Beyond the Shelf with Orrville Public Library

We're exploring six new states in the latest episode that range from mountains to deserts and in between. These libraries are connecting with book mobiles, day cares, and more!

Thank you to these libraries for sharing with us: Quapaw Tribal Library, OK; Lincoln County Library System, WY; Steamboat Library, CO; Iron County Book Mobile, UT; Copper Queen Library, AZ; and East Mountain Library, NM.

In this month's episode we discover more hidden connections with libraries across the U.S. and take a jaunt to Puerto Rico. Thank you to the libraries that helped make this episode fun!

Kayleigh at Mount Pleasant Public Library, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

Elaine at Lied Scottsbluff Public Library, Scottsbluff, Nebraska

Brian at Atchison Public Library, Atchison, Kansas

Nicholas at Library Center of the Ozarks, Branson, MO

Ruben at Richland Parish Library, Rayville, LA

Connie at San Juan Community Library, Puerto Rico

We're continuing westward across the country to share about some Midwest and Great Plains libraries. Tune in to learn about Carnegie libraries and presidential connections.

Thanks to these libraries for sharing for this episode:

Gayle and Denise at Moore Public Library - Lexington, MI

Angie at Spooner Memorial Library - Spooner, WI

Sarah at Stillwater Public Library - Stillwater, MN

Melissa at Leach Public Library - Wahpeton, ND

Nicole at the Siouxland Libraries - Sioux Falls, SD

We're heading south to explore libraries in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. These libraries had many firsts and continue to do so much!

Thanks to Amherst, Virginia for adding to our collection as well.

South Carolina - Anderson Library; Florida - Zephyrhills Public Library; Georgia - Brooks County Public Library; Alabama - Daphne Public Library; Tennessee - Pigeon Forge Library; Mississippi - Waynesboro Wayne County Public Library

We continue our celebration of America with four more states and a territory. Tune in to hear about unique foods, festivals, and facilities along the southeast coast and in the North Pacific.

We'd like to thank the Queen Anne's County Library (Maryland), Bristol Public Library (Virginia), Ohio County Public Library (West Virginia), Spangler Branch of the Cleveland County Library (North Carolina), and the Guam Public Library (Guam).

We were happy to have a conversation with Allison and Rafael Rozo, authors of Diego Fuego the Firefighting Dragon and Unique Like You.

Allison is an Orrville native. She and Rafael found a passion writing picture books together sharing Latin American culture and the joy of celebrating who you are and where you're from.

Find their books and more at RozoBooksArt.com.

Our 5th Local Author Festival was on March 21, 2026. Twelve authors were new to the event and sat down to chat about their books and writing.

The interviews in this episode include Don Ake, Jim Duffey, Irv Korman, Jack Kristofco, Brad Rice, S.E. Rood, S.A. Schneider, G.E. Stroud, Jane Ann Turzillo, and Lori Wilkerson.

The next stops on our U.S. exploration take us down the east coast a little more. Libraries in Connecticut, New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania shared some fun facts that we're passing on to you.

Thanks to the Canton Public Library, CT, Northport-East Northport Public Library, NY, Millsboro Public Library, DE, Cape May County Public Library, NJ, and Punxsutawney Library, PA!

As we continue our celebration of America's 250th anniversary, Jenny & Dawn share letters and stories from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island as well as American Samoa.

Thanks to Bethany at Calef Memorial Library, Berit at Ellsworth Public Library, Elizabeth at Seabrook Library, Matt at Pawtucket Public Library, and Amanda at Winchester Public Library for helping us with research for this episode.

As we begin exploring America, Dawn and Jenny start in the Midwest. In this episode we'll learn about libraries and locales from Birchard Public Library, Ohio, Bloomington, Illinois, Winchester Community Library, Indiana, and Floyd County Library, Kentucky. Tune in for fun facts and learn something new!

Find more information about all these places and more in our library's catalog.