What do William Webb, Jordan Freeman, and James H. Williams have in common? They were all black men who lived in Connecticut before the 1900’s, and they’ve all been portrayed as living history figures by Kevin Johnson an employee of the Connecticut State Library’s History and Genealogy department. This month Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Kevin to learn about his research and the creative process that went into brining to life three men from CT’s history. Kevin’s passion for history and education is almost unprecedented, and his enthusiasm is infectious, and we mention Denzel Washington!

Can’t get enough of Kevin! Listen to his episode on the Grating the Nutmeg Podcast!

What we’re reading:

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

Zoey and Sasafrass: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen

Colores Patriots of the American Revolution by William C Nell

Resource we mentioned:

Kevin Johnson's performance schedule

The Connecticut State Library

History & Genealogy: The Nutmeg Navigator Blog

The Voice of Black America by Philip S. Foner

Black Soldiers of the Revolutionary War

Credit:

“Wholesome”

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/be/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Kirsten Cappy, the Executive Director of I’m Your Neighbor Books, an organization that cultivates a sense of belonging and engagement with immigrants and new Americans. We dive into the power of storytelling, community building, and cultivating meaningful conversation. Prepare to hear about a lot of books, feel big feelings, and learn about an organization working toward literary access.

What we’re reading:

·        The Rose Field by Philip Pullman

·        The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi

·        Looking For Smoke by K.A. Cobell

·        Owl Diaries: A Woodland Wedding by Rebecca Elliott

·        Rave On: The Biography of Buddy Holly by Philip Norman

Resources we mentioned:

·        I’m Your Neighbor Books

·        Diverse Book Finder

·        AudioFile Magazine

Credit:

“Wholesome”

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/be/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

Ashley, Kym, and Matt are joined by Jennifer Matos, the Administrator at the Museum of Connecticut History at the Connecticut State Library. We learn about the history and mission of the museum, get highlights about various collections and artifacts, and finally learn the (true?) story of the Charter Oak. There was a heist! Oh and the Nutmeg, the seed that gave our beloved state one of its nicknames, may be based on a lie. Dun dun dun.

What we’re reading

• The Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph
• Low-Risk Activities by J Efron
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

State resources we mentioned:

• The Museum of Connecticut History
• The Palace Project App
• CT Explored

Credit:

“Wholesome”

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/be/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

We have our first guest! Brad Bullis, the CT State Library Digital Content and Innovation Coordinator joins Ashley, Kym, and Matt as we jump out from behind the curtain and take center stage! Much of how the Division of Library Development contributes to the state is hidden and often unknown, but today we discuss our public facing programs designed with Connecticut residents in mind!

Today's Guest Host

Brad Bullis is the Digital Content and Innovation Coordinator at the Connecticut State Library. He oversees eGO CT, researchIT CT, and other programs. Brad also served in the Connecticut Air National Guard for 34 years.

What we’re reading

• The Last Chairlift by John Irving
• Twice by Mitch Albom
• The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight by Andrew Leland
• Fall of the Fireflies by Guadalupe García McCall
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

State resources we mentioned:

• The Palace Project App
• Get a Virtual Library Card
• CT Library for Accessible Books (CTLAB)
• All CT Reads

All CT Reads 2026 titles!

Adult

Primary

• The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong

Secondary

• The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
• There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
• Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman

Teen

Primary

• Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

Secondary

• In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee
• Ruin Road by Lamar Giles
• The Summer I Remembered Everything by Catherine Con Morse

Kids

Primary

• Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams

Secondary

• The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon
• Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
• Oasis by Guojing

Credit:

“Wholesome”

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/be/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

Are libraries quiet study tombs, book repositories, or community spaces? Spoiler alert, they’re all of the above and more. Join Ashley, Kym, and Matt, as they discuss their journeys into the field of librarianship, why none of them planned to apply for jobs at the State Library, crush opinions about what a library should or shouldn’t be, and what they think might be the future of the field. 

What we’re reading

• Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia
• The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
• It’s All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango

State resources we mentioned:

• The Palace Project App
• The CT Library for Accessible Books

Credit:

“Wholesome”

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/be/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

September is Library Card Sign Up Month and here in Connecticut we have more public libraries than towns! How do you get a library card? What do they have there? Why should I bother? Ashley, Kym, and Matt, librarians from the CT State Library, are here to answer the questions you have and the questions you never thought to ask.

What we’re reading:

·        The Secret Astronomers by Jessica Walker

·        Evil Eye by Etaf Rum

·        The Buffalo Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones

State resources we mentioned:

·        The Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail

·        All CT Reads An all-state reading initiative

·        Research It Access digital databases and newspapers

·        The Palace Project App Access e books and e audiobooks from your local CT public library and the CT State Library in one location

Credit:

"Wholesome"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!

The CT State Library is a gateway to lifelong learning for all residents and visitors, inspiring a shared and informed future through our diverse, historic, and cultural resources.

The Under the Charter Oak Podcast will be a monthly podcast produced and run by Division of Library Development (DLD) staff members highlighting different library projects and initiatives of the CT State Library and partners.

Take a listen to what's to come!

The Connecticut State Library. Preserving the Past to Inform the Future!