Circulating Ideas

Steve chats with C. J. Box, author of BATTLE MOUNTAIN, the 25th novel in the Joe Pickett series, about how the story picks up from the previous book in the series, Nate Romanowski’s journey of revenge, how the story mirrors real-world suspicions about the government, and what’s next for the Joe Pickett series. And stick … Continue reading 282: Battle Mountain by C. J. Box

Steve chats with Lindsay Cronk and Maria McCauley, the 2025 candidates for President of the American Library Association, about how they got started in librarianship, their visions of leadership, why they wanted to run for ALA President, digital equity and advocacy, and who inspires them. Read the transcript! Lindsay Cronk currently serves as a member … Continue reading 281: ALA Presidential Candidates (2025)

Steve chats with Allen Eskens, author of The Quiet Librarian, about Eskens’ personal experiences with libraries, his journey into becoming an author, a deep dive into the inspiration and research behind his new novel, the Bosnian War, and Eskens’ writing process. Plus, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from NoveList return to The … Continue reading 280: The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens

Steve chats with Stacy Brown, Director of Innovation and Professional Learning at The Davis Academy and author of Revolutionize Youth Book Clubs, about her extensive experience overseeing library and technology programs, how and why she established numerous book clubs for students, parents, and faculty, and her advice on creating successful book clubs, including how to … Continue reading 279: Revolutionize Youth Book Clubs by Stacy Brown

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with guests Elizabeth Kamper, Gail Porter, and Hunter Dunlap about the ongoing challenges faced by higher education in Illinois due to decades of underfunding, including the devastating impact on librarian positions, particularly at Western Illinois University, which recently eliminated all its faculty librarian roles. Read the transcript! Elizabeth Kamper has … Continue reading 278: Fighting for Academic Librarians: the Impact of Underfunding 

Steve chats with Billey Albina, Elizabeth Nelson, and Rebecca Uhl, editors of Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches about their journeys into librarianship, the importance of inclusive cataloging, and how to implement inclusive practices even in small libraries. Read the transcript! Filling a gap in the literature, this volume provides librarians and catalogers with … Continue reading 277: Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches

Steve chats with Eliza Evans, author of The Christmas Cookie Wars, about Evans’s experiences with libraries, her inspiration for the book, the influence of her journalism background on her writing, and her process of getting into the Christmas spirit during non-holiday seasons. And Rebecca and Yaika return to The Circ Desk with recommendations for similar … Continue reading 276: The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans

Steve chats with Sandra Hirsh, editor of Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries, about her journey into the field of librarianship, insights into the critical role libraries will play in the coming years, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and why she retains an optimistic outlook on libraries despite the challenges they face. … Continue reading 275: Library 2035, with Sandra Hirsh

Steve chats with Melissa A. Wong and Laura Saunders, authors of Reference and Information Services: An Introduction, about their paths to librarianship, how they approached writing and editing a textbook, the evolving role of reference librarians in the face of changing technologies and societal issues, and the practical applications of the book in LIS education, … Continue reading 274: Reference and Information Services: An Introduction by Melissa A. Wong and Laura Saunders

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Nora Wiltse, school librarian at Chicago Public Schools, about the current state of librarians in Chicago Public Schools, the impactful role that librarians play in education, her involvement with the Chicago Teachers Union’s efforts in advocating for better resources and support for schools, including through collective bargaining, and CTU’s … Continue reading 273: Chicago Teachers Union Negotiations, with Nora Wiltse

Steve chats with Madeline Martin, author of The Booklover’s Library, about the inspiration and research behind her latest novel, set in a unique library during World War II, and the emotional ties between the characters and books. Later, Rebecca Vnuk from Library Reads and Yaika Sabat from Novelist return to the Circ Desk to recommend … Continue reading 272: The Booklover’s Library by Madeline Martin

Steve chats with Amanda Jones, school librarian and author of That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, about her path to librarianship, her harrowing experience after speaking out against censorship at a public library board meeting and the aftermath, and her determination to stand up for what’s right. Read the transcript! Amanda Jones has … Continue reading 271: That Librarian by Amanda Jones

Guest host Troy Swanson chats with Wayne Bivens-Tatum, author of Libraries and the Enlightenment and Virtue Information Literacy, about the concept of “information anarchy,” the relevance of cultivating intellectual virtues like open-mindedness, intellectual humility, and epistemic justice to thrive in today’s complex information landscape, and integrating virtue ethics and Buddhist mindfulness practices to improve information … Continue reading 270: Wayne Bivens-Tatum

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Brian Freeman, author of THE BOURNE SHADOW and four previous Bourne novels, about his early experiences with libraries, the impact of Ludlum’s work on his work, and how he aims to modernize Jason Bourne while staying true to the original character. And in our final … Continue reading 269: The Bourne Shadow by Brian Freeman – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with librarian Eva Jurczyk, author of That Night in the Library, about her unique journey from a bibliographer’s kid to a renowned author, the inspiration behind her gripping mystery novels, and the intersection of librarianship and fiction writing. Over on The Circ Desk, Rebecca and Yaika … Continue reading 268: That Night in the Library by Eva Jurczyk – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Gwenda Bond about her career journey, her fascination with heist stories, her experiences with licensed content, including writing for Lois Lane and Stranger Things, her approach to magic in storytelling, and the vibrant writing community she’s fostering in Lexington, Kentucky. And on The Circ Desk, … Continue reading 267: The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Andy Runton, creator of the graphic novel series Owly, about how libraries influenced his work and life, the origins of Owly, the process of converting the series from black and white to color, and advice for educators and librarians on how to use Owly in … Continue reading 266: Owly by Andy Runton – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Jessie Rosen, author of the new book, The Heirloom, about the profound impact libraries have had on her life, the inspiration behind her novel, and how her personal experiences and superstitions shaped her writing. At the Circ Desk Rebecca and Yaika discuss how “women’s fiction” … Continue reading 265: The Heirloom by Jessie Rosen – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with A. J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Constitutionally, about his fascinating, immersive journey of living strictly by the U. S. Constitution, delve into the contrasts between originalism and living constitutionalism, and provides insightful commentary on how the founding document shapes modern-day America. And … Continue reading 264: The Year of Living Constitutionally by A. J. Jacobs – Summer Reading Spectacular

As part of the Summer Reading Spectacular, Steve chats with Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books, about her deep love for libraries, the real-life banned books that inspired her book, and how she tackled book banning, censorship, and the power of literature, all while retaining a humorous and engaging tone. … Continue reading 263: Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller – Summer Reading Spectacular