Borrowed

Book Sanctuaries, Buttons and Bouncy Houses Oct 15, 2024

We're pulling out all the stops for the first annual Freedom to Read Day of Action on Saturday, October 19th! Hear from libraries in Los Angeles, San Diego, Hoboken, NJ and Austin, TX about what they're doing to promote the freedom to read. And, if you're in Brooklyn, meet us on the steps of Central Library this Saturday for a book rally!
You can read the transcript here.
Further resources:

Join Brooklyn Public Library on October 19th for our Freedom to Read Day of Action! Or check out events across the country.
Visit San Diego Public Library and LA County Library online to learn about their Freedom to Read Day of Action events. And you can brush up on the California Freedom to Read Act. You can read the New York Times story about SDPL’s LGBTQ+ book displays
Learn more about Hoboken Library and the book sanctuary movement.
Austin Public Library has events planned for October 19th, and a new podcast called Save the Books!

Banned Books Week: All for a Library Card Sep 23, 2024

For Banned Books Week this year, we’re returning to our award-winning series, Borrowed and Banned. Because the fight isn’t over. In 2023, the American Library Association documented a 65% increase in the number of book titles challenged across the country.
Listen to the first episode of the series about what happened in one Oklahoma town when their freedom to read was challenged. And how one teacher’s response caught the nation’s attention.
Read the transcript here, and check out the following resources:

Like what you hear? Listen to the rest of Borrowed and Banned, our award-winning podcast, series by visiting this page.
We’ve got a week of programming around Banned Books Week this year. Check out our calendar and attend an event in Brooklyn!
On October 19, 2024, libraries across the country are coming together for a Freedom to Read Day of Action. Learn more about how you can join!

Rebroadcast: Blocks and Brownstones Aug 15, 2024

Bedford-Stuyvesant is perhaps one of Brooklyn’s most iconic neighborhoods. Its tree-lined streets and grand brownstones have been here for over 150 years. This episode, a re-broadcast from 2019, tells the story of Bed-Stuy through the lives of three women who set down roots here in different ways: activist Hattie Carthan, writer Paule Marshall, and novelist Naomi Jackson.

Read a transcript of this episode here.
Further resources:

Check out our list of books curated for this episode.
Learn more about Hattie Carthan on our Brooklynology blog, or check out the Magnolia Tree Earth Center archive at the Center for Brooklyn History.
Visit Magnolia Tree Earth Center. You can also attend their new art exhibition opening on September 7th.
Read Paule Marshall's Brown Girl, Brownstones, or her 1983 essay, "From the Poets in the Kitchen."

Bed-Stuy Tea: An Interview with Cookbook Author Nicole A. Taylor Jul 30, 2024

Splitting her time between Athens, Georgia and Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Nicole A. Taylor is a food writer and author of several cookbooks. She sat down with BPL’s Bed-Stuy Tea podcast to discuss finding and preserving her Southern voice, the pleasures of restaurant research, and her favorite local spots to eat and drink.
Read a transcript of this episode here.
Further resources:

Listen to more episodes of Bed-Stuy Tea on our website, or subscribe to BKLYN Community Audio on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
Check out the cookbooks and books mentioned on this episode.

Explore Your City This Summer! Jun 26, 2024

It's summer and school's out! No matter what age you are, you can spend your summer at the library with book lists and activities galore. We go over the facts and stats of BPL's popular Culture Pass program, which has helped thousands of New Yorkers visit museums and performance spaces in the city ... for free!
Read a transcript of the episode here.
More resources:

Reserve free passes to museums and performance sites across NYC with Culture Pass (and your library card)!
Is there a kid or teen in your life? They can spend their summer at the library with fun events, activities and book lists.
Visit Brooklyn Botanic Garden or New-York Historical Society and 100 other cultural institutions and performing arts spaces this summer with Culture Pass.
Summer is a great time to get out and visit our libraries! If you haven't started the challenge yet, read about our new prizes for Browse the Branches, the initiative inspiring New Yorkers to visit all 62 BPL branches by the end of the year.
Check out these "Explore Your City" summer reading lists for adults, teens and kids of all ages.

Drag Story Hour Jun 06, 2024

Brooklyn Public Library has been hosting Drag Story Hours since 2016. It's one of our most popular, colorful, and well-attended events for kids. In this episode, we explore why Drag Story Hour is important, and how it’s had to change in recent years in response to an increasingly tense political climate.

More resources:

June is Pride Month! Celebrate at the Library with crafting, story times, film screenings and more!
Learn more about Drag Story Hour and explore their resources for parents and caregivers.
Have a kid? Attend a story time at a library branches across Brooklyn and check out out our recommendations for new LGBTQ+ books to read with your kid.

Say His Name: Arthur Miller May 17, 2024

Outside of Brooklyn, Arthur Miller's name has largely faded from memory. On this episode, we tell the story of the Black community leader who was killed by NYPD chokehold in 1978, the movement pushed forward as a result of his death, and the ways that Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History helps to keep the story alive.
Further resources:

Listen to the "Voices of Crown Heights Oral History Collection" or visit the Center for Brooklyn History in person.
Check out our list of books created specifically for this episode.
Watch a recording of the June 2023 public program "Say His Name, Arthur Miller: A Death By Police Chokehold 45 Years Ago."
Listen to the 2018 episode about Arthur Miller on Flatbush + Main,the podcast from the former Brooklyn Historical Society.
Visit CBH's online exhibit, "Brooklyn Resists," to learn more about Brooklynites responding to systemic racial injustice over the years, and see photos of the 2020 protests in Brooklyn, contributed by community members.

When the Library's a Stage May 01, 2024

Listen in on one of BPL's most popular art programs: a theater workshop where, once a week, budding thespians come together to read plays, talk about character motivations, and dig into some surprisingly emotional and political topics.

Read a transcript of this episode on our website.
Join fellow thespians at Central Library's theater workshop. Or, find a creative writing workshop at branches across BPL.
Read along with the theater workshop by checking out the plays on our booklist.

The Library needs your help to protect our funding or risk losing over 16 million dollars. Send a letter to your elected officials.

Rebroadcast: Secret Lives of Librarians Apr 09, 2024

We revisit an episode from January 2021 in honor of National Library Workers Day, and ask: what do librarians do all day? When they're not planning programs or working the reference desk, these librarians are also obscure trivia players, birders and ... sword fighters!

Read a transcript here.

Have a minute? Vote for Borrowed and Banned in the Webby's! We were nominated for an award in the "Best Writing for Podcasts" category.
Celebrate National Library Workers Day by thanking your favorite library worker or attending one of BPL's National Library Week events.
Listen to "On the Frontlines," an episode from our Borrowed and Banned series about library workers fighting for the freedom to read.
Check out these lists of hobby books for adults and for kids.
Read our blog posts about birding with kids and historical birding in Prospect Park.
Not for the faint of heart: Learned League.

Bridging the Gap Mar 21, 2024

Teens and older adults are perhaps the two age groups you might think have the least in common. But a new program at BPL seeks to bring the two generations together ... by having them debate.
Read a transcript of this episode on our web page.
Resources mentioned on this episode:

Learn more about services for older adults at BPL and programs for teens!
Listen to "Bridging the Gap," a podcast series on our BKLYN Community Audio feed and check out these books about debate.
Take this very short survey to let us know what you think about Bridging the Gap: Intergenerational Debate at BPL.

Browse the Branches Mar 14, 2024

Brooklyn has 62 neighborhood libraries, each with a distinct architecture, culture, and soul. To kick off the new season and to celebrate our audio stories coming home to Brooklyn, we'll take a tour of the borough with the help of our neighborhood libraries and some of our stalwart patrons who visited all 62 of them ... in a matter of days!

Read a transcript of this episode.
Take our Browse the Branches challenge! Not in New York City? You can read your way through the branches with this book list.
Help us keep our libraries open by fighting for our city funding. Write to your city leaders! Or, send a letter on behalf of Queens Public Library and New York Public Library.
Did you miss our dedicated series about book bans? Never fear. You can binge every episode of Borrowed and Banned now. Start with our first episode.

The Challenge Dec 14, 2023

Student activists in York, Pennsylvania organized a silent protest when hundreds of books were banned from their classrooms, paving the way for lasting change in their community. In this final episode of the series, we tackle the challenge head-on: from encouraging open dialogue about the books on our shelves to the ongoing work of protecting the freedom to read.

Read the transcript here.

Our call to action for this episode:

How will you use the stories you’ve heard over the course of this series to protect the freedom to read? Send a voice message to podcasts [at] bklynlibrary [dot] org and tell us what you’re seeing in your community, or what you want to see. We might play your voice on an upcoming bonus episode, so be sure to introduce yourself with your name, your age, and your location.

More resources:

Watch Edha and Christina's TEDx Talk and follow their advocacy organization, EmpowerED.
Read about the new "Fight Book Bans Act" introduced in Congress.
Learn about PEN America's work to catalog book bans, including a recent report that identifies a culture of fear and intimidation and cumulative book ban data from 2021 to 2023.
Writer George M. Johnson wrote about BPL's Chief Librarian Nick Higgins as a 2023 TIME100 Next Person of the Year.
Check out every book mentioned on our Borrowed and Banned series! (Psst. You can check them out with a Books Unbanned library card.) And, listen to our 2022 episode about the launch of Books Unbanned and the history of book challenges at BPL.

On the Frontlines Dec 07, 2023

Library workers often risk their livelihoods when they speak out against censorship, spurring community members to pick up the fight for intellectual freedom. We tell the story of how one Louisiana parish came together to defend their library amidst book challenges, tip lines, and even sign burning.

Read the transcript here.

Our call to action for this episode:

Find the people in your community who care about public libraries and get together with them.

More resources:

EveryLibrary Institute is an organization that seeks to build voter support for libraries. Learn more about their support of St. Tammany Library Alliance here.
Book Riot and EveryLibrary teamed up to survey parents about their perceptions of public libraries and book bans. Read the full results of the survey here.
Read Emily Drabinski's essay about St. Tammany Library and a report in the Louisiana Illuminator about the chaotic regularity of book challenges in the parish.
Most people oppose book bans, according to surveys from the American Library Association and CBS.
Check out this list of challenged and banned children's books.

An Interview with Maia Kobabe Nov 30, 2023

Maia Kobabe's debut memoir, Gender Queer, was the most frequently banned book in 2021 and 2022. We talked with em about what it's like to be on the recieving end of so many challenges, and the importance of public libraries.

Read the transcript here.

More resources:

Check out Gender Queer.
Find Maia's resources for defending Gender Queer, and eir recent comic about book bans and libraries.
Read The Washington Post's article on book bans.

Beloved Blues Nov 22, 2023

Despite being one of the most frequently banned authors, Toni Morrison’s work has inspired countless others to tell stories outside the mainstream. We take a closer look at Morisson's writing, her legacy, and her impact on the anti-censorship movement.

Read the transcript here.

Our call to action for this episode:

Learn how you can support and defend public libraries at Libraries for the People.

More resources:

Read Toni Morrison's books. If you're a young person, you can apply for a Books Unbanned card to check out digital library books for free.
Listen to Toni Morrison's full 2016 talk that was part of the BPL Presents series Brooklyn by the Book, co-curated by Community Books, BPL Presents & Congregation Beth Elohim.
Watch Toni Morrison's speech when she accepted PEN America's PEN/Borders Literary Service Award in 2008.
Learn more about the National Coalition Against Censorship's Student Advocates for Speech program.

An Interview with George M. Johnson Nov 16, 2023

George M. Johnson talks about their debut Young Adult memoir All Boys Aren't Blue, the support of their family, their love of Toni Morrison, and the importance of standing against book bans.

Read the transcript here.

Resources:

Check out All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson.
Read about Johnson's family supporting their book when it was challenged in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
Access other banned books with our free Books Unbanned library card for teens.

Battle of the Classics Nov 09, 2023

Our call to action for this episode:

Talk about the books that are important to you, even if they aren’t challenged.
Stay informed about what books are being challenged in your area by subscribing to Book Riot's Literary Activism Newsletter. Each week, journalist Kelly Jensen writes about the latest in book banning trends, stories, and reports from across the country.

More resources:

Read the new "classics," selected by teens.
If you're a young person, you can join the Intellectual Freedom Teen Meetup, BPL's monthly virtual meeting to talk about the freedom to read.
Check out Dr. Emily Knox's Book Banning in 21st Century America and her research on challenges to diverse books.
Listen to our full interview with Mike Curato.

Read the new "classics," according to teens.

An Interview with Mike Curato Nov 02, 2023

Mike Curato talks about his award-winning graphic novel Flamer, his writing practice, and how it feels to have his story vaulted into national headlines as parents, politicians, and school boards campaign to remove his book from school and library shelves.

Read the transcript here.

Resources:

Check out Flamer from BPL, or other books by Mike Curato.
See what books were most frequently challenged in 2022, according to the America Library Association.
This conversation touches on suicide. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is in crisis, you can talk to someone at the suicide and crisis lifeline. Just call 988. It’s free, and it’s available 24 hours a day.

Of Parents and School Boards Oct 26, 2023

Over the past few years, school board races have become more heated and more political — and books have become the center of that political storm. We look at what happened in Keller, Texas when an ultra-conservative group took over the school board.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

Our call to action for this episode:

Find out when the next school board meeting is happening in your community, and show up.
Unite Against Book Bans has an Action Toolkit with advice for how to talk about book bans, and how to contact your local officials about the freedom to read.

More resources:

PEN America has been tracking states with "educational gag orders" in place or pending. Read their anyalisis here.
Read ProPublica's investigation into chaos at school boards, and Nicole Carr's reporting on one school board in Cherokee County, Georgia.
Submit an anonymous testimonial to help us document how teens, parents, educators and community members are fighting for their freedom to read.
Check out some of the books mentioned on this episode.

This Day in Esoteric Political History: United States vs One Book Called Ulysses (1933) Oct 19, 2023

It’s an off-week for Borrowed and Banned, but we do have something special to share. We’re doing a collaboration with PRX’s Radiotopia, and they sent along an episode from one of their shows that is really relevant to our series.

This Day in Esoteric Political History is a podcast that tells the story of one moment from US history that took place on a particular day -- and discuss what it might have to teach us about our current moment. Back in 2020, the hosts did an episode about the banning of James Joyce’s Ulysses <

Seen and Obscene Oct 12, 2023

The birth of obscenity laws in the 1870s provides a cautionary tale for the present moment, when far-right conservatives incorrectly label books “sexually explicit” as a way to provoke outrage in communities nationwide. This episode, we delve into the parallels that history can reveal and hear from students in Texas fighting for their freedom to read.

You can read a transcript of this episode here.

Our calls to action for this episode:

Be an ally and an advocate for the teens in your life. Start a conversation about what matters to them, and how you can help.
Support getting more LGBTQ+ affirming books into classrooms: Rainbow Library is a program created by GLSEN that allows school staff to request a set of 10 free LGBTQ+ books for their own classrooms.

More resources

Check out some of the books mentioned in this episode. If you live anywhere in the US and are between the ages of 13 and 21, you can check out those books (and many more!) with a Books Unbanned library card.
Learn more about Cameron Samuels, Da'Taeveyon Daniels, and their organization SEAT: Students Engaged in Advancing Texas.
Read the PEN America reports about book bans in schools for the 2021-2022 school year, and 2022-2023.
Delve into the history of censorship with Amy Werbel's book Lust on Trial and read her article about the parallels to today, co-authored with PEN America's Free Expression and Education Director Jonathan Friedman

All for a Library Card Sep 28, 2023

When a high school teacher in Norman, Oklahoma shared a QR code with her students that would grant them access to BPL’s digital collection, she took a stand against a restrictive state law. That act of resistance made her first day of school ... also her last.

Our call to action for this episode: Get a library card! Wherever you live, sign up for a library card in person or online. If you're between the ages of 13 and 21, you can apply to our free Books Unbanned e-library card. Plus, Seattle Public Library and Boston Public Library now also have Books Unbanned cards that you can apply to up to age 26. And, if you live anywhere in California, you can apply to LA County Library's Books Unbanned program if you are between the ages of 13 and 18.

If you'd like, you can read a transcript of this episode. Borrowed and Banned is a production of Brooklyn Public Library and receives support from the Metropolitan New York Library Council’s Equity in Action Grant and Goat Rodeo.

More resources:

October 1 - 7 is Banned Books Week! There are lots of events you can attend in Brooklyn and across the country. On October 4th, join our social media campaign by posting a picture of yourself reading in public (a banned book, or any book) and tell everyone that you protect the #FreedomtoRead.
Read new reports from PEN America about book bans in schools, and the American Library Association's stats on bans in libraries across the country.
Read some of the most frequently-challenged books (many of which will be featured on this podcast series)!
Start your own movement by wearing BPL's Books Unbanned QR code on your T-shirt or hoodie (and support the library while doing it!)
Sign up for our newsletter to get every episode delivered to your inbox.

Introducing: Borrowed and Banned Sep 18, 2023

Last year, over 2,500 unique titles were challenged in libraries across the country. That’s the highest number in over 20 years. On Borrowed and Banned, we tell the story of America’s ideological war with its bookshelves by talking with the people most impacted: the students on the frontlines, the librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and the writers whose books have become political battleground.

Read the transcript and find resources: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/introducing-borrowed-and

An Episode from Grown: Culture and Identity Sep 08, 2023

We’re doing something a little bit different today and sharing an episode from a totally different podcast we love … it’s called Grown, and it’s from the Moth. Grown is all about the experience of growing up. There's conversations, true stories told live, and young people grappling with big questions. Read more about Grown and subscribe at grownpod.com. We hope you enjoy! About the episode: "Natural hair. A culture festival. Middle school jerks. In this episode, we hear stories of culture, identity, and how the two intertwine. Oleeta Fogden gets her first period, and Katiana Ciceron talks about the time her pastor touched her hair. Then, Aleeza and Fonzo get an update from Katiana on how she feels about her story now. Hosted by: Aleeza Kazmi and Fonzo Lacayo. Storytellers: Oleeta Fogden and Katiana Cicero."

Jay-Z at the Library Sep 01, 2023

Over 14,000 patrons have signed up for their first library card since Jay-Z's exhibit came to Central Library in mid-July. We talk to Brooklynites traveling around the borough to collect all 13 Jay-Z library cards, and ask what The Book of HOV means to them.

Learn more about the exhibit and our signature library cards: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/jay-z-library

Pathways to Leadership Jul 05, 2023

Kesha Powell and Amen Emile have been working at BPL for over 20 years in various roles, from public safety to circulation manager. Thanks to BPL's Pathways to Leadership program—a scholarship and mentorship initiative designed to diversify the field of librarianship—they will soon be fully-certified librarians.

Read the transcript and find further resources here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/pathways-leadership

Meet Our (Almost) Six-Year-Old Librarian Jun 14, 2023

If you ask Hannah Jean what would be her greatest wish, she will say running Brooklyn Public Library. Last month, she got to do just that.

Read the transcript and check out our book list: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/meet-our-almost-six-year

The Teens are Offline May 30, 2023

Meet the Luddite Club, a group of library-loving, flip-phone-toting teenagers in Brooklyn who come together every week out of a shared sense that social media and smart phones just aren't working for them.

Read the transcript and check out additional resources here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/teens-are-offline Listen to Undiscarded: Stories of New York: https://undiscarded.org/

Seeking Asylum May 17, 2023

Asylum seekers continue to arrive in New York City. We look at how one faith-based organization is responding to the continuing crisis in the hope that these personal narratives offer a window into the experience of migrants in Brooklyn today.

For a transcript of this episode in English and links to resources, visit: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/seeking-asylum

Buscando Asilo May 17, 2023

Este episodio es sobre los solicitantes de asilo en la ciudad de Nueva York. Estamos compartiendo estas narrativas personales con la esperanza de que escucharlas devuelva la humanidad a esta crisis.

Para leer el episodio en inglés y más recursos: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/buscando-asilo

A Place of Refuge Apr 18, 2023

Last year, New York City began to see an increase in the number of migrants seeking asylum. The library is a small part of the city-wide response to help those seeking refuge. This episode, we'll talk about library and city efforts with Manuel Castro, the Commissioner at the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs.

Links to resources and the epiosde transcript are here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/place-refuge

What's Your Library Worth? Mar 30, 2023

Did you know there are some public libraries that loan out snowshoes? And cement mixers? And Santa suits? This episode, we try to calculate what your public library is worth, and ask how you can give back to support public libraries.

Read the transcript and find more resources here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/whats-your-library-worth

Go, Robots, Go! Mar 02, 2023

With tablets, Legos, and coding, these fourteen teams from library branches across Brooklyn met at Central Library to compete in the final championship of Brooklyn Robotics League — resulting in what is surely one of our loudest stories ever.

Read a transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/go-robots-go

Happily Ever After Feb 14, 2023

We love love at the library, so for Valentine's Day this year, we're devoting the episode Romance Novels! We'll learn how Romance covers hint at what's between them, and chat with writer Nichole Perkins about how the genre is diversifying.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/happily-ever-after

La Hora Mágica Feb 01, 2023

La Hora Mágica has been the heart of Sunset Park’s storytime programming for a decade now, highlighting songs and stories in Spanish and English for speakers of all different languages.

Read the transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/la-hora-m%C3%A1gica

Dyker Singers, Dyker Lights Dec 20, 2022

Dyker Heights, Brooklyn is a destination this time of year, with houses decked out in lights drawing visitors from all around the world. And inside Dyker Library, a strong community gathers to sing, play mahjong, do yoga, and so much more.

You can find a transcript of this episode here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/dyker-singers-dyker

Rebroadcast: Work in Progress Dec 07, 2022

From “the most expensive pigeon roost in the world” to one of the world’s most unique libraries, Brooklyn’s Central Library has many stories to tell. We’ll dive into the history of Central Library, hear from Brooklynites starting small businesses, and one patron’s path from homelessness to determined author.

Find the transcript and book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/rebroadcast-work-progress

Take our new audio tour of Central Library: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/central-tour

Family Meal Nov 22, 2022

This Thanksgiving, meet the people who run Central Library's café and get a peak into their kitchen on the Library's third floor, where fourteen students speaking seven different language meet every day. This episode is a collaboration with Emma's Torch, a workforce development program that empowers refugees through the culinary arts and job placement services.

Read the transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/family-meal

Stories of Service Nov 11, 2022

In honor of Veterans Day, we are bringing you four stories of service, from veterans who served in World War II, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Iraq. Three voices come to us from interviews collected at BPL for the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.

Check out our book list and transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/stories-service

Rebroadcast: Weathering the Storm Oct 28, 2022

To honor the tenth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, we are returning to an episode we produced in 2019 about the impact of the storm on our library system, and how libraries can become information centers, shelters and community spaces in the wake of natural disaster.

Check out our book list and transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/rebroadcast-weathering

School's Out! Time for a Pop Quiz Jun 24, 2022

Will you visit your library this summer? To kick off a season of reading, we thought we'd have some fun! How many Brooklyn and library trivia questions can you answer correctly?

Want to learn more about topics brought up in this episode? Check out the following links!

Listen to our new podcast for kids! Page Flippers Take on the World is a wacky library show where kids save the day by reading the right books and asking the right questions.
Visit the library this summer! Take a look at our calendar for Summer Reading events for kids, or check out one of the 125 essential Brooklyn books on our list. Or, you can take a literary walking tour of the borough with our audio guide.
Watch KRS-One's full presentation at BPL's 2008 Summer Reading Kickoff. And check out the Mali Magic program, with videos, documents and more about the rescued, ancient Malian manuscripts.

Check out our 125 essential Brooklyn books, for readers of all ages, in honor of our 125th anniversary.

Books Unbanned May 31, 2022

Book bans and challenges have been on the rise in the past few years. When BPL launched a free eCard to give out-of-state teens access to our eBook collection, including many banned titles, we saw an incredible response. We look at the impact of that initiative, and our own history of censorship over the past 125 years.

Check out our book list and transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/books-unbanned

A Library Sounds Like This Apr 27, 2022

From defunct recording technology to vinyl’s comeback, we've been through a lot of media changes over the last 125 years. And we're still not done changing! We talk about audio's next great frontier with the world's first two podcast librarians.

Read the transcript and check out our listening list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/library-sounds

World Wide Web Mar 25, 2022

In 1996, we were one of the first libraries in the nation to connect our patrons to the internet. Today, we're extending our WiFi reach down the block, loaning hotspots, and archiving hyperlocal websites for the future.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/world-wide-web

Decolonizing Dewey Feb 24, 2022

A lot had changed since Melvil Dewey came up with a classification system to organize all known and not-yet-known knowledge into a string of numbers and search terms. And yet, hundreds of thousands of libraries use the same system to this day, often preserving out-dated and offensive terms. In this episode, we take a look at what has changed—and what hasn't—in our library catalog.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/decolonizing-dewey-02549

New Libraries, Old Places Jan 28, 2022

Libraries weren't always located in their own stately buildings. Many of our branches used to operate out of pharmacies, laundry rooms, storefronts, and more! In celebration of our first new branch in nearly forty years—Adams Street Library, located in a former factory in DUMBO—we're bringing you stories of new libraries in old places.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/new-libraries-old-places

Goodbye to All Fines Dec 21, 2021

On October 5th, 2021, all three public library systems in New York City eliminated late fines. The change was 125 years in the making, and it made us think: why did public libraries start charging late fines in the first place? And how will the library have to adapt now that we're truly free and truly for all? Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/goodbye-all-fines

Happy Birthday, BPL! Nov 30, 2021

In this season of Borrowed, we’ll take a look at what the library was like 125 years ago, the radical ideas that founded public libraries across the country, as well as our missteps along the way.

Building Brooklyn: We've Been Here Before Oct 27, 2021

The story of Canarsie in reverse, from the racial unrest in the 1990s, to the anti-integration school boycotts in the 1960s, the community of Canarsie's Black residents in the 19th century, all the way back to Brooklyn's first residents, the Native Lenape people, who gave the neighborhood its name.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn-weve

Building Brooklyn: Finntown Oct 20, 2021

In the early 1900s, if you walked around Sunset Park, you might have heard Finnish being spoken on the streets. That's because the neighborhood was home to the largest concentration of Finns in New York City, and though most have since gone from Brooklyn, they left behind their co-operative spirit. The Finns built the first non-profit co-operative apartment buildings in the nation, many of which are still standing today.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn

Building Brooklyn: Eighth Avenue Oct 13, 2021

Brooklyn is constantly changing. This episode takes a look at the changes on just one street in one neighborhood: Eighth Avenue in Sunset Park, which many call Brooklyn's Chinatown. In the early 1990s, BPL and the Museum of Chinese in America collected oral histories about Sunset Park. We dive back into that archive, with help from Professor Tarry Hum, urban planner and former Sunset Parker.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn-eighth

Building Brooklyn: Women on the Waterfront Oct 06, 2021

At the start of World War II, 200 women were employed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. That number ballooned to 7,000 at the height of the war, but afterward—women workers were gone as rapidly as they appeared. We tell the story of this unique moment in history, using oral histories from women who worked at the yard during the war, and an interview with author Jennifer Egan, who helped create the collection and used it as research for her award-winning novel, Manhattan Beach.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn-women

Building Brooklyn: Like Coming Home Sep 29, 2021

In the middle of the 20th century, a ten square block area in North Gowanus was home to the largest Mohawk settlement outside of Canada. We hear about the Mohawk women who built that community while their husbands and fathers were building skyscrapers. And, we go back hundreds of years in Gowanus and tell the story of the original inhabitants of Brooklyn: the Lenape people, who gave the neighborhood its name. Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn-coming

Building Brooklyn: From Gowanus to Canarsie Aug 31, 2021

We're launching a mini-series about four neighborhoods that made Brooklyn the vibrant, diverse borough it is today! “Building Brooklyn” will take you to Gowanus, the Navy Yard, Sunset Park, and Canarsie to discover some of Brooklyn’s most unique and over-looked stories.

Episode transcript: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/building-brooklyn-coming

New Yorkers: Rank Your Vote! May 27, 2021

It’s the start of summer, which means block parties, beach trips, and also, big primary elections here in New York City. This will be the city's first election cycle where voters will get to cast their votes for up to five candidates for each position. It’s called ranked choice voting. Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/new-yorkers-rank-your

That All May Participate Apr 07, 2021

"To me, what all these books say is independence and personal choice," says Nefertiti Matos of the stacks of Braille books at NYPL's Andrew Heiskell Library. In this episode, we talk about what inclusion means, whether it's creating tactile graphics so that all may encounter the visual world, or making our virtual classes accessible to kids with disabilities.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/all-may-participate

Good News Mar 24, 2021

It’s been a rough year. So, we gathered all the good news we could find to brighten your podcast feed. Hear kids read to a therapy dog, a library love story, babies learning ASL, and adults age 90 and older learning to use Zoom.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/good-news

Education For All Mar 12, 2021

Ingrid Douglas never finished high school as a teenager. When she started looking for a better job at age sixty, she found not having a degree was a huge barrier. So, Ingrid came to the library to get her diploma. In this episode, we talk to students and instructors at BPL about how the library can be a refuge for those who have experienced trauma or adversity on their path to education.

Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/education-for-all

Rekindling from Burnout Feb 25, 2021

Burnout from work is something a lot of us are thinking about right now. It's been on the minds of librarians, too. We talk to a group of library workers who got together to combat the stress of the profession, and support each other. Read our transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/rekindling-burnout

Hear Me Out: Part Two Feb 10, 2021

Hear me out: A Vietnamese refugee opens a restaurant to keep her kids out of gangs, Brooklynites on their changing borough, a daughter seeks justice after her father's death from COVID-19, giving birth during a pandemic, the meaning of shelter for families experiencing homelessness, and the last lesbian bar in Brooklyn. These are all Brooklyn stories, created as part of BPL's first ever audio storytelling workshop.

Listen to full audio stories here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/hear-me-out-part-two

Hear Me Out: Part One Feb 03, 2021

Hear me out: a Bed-Stuy kid grapples with her Brooklyn identity, a Chassidic woman follows her faith to from South Africa to Crown Heights, musicians find belonging in the South Indian music diaspora, a Brooklynite memorializes early activism in the borough, and a Black Puerto Rican land worker paves her own career path. These are all Brooklyn stories, created as part of BPL's first ever audio storytelling workshop.

Listen to the full audio stories here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/hear-me-out-part-one

Showing Up Jan 20, 2021

Our work in the correctional facilities in New York City didn't stop during the pandemic. We talked with the Justice Initiatives team at BPL to hear how they are connecting with patrons who are incarcerated and supporting families with loved ones in jails and prisons. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/showing

Secret Lives of Librarians Jan 06, 2021

What do librarians do all day? When they're not planning programs or working the reference desk, these librarians are also obscure trivia players, birders and ... sword fighters! Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/secret-lives-librarians

Storytime Anytime Dec 21, 2020

"We want all the kids to see themselves in all the stories," says Raakhee Mirchandani, author of Super Satya Saves the Day. This episode, we hear Drag Queen Cholula Lemon read Mirchandani's book, and we visit BPL's wildly popular Tibetan language storytime, which provides language refuge for thousands of Tibetan-speaking New Yorkers, and reaches thousands more across the world. Bring a kiddo along to this episode!

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/storytime-anytime

Missing Them Dec 10, 2020

A special episode, created in partnership with Queens Memory and the online newspaper The CITY, on grief and mourning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can move forward as a community.

Read our trasncript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/missing-them

On Passing Nov 18, 2020

Belle da Costa Greene and Nella Larsen are two librarians of color, one who is white passing, and the other of mixed heritage who wrote famously about the phenomenon of passing in her novels. We're telling the stories of these women and asking what they can tell us about race in librarianship and in literature.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/passing

Votes for Women Oct 30, 2020

To honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we take a trip to Green-Wood cemetery to the grave of Sarah Smith Garnet, one of Brooklyn's Black women suffragists. We also talk with NYC Council Member Farrah Louis about how the women in her family encouraged activism through voting. Read the trasncript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/votes-for-women

From Montgomery to East New York Oct 26, 2020

We dig into the history of a once-unacknowledged African burial ground in East New York, Brooklyn, and ask how a new library branch can honor that legacy.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/montgomery-east-new-york

Marching Onward Oct 14, 2020

From Selma, Alabama to Brooklyn, New York — we look at how racial violence and racial memory impacts our country and our libraries. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/marching-onward

Reopening, Reimagining Sep 30, 2020

You can physically borrow books again, Brooklyn! This episode, we ask how the pandemic can help us re-imagine what we use libraries for. Plus, we talk to LA County Library about how extreme weather is impacting their reopening, and dig into the science of how we are keeping you (and your books) healthy.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/reopening-reimagining

Your Friendly Neighborhood Fridge Aug 07, 2020

Since our libraries were closed for the last four months, we were on the lookout for organizations that were acting in the spirit of public libraries. We found one! Listen to an audio portrait of the food justice movement happening on street corners across Brooklyn. And we'll be back in your feed again in September for Season 3 of Borrowed.

Read the transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/your-friendly

Rebroadcast: Free Brooklyn Jun 25, 2020

In honor of Juneteenth 2020, the anniversary of the day in 1865 when the news was finally delivered to Galveston, Texas that slavery in the United States had been abolished, we are returning to an episode from earlier in our season. "Free Brooklyn" tells two important stories about the struggle for freedom: a young girl “auctioned” at Plymouth Church in 1860 and the story of Weeksville, Brooklyn's historically Black neighborhood.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/rebroadcast-free-brooklyn

Stories from the Pandemic Jun 03, 2020

In an unprecedented time of stress and resilience, many Brooklynites are at the front lines of responding to the coronavirus crisis, and many more are encountering a new normal, as we adjust to changing work, education, housing, and even access to basic amenities. Listen to stories from people across the borough as part of our ongoing local oral history archive.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/stories-pandemic

A Folklorist for the Seven Million May 13, 2020

In 1943, Brooklyn Public Library launched its first radio program, in partnership with WNYC. “Folk Songs for the Seven Million,” written and produced by Elaine Lambert Lewis, documented folk songs and stories from around the country and collected folk traditions from everyday Brooklynites. On this episode, we pay tribute to our audio ancestor.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/folklorist-for-seven

In Fifty Years Apr 22, 2020

Earth Day is here, but a lot of us are inside. On this episode of Borrowed, we gather sounds of the natural world from the stoops and parks of Brooklyn, and we look back at the first Earth Day fifty years ago, and ask what it means for us today.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/fifty-years

Get Counted Apr 01, 2020

The census doesn’t just distribute representatives in congress and billions of dollars in federal funds—it determines city bus routes, how many garbage cans are on your block, and whether a grocery store opens in your neighborhood. Filling out the census is one of the most powerful ways to use your voice.

Read the transcript here and our show notes here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/get-counted

Social Distancing? We're Here For You! Mar 17, 2020

Working from home? Kids at home? The library is here for you! We’ve got virtual resources galore to help you keep a healthy social distance during the coronavirus outbreak.

Check out eBooks & Audiobooks: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/borrow/ebooks-audiobooks

Attend virtual story time every day at 11am and 2pm, join our virtual Dungeons & Dragons for teens, and so much more: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/event-series/virtual-programming

Read the latest newspapers and magazines online for free, and learn from home, whether you’re a kid or an adult! https://www.bklynlibrary.org/learning-resources

Three Brooklyn Stories Mar 03, 2020

Listen to three Brooklynites talk about their personal connections to places across the borough. We’ll hear from a Walt Whitman scholar at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, an LGBTQ activist in Brighton Beach, and one of Biggie’s biggest fans on a block in Clinton Hill. Read our transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/three-brooklyn-stories

Stroller Parking Feb 18, 2020

If you’re a kid or if you take care of a kid, chances are you use the library a lot. Listen in on some creative ways that libraries are engaging with children and their caregivers, from writing workshops just for caregivers to classes that help patrons open daycare centers in their own homes.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/stroller-parking

Borrowed, Live! Feb 04, 2020

For our first ever live show, we went back to the basics and talked about books! Listen to our librarians as they match audience members to books on the spot, reveal what, in fact, is the real number-one-checked-out-book in Brooklyn and recommend their favorite reads of 2019. This episode was recorded during the Brooklyn Podcast Festival at Union Hall on January 26.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/borrowed-live

Carnegie's Legacy Jan 23, 2020

Andrew Carnegie has a classic rags-to-riches story: an immigrant turned steel magnate who financed the construction of over 2,500 public library buildings worldwide, including 21 in Brooklyn. But, his business and labor policies often hurt the very people his libraries served. As one Carnegie steel worker said in 1900: “After working 12 hours, how can a man go to a library?” We dig into Carnegie’s complicated legacy, with a special appearance from the Bowery Boys! Listen to their companion episode here: http://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2020/01/andrew-carnegie-and-new-yorks-public-libraries-how-a-gilded-age-gift-transformed-america.html Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/carnegies-legacy

Librarians, Live! Jan 21, 2020

We’re getting in your ears to tell you about our first ever live recording of Borrowed! It’s free, at 5pm on Sunday, January 26 at Union Hall, as a part of Brooklyn Podcast Festival (event details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/borrowed-live-tickets-84560078471).

And, we’re collaborating with The Bowery Boys on an episode about Andrew Carnegie’s complicated legacy. That will come out this Friday, January 24 on our feed and theirs (http://www.boweryboyshistory.com/bowery-boys-first/bowery-boys-podcast).

Plunging into the New Year Jan 01, 2020

To ring in the new year, take a dive into the stories of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club. We hear from voices from across New York City—a cop speaking openly about his wife's drug addiction, recent Russian immigrants looking for tradition, and a mother mourning her daughter's death—who all have their own reasons for jumping into the freezing ocean every Sunday. Read the transcript here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/plunging-new-year

Blocks and Brownstones Dec 24, 2019

Perhaps Brooklyn’s most iconic neighborhood is Bedford-Stuyvesant. The tree-lined streets and grand brownstones have been here for over 150 years, while the Brooklynites who call those brownstones home are constantly changing. In this episode, we tell the story of this neighborhood through the lives of three women who set down roots there in different ways: activist Hattie Carthan, writer Paule Marshall, and novelist Naomi Jackson. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/blocks-and-brownstones

Our Garbage, Ourselves Dec 10, 2019

At the edge of Brooklyn, there’s a beach covered with glass bottles, nylon stockings, rusting kitchen appliances, and decaying batteries. The trash didn’t float here, though. It’s eroding from a poorly-covered landfill. We start this episode at Dead Horse Bay, where we ask what trash can tell us about structures of power, and end the episode in 1960s Bed-Stuy, where the local Civil Rights Movement took on a surprising enemy: garbage collection.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/our-garbage-ourselves

Throwing It Out Nov 26, 2019

We're talking trash at the library today. Specifically, the story of a 3,000-ton garbage barge that made a scene in Brooklyn in the 1980s… and, we ask what happens to library books when they get too old. Finally, we take a trip to East Harlem, where one sanitation worker spent 30 years creating an archive of New Yorkers' trash. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/throwing-it-out

Free Brooklyn Nov 12, 2019

Four hundred years later, this country has yet to reckon with the legacy of slavery. And that is no less true for Brooklyn. This episode, we’re taking a cue from The 1619 Project and telling important stories about the struggle for freedom, from a young girl “auctioned” at Plymouth Church in 1860 to the story of Crown Heights’s Weeksville as a site of resistance and power before the Civil War. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/free-brooklyn

Getting Home Oct 29, 2019

It’s not an uncommon experience to be unstably housed in this country. From Brooklyn to San Francisco, communities often turn to public libraries for valuable information, social services and for a safe and comfortable place to be. This episode, we listen to stories of patrons experiencing homelessness, and ask how the library could be better when it comes to creating a sense of home for everyone. Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/getting-home

Check This Out Oct 15, 2019

Libraries are truly amazing no matter where you go. This season on Borrowed, we’re going to celebrate that, and bring you stories that challenge your idea of the public library, and of Brooklyn, too.

New Americans Jul 16, 2019

Immigration is a pressing topic in our political landscape right now, with concerns about ICE raids and immigration bans. In this episode, we listen to inspiring stories of recent asylees, the case for more bilingual librarians, and what the library means when we say “American.”

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/new-americans

A Writer Grows in Brooklyn Jul 02, 2019

There’s something about Brooklyn that makes you want to write. “Everything is alive here,” says poet Mahogany L. Browne. And thank goodness we have writers to capture that. In this episode, we share an interview with Mahogany Browne and Brooklyn poet laureate Tina Chang, plus a story about the classic novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/writer-grows-brooklyn

Teens Take Over Jun 18, 2019

Kairi Hollon tried to go to the library when he was a teenager in Brooklyn in the 1980s, but he kept getting kicked out. Years later, he came back to the library and started to create spaces just for teens. We’ll listen in on a Dungeons & Dragons game in Mill Basin, a teen party at Central, and learn how video games are changing the library.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/teens-take-over

Work in Progress Jun 04, 2019

From “the most expensive pigeon roost in the world” to one of the world’s most unique libraries, Brooklyn’s Central Library has many stories to tell. We’ll dive into the history of Central Library, and bring you stories of small businesses, fashion shows, and one patron’s path from homelessness to determined author.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/work-progress

For Kids' Sake May 21, 2019

It turns out that libraries weren’t always so friendly toward children. That started to change around the turn of the 20th century, thanks to a librarian who is pretty much unknown today. We're taking a field trip to a library truck in the Flatlands, a story time at Central, and to Brownsville in 1914...

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/for-kids-sake

Weathering the Storm May 07, 2019

Sometimes, in the wake of natural disasters, the library becomes an information center, a shelter and a community space. We travel to Coney Island, Red Hook, and Puerto Rico to learn about how neighbors come together after a storm, and how libraries can help.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/weathering-storm

Across the Reference Desk Apr 23, 2019

Online search engines are basically universal, so questions at the library reference desk are changing. We follow the story of one question, “I want to know how I can be happy,” and learn about how libraries are keeping up with the needs of the community.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/across-reference-desk

Something to Offend Everyone Apr 09, 2019

“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.” So goes the quote from librarian Jo Godwin. From Dr. Seuss to kosher books to Drag Queen Story Hour, this episode will explore what it means to challenge censorship, and what happens when patrons disagree with content in the library.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/something-offend-everyone

Oil Spills and Moldy Paper Mar 26, 2019

Preserving history is about more than battling mold and disintegration. We took a trip to Greenpoint, Brooklyn to learn about how an environmental disaster propelled residents into action, and how the public library is archiving the neighborhood’s past and present.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/oil-spills-and-moldy

Books Are Not Dead Mar 12, 2019

Books on conveyor belts, book vacuums and books in the mail. This episode of “Borrowed” will take you behind the scenes to see how books travel around the boroughs, from Long Island City to Bensonhurst to your bedside table.

Read the transcript and check out our book list here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts/books-are-not-dead

Introducing 'Borrowed' Feb 21, 2019

Brooklyn has so many stories to tell, and a lot of them start at the library. Every other week, “Borrowed” brings you stories that start here and take you somewhere new. Brought to you by Brooklyn Public Library. Our first episode launches March 12.

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