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DMPL Podcast

The official podcast of the Des Moines Public Library. Featuring interviews with authors, special guests to the library, your favorite library staff, and more!
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Now displaying: Page 1
Mar 5, 2024

Jes and Sarah are joined by DMPL Systems Administrator Katie on the newest epsiode of Beyond the Shelves! Katie knows all the numbers and stats about the library that you can imagine, and she gives us some fun facts about circulation, programs, technolgoy, and more. It's a great peak behind the curtain about parts of the library you probably don't know about!

Also, what famous author recently said he lied about having cancer? Stay tuned all the way to the end of the podcast for the Book Bulletin segment!

 

What Our Hosts Are Reading

Feb 22, 2024

Secret Iowa author Megan Bannister joins the DMPL Podcast. She discusses traveling across the state to discover the fun, unknown sites featured in this book, her favorite roads in Iowa, and what famous authors she outsold at a bookstore in Iowa last year.

Show Notes

Feb 6, 2024

It's February, and love is in the air! Get your HEA (happily ever after) by listening to Sarah, a romance aficionado, and Jes discuss the history of the romance genre, current trends, cross-genre romance books, and what some of their favorite stories are within different romance tropes.

 

Currently Reading

 

Trope Picks

 

Other Books Discussed

 

 

 

Dec 5, 2023

On the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast, hosts Jess and Sarah talk about their favorite books of 2023, as well as some of the most common books on the best of 2023 lists across the book media sphere.

 

Show Notes

 

What They're Reading

 

Best Of Lists

 

Jess' Five (plus one)

 

Sarah's Five

Oct 17, 2023

Andrew Sean Greer, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less, its sequel Less is Lost, and four other novels, is the keynote speaker at this year's 23rd annual Iowa Author Awards Dinner. He speaks with host Aaron Gernes about the surprise that is winning the Pulitzer Prize, what it's like to sit as a judge for a major literary award, and what he's going to talk about this Friday in Des Moines.

Show Notes

Oct 10, 2023

On the newest episode of the DMPL Podcast, host Aaron Gernes speaks with one of the headliners at this year's Community Table Festival, Toni Simmons. Simmons is a longtime professional storyteller who has traveled across the country, telling stories and hosting workshops on storytelling.

During the podcast, Toni discusses what storytelling is and how it differs from something like a one-person show. She also talks about her past as a children's librarian right here in Des Moines!

 

Show Notes
Oct 3, 2023

On this month's Beyond the Shelves, Jes and Sarah are talking all things spooky season. They discuss some of their favorite horror movies and TV shows and the book adaptations that go along with them.

 

Show Notes

Spooky Season Books

 

What We're Reading

 

Best Bets

 

First Dibs
 
Sep 7, 2023

Jes and Sarah are taking us back to middle school this month! They're talking about some of their favorite books from when they were in middle school and giving you some readalikes for those books today!

 

Show Notes

 

Middle School Books and Readalikes

 
Weetzie Bat, by Francesca Lia Block
 
Shadow Children series, by Margaret Peterson Haddix
 
Fear Street series, by R.L. Stine
 
Island series, by Gordon Korman
 
The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney

 

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg
  • Where'd You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple
  • The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by C. Alan Bradley

 

What We're Reading

 

First Dibs

 

Best Bets

Aug 1, 2023

We're talking Vacation Reads on the newest episode of Beyond the Shelves! Jes and Sarah are talking about what makes a great vacation read, as well as some great "escapism" books if you can't get out on vacation for awhile. Plus, what they're reading, best bets, and first dibs!

 

Show Notes

Vacation Read Recs
Escapism Books
What We're Reading
First Dibs
Best Bets
Jul 5, 2023

Jes and Sarah are joined by special guest Paige on the latest episode of Beyond the Shelves! This month they're talking all about being a librarian - why they became one, what their day-to-day is like, and they share some fun stories about working on the floor.

Don't forget - Summer Reading is underway! Adults can take part in the Summer Checkout Challenge, and kids can take part in the Summer Reading Challenge. Learn more at dmpl.org/summer-reading.

 

Show Notes

What We're Reading

First Dibs

Best Bets

Jun 7, 2023

Jes and Sarah are back and celebrating Pride with a super-sized episode! They'll share some of their favorite joyful LGBTQIA+ related titles in a variety of genres. Plus, here what they're reading right now, and stick around for a couple new segments - First Dibs and Best Bets.

Don't forget - Summer Reading is underway! Adults can take part in the Summer Checkout Challenge, and kids can take part in the Summer Reading Challenge. Learn more at dmpl.org/summer-reading.

Show Notes

May 3, 2023

AViD Author Emily St. John Mandel joins host Aaron Gernes on the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Mandel will be in Des Moines at the Central Library on Wednesday, May 10, at 7 PM. Doors open at 6 PM.

During the podcast, she discusses the simulation hypothesis, revisiting characters, and the ways in which being born Canadian impacts how she views America, the country she calls home now.

Show Notes

Emily's AViD Event

Emily's Book Picks

May 2, 2023

On the newest episode of Beyond the Shelves, Jes and Sarah talk about reading logs, why you might want to track your reading, and all the different ways you can track and apps you can use to do so.

Show Notes

 

Ways to Track Your Reading:

 

What Sarah and Jes are reading:
Apr 25, 2023

AViD Author J. Ryan Stradal joins host Aaron Gernes on the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Stradal will be at the Central Library on Monday, May 1, at 7 PM for the program. During the podcast, Stradal talks about what he misses about the midwest, the Succession-esque struggles of family business, and how the first chapter in Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club was inspired by emotional events that occurred in his own life.

Show Notes

 

Apr 18, 2023

Innocence Project attorney and criminal justice advocate M. Chris Fabricant takes part in the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Fabricant is the author of Junk Science and the American Criminal Justice System, a book that highlights the flaws and outright fabrications inherent in forensic sciences and how they put innocent people not only behind bars, but on death row.

Fabricant talks with host Aaron Gernes ahead of his visit to the Central Library on Saturday, April 29. The program will start at 12:30 PM.

You can also watch the podcast on YouTube.

Show Notes

Mar 16, 2023

AViD author Sarah Penner joins Aaron Gernes on the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Penner is coming to Des Moines to kick off the 2023 Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) series on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

Show Notes
Mar 10, 2023

On the newest epsidoe of Beyond the Shelves, hosts Jes and Sarah talk about the 2023 Authors Visiting in Des Moines lineup. Then, in the spirit of the Oscars, they discuss their favorite and least-favorite book-to-film (and TV) adaptations before doing buy, borrow, or skip with Lessons in Chemistry.

Feb 21, 2023

Travel writer Sara Broers joins the DMPL Podcast today to discuss here 2022 book, 100 Things to Do in Iowa Before You Die. Sara talks about how she chose the items in her book, her favorite Iowa hidden gems, and what you should do in order to find some off-the-map hidden treasures when you travel.

 

Show Notes

Feb 7, 2023

Welcome to Beyond the Shelves, a new podcast hosted by the Des Moines Public Library! This podcast is hosted by DMPL Librarians Brooklyn and Jes, both of whom are on the Book Chat team. In this first episode, they introduce themselves and talk about their reading goals this year, while also providing recommendations to each other in regards to those goals.

Beyond the Shelves will be released monthly. You can find it in the DMPL Podcast feed.

Jan 19, 2023

The latest episode of the DMPL Podcast features Des Moines author Sean Adams. Sean wrote the 2020 acclaimed novel The Heap, and released his newest novel, The Thing in the Snow, this month. He's also the moderator for the upcoming author visit from Stephen Markley. Markley recently released The Delugeand previously has written Ohio.

Adams talks about his book, his friendship with Markley, and what he's excited to ask Markley about.

Show Notes

Nov 14, 2022

Victor D.O. Santos, author of several children's books, including My Dad, My Rock, joins the DMPL Podcast today. Victor will be taking part in the Des Moines Public Library's Iowa Author Series this Thursday, November 17. The program begins at 5:30 PM at the Central Library and is free to all!

On the podcast, Victor talks about getting started as a children's author two years ago, the process of independently publishing children's books, and why he and his wife are raising their children in a trilingual household.

Show Notes

Oct 20, 2022

Crashing waves, falling leaves, a shadowy forest - books that provide a strong sense a place are what we're talking about on the latest episode of the DMPL Podcast. Book Chat team member Rebecca talks about three new books that she thinks of when she thinks "atmosphere."

Rebecca's Picks

 

Other Book Suggestions

Oct 5, 2022

Iowa Author Award Honoree Heather Gudenkauf is the latest guest on the DMPL Podcast! She discusses her newest book, The Overnight Guest, as well as her 14-year career. 

Gudenkauf is one of three honorees at the 2022 Iowa Author Awards Dinner, which takes place Friday, October 14, at 6:30 PM at the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines. The program, titled The Magic of Libraries, will also feature honorees Art Cullen and Nate Staniforth. 

Show Notes
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