Library Journal is proud to announce a new partnership with the “Libraries Lead” podcast. Hosted by Mike Eisenberg (Professor and Dean Emeritus, U. of Washington iSchool), David Lankes (Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship, University of Texas at Austin), and Beth Patin (Assistant Professor, Syracuse University's School of Information Studies), the show explores the various social, cultural, and technological issues shaping (and being shaped by) libraries and librarians. New episodes drop monthly, and past episodes are now available at librarieslead.libraryjournal.com.

We sat down with the Libraries Lead trio to learn a little more about the podcast, their interests, and what LJ readers and podcast listeners can expect coming up.

LJ: What inspired you to create a library-focused podcast?

DAVE: At the start of the pandemic I was looking for something I could do to help librarians who were mostly at home. I landed on continuing education and started calling up friends and other cool librarians to talk. For a while I did this with Nicole Cooke, the Augusta Baker Chair at South Carolina’s iSchool. In fact, it was from one of these conversations with Sari Feldman where we got the name. She talked about libraries leading in the new normal.

MIKE: Dave and I had a Zoom conversation about some of the huge changes we saw, such as online learning, work from home, and libraries offering timely and valuable community services including wireless access, outdoor book pickup, online story hours, and partnerships with food banks. The question became: What’s the impact of these changes? Are they temporary or is there a new normal in society and library land?

So, we began to record our conversations and post them as a podcast. And people actually listened and approved! Then, in November 2021, we had an amazing guest speaker talk about emergency preparedness in the new normal—Beth Patin. Dave and I instantly knew that we needed to beg Beth to join us in the podcast; and she did.

Three years later, we’re still probing the changes and impact of social media, censorship, AI and other developments on life, work, education, and libraries.

BETH: The day after recording my first episode with Mike and Dave, I woke up to a phone call from Mike, and I thought, “Oh boy. Either that went really well or…not.” I was thrilled when they asked me to be involved with the podcast full time. Mike has been a champion for me since I started my PhD at the University of Washington after helping rebuild libraries in New Orleans post–Hurricane Katrina. The opportunity to talk about libraries and our love of libraries and information with two of the thought leaders in my field has been so rewarding.

What makes Libraries Lead different from other podcasts covering library topics?

DAVE: Beth.

MIKE: Oh yeah, totally—Beth!!

DAVE: Well that (Beth) and our focus is not on libraries as libraries, but how librarians and ideas of library and information science can affect the larger world. There are great podcasts on how libraries work and the issues of librarianship. We want to build on that by exploring the broader information world.

MIKE: We’re talking to a general audience—not just library people. I’ve often talked about looking at the world through “information-colored” glasses. So, here we share that viewpoint with a library and general audience because every aspect of life is based on information.

BETH: Even though we all approach the concepts from a different point of view, I think our chemistry and passion for libraries and information shines through in every conversation we have. We genuinely love and care for each other, libraries, and our communities, and we all believe that libraries and information have the power to make the world better. This is what drives us.

How do you decide on the episode themes?

BETH: I would say topics typically emerge organically from our conversations on the podcast, but from time to time, one of us will pitch an idea to the rest of the group, and then we chat about the best way to frame the episode. As an avid listener to a few true crime podcasts, I’d love to have an episode on crime and information, but I haven’t convinced them yet. Other topics, like information anxiety and digital detoxes, lead to instant excitement and we run with it.

DAVE: These flow pretty naturally from our conversations on the podcast. A point will come up as we talk about one thing, and after the recording we all say, “that needs more.” It also helps to have hosts with an active research agenda and engagement in the field. We really do use the podcast as a place to help us think through ideas. That inevitable part of the podcast where I say “huh, I hadn’t thought about that,” is real. Folks are listening to the creative process more than a summary or lecture on a topic.

Like good librarians, you include a full listing of resources and references with each LL episode. What kinds of sources do you use to inform your conversations?

BETH: Our resources have the potential to come from any type of source. I think for us, it’s most important to keep track of where our ideas are coming from rather than being caught up with how scholarly a source might be. For me, I know I’m often inspired by stories I stumble across on social media that I want to know more about. I’ve usually spent some time researching what I want to bring up each episode and inevitably, I reference other sources that come to mind during our conversations: newspapers, blogs, websites, magazines, School Library Journal, Library Journal, and academic sources like the Journal for Education in Library and Information Science or even conference publications.

MIKE: We really, really believe in this. In this time of mis- and disinformation, it’s crucial to provide authoritative context. We check our sources for credibility and try to provide a full citation. I’m kind of a stickler on this, hounding everyone to send in their sources. I also go through the original recording to identify any points that need documentation or further references.

What do you enjoy the most about hosting the monthly podcast?

DAVE: Getting new ideas and triggering new takes on existing ideas. I like having a place to help me think through ideas with people whose views I value.

BETH: Giggles and good conversation. I appreciate that no matter how bleak some of our topics are, what’s going on in our personal lives, or how worried we are for libraries and our communities, I always laugh when I’m recording the podcast. It just brings me joy. And the conversation of course. I’m lucky to get to chat with these scholars who have been so inspirational for me, and I get to bounce my ideas off of them.

MIKE: Oh, no doubt—the interplay among us. For me as a retired person, getting the chance to hang out with Beth and Dave—two of the top people in the library and information field—is a treat. We each bring unique perspectives but share common values. Great fun, too.

What can listeners and readers look forward to from LL in the coming months?

BETH: We haven’t had any guests on the podcast since I was a guest a few years ago, and we are really excited to spotlight different voices from the field to deepen our connections to the broader library and information community. Of course, we will talk about our information perspective and how information is everywhere. Libraries and Sustainability. I hope to convince them to do a true crime episode, and any time I can talk about moe., Phish, or Taylor Swift, you know I will.

MIKE: We recognize that there’s more to think about and share on many topics. So, we will likely revisit social media, impact on libraries, impact of libraries, and AI. And through this new partnership with Library Journal, we’re looking forward to exploring interviews with key players in the field and society.

DAVE: I’d like to see us take another run at higher education and also what’s going on with young men in our society. But whatever we talk about, we’ll try to bring the same camaraderie, thoughtfulness, and, yes, irreverence to it.