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...

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...

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...

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...

For Holocaust Remembrance Day we pulled an episode from one of our most recent author events with Elizabeth Petuchowski. Elizabeth Petuchowski shares her life story growing up as a young Jewish girl in Germany amidst the rise of Nazism and mandatory antisemitism. She reflects on the effects these universally known events had on her life and read from her memoir, Where From and Where To: One of the Last Self-Told German Jewish Life Stories.    She is joined by Robin Judd, Associate Professor...

A celebration of Toni Morrison with two of Ohio’s most revered poets and authors as Hanif Abdurraqib and Dionne Custer Edwards discuss the influences of Toni Morrison’s work on their own and celebrate the importance of her legacy as writers and Ohioans. Toni Morrison Day is celebrated on February 18th in Ohio, commemorating the birth of the literary giant and possibly “the greatest Ohioan we’ve ever had,” as Hanif Abdurraqib remembers her. Morrison often used Ohio as a setting for her novels,...

The best of 2022!  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   Here is the list of highlighted items from the BPL staff: Fiction Books Olga Dies Dreaming - Xochitl Gonzalez Flung Out of Space - Grace Ellis The Fervor - Alma Katsu You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty - Akwaeke Emezi This Time...

Vampire Week is here! Plucked from our blog, Julianna tells us about her favorite vampire movies and everything the library has to offer this week. Julianna mentions some of her favorite vampire movies. Here’s a list of them:  Interview with the Vampire Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust The Lost Boys A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Nosferatu Only Lovers Left Alive Let the Right One In Hotel Transylvania Bram Stoker’s Dracula Let the Right One In Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us...

Owen dives into the history of banning books, reasons books are challenged, and he even recommends his favorite challenged title. Here is a list of all the books Owen mentions: Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Looking for Alaska by John...

Pamela Espinosa de los Monteros, Assistant Professor and the Latin American, Iberian, and Latino/a Studies Librarian at The OSU University Libraries, and Patti Vocal, The OSU Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) Outreach Coordinator, discuss the importance of bringing authentic Latinx and Latin American stories into K-12 classrooms through children's literature. Pamela and Patti talk to us about the CLAS BookBox project and share tips on how we can all celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month...

Jack Marchbanks sits down with Dionne Custer Edwards, Scott Woods, and Is Said for a discussion about Black poetry using James Weldon Johnson's groundbreaking anthology The Book of American Negro Poetry as a springboard. Dionne Custer Edwards is a writer, educator, and the Director of Learning & Public Practice at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Scott Woods is a poet, writer, and the founder and director of the performing arts organization Streetlight Guild, and Columbus poetry legend Is...

Ohio State University Eastern European experts, Theodora Dragostinova, Marianna Klochko, and Mykyta Tyshchenko, to try and make sense of the evolving crisis in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The panel discussed the history and progression of the conflict, the ensuing humanitarian crisis, and the international repercussions of the events. Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at https://www.bexleylibrary.org Follow Bexley Public Library across platforms...

The best of 2021!   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   Here is the list of highlighted items from the BPL staff: Books American Made: What Happens to People When Work Disappears by Farah Stockman Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide by...

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...

Kristopher and Gretchen Armstrong sit down with Josh to talk about their literary journal Tomorrow and Tomorrow, how it highlights artists from Bexley, the importance of mixtapes, and ghost stories that are too unsettling for the campfire.  Join writers and artists highlighted in Tomorrow and Tomorrow's "Ghosts" issue at Austen & Company (or virtually!) on November 4th for an evening of readings and conversation! Special thanks to fo/mo/deep for lending us their song, "Bourbon Neat"...

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...

Ron Holmes of fo/mo/deep talked to Josh about the ever-evolving sound of the band, expressing emotion instrumentally, and the beauty of 70s music. They listen to the songs "Bourbon Neat" and "Maple St" from their latest record Syzygy. Visit their website, instagram, and facebook for up-to-date information about the band.   Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at https://www.bexleylibrary.org Follow Bexley Public Library across platforms @bexleylibrary

Seth Alexander and Frankie Wantuch of the Largemouth Brass Band sat down with Josh to talk about traditional New Orleans Jazz, working in a band with eight members, and deep listening. They listen to the songs "Night Lightning" and "Taracula" from their latest record Repilot. Visit their website, instagram, and facebook for up-to-date information about the band. Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at https://www.bexleylibrary.org Follow Bexley Public Library across...

Dave and Leanna Buker, of Dave Buker and the Historians, talk with Josh about the evolution of their band, what makes a good cover song, and Ringo's biggest strength as a Beatle. They listen to the songs "It Moves in the Dark" and "Joanna" from their latest record, It Moves in the Dark.   Visit www.davebukerhistorians.com for up-to-date information about the band and follow them on their social media platforms at the handles below: facebook:...

Grace Ellis, a New York Times-bestselling comic book writer of The Lumberjanes, Moonstruck, Batwoman, and more, talks with Leann about writing comics for and featuring girls, how living in Ohio influences her work (she's not moving to LA), and her upcoming first foray into writing a graphic novel for adults. The Babysitter's Club also gets a special mention.    ----more---- Follow Grace Ellis across platforms @gracecellis on Twitter and check out her website:...

Pulitzer Prize Winner Connie Schultz joins Leann for a discussion of her work as a journalist and columnist for over twenty years, the transition to fiction writing, and what it's like to be a living Ohio icon. After this episode the BPL Podcast will be on a brief hiatus for the summer! Join the BPL Virtual Book Club in discussing Connie Schultz's The Daughters of Erietown (out in paperback now) on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. https://bexley.libnet.info/event/5102269 ----more---- Follow...

Tisa Watts, the founder of the Columbus Garden School and Master Gardener with over 20 years of experience in landscaping and horticulture, talks to Leann about moving back to Ohio to start a gardening school, native plants, her passion for teaching others, and shares tips for gardeners of any skill level. ----more---- Learn more about Tisa Watts and the Columbus Garden School at https://www.columbusgardenschool.com/ Follow CSG on Facebook. Find out about upcoming Bexley Public...

Columbus poet Barbara Fant discusses her current work with the Harmony Project, Transit Arts, and Paging Columbus, as well as her experience on the slam poetry scene and the role faith plays in her writing. ----more---- Learn more about Barbara at https://www.barbarafant.com/ Follow Barbara on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Be sure to check out Barbara at MTSO's The Art of Justice event on April 30th, 2021. Find out about upcoming Bexley Public Library events at...

Prolific journalist and bestselling author Susan Orlean joins Jeff and Leann for a special podcast episode in anticipation of her upcoming Bexley Community Author Series virtual event on April 27th, 2021. Orlean discusses how her unpretentious Midwestern roots shaped her as a writer (she’s from Ohio!) and then dives deep on her inspirations for The Library Book & The Orchid Thief. Plus, she talks about her new book, On Animals, due to be released in Fall 2021. ----more---- Register for...