive Director of the American Library Association, about her path to librarianship, her role as ALA’s Executive Director, what ALA has done and can do for library workers, libraries working for social justice, and accepting ourselves as members of the human race. Hall resigned from the Executive Director position in October 2023. Read the transcript! Tracie D. Hall was the American Library Association’s 10th executive director in its 143-year history, and the first African American female in the role. She resigned in October 2023 ..read more

Steve chats with Kerri Maher, author of All You Have to Do Is Call, about her personal experiences with libraries, how she researched the Jane Collective, why she decided to feature original characters rather than real, historical people, and how her stories reveal themselves in the writing. Read the transcript! Kerri Maher is the USA Today bestselling author of The Paris Bookseller, The Girl in White Gloves, The Kennedy Debutante, and, under the name Kerri Majors, This Is Not a Writing Manual: Notes for the Young Writer in the Real World. She holds an MFA f ..read more