We are excited to invite Hanif Abdurraqib back to the podcast to discuss writing, building community around art, and basketball! Hanif is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio whose new book "There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension" is both an Indie and New York Times bestseller.  Hanif will return to the library on June 6th, in conversation with poet and essayist Franny Choi, as a part of Bexley Centennial Author Series. We hope to see you there! Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us their song, "Bourbon Neat" for the podcast! Find out about upcomi ..read more

The first part of this episode is an interview with Dr. Wayne Schlingman and Dr. Stephan Frank from the OSU Astronomy Department to talk about the eclipse: the science, the history, and general coolness of having a eclipse past through our backyard!  The second part is a discussion between BPL Director Ben Heckman and the first American woman to conduct a spacewalk, Astronaut Kathy Sullivan. She discusses her new children's book, How to Spacewalk: Step-by-Step with Shuttle Astronauts and being the "the world's most vertical woman!" Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us their song ..read more

The best of 2023!  Timestamps Adult Fiction (:24) The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldtree System Collapse by Martha Wells Even though I knew the End by C. L. Polk Adult Non-Fiction (7:38) Birth: Three Mothers, Nine Months and Pregnancy in America by Rebecca Grant  Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara Youth (14:11) Just Because by Matthew McConaughey and Renée Kurilla  The Moonwind Mysteries series by Johan Rundberg Four Eyes: A Graphic Novel by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross M ..read more

Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of the freedom to read. The theme for Banned Books Week 2023 is “Let Freedom Read” and it’s being celebrated from October 1-7. A PEN America report for the first half of the 2022-2023 school year tracked 1,477 instances of individual book bans that have affected 874 unique titles. Book bans disproportionately target authors of color, LGBTQ+ authors, and other marginalized groups. Books about racism, sexuality, gender, and history have been removed from library shelves across America. In today’s episode, we talk to Sabrina Baêta from PEN America and au ..read more

Beth Armstrong, author of Voices from the Ape House, discusses her illustrious career working with gorillas, including groundbreaking work in gorilla care and pioneering conservation efforts with worldwide impact. Learn about what made the Columbus Zoo special in the '80s & '90s, the fascinating social lives of gorillas, and more ..read more

When it comes to Prohibition in the U.S., you probably immediately think of NASCAR, income tax, and Caribbean cruises, right? Nina Thomas, Manager of the Westerville History Center & Museum, discusses how these things are connected to Prohibition, as well as the local roots of the Anti-Saloon League and more ..read more

New York Times best seller, Natalie D Richards, sat down with Josh to talk about Five Total Strangers becoming a Big Library Read, her book Seven Dirty Secrets coming out this month, and the inspiration for her writing. Visit her website, instagram, and twitter for up-to-date information about her work. Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us their song, "Bourbon Neat" for the podcast! Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at https://www.bexleylibrary.org Follow Bexley Public Library across platforms @bexleylibrary ..read more

Daniel Skinner is a political scientist, Associate Professor of Health Policy at Ohio University, and co-editor of Not Far From Me: Stories of Opioids and Ohio. We discuss the gripping stories contained in Not Far From Me, the impact of local government on the opioid epidemic, and the outlook of the crisis going forward.  ..read more

LC Johnson, founder and CEO of Zora's House, shares her journey from the dream (literally!) of a co-working-community-space for women of color in Columbus to the bright future ahead for Zora's House. LC talks about how she, with the support of community, made it through one of the most challenging and uncertain times of her life.    Follow Zora's House across platforms @zorashouse614 and at https://zorashouse.com/ Follow LC Johnson @no1doesitlikeLC Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at https://www.bexleylibrary.orgFollow Bexley Public Library across platforms @bexle ..read more

Ohio State Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor, Ness B. Shroff, and BPL Technology Librarian, Josh Bryant, discuss the fascinating world of artificial intelligence (AI), including its history, applications, ethics, and future implications. Whether you are a complete newcomer to the world of AI or a seasoned expert, there will be something for everyone in this enlightening and informative discussion. Watch Dr. Shroff take the AI quiz here! Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us their song, "Bourbon Neat" for the podcast! Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at Bex ..read more