Using our Library Voices
A podcast brought to you by the staff at Harris County Public Library created to help spark discussion for listeners of all ages and discover resources available at our library.
Episodes
73 episodes since 2020
Reading Room Radio: Romance Reads
August is Read a Romance month! If you don't know where to begin, listen in for Nikki and Delaney's recommendations on the HCPL Reading Room Radio!
August 16, 2024
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5:24
SPECIAL: Libraries – Dealing with the Fungus Among Us
Hosted by John Schaffer, this episode is a deep dive into the problem’s libraries are facing in the aftermath of storms like Hurricane Beryl. John discusses the “mold” and the new in an extended interview with Amber Seely, Division ...
August 14, 2024
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Season 4
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17:21
Navigating the Digital Age
This episode, hosted by Delaney, we take a look into perspectives and experiences related to tech and cybersecurity. Ty touches on tips and strategies to safeguard your personal information and deter cyberattacks. Katelyn in...
August 07, 2024
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57:21
All about Cosplaying
This month's host Katelyn, gives us a quick update on Beryl and our cooling center locations. If you've ever been curious about cosplaying and didn't know where to get started, this episode will help you get started— or at least what n...
July 24, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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30:07
Summer Adventures at the Library...and Beyond!
Summer is in full swing at the library and this month's podcast is aimed at supporting YOUR adventures! We'll chat with a friend who's out living their life on the road and RVing across the U.S.A., then we'll chat about the variety of sports th...
June 18, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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59:47
SPECIAL: Interview with SciFi Author Martha Wells!
Join John Harbaugh for this special episode of Using Our Library Voices as he talks to the prolific local SciFi/Fantasy author of the Murderbot Diaries, Martha Wells, before her appearance at Comicpalooza.Find more SciFi and Fantasy boo...
June 05, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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38:11
Harris County Public Library Won a National Medal!
We recently were announced to be a 2024 recipients of the IMLS National Medal for Library Service. In this episode we'll learn what the medal means and hear from some patrons on how much our library means to them.Learn more about the me...
June 01, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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13:37
SPECIAL: Interview with Horror Author- Clay McLeod Chapman
Using Our Library Voices was given the opportunity to sit down with horror novelist and comic book author Clay McLeod Chapman ahead of his Comicpalooza appearance this Memorial Day Weeken...
May 18, 2024
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25:48
Bookstore Memories, Seed Libraries, and Earth Day books
In this podcast episode, we visit memories of bookstores in honor of Independent Bookstore Day, April 27. Let's not forget Earth Day, April 22, with notes about our seed libraries and Earth Day book recommendations.
April 15, 2024
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14:04
Gabbing with Librarians: Gatekeeping
In this episode of "Gabbing with Librarians", Jennifer, Jasmine, Jessica, and Dedra touch on the cultural phenomenon that is Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" and explore the concept of gatekeeping in media.The discussion begins with an explorat...
April 15, 2024
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45:43
Our Library Patron Saints
We're celebrating Women's History Month by recognizing five ladies whose names grace a few Harris County Public Library locations. These women led extraordinary lives and are forever synonymous with literacy, access and their communities....
March 18, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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26:05
Your Passions & Choice
It's a jam packed episode! Where we're expresses our passion in all sorts of ways in this episode, first with "Heart" book recommendations from our library staff, books that travel with you and definitely worth checking out. We extend our...
February 12, 2024
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:07:42
Building on 2023 for a great 2024!
It’s a new year, and re-cap episodes are so 2023. Are we going to talk about resolutions? No, instead, we’re so excited about things coming in 2024. Topics include HCPL getting sanctuary status, as well as interviews wi...
January 17, 2024
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37:21
Modern Christmas Stories
Winter stories to keep you warm and chill your bones, following the tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas eve...the Harris County Public Library's podcast team present to you 3 stories as we take a nod to the history of storytelling t...
December 11, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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52:57
Making a Family: Adoption Stories and Family Place Library Spaces
This month, we shine light on National Adoption Month by sharing stories from three family on the adoption process and how they grew their families. We also talk with our Early Literacy program manager, Anjela Martinez, about Family Plac...
November 06, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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58:45
Gabbing with the Librarians: Banned Books Discussion
Join Harris County Public Library Staff and members of Students Engaged in Advancing Texas to discuss censorship and libraries in honor of the American Library Association's Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week Website:
October 09, 2023
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27:56
Black Cat Adoption, Intro to Tarot and Body Horror! It's Spooky Month
It's officially spooky season! We're kicking off our favorite time of the year with a way to get your own little shadow with an interview with Citizen for Animal Protection's Freddy about black cat adoptions, and then come with us to chat with ...
October 02, 2023
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1:07:07
A Library for All: Access and Democracy
It’s September and you know what that means! Cooler weather? Not likely. Fall leaves? Sadly, not in Harris County. Library Card Sign Up Month? You bet! And who are libraries for? Voting season is looming and along with that questions such a...
September 11, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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48:27
The Journey of Your Book
Have you ever wondered how a book gets to you from another branch? It may seem like library magic, but a book passes through many hands and beeps before it gets to you. This month, we follow the journey of a book getting from one borrower to an...
August 07, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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20:05
HCPL Takes Comicpalooza!
It's a Compicpalooza extravaganza episode as this month's host, Jennifer Finch, brings us voices from vendors and cosplayers alike, highlights from the live Gabbing with the Librarians podcast session, and an interview with fantasy author Kij J...
July 24, 2023
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49:06
Total Recall of the Summer Blockbuster
It maybe a dated phrase these days, but the "Summer Blockbuster" was a Summer time staple for kids who grew up in the 70s, 80s and 90s. This month's episode we celebrate and recall what the biggest Summer Blockbusters were to give listeners tod...
June 14, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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30:56
SPECIAL: Gabbing with the Librarians- The WGA Strike Explained
On this Gabbing with the Librarians episode, we explain and talk about the Writing Guild of America's writing strike and how it will affect your T.V., Movies and Entertainment in the future. This episode was edited by Beth Kr...
May 24, 2023
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25:56
Jewish American Heritage Month
This month we celebrate Jewish American Heritage month with interviews from two great organizations in the Harris County area! First we'll chat with Houston Hillel about their outreach serving the Jewish LGBTQIA community and we talk to J...
May 08, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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36:14
Everyone needs a FRIEND! How our FRIENDS support our library
People, let me tell you 'bout my best friend. They're warm-hearted people that'll love the library to the end and on this month's episode we meet a few of our library friends of all ages and chat with them about the different ways they su...
April 13, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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30:23
What Teens think about the Library
Ever wonder what the kids are thinking? This month Darla talks to Young Adults from our Atascocita Branch Library in Northeast Harris County, to hear what they're loving to read and why they love about the library! We also chat with TeenB...
March 06, 2023
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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53:10