[by EPL Adult Services Librarian Lauri Miller]

Hello Emmaus and beyond! It’s Lauri, your friendly neighborhood adult services librarian. Lots of us are looking for content to fill some of our quiet hours, whether we’re at home, commuting to essential jobs, or taking care of loved ones. Podcasts are a good option. Podcasts are basically the next generation of radio shows that you can either download or stream on a computer or mobile device regardless of brand.

Most podcasts are freely available on the Internet, and there are a wide variety of genres and subjects: news, comedy, current events, true crime, fiction, and more. I’m going to focus on three bookish podcasts because, well, I love books. I hope you find something to your liking.

The host Anne Bogel is an avid reader, podcaster, blogger, and author in her own right. Anne describes What Should I Read Next? as a “literary matchmaking” podcast. She chats with one person in each episode. Anne asks guests to tell her three books they love, one book they didn’t care for, and what they’re reading at that time. By the end of the podcast, she recommends three books for the guest to try. 

I’ve been listening to this show for a couple of years now. It’s my go-to podcast when I’m looking for solid book recommendations. Anne’s voice is warm and soothing, a big plus in these scary times. She is obviously passionate about books, reading, and getting to know her guests. I have found many enjoyable books through this podcast. Visit her podcast homepage linked above where there are suggested starter episodes. Each episode is 45 minutes to an hour and free. Time well spent.

The hosts Rhonda Evans and Frank Collerius are librarians from the New York Public Library (NYPL). Rhonda is Assistant Chief Librarian in the Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Frank is manager of the Jefferson Market branch library.

Rhonda and Frank use each episode to talk about what they are currently reading, pop culture, library stuff, and all things in between. You can never tell where the conversation is going, in a fun way. Frank was co-hosting this podcast with another NYPL librarian, Gwen Glazer, when I first found it. (Gwen’s ongoing quest was to get Frank to read the Harry Potter series. Did it work? You’ll have to listen.) Rhonda recently joined Frank, and they are developing a good dynamic. I particularly like Frank’s playful drama and crooning voice.

Each episode is 45 minutes to an hour and free. I found out about this podcast from a special episode of What Should I Read Next? Here’s an episode with Gwen and Frank talking about comfort reads that might be good for our current moment.

The host Jeff O’Neal is the executive editor of Book Riot, the largest independent book website in North America. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of literary history, libraries, publishing, and bookish controversies. I know for a fact many of you out there will love the episode about Agatha Christie’s mysterious disappearance and subsequent reappearance.

Each episode is well researched and intriguingly told. Do you love little known historical facts? Have you wondered about the intricacies of the book industry? This is a podcast for you. Each episode is roughly an hour long and free.

Whether you want something to listen to on walks, while working in your yard, or just to wind down before bedtime, there’s a podcast out there for you no matter what your interests are. You may want to start with the three above or explore thousands more at streaming services such as Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Podcast Republic, or Spotify, to name a few.

Do you have your own favorite podcasts? Send us a message via email or Facebook! We’d love to trade recommendations and share them with everyone.