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Shaena and Jenna talk about three types of books that they "hate." These are the books that they are tired to seeing on the new book shelves at the library and wish would be banished to the overflow stacks. On the Reading Break, Shaena talks about Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh, and Jenna talks about Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose. The episode ends on a positive note, where Shaena and Jenna share the trends that they love. What do you think of current book trends? Share your thoughts using #librarylifepod 

Shaena and Jenna discuss the many facets of professionalism. What does it mean to be professional in appearance and behaviour? Does it even matter anymore? They get into the nitty gritty on issues such as wearing jeans to work (gasp!), using clothes to build confidence, cell phone usage and bringing your personal life to work. Jenna also shares her dreams about loose punctuality policies. On the Reading Break (21:30-27:50), Shaena talks about The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler, and Jenna talks about Well Met by Jen DeLuca. What do you think professionalism is? Share your thoughts using #librarylifepod

Shaena and Jenna talk about the 5 children's books that were nominated for the Governor General's Literary Awards (2020). The books are: Nevers by Sara Cassidy, Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath, Harvey Holds His Own by Colleen Nelson, The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson, and The King Of Jam Sandwiches by Eric Walters. Did these titles deserve to be nominated? What book did we think was going to win? Is it hard to read children's books as an adult? The conversation covers all these topics and more. On the Reading Break (21:58-28:06), Jenna talks about The Watchmaker Of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley, and Shaena talks about A Study In Scarlett Women by Sherry Thomas. Share your thoughts on social media using #librarylifepod 

Shaena shares her love of romance by giving ten book recommendations that have diverse main characters. Jenna gets schooled in romance terminology, such as "H.E.A" and "forced proximity." On the Reading Break (21:52 - 28:37), Jenna talks about Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo and The Shakespeare Requirement by Julie Schumacher, and Shaena talks about The Dating Plan by Sara Desai. The books mentioned in this episode are: the Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert, the Bergmen Brothers series by Chloe Liese, Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heran, The Boyfriend Project by Farah Rochan, The Bride Test by Helen Hoang and The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Share your thoughts on social media using #librarylifepod !

Shaena and Jenna discuss the slippery slope of censorship in public libraries. Prompted by recent headlines (Dr. Seuss, Halifax Public Library etc.), the conversation explores the tension between standing up for what's right and protecting freedom of speech. On the Reading Break (17:10-24:25), Shaena talks about Act Your Age Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert, and Jenna talks about The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Censorship is a complex topic, and this conversation just scratches the surface. Share your thoughts on social media using #librarylifepodcast

In some not-so-casual small talk, Shaena and Jenna open the episode with a discussion about the most memorable programs they've attended. Shaena shares some research about the evolution of children's programs, and then they get into some of the pleasant and not-so-pleasant surprises of virtual programming during a pandemic. During the Reading Break (36:15-30:28), Shaena talks about "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman, and Jenna talks about "Shadow and Bone" by Leigh Bardugo and "Nevers" by Sarah Cassidy. The episode ends with Shaena and Jenna's predictions for library programming post-pandemic. Will virtual programs still exist? Share your thoughts with us on social media using #librarylifepodcast .