The Librarian Is In

Carla Hayden Wants You to Read a Book

09 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Carla Hayden sits down with Gwen and Frank to discuss what it really means to lead the Library of Congress—which, by the way, isn't only FOR Con...

Reading Stonewall

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and Jason Baumann—NYPL curator and Grand Marquessa of All Things Stonewall—joins Gwen and Frank ...

Call Your Librarian

25 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Aminatou Sow, writer and co-host of the popular podcast "Call Your Girlfriend," talks with Gwen and Frank about poetry, the mental treadmill of the In...

Heartland, Homeland

18 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a place home? Frank follows a book rec from a listener and discovers a powerful memoir that makes him rethink the American dream. Gwen's bo...

Are you – Nobody – too?

11 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Our Poetry Bonanza has arrived! In this episode --titled to pay homage to Frank's favorite Emily Dickinson stanza-- he and Gwen get to read and hear p...

Breaking the Mold

04 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank meet a handful of characters who aren't bothered by what other people think. Plus: the pros and cons of reading reviews, the extra voic...

Reading (or Not) as a New Parent

28 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How on earth can you read when you have a newborn? Stephanie Anderson—a new mom and a professional book selector for NYPL and the Brooklyn Public L...

The Gods Are Alright. But the Humans...

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Greek mythology and contemporary fiction join forces this week! Gwen and Frank read two books that make readers ask, what would you do—or, what sho...

Dance Your Books Off

14 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Okay, what's the deal with librarians and musical theater? This week's guest, newly minted children's librarian Kevin Kelley, traces his origin story ...

Bonus Episode - Frankenstein: Our Dark Mirror

12 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Over 200 years ago, a teenage girl started a literary legacy that continues to haunt us today. Why do we still keep telling this story and how does it...

Playing the Long Game with Lorde and Parker

07 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Audre Lorde and Pat Parker were close friends who fought fiercely for social justice. In this episode, Frank and Gwen discuss a powerful book o...

Library, Meet Bookstore

28 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Get rowdy with Roxanne Coady, indie bookstore owner and host of the Just the Right Book podcast. Roxanne finds common ground with Frank and Gwen, ta...

The Librarian Is ALL IN

21 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen's quest to learn more about Carol Channing took both her and Frank to a place where divas and dames truly reign- Broadway! Plus: Frank's book tap...

Curatorial Curiosities

14 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Books have lives too! Frank and Gwen take a break from talking about the words on the page and get into the stories of items in NYPL's archives. In th...

The Evolution of Joy

07 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

... or the joy of evolution? Frank's book traces the whole history of humankind and Gwen's is a short narrative about big changes. Plus: You can't tal...

Time(less) Travel

31 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Book synergy abounds! Frank rediscovers Anne Frank's diary in a newly released graphic novel, Gwen becomes obsessed with a group of time-traveling hi...

Don't Worry, Be Mary Oliver

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen celebrate the life and work of Mary Oliver by reading a handful of her poems and doing something she might approve of—letting it all ...

Mourning Heathcliff, Hedwig, and All the Literary Dogs

17 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever truly grieved over the loss of someone in a book? Together with Eric Molinsky, host of the Imaginary Worlds podcast, Frank and Gwen div...

New Fiction! New Fiction!

10 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen gets fired up about reading—you guessed it—new fiction this year, while Frank dips into the backlist of a new favorite author. Plus: New Year...

Glory Edim Is Just Getting Started

27 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Glory Edim, creator of the coolest book club on the Internet, joins Frank and Gwen to discuss book clubs and beyond! They talk about Well-Read Black...

Pitch Imperfect

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Aca-scuse me? It's an impromptu celebration of our favorite feel-good a capella movie... and, oh yeah, some book recommendations, too. Frank goes for ...

The Librarian Is LIVE

13 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to our first-ever live show, recorded in Frank's very own Jefferson Market Library! Gwen and Frank talk to Eric Klinenberg, sociologist and au...

Anger Is a Gift

06 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Aristotle famously (er, probably) said that anger is a gift, and Gwen's been given one this year: Rebecca Traister's book about the power of women's ...

Check Out This Sculpture

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We're obsessed with libraries loaning unconventional items: seeds, toys, tools, clothes, games, museum passes... and sculptures. Local artist Wendy Ri...

Keeping You Company in the Kitchen

22 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you're cooking turkey for 20 or opting out of Thanksgiving entirely, books about food are always in season. Frank and Gwen talk about their fa...

Pop-Culture Storytime (with Garfield)

15 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a good story time? Anthony Murisco, youth librarian extraordinaire, joins Frank and Gwen to talk all things kids and books. Plus: everyone'...

BiblioSmiles

08 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A library podcast about a book about libraries? Sign us up! Frank goes meta this week with an in-depth review of Susan Orlean's new page-turner, and a...

The Librarian Is In... the Voting Booth!

01 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost Election Day. Do you know where your voting rights are? Christopher Famighetti, professor at Jefferson Market University, joins Frank and ...

Between Terror and Humor

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost Halloween, and it got so creepy we scared Gwen away. Frank braves the gore with Isaiah Pittman, horror aficionado and adult services libra...

This Is Not the Foe You're Looking For

18 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank tackle a near-future dystopian novel about space colonization and a sobering work of journalism about the fallacy of modern philanthro...

Hot Topix Galore

04 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen are all about feminist texts this week. They go back in time with the classic short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper" — which is also NYP...

Childhood Game-Changers

27 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When we asked our book experts about books that changed their lives, we fell in love with their picks — and we wanted you to hear what they had to s...

When Escape Leads You Back to Reality

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank discover two very different alternate worlds that speak to our present times. Their seemingly mismatched books offer stellar writing an...

Thanks for Asking

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Rosa Caballero-Li, manager of Ask NYPL, has all the answers! Rosa tells Frank and Gwen about the ins, outs, ups, and downs of the Library's multifacet...

This Book Is No Joke

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Which books do you wish you'd read in high school? Frank and Gwen offer up some ideas and then move on to city novels with urban themes and a picture...

Harry Potter Meets Jane Eyre

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter, Gwen and Frank fall hard for the wise and wonderful Vanessa Zoltan of the Harry Potter and the...

Teens Take Charge

23 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen get a visit from BridgeUP, NYPL's holistic academic support program for NYC teens. They talk to a teen scholar and program leader abou...

Guess What SHOULDN'T Replace Libraries?

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Answer: anything! Frank and Gwen discuss why for-profit businesses cannot and should not take libraries' place in society. Plus, recommendations for t...

America Is Not The Heart

09 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's our third annual Summer Reading Challenge! This year, Frank and Gwen picked America Is Not the Heart, a debut novel by Elaine Castillo, about lan...

May I Remove Your Preconceived Notions?

02 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen break down romance novel stereotypes with fellow NYPL librarian Anne Rouyer. The genre often gets dismissed as fluff, but romance can s...

What Makes a Good Beach Read?

26 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We're finding our midsummer vacation reading groove! Gwen is spectacularly awed by a debut novel and Frank gets drawn into a thriller (with a dash of ...

Memory Lane

19 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We're 100 episodes old! Frank and Gwen mark their centennial by responding to listener messages and revisiting some favorite themes. Plus: a list of ...

On Your Mark, Get Set...

12 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's time again for our Summer Reading Challenge! In this mini-episode, Frank and Gwen pick a book to dive into together and invite you to read along ...

You Can't Always Get What You Want

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen is so moved by one of the three poems she brings to the studio that she can't even read it (she tried!). And Frank is transported by a novel ab...

Help Me, Rhonda!

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank discover some surprising pieces of family history when Rhonda Evans, Electronic Resources Librarian at NYPL, arrives in the studio wit...

Border Stories

21 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen share thoughts and reading recommendations about immigration, families, and children at the border. Plus: Frank asks what-if and Gwen p...

Crossing Food Boundaries

14 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Shayne Figueroa joins Frank and Gwen to discuss books and food nostalgia, Amish soul food (it's a thing!), and how NYC's free school lunch progra...

May I Remove Your Cravat?

07 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen revisit the recent Booker Prize winner, Lincoln in the Bardo, as Frank gets serious about the afterlife and our understanding of hist...

Call Me, Jason Reynolds

31 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank get a visit from Elisa Garcia, Supervising Librarian of Teen Services at the Bronx Library Center, who brings the guessing-game drama a...

It's Not You, Book, It's Me

24 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank confesses his sometimes-complicated relationship with certain books and his bouts of book insecurity. Plus: What happens when Frank and Gwen...

The Bronx Gets a New Book Festival

17 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Saraciea Fennell, founder of the Bronx Book Festival, joins Frank and Gwen to talk about bringing this event to the borough and the line-up for this w...

Gwen's Book Flare

10 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What's the opposite of a book slump? We're calling it a flare, and Gwen is on one. She and Frank have a flurry of adult book recommendations, from dys...

Singing in the Library

03 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you tap the musical talents of NYPL's librarians? Frank and Gwen get to relive their professional recording cameos with Sean Ferguso...

Peyton DisPlaced

26 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Another crossover episode with our fine friends from the Overdue podcast! Frank and Gwen join Craig and Andrew in Philadelphia to discuss the 1956 no...

The Great Work Continues

18 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen's discussion with Dan Kois on Angels in America continues (an epic conversation in two parts!) Plus: a trip to The New York Public Libr...

The Great Work Begins

12 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Dan Kois is a writer and editor for Slate. His recent book is called "The World Only Spins Forward: The Ascent of Angels in America." It's a collectio...

Hard-boiled Noir

05 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank dives into the dark and depraved world of noir, explains the basics of the genre and delivers a saucy read from one of his favorite books. Gwen ...

Visiting the City of Librarianly Love

29 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen headed to Philadelphia and brought home the sights, sounds, and book recommendations of the Public Library Association's 2018 conferenc...

Bedtime Stories

22 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank share books recs for bedtime—good reads for kids of all ages and one read that's definitely for grown-ups only... Plus, if you're at ...

Small (Town Library) Talk

15 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen chat with New York Times Features Reporter, Steven Kurutz about his recent Literary Hub essay, "In Praise of the Small Town Library." ...

The LibROCKian Is In

08 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Fred and Barney... er, Frank and Gwen are reading books with different approaches to the same question: Who are you and what do you want out of life?...

Living in the Library

01 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Sharon Washington joins us to talk about her one-woman play "Feeding the Dragon," based on her experience growing up inside a New York Public Li...

The First Rule of Diverse Books Club Is...

22 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

RuthAnn Deveney from the Diverse Books Club gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her group's themes and book picks, her love of spreadsheets, and her ...

New Yaaawk Stories

15 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

All the complexities of the city so nice, they named it twice! Frank goes deep into nostalgia territory, digging up childhood memories, classic accent...

They've Come UnDonne

08 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen asks, "Is this poem about God?" and Frank is (nearly) brought to tears as they untangle the divine and the bawdy (and naughty) in two John Donne ...

Don't Shush Me!

01 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's World Read Aloud Day, and Gwen and Frank are hearing voices from ghosts and robots. But they still manage to keep it together to recommend some b...

How Many Hats Can a Librarian Wear?

25 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Books and reading are the foundation of any library but your local librarian is doing so much more: computer help, test prep and yes, even knitting. T...

Survey Says...

18 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

IS Margaret Atwood a bad feminist? Yeeeeeesh, we don't know. Frank and Gwen talk about the allegations against Aziz Ansari and then, thankfully, move ...

The Beginning or the End?

11 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Gwen and Frank take on books ranging  from the collapse of modern civilization to a murder "how-done-it" told exclusively from the point o...

New Year, New (Reading) You

04 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Want to broaden your reading horizons this year? Librarian extraordinaire Meredith Mann joins Frank and Gwen to debate the pros and cons of annual rea...

Immigrants in America

28 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Pam Nogales, a Ph.D. candidate at New York University, joins Gwen and Frank to talk about her newest class for Jefferson Market University—the free ...

That Episode about 'Cat Person'

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank take on "Cat Person," the New Yorker story that turned the Internet upside down, and make some book recs based on its tone and subject....

Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy in General

14 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank didn't feel well this week, but he's figuring out to be happy anyway while Gwen dives into cozy Chanukah romance and Kwanzaa picture books. And ...

Where Are the Fat-Positive Children's Books?

07 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Spoiler alert: They barely exist! Frank and Gwen talk to librarian and advocate Angie Manfredi about the missing fat kids (and adults) in literature, ...

This Episode Was Really Hard To Title

30 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen goes nuts for an alt-history about hippo ranching (IT COULD HAVE BEEN A REAL THING!), and Frank goes nuts for a memoir by incomparable actor and ...

A Thanksgiving Best Books Grace-Off!

22 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Settle in with your turducken and check out our 2017 Best Books for Kids and Teens! Take a deep dive into NYPL's annual lists, with committee members ...

Never Let Me Go. Seriously, Never.

16 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank take a deep, emotional dive into a masterpiece by this year's Nobel Prize winner in Literature: Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go. Get t...

Frank Brings the Creepy

09 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank has a creepy middle-grade/YA novel that's great for adults, and Gwen has a not-at-all-creepy chapter book for preschoolers and early readers th...

How to Pull Yourself Out of a Book Slump

01 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Gwen and Frank are both struggling to find the perfect book this week — and coming up with some ideas about how to do it. Plus: the glory that is Il...

Terror! Horror! Revulsion!

26 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Halloween! Attended by demonic shrieking, adult services librarian Isaiah Pittman horrifies Gwen and Frank with scary book and film recommendati...

Hey, Mr. Producer

19 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Against his better judgment, the producer of the Librarian Is In joins Gwen and Frank to talk books, tattoos, and how the podcast came to be.

Bumming' In The 'Burbs

12 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week Gwen and Frank tackle wonderlands, "What Girls are Made Of," mid-life crisises, and no easy ways out...

Shoutout to the Ex

05 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

New NYPL librarian Jenny Chisnell joins the show to talk artist books, The New York Book Fair, and enough of her extraordinarily varied interests and ...

Heaven Is a Place on... Another Planet?

28 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen traverse the globe and beyond this week, with two dystopian YA books about life on other planets and a memoir about international trave...

Llama-Famous! Poetry Extravaganza

21 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Podcasts are red/Podcasts are blue/This episode's all poetry/We hope you like it too!

J.D. Salinger, Whaaaaaat?

14 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you get My Brother's Husband, A Lost Lady, and Frog and Toad Together in the same room? Find out as Gwen and Frank discuss gay manga...

The Great Nancy Pearl

06 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen are beyond thrilled to talk to Nancy Pearl, a.k.a. America's Librarian, a.k.a. the guru of readers' advisory, a.k.a. OUR HERO.

Missing Persons and Nowhere Girls

31 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

On the show this week: Gwen reads a book that makes her see the world a little differently and Frank gets so lost in his book that time disappears.

Dancing in the Library

24 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week Gwen and Frank wander wondrously through the wonderland of Dance led by the dazzling Linda Murray, Lead Curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance ...

The Right Book At The Right Time

17 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen tackle two powerful narratives of self-acceptance -- and then take respite in a roller derby comic and a love story.

Parker, Postman, and Pooh

09 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

A 30-year-old book remains intensely relevant for today's world, Gwen rediscovers Dorothy Parker AND reading Pooh to her pre-schooler and Frank  raps...

Books That Talk and Books You Touch

27 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Frank and Gwen  learn about the Library's work with patrons with print disabilities with Jill Rothstein, chief librarian at the Andrew Heiskell Brail...

Remembering the Future

20 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week, it's all in how you look at it. Feminism, space, time, language, aliens and a whole lot more.

Summer Reading Challenge: Greeks vs. Romans!

13 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For our second Summer Reading Challenge, Gwen and Frank chose a book for each other that they thought they'd love but would never read otherwise. This...

Scandal!

06 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Who's up for some dubious morality? We're all about the scandal this week, as Frank and Gwen tackle controversial essays, what makes a "beach read," a...

Nancy Books

29 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The hosts of WNYC's Nancy podcast join Gwen and Frank for a conversation about queer books, making podcasts, and Xena Warrior Princess... and they Sky...

LGBTQ Sci-Fi Book Club

22 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

How gay is Sci-Fi anyway? Gwen and Frank welcome Casey Maher, leader of the LGBTQ Sci-Fi Book Crew meetup (held at the Jefferson Market Library)! They...

Seeing Yourself on the Page

15 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The fantastic Sona Charaipotra sits down with Frank and Gwen to talk representation and what it's like to see (or not see) your own experiences reflec...

And Then There Was Chekhov

08 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Wherein we discuss reading (and acting!) Anton Chekhov, the influence of Agatha Christie, and the controversial merits of Go, Dog. Go!

2017 Summer Reading Challenge

01 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Join us as we embark on our Summer Reading Challenge!