Hamden Library Podcast

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In this episode, we spotlight National Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th to honor the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic & Latin Americans in the United States.  Ariana interviews Raquel Otheguy, associate professor of history at Bronx Community College and author of the book Black Freedom and Education in Nineteenth-Century Cuba.  

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For Teentober, Teen Librarian Danielle hosted a teen takeover starring Hamden teens. Topics discussed include series versus standalone books, the unwieldy size of Branden Sanderson novels, and pragmatic solutions to the problem of universe-devouring monsters. Please enjoy!

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This episode is about trees: how they can help us and how we can help them.

First up, Brittany discusses forest bathing with certified forest therapy guide Jesse Bernier of the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library in Madison. Then Matt interviews Diane Hoffman, Susan Neitlich and Kyle Dougherty about the missions of the Hamden Tree Commission and the Hamden Alliance for Trees, and why trees are a crucial part of a town or city’s infrastructure.

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Summer is rapidly coming to a close, so we convened what has become an annual tradition on our podcast, the end of summer roundtable. If you’ve heard any of our previous roundtable episodes, you’ll know what to expect. It’s basically a low-key, casual discussion wherein the podcast team gets together and shares the things we read, watched and did over the past few months. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it. 

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It’s summer reading time again and on this episode, Marcy, Eliza, Kacie and Danielle explain how it all works. After we hear from them, Hannah has an announcement about a special project she’s been working on with the Connecticut State Library. 

And since this is a great time of year to get out and enjoy your local parks, Hannah talks with Mike Miller of the Sleeping Giant Park Association about the trail clean up crew. More info is available here: https://sgpa.org/trail-maintenance/

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Matt talks to Recycling Coordinator Joe DeRisi and Chair of the Solid Waste & Recycling Commission Alice Kosowsky. They talk about everything from composting and other ways of recycling food waste to the importance of recycling textiles and lots more. If you’re a Hamden resident, you’re sure to pick up some useful tips, and even if you don’t live in Hamden, you will likely learn something interesting from this interview. Now let’s listen to Matt, Joe and Alice. 

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On this episode we are celebrating National Library Week. This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy,” and Kacie and Eliza are here to tell us all about the many different ways the library can help you do just that.  

In addition, Kacie talks to Pat Sirulnick about the Friends of the Hamden Library and all that they do for us. If you don’t already know, the Friends are absolutely crucial to what we do. If you’re looking for a way to support the library, joining the Friends is a great way to do so. Visit our website for more details.

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When it comes to a subject as broad as poetry, it’s hard to pick one thing to focus on. So we picked a whole bunch. From statistics of who is writing poetry and why, to a staff-wide poetry collaboration, to an infamous poet with a relentless drive to write and recite his creations regardless of how well, or how poorly, they were regarded by the audiences who heard them - this is a conversation that covers a lot of ground. We had lots of fun making this episode and we hope you have fun listening.

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Love is in the air and on the shelves! In this Valentine’s Day episode, Kacie chats with booksellers from two of Connecticut’s romance-only bookstores to rave about all things romance novels. From breaking down stereotypes to sharing can’t-miss love stories, we’re making the case that romance is for everyone.

Big thanks to Sarah and Elizabeth from Montgomery & Taggert and Jenna from Blush Book Lounge for chatting with us this month!  

For more romance novel suggestions, stop in and browse the February book display on the first floor of Miller Library. <3

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This is a special, Matt-centric episode in which podcast team member Matt sits down to talk with host Michael Pierry to talk about New Year’s traditions. And because the only force in the known universe more powerful than one Matt is .. two Matts, Matt interviews Matthew Kerzner, aka Dr. K, to help us all in formulating and following through on our New Year’s resolutions and goals. There are also some book recommendations, of course.