Schlow Library Podcast: Recent Episodes

Ben Drain

The Schlow Library Podcast features interviews and news about events, happenings, and services at Schlow Centre Region Library in State College.

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We're in conversation with members of the jury for the Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize, awarded through the Pennsylvania Center for the Book. We talk about what it takes to choose an award winning graphic novel, and what makes the winner, Guantanamo Voices: True Accounts from the World's Most Infamous Prison by Sarah Mirk, so special.

Listening to us talk about comics, publishing, and specifically Guantanamo Voices is great,  but whatever you do, don't miss the actual Lynn Ward Graphic Novel Prize event with author Sarah Mirk  on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 accessible online right here.

This podcast is brought to you by your friends at Schlow Centre Region Library. 
Thanks for listening!

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In this episode we talk about food history with Dr. Marissa Nicosia, who runs the Cooking from the Archives website. You can also connect with her on Twitter @Rare_Cooking, Instagram @Rare_Cooking, and Facebook.

While you are online, check us at Schlow Library to see all the awesome stuff we got going on for you.

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Join us for this enjoyable Podcast to look back and then forward!
We take a look back on what it took to turn the page on 2020, and where we can head together in 2021. Molly Hetrick joins us as we dive into all the great services and opportunities Schlow Library offers that you might not know about, and an exciting upcoming event that you can be part of.
After the podcast:

  • Please visit the Turn the Page Newsletter
  • Please consider a donation to support Schlow Library Foundation: Now or During Centre Gives May 11 & 12 (links)
  • Visit the Schlow Library website to learn more about upcoming programs and opening hours.

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We are talking Biking and Sustainability in the Cetnre Region with Trish Meek and Pam Adams.  Our Underwriter from Fiction comes from a darling of Jeff Bezos, and our Poetry Nightcap takes a skeptical look at Spring weather.

After you listen, check out these resources for great information. 

  • A great portal of all things biking in our area, with many many resources.
  • Learn how to get involved with the Centre Region's sustainability work.
  • Come see everything you can do with your friends at Schlow Library.

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We are traveling to China to take a look at Chinese Art and Art History. We will be talking to Ashley Yang Liu from Yang Travel Art. Ashley will be teaching at a Schlow Labs event on April 24th, 2021. We hope to see you there!

We begin the show talking Chinese Art History with Dr. Tan from Penn State University. Some of the recommendations from Dr. Tan are the works of Peter Hessler, and Xu Bing.

Our poetry nightcap is from Felix Jung, used under the CC BY-NC 3.0 license.

We'd like to draw your attention to the sustainability work going on at the Centre Region CoG. You can do the following here.

  • Take local government’s Sustainability Survey by April 30 th for a chance to win a $100 gift card or other prizes.
  • Attend the virtual open public forum on Addressing Climate Impacts in the Centre Region on Tuesday, April 13 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM.

For further discussion in Comparative Art History
Compare and contrast the sense of place and belonging depicted in Yang Yongliang's View of Tide (2008), with Chairman Mao And Officials With Children (1983), and that of a western example in Thomas Blink's Unity (1800's; The dogs pictured are an English Setter, an Irish Setter, and the Gordon Setter, a breed from Scotland).

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You can hand me a page of paper with dark strokes on it, and when I look at it, my brain transports me to an imaginative place. That's pretty weird, right? We take a loving look at this miracle with author Dr. Nancy McCabe. You can hear a review of Dr. McCabe's latest book Can This Marriage Be Saved?  here.

Mentioned in the episode is the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Program run by the Children's Librarians at Schlow. If you are keen to sign up, send an email with your child's name and birth date to children@schlowlibrary.org . This and much, much more is going on at Schlow Library. Come check out all the rumpus!

Also in this episode is a poem about language by the poet Jackson, and our Underwriters from Fiction* is sponsored by a transformative figure in scholastic sports.

*licensed under a (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.

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We talk with Lynnicia Massenburg, Dr. Kristen Lillvis, and Dr. Kendra R. Parker about Octavia E. Butler's dystopian novel Parable of the Sower. This is in advance of a book discussion on the novel hosted by Schlow Library in collaboration with the Black Graduate Student Association at Penn State. Come join us!

If you'd like to read Parable of the Sower, we have it in print, ebook, audiobook, and comic form.

Also in this episode, our Underwriters from Fiction comes from Pawnee, Indiana's largest Internet Service Provider, and our prose nightcap is a selection from Nancy McCabe's memoir Can This Marriage Be Saved?

Further reading & listening

  • Lavender III, I. (2019). Afrofuturism Rising: The Literary Prehistory of a Movement. United States: Ohio State University Press.
  • Womack, Y. (2013). Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-fi and Fantasy Culture. United States: Chicago Review Press.
  • Eshun, K. (2003). Further Considerations on Afrofuturism. CR: The New Centennial Review, 3(2), 287-302. Retrieved February 2, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41949397
  • The Bloomsbury Handbook to Octavia E. Butler. (2020). United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.
  • Parker, K. R. (2018). Black Female Vampires in African American Women’s Novels, 1977–2011: She Bites Back. United States: Lexington Books.
  • Lillvis, K. (2017). Posthuman Blackness and the Black Female Imagination. Greece: University of Georgia Press.
  • Rhee, M. (2017). Love, Robot. United States: Operating System.
  • Shaw, K. (2019). Too Numerous. United States: University of Massachusetts Press.
  • Bertram, L. (2019). Travesty Generator. United States: Noemi Press.
  • Adrienne Maree Brown & Toshi Reagon (2019-2020). Octavia's Parables. Retrieved February 2, 2021
  • Shankar Vedantam, et al. (2019). Where does religion come from? One researcher points to 'cultural' evolution. Hidden Brain. Retrieved February 2, 2021

Additional info on BGSA's Black Business Week coming up in Feb. 2021.

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In this one we we go on a tour through time with Matt Maris of Local Historia to discover the surprising history of Centre County. Local Historia's mission is to shine light upon the past, connect with community in the present, and preserve local history for the future.

You can connect with Local Historia for a themed walking tour and much more through the Local Historia website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

No mention of local history research would be complete without also mentioning the excellent resources of the Centre County Historical Society and the Centre County Library and Historical Museum.

Also in this episode we continue our Underwriters from Fiction, DJ Lilly gives us a 6 word book-review for Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich, and our Poetry Nightcap revitalizes the tired poetry trope of alligator-wrestling.

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We talk with Dr. John Gastil about role-playing as a feature in his new novel Dungeon Party, as well as with Hansen Bergamini to see what effect role-playing has had in his life.

Our Underwriters From Fiction is from a pharmaceutical giant dedicated to  maximizing medication side effects in order to provide new marketing opportunities.

Our Poetry Nightcap is from the very talented Karine Polwart.

If you are keen to checkout what role-playing groups are meeting through Schlow Library, you can email refdesk@schlowlibrary.org for more information.

That and much more is going on with your friends at Schlow Library, come join us for something fun!

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We talk with Maria Burchill, the head of Schlow's Adult Services, on the various ways we can stay connected together through the winter.  Some of the resources discussed include:

All the virtual programing and services Schlow offers
Schlow's Zoom rooms open to the public for your event or meeting
Schlow's portal to StoryCorps ConnectCentre County Memories on theStoryCorps ArchiveAll the free tools Google has to help you in a variety of ways
Tabletop Simulator
WPSU's Community Calendar

Our Underwriters from Fiction  comes from everyone's favorite vampire TV show of the 1990's; and guys, our Poetry Nightcap is a piece by NEIL GAIMAN! The good times never stop with your friends at Schlow Library.

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We explore the ways we can create a more deliberative democracy with Dr. John Gastil. Local engagement in a deliberative process can help us overcome factionalism and empower future political participation. Come see what it can do for you!

Our Underwriters from Fiction has a promo that.... well, it has a promo for its time and place.

We conclude with a poetry nightcap by way of Ewan MacColl.

Lots of stuff is going on at Schlow Library, come join us!

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Professor Scott Smith joins us as we take a deep dive into the fantasy works of JRR Tolkien.

Our Underwriters from Fiction continues with one of the best comedies of all time, and we end with our prose nightcap focusing on some beautiful and chilling selections from The Lord of the Rings.

Come checkout all the cool stuff going on at Schlow Library. 

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We talk with the judging panel from the Pennsylvania Center for the Book on their awarding the Lynn Ward Graphic Novel Prize to King of King Court by Travis Dandro. We also get a lot of book recommendations at the end, including a bunch of comics to check out.

Also, our Underwriters from Fiction breaks new barriers in retro-nerdism, and we end with a poetry nightcap from local author Katherine Bode-Lang.

Come see all the cool goings-on at Schlow Library!

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We discuss wrongful convictions with Tim Robicheaux, an Associate Teaching Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Penn State. You can learn more about wrongful convictions at the The National Registry of Exonerations.

Our poetry nightcap is from local author Jim Colbert from his book, Defiantly Blue Sky.

All sorts of stuff is shaking at Schlow Library, come see for yourself!

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Professor Margaret Brittingham talks with us about what we can do to build wildlife habitat on our own lawns. All sorts of useful information on building habitat can be found on the Penn State Extension website.

Our poetry nightcap is from local author Jack Troy, from his book Calling the planet home.

Lots of great programming is going on at Schlow Library, come check us out.

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Author Mermer Blakeslee talks with us about creativity and writing, and we have an epiphany about why fiction is so important.

Underwriters from Fiction continues, if you have an underwriter from fiction that you would like to see sponsor the show, send your advertisement copy to bdrain@sachlowlibrary.org.

All kinds of cool events and virtual programming are happening at Schlow Library, come check us out.

If you are an eccentric billionaire and would like to purchase us an ASCAP license, please hit me up. In the meantime, we'll be piecing together free CC music. The credits of the music in this episode are found bellow.

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Laying Low by Admiral Bob (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/admiralbob77/61081 Ft: Apoxode

Je suis un Phoenix by Bluemillenium (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/Bluemillenium/61325

The Vendetta by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/58628 Ft: Apoxode

Bossa Noir for Nights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/JeffSpeed68/61806 Ft: Martijn de Boer (NiGiD), Javolenus

Pipes of a Stranger byEsencayEnis (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://ccmixter.org/files/EsencayEnis/61926

Loopster by Kevin MacLeod (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (4.0) license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Right Voice by Sackjo22 (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://ccmixter.org/files/SackJo22/33699

Afternoon Walking Pleasures by EsencayEnis c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://ccmixter.org/files/EsencayEnis/61887

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We talk with Linda Littleton and Karen Hirshon of the band Simple Gifts about how you can be playing music with others during the pandemic.

We begin our Underwriters from Fiction spots. If you have an underwriter from fiction that you would like to sponsor the show, send your advertisement copy to bdrain@schlowlibrary.org .

We end with a prose nightcap by local author Andrew Bode-Lang from his book Field Trips with Exceptional People.

You can check out all the happenings at Schlow Library here.

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David Pencek, former Communications Manager of Schlow Centre Region Library, bids farewell, and also talks about the future of the Schlow Library Podcast!

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Lee Stout was Penn State's University Archivist for 27 years and retired as Librarian Emeritus for Special Collections. He has numerous articles and authored or co-authored several books on Penn State's history, including Ice Cream U: The Story of the Nation's Most Successful Collegiate Creamery and Lair of the Lion: A History of Beaver Stadium. 

In this episode, Lee talks about the Creamery, as we celebrate National Ice Cream Month, and Beaver Stadium, as many wonder what will happen this football season amid COVID-19.

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BookFest PA is online this year and will run over three days July 8-10. The final event is an evening with best-selling authors Lisa Scottoline and her daughter, Francesca Serritella. Francesca's debut novel, Ghosts of Harvard, was published this spring.

In this episode, we chat with Francesca about her book, her relationship with her mom, and more!

Francesca Serritella: https://www.francescaserritella.com/

BookFest PA: https://bookfestpa.schlowlibrary.org/

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This year, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has moved its annual juried exhibition show Images that is usually held in the Schlow Gallery to online because of COVID-19. We chat with this year's juror Emily Burns about the exhibition, being an artist during the coronavirus, and more!

Images 2020: https://arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition

Emily Burns: http://emilyburns.com

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We chat with Leslie Laing and Jason Browne — two community people who have led and inspired talks about race and racism. 

Leslie is student advocacy specialist and director of Adult Learner Programs at Penn State. Jason is a radio host on B 94.5 and past president of Rotary Club.

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On June 25, Schlow will welcome, via Zoom, members of Tir Na Nog Irish Dance. They'll be performing and giving instruction on some basic Irish dance steps.

Director Sue Garner, who started dancing when she was 6 years old, joins us, along with two members of the Resuta family that performs with Tir Na Nog. Maria, who is 17, and Christopher, who is 15, compete at championship levels, and Christopher is a three-time North American National Qualifier. The three talk about how they started performing Irish dance and what performing and teaching has been like in this COVID-19 world.

Tir Na Nog Irish Dance: http://tirnanogofpa.com

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Adam Swartz has been touring across the United States with his puppets since 1999. He has become a popular performer at Schlow over the years, and he'll be doing two programs in June with the library via Zoom.

Adam talks about doing puppet performances online during the time of the coronavirus and how he got his start with puppets.

Adam Swartz Puppets: https://www.adamswartzpuppets.com/

Adam Swartz Puppet Show June 17: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/virtual-adam-swartz-puppet-show

Adam Swartz Puppetry Workshop June 18: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/virtual-adam-swartz-puppetry-workshop

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Seniors across the country weren't able to finish their high school careers the way they wanted due to the coronavirus. In that way, they became a special class to remember.

This week, we bring back three State High seniors who joined us last fall for a look at teen life in Happy Valley. Mac Campbell, Madeline Lawrence, and Sydnee Rockey talk about their last months of high school at home and what they've learned and missed along the way.

State College Area School District: https://www.scasd.org/

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Registration for Summer Reading has opened and everyone can start logging in their information starting June 1. While Summer Reading will be different this year because of the coronavirus, participants can still go on Quests and have a chance to win prizes. In addition, we have some great programming happening virtually this summer.

To get you ready for it all we chat with Paula Bannon, Schlow's Head of Children's Services; Katie Brennan, Children's Services Librarian; and Karen Lambert, Adult Services Librarian about Summer Reading!

Summer Reading: https://reading.schlowlibrary.org/

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With Memorial Day weekend here, Tyler Gum, director of the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, joins us to talk about the museum and all of the history it has.

Schlow and the military museum have a partnership where, when the library and museum are open, patrons can check out a family pass to the military museum.

Also, we announce that our remote book returns are now open!

PA Military Museum: https://www.pamilmuseum.org/

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Nurses Appreciation Week just came to an end on May 12. We dedicate this week's episode to the amazing nurses in our region. Three nurses from Mount Nittany Medical Center — Adam Burget, Kim Kennedy, and Taylor Kopp — join us to talk about what work and life at home have been like for them since COVID-19.

Mount Nittany Medical Center: https://www.mountnittany.org/

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May is National Bike Month, and the Centre Region, led by Centre Bike, will be participating again! Trish Meek, senior transportation planner with the Centre Regional Planning Agency in State College, leads the online event "Biking in the Centre Region 101" May 13 through Schlow. Learn more about the Centre Region’s bike paths/routes, PA and local laws, how to pick a bike, and other biking-around-town tips. Get answers to your bike-related questions from regional planning staff and CentreBike members.

In this week's episode, Trish talks about the online event, bike tips during COVID-19, and about some of the fun family activities CentreBike has planned for National Bike Month.

Registration is required. Register at https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/virtual-biking-centre-region-101?_ga=2.88333531.1319605943.1588686196-510261925.1540396447

CentreBike: https://centrebike.org/

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The Centre Foundation is holding its annual online fundraising event for nonprofits Centre Gives on May 12-13. This year's event will obviously be different with the community dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders.

Schlow's manager of philanthropy Molly Hetrick and philanthropy assistant Mel Meder join the podcast this week to talk about fundraising during these unusual and challenging times and Schlow's plans for Centre Gives.

Centre Gives: https://centregives.org/

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Alice McDermott is the author of the 2020 Centre County Reads selection Charming Billy. The book won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1998. Three of her books also have finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

McDermott was scheduled to visit the region in April, but her visit was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She took time to chat with us about what's she's been doing during the stay-at-home orders and, of course, about Charming Billy.

Alice McDermott: https://www.alice-mcdermott.com/

Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

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April is National Poetry Month, and given the times we live in, poetry is having a profound impact.

The Pennsylvania Center for the Book is celebrating poetry this month with its Poems from Life and the Public Poetry Project. Ellysa Cahoy, education librarian and assistant director of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, and Nicole Miyashiro, a poet who coordinates the poets and content development for the Poems from Life project, talk about poetry in this time of a pandemic and the Center for the Book's poetry projects.

Pennsylvania Center for the Book: https://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/

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Award-winning speaker and writer Scott Fried is leading a series of community talks via Zoom that will give everyone "A Chance to Exhale" when it comes to dealing with the coronavirus.

Scott tested positive for HIV in the late 1980s. For over 25 years he has lectured to over a million teenagers, and adults in nearly every US state, as well as countries including Israel, England, Canada, Holland and Honduras. He has spoken at more than 1,000 colleges and universities, schools, camps, synagogues, churches, youth retreats, prisons, military bases, and gatherings of teachers, counselors, and parents. His work is based on a core belief that one must understand the value of one’s own life and hold it sacred.

"A Chance to Exhale" is for anyone 18 years and older and the meetings are 7pm April 16, 23, 30, and May 7.

"Stop. Breathe. Connect" is for children in grades 5 to 8 and their parents or guardians and meetings are 5pm April 14, 21, 28 and May 5. Registration is required at info@janamariefoundation.org.

Scott Fried: https://scottfried.com
"A Chance to Exhale" Zoom Room: http://tinyurl.com/ChanceToExhale

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Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, we chatted with Penn State students involved in the Green Energy Challenge presented by the National Electrical Contractors Association. The students selected the Schlow Library building for its challenge project. They surveyed the building and had planned programs.

Three members of the team — Liam Cummings, Nisha Labroo, and Maggie Smith — talks about green energy and the challenge.

Green Energy Challenge: https://electri.org/education/green-energy-challenge-competition/

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We take time to answer some of your questions concerning Schlow and how we're responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Pulitzer finalist Elizabeth Rush talks about her book Rising that looks at climate change and how it's impacting America's shorelines. Her book shares stories of some of the people whose lives have been most impacted by the rising sea levels.

Elizabeth Rush: http://elizabethrush.net/

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In March, the Schlow Gallery is exhibiting "World War I: Lessons and Legacies: A Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, with Added Prints by Combat Artist Michael D. Fay and Others."

Fay is a Penn State alum and during his service in Marine Corps as a combat artist he has served two tours each in Iraq and Afghanistan. He talks about what it means to be a combat artist and how stories of combat are told through art.

Michael D. Fay: http://michaeldfay.com/

World War I: Lessons and Legacies: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/news/2020-03-03/world-war-i-lessons-legacies-smithsonian-traveling-exhibition?_ga=2.104919876.611276391.1583849908-510261925.1540396447

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Across the country, Will Eisner Week is being celebrated this week, and we take part with our chat with local illustrator and cartoonist Joel Priddy.

Joel's works have been nominated for Eisner Awards. His graphic novels include Pulpatoon: PilgrimmageThe Preposterous Voyages of IronHide Tom,and The Gift of the Magi.

Joel also teaches design and illustration at Penn State.

Joel Priddy: https://stuckeman.psu.edu/faculty/joel-priddy

Will Eisner Week: http://www.willeisner.com/

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The Centre County Reads program schedule continues March 3 when Dr. Nalini Krishnankutty discusses "Re-viewing History: Centering the Stories on Immigrants" in Schlow Library's Downsbrough Community Room.

We chat with Dr. Krishnankutty, who is a first-generation immigrant American. She has become a leading voice in the immigrant discussion in America. She serves as a commissioner on Governor Wolf's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and her TEDxPSU talk in 2018 on "How Immigrants Shape(d) the United States" is being used in public schools and university classrooms, and for training sessions across the country.

Nalini Krishnankutty: http://www.nalinikrishnankutty.com/
Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

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"In Automating Inequality, Virginia Eubanks systematically investigates the impacts of data mining, policy algorithms, and predictive risk models on poor and working-class people in America. The book is full of heart-wrenching and eye-opening stories, from a woman in Indiana whose benefits are literally cut off as she lays dying to a family in Pennsylvania in daily fear of losing their daughter because they fit a certain statistical profile."

In April, the Penn State Rock Ethics Institute is hosting Eubanks to talk about her book Automating Inequality. Prior to that, on March 26, Brady Clemens, our district library consultant, will lead a nonfiction book club in Schlow's Sun Room to discuss the book. We chat with Brady about Automating Inequality and some of the sobering and alarming information Eubanks discovered in her research and investigation.

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During the month of February, Schlow's gallery is showcasing work done by middle and high school students in the Delta Program of the State College Area School District. The work is from the course "Bridging Divides: Diversity and Social Justice" that the students took last fall.

Joining us this week to talk about the course and exhibition is Delta teacher Lori McGarry, who co-taught the course with Virginia Squier, along with senior Anjelica Rubin and seventh-grader Aneaus Smith.

Delta Program: https://www.scasd.org/deltaprogram

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SCORE of Central PA is an all-volunteer organization that has business mentors who help people make their business dreams a reality.

Each third Thursday of the month, SCORE visits Schlow to present workshops on various topics that are designed to help those starting a business or who currently have a small business of their own.

We chat with two SCORE volunteers and past chairs of the organization — Bob Griffin and Ken Manno. Bob worked in instructional design and taught in the Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State for 26 years. Ken spent most of his professional career working in the forest products industry. He managed the Sustainable Forestry Initiative for 14 years.

SCORE: https://www.score.org

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The local Irish and Celtic band Callanish kicks off Centre County Reads 2020 with a performance February 8 at the Green Drake Gallery and Arts Center in Millheim. We chat with Holly Foy of Callanish about the band and her experiences in Ireland!

Callanish: http://www.callanishband.com/

Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

The Green Drake Art Gallery: https://www.greendrakeart.com/

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Schlow is holding its 36th annual Write and Illustrate Your Own Book Contest for children in grades 1 through 6. Entries are being accepted until Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

On February 8, local writer Anne Burgevin will lead a Young Writers Workshop for those interested in entering the contest. We chat with Anne about the workshop and working with young writers, along with two past winners of the contest — Rachel Zhang, who won last year with her book, A Jar of Words: Short Stories and Poems; and Karis John, who won in 2017 for her book, Dragon School.

Write and Illustrate Your Own Book Contest: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/news/2019-08-02/write-and-illustrate-your-own-book-contest?_ga=2.190311019.1162698250.1579629350-510261925.1540396447

Young Writers Workshop: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/young-writers-workshop-4?_ga=2.190311019.1162698250.1579629350-510261925.1540396447

Dragon School by Karis John: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/402550

A Jar of Words: Short Stories and Poems by Rachel Zhang: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/432139

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Our Schlow Labs 2020 sessions begin January 25 with Genealogy for Beginners. The workshop will be led by Robbin Degeratu from the Centre County Library and Historical Museum. We chat with Robbin about genealogy and all the resources available at the Pennsylvania Room in Bellefonte.

Centre County Library Pennsylvania Room: https://www.centrecountylibrary.org/pa-room

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Nicole Packard is a State College artist and art educator whose work explores the intersection of reality and fantasy. Nicole, who teaches at Park Forest Middle School, has a solo exhibition, Mindscapes, showing in Schlow's Betsy Rodgers Allen Art Gallery throughout January.

We chat with Nicole about how she got started in art, her work, and teaching art to the next generation of artists.

Nicole Packard: https://www.scasd.org/Page/25479

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We'll be back with a new episode next week. Until then, we just wanted to say thanks for a great 2019 and look ahead to 2020!

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Mr. Music, Lenny Tepsich, returns to Schlow for First Night with performances at 11am and 1pm on Tuesday, December 31. To mark his return, we're replaying our conversation with Mr. Music that we had prior to last year's First Night!

First Night State College: https://firstnightstatecollege.com/

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We take a look back at the year in books in 2019 and look ahead to 2020 with two editors from BookPage. Joining us are Cat Acree, who is the deputy editor of BookPage and handles all coverage of adult literary fiction and audiobooks, and Christy Lynch, who is the nonfiction editor of BookPage.

BookPage: https://bookpage.com/

Best Books of 2019: https://bookpage.com/features/24672-best-books-2019#.XfkXytZKjfa

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The Centre County Reads committee has made its selection for Centre County Reads 2020 and it's Alice McDermott's National Book of the Year award-winner Charming Billy!

We chat with three members of the Centre County Reads committee — Schlow's head of adult services Maria Burchill, retired teacher Ellen Coffman, and associate professor of English at Penn State and director of the Center for American Literary Studies Sean Goudie — to find out about the selection process and preview next year's Centre County Reads events.

Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

Center for American Literary Studies: https://cals.la.psu.edu/

Alice McDermott: https://www.alice-mcdermott.com/

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Schlow is hosting its first Frost Fest on Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15. The event will have activities throughout the library. We chat with some of the creative team behind creating this inaugural event — Schlow's head of children's services Paula Bannon, children's services librarian Katie Brennan, and head of technical and volunteer services Diane Schmidt.

Frost Fest: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/node/3387

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In this month's edition of Meet the Staff, we chat with Schlow's head of IT services Nathaniel Rasmussen, who started at Schlow in 1993 as a page when he was in high school.

In 2018, Nathaniel was named a "Mover and Shaker" by Library Journal fort his work building community partnerships in an effort to bring TV White Space to the community.

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The Penn State Thespians return to Schlow December 7-8 for three performances of Frog and Toad in the Community Room. We chat with this year's co-chairs of the thespians, Rebecca Velez and Ryan Castillo, about the organization and putting on a children's show.

Performances for Frog and Toad are 11am and 2:30pm December 7 and 2:30pm December 8.

Penn State Thespians: https://www.psuperformingartscouncil.com/penn-state-thespians.html

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With the film, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks, coming out, we wanted to reflect on the impact Mr. Rogers had on the lives of people. Nathaniel Rasmussen, Schlow's head of IT services, and Anita Ditz, former head of Schlow's Children's Department, share their fond memories and thoughts on Fred Rogers! 

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It's been about a month and a half since Schlow Library joined other public libraries in boycotting eAudiobooks from Simon & Schuster and Blackstone Audio. Other public libraries also are boycotting other publishers because of new restrictions placed on libraries who want their patrons to have access to eBooks and eAudiobooks.

District consultant Brady Clemens and head of adult services Maria Burchill update the boycott at Schlow as well as what's happening nationally between libraries and publishers.

Information on Schlow Boycott: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/news/2019-09-16/schlow-joins-nationwide-publisher-boycott?_ga=2.228867676.1399453481.1573486016-510261925.1540396447

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Each year, Jewish Book Month is celebrated the month prior to Hanukkah. This year's Jewish Book Month is November 22 to December 22, and Schlow marks the celebration with book displays in its Children's Department and Adult Services Department.

We chat with Jewish Book Council executive director Naomi Firestone-Teeter about Jewish Book Month and the Jewish Book Council and about the changes that have happened over the years.

Jewish Book Council: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/

Paper Brigade: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/paper-brigade

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With Veterans Day approaching, we dedicate this episode to those who have served or are serving our military. We chat with two local veterans — Vincent Tedesco Jr. and Chris Solo — about their service.

Vincent graduated from Penn State and was commissioned a second lieutenant of artillery in the Regular Army in 1964. He retired from the Army in 1991, after 27 years of service. His military awards include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star. He commanded three batteries.

Chris is currently a clinical assistant professor of supply chain and analytics in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State. He served 21 years on active duty with the United States Air Force, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. During his military career, he held assignments throughout the United States and in the Republic of Korea, and he served in the intelligence, aircraft program management, and operations research analyst career fields.

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Schlow's Fall Fund Drive is in full swing so we thought it would be a good time to chat with the library's manager of philanthropy Molly Hetrick for this month's Meet the Staff episode.

To donate to Schlow: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/donate/make-donation?_ga=2.30738879.1260296095.1571928232-510261925.1540396447

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It's our Halloween edition of the podcast. For this episode, we chat with two local thriller authors — J.L. Delozier and Sarah Stephens. The two discuss how thrillers/horrors have changed over the years and what makes a good villain.

J.L. Delozier's books include Type & Cross, Storm Shelter, and Blood Type X, which came out in April. Sarah Stephens's debut, A Flash of Red, came out in April 2016, and her new novel, It Was Always You, will be coming out in November.

J.L. Delozier: http://jldelozier.com/

Sarah Stephens: https://sarahkstephens.com/

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In celebration of October being TeenTober in libraries across the country, we chat with three State College Area High School seniors — Maggie Campbell, Madeline Lawrence, and Sydnee Rockey — about life as a teen in State College. 

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Schlow's Author Spotlight series continues on Thursday, October 17 with a visit from Madeline Miller, author of the bestsellers The Song of Achillesand Circe.

We chat with Madeline about her love of the Greek classics and her new TV deal for Circe!

Madeline Miller: http://madelinemiller.com/

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The Nittany Valley Chapter of the Embroiders' Guild of America (EGA) is celebrating its 40th year this year, and in October the chapter will have an exhibition in Schlow's Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery.

We chat with two chapter members — Tina Aumiller and Joanne Loebig — about the guild and the community feeling around embroidery.

Nittany Valley Chapter of EGA: https://www.facebook.com/NittanyValleyChapterEGA/

Schlow Stitchers: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/schlow-stitchers?_ga=2.14227710.839218999.1569934441-510261925.1540396447

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Elaine Bayly has been a children's services technician at Schlow since 2017, when she moved to State College with her husband and two daughters. She was born in the Philippines and came to America when she was 9. Elaine helps out in Schlow's Toddler Learning Centre and is working on a diversity audit for the library in an effort to continue to bring different cultures and voices into Schlow's collection of children's books.

Elaine was featured in a story our website during Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/news/2019-05-07/celebrating-asianpacific-american-heritage-month?_ga=2.28154876.1394258792.1568981590-694232853.1551924016

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The Centre Region is opening its first StoryWalk on Saturday, September 28 in Autumnwood Park. StoryWalks are in all 50 states and in more than a dozen countries around the world.

Anne Ferguson from Vermont came up with the idea for the StoryWalk in 2007, and we had a chance to chat with her for this week's episode. Anne is retired after working 35 years in human services. The idea for StoryWalk "combines the joy of reading, spending time in nature, going for a walk, and sharing a great story as a family."

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Schlow's Author Spotlight series kicks off on Saturday, September 21 with a visit from author Jamie Ford, whose books include the New York Times bestsellers Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Willow Frost. His latest novel is Love and Other Consolation Prizes.

We chat with Jamie about his career and inspiration of writing novels based on actual events.

Jamie will be at Schlow from 2 to 3:30pm on September 21. The event is free. Reserve your seat at: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/author-spotlight-jamie-ford?_ga=2.89722459.1941186202.1568499953-694232853.1551924016

Jamie Ford: http://www.jamieford.com/

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September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and this year Schlow is taking on Northland Public Library near Pittsburgh to see who can sign up the most patrons for library cards this month! It's in conjunction with this year being the final schedule meeting between Penn State and Pitt in football.

Schlow director Cathi Alloway and Northland director Amy Steele join the podcast to talk about libraries, and maybe do a little trash talking too!

Schlow Library Card Sign Up: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/contact/help/get-library-card

Northland Public Library: https://www.northlandlibrary.org/

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Artist Michele Randall from State College is exhibiting some of her work in our gallery in September. Her works include encaustic painting and cyanotype. 

We have a conversation with her about the type of art she does and her path to becoming an artist.

Michele Randall: http://www.michelerandallart.com

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In this latest edition of Meet the Staff, we chat with Charlotte Getson, who grew up in State College and volunteered at Schlow for about three years. A student at Penn State, she has been a page at the library for the last five years.

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In honor of back to school week, we chat with the two co-coordinators of the library department in the State College Area School District. Paije Davis has been at Corl Street Elementary for the past 16 years, and Dotty Delafield is the librarian at Mount Nittany Middle School and has worked for the school district since 2000.

State College Area School District: https://www.scasd.org/

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For more than a decade, Schlow has partnered with Strawberry Fields to present the Toddler Learning Centre in the library's community room. TLC is for kids ages 18 to 36 months and includes a mixture of children who have developmental delays and those who don't. We chat with the two people who oversee TLC — Elaine Bayly, who works in Schlow's Children's Department, and Chris Orndorff, who is an early intervention teacher at Strawberry Fields. 

Strawberry Fields: https://sfionline.org/

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Some publishers are changing how and what they offer libraries when it comes to eBooks and eAudiobooks. We chat with Schlow's head of adult services Maria Burchill and district library consultant Brady Clemens about some of the changes and how they're impacting libraries.

CNN Column: https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/02/opinions/libraries-fight-publishers-over-e-books-west/index.html

BookRiot Story: https://bookriot.com/2019/08/12/macmillans-new-library-ebook-lending-model-and-its-effect-on-libraries/

Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/e-books-make-macmillan-rethink-relationships-with-libraries-11564063800

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Instructors from the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania are exhibiting some of their work in the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery of Schlow Centre Region Library during the month of August. Eleven instructors will have pieces in the exhibition.

We chat with two of the instructors — Michele Rivera and Marisa Eichman Kupiec — about teaching art and the exhibition at Schlow.

Art Alliance of Central PA: http://artallianceofcentralpa.org/

Artistic Horizon: https://artistichorizon.org

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Matthew VanFossan is the author of Through Gilly’s Eyes: Memoirs of a Guide Dog. In his book, Gilly narrates the story of his life as Matt’s first guide dog with insight and humor.

Matthew became blind at the age of 21, and on August 10 he’ll be at Schlow Library and talk about how the challenges and opportunities he has faced have led him to see himself and the world in a new way, perhaps more clearly than when he had eyesight.

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The latest Meet the Staff podcast features a conversation with Schlow technician Liz Bennett. Liz has been with Schlow since 2013, and she works in the Patron Services department where she processes damaged and incomplete items, trains Schlow's pages, mentors' part-time library assistants, and much more!

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The national professional touring theatre company Bright Star Touring Theatre is bringing its show Jack's Adventure in Spaceto Schlow on Tuesday, July 30. We chat with Bright Star CEO Josh Batenhorst about the company, the power of theater, and Jack's Adventure in Space.

Bright Star Touring Theatre: https://www.brightstartheatre.com/

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People coming together to play board games has seen a resurgence and is growing. The Boardgaming meetup group of State College and Central PA meets at various times during the month, including once a month at Schlow Library. The next meetup is Saturday, July 27 from 10am to 4pm. All are invited and welcome to come and play games.

We chat the group's organizers Gabriel Szasko and Curtis Frantz about the group and the popularity of board games during this digital age.

Boardgaming Meetup Group of State College and Central PA: https://www.meetup.com/Gaming_in_State_College/

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As part of this year's Summer Reading Theme, A Universe of Stories, Schlow is taking visits to the Penn State Planetarium where we can learn about constellations and their stories. The next visit is Friday, July 19. In this episode, we chat with Elizabeth Melton, a graduate student pursuing a PhD in astronomy at Penn State. Elizabeth also does many of the programs at the planetarium, including the one on July 19.

Penn State Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics: https://astro.psu.edu/

AstroFest: https://astro.psu.edu/public-outreach/astrofest

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We talk with bestselling poet Andrea Davis Pinkney, whose book, Martin Rising: Requiem for a King, is this year's winner of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. Andrea will receive the award during a ceremony at 11am Saturday, July 13, in Schlow's community room.

Andrea Davis Pinkney: https://andreadavispinkney.com/

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award: https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/awards-contests/lee-bennett-hopkins-poetry-award

Pennsylvania Center for the Book: https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/

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We launch a new monthly series of the Schlow Library Podcast. On Meet the Staff, you'll have a chance to get to know the people who work at Schlow a little better. In this first episode, we talk with office manager DJ Lilly, who has spent her entire career working in libraries and has been at Schlow since 2011. She is responsible for everything from building concerns to payroll and human resources, and she is Schlow's resident tweeter on Twitter!

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Schlow Library is once again hosting the Images exhibition, the juried art exhibition held by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. To preview the exhibition, we chat with this year's juror Shannon Egan. Shannon is director of the Schmucker Art Gallery at Gettysburg College. She selected the pieces for the exhibition from more than 330 submissions.

The exhibition will be in the Schlow gallery and community room throughout July. The awards reception will be held at 6:30pm Thursday, July 11 in the community room.

Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts: https://arts-festival.com/

Schmucker Art Gallery: https://www.gettysburg.edu/offices/schmucker-art-gallery/index.dot

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A chat with Dr. Greg Eghigian of Penn State's Department of History who does research on the phenomena of UFO sightings. Schlow is celebrating World UFO Day on July 2 and Dr. Eghigian will be giving a talk on July 23 on "1969 and the Flying Saucers."

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Cynthia Mazzant and Elaine Meder-Wilgus, co-founders of the Central PA Theatre & Dance Festival, join us to talk about this year's festival, which runs June 21-23. This is the second year for the festival, and it features performances, workshops, intensives, and more! Several festival events will be happening at Schlow.

Central PA Theatre & Dance Festival: https://centralpatheatre.com/

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Schlow is once again participating in the Free Summer Lunch Program presented by the Healthy Bodies Project at Penn State. Schlow will be holding free summer lunches for kids ages 0 to 18 in our Community Room from 11:30am to 12:30pm on Tuesdays, starting June 18 and running through August 20.

We talk with Catie Simpson, nutrition educator for the Healthy Bodies Project at Penn State, about the program and some tips on getting kids to eat healthier.

Healthy Bodies Project at Penn State: https://sites.psu.edu/healthybodies/

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The June exhibition in the Schlow gallery is A Poem in Our Eyesand features works done by residents of Centre Crest nursing home's memory care unit. The program was done through Ridgelines Language Arts, which provides expert language arts instructions to those who are impacted by stigma and injustice in central Pennsylvania.

We chat with Abby Minor, who founded Ridgelines, along with Robyn Passante, a local freelance writer who taught the A Poem in Our Eyes class at Centre Crest. 

The exhibition runs June 3-27.

Ridgelines Language Arts: https://www.ridgelineslanguagearts.org/

Robyn Passante: http://robynpassante.com/

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The Share Your Opioid Story Initiative will be bringing its Reducing Opioid Stigma Community Conversation event to Schlow on Thursday, May 30. We have a conversation with Dr. Glenn Sterner, who coordinated the initiative and is an expert on the opioid epidemic.

Share Your Opioid Story: http://shareyouropioidstory.com/

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We look ahead to this year's Summer Reading Programs. Paula Bannon, head of children's services, Maria Burchill, head of adult services, and Karen Lambert, adult services librarian, chat about what's in store for the reading programs this summer with the theme of A Universe of Stories!

Summer Reading Registration: https://reading.schlowlibrary.org/

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The Schlow Library Podcast talks about bicycling in the Centre Region with Trish Meek, who will lead the class/discussion Biking in the Centre Region 101 at Schlow on May 16. Trish is the senior transportation planner with the Centre Regional Planning Agency in State College. She has worked to emphasize the importance of incorporating walking and biking into the transportation network in Centre County. 

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With Centre Gives happening May 7-8, we discuss the popular online giving event with Rachael Hartman from Centre Foundation, Amy Wilson, who is the executive director of Mid-State Literacy Council, and Schlow's own Molly Hetrick.

Centre Gives: https://centregives.org/

Centre Foundation: https://centre-foundation.org/

Mid-State Literacy Council: https://www.mid-stateliteracycouncil.org/

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Students from the State College Area School District and Bald Eagle Area School District will once again be having an exhibition in Schlow's gallery. Reduce, Reuse, Remake 2019 will be in the gallery in May and features pieces students did using plastic as a way to promote environmental concerns over plastic. We talk with Julia Nelson, a sixth-grade art instructor from Mount Nittany Middle School, along with State College students Madeline Pate, Jessica Saraka, and Anastasia Shawver about the exhibition.

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We have a conversation with Shaina Birkhead from the Children's Book Council and Every Child a Reader as we get ready for the 100th anniversary of Children's Book Week, April 29-May 5.

Every Child a Reader: https://everychildareader.net

Children's Book Week: https://everychildareader.net/cbw/

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It's National Volunteer Week and we chat with Diane Schmidt, head of technical and volunteer services at Schlow, and Jan Miles, who has been a volunteer at Schlow for one year.

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We have a conversation with Centre County Library director and Pennsylvania Library Association president Denise Sticha about the state of libraries and what National Library Week means.

Centre County Library: https://www.centrecountylibrary.org/

Pennsylvania Library Association: https://www.palibraries.org/

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We talk with Charima Young, director of Penn State's Local Government and Community Relations department, about the upcoming Research Unplugged Spring 2019 schedule that begins April 4 and will be held each Thursday in April in Schlow's Community Room.

Research Unplugged: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/node/3059

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The Link is the mobile career center from Pennsylvania Career Link, and it visits Schlow Library each month on the fourth Thursday of the month. The Link's project coordinator Craig Kurtz talks about the services, how it has helped people find work, and what sectors are hiring.

PA Career Link: https://www.pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/

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State High alum and former Schlow employee Rebecca Roan will be returning to Schlow on March 24 for a launch party for her debut picture book Dragons Get Colds Too. Rebecca took some time to be a guest on our podcast, where she talked about her days at Schlow and her book!

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Parenting Plus program director Jennifer Crane will be leading a five-week parenting discussion group at Schlow called "Tuning Into Kids." The program is each Tuesday, starting March 12. Jennifer talks about the program and how Parenting Plus is helping the community.

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Jamie Berube is a 27-year-old from State College who was born with Down Syndrome. He has become a talented artist and will have a solo exhibition in March at the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery at Schlow. For this episode, Jamie was joined by his father, Michael, and mother, Janet Lyon. Michael has written two books about Jamie that Schlow has available in its collection.

Michael Berube's Web site: http://www.michaelberube.com

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The Schlow Library Podcast talks with Katie Fallon, author of this year's Centre County Reads book Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. Katie will be giving a talk about her book on April 4 at the Nittany Lion Inn.

Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

Katie Fallon: http://www.katiefallon.com/

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In honor of Library Lovers Month, we invited Nate Rufo and Andrea McCloskey of Happy Valley Improv back to the podcast to talk about their love of libraries and have some improv fun.

Happy Valley Improv: https://www.happyvalleyimprov.com/

Check out books from the Happy Valley Improv Collection at Schlow: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Search/Results?type=AllFields&submit=Find&lookfor=happy+valley+improv&op=Search&form_build_id=form-q1t2x6xQBUMf0Pckq489xj5-xHonQVuaLC7IHxvLw_o&form_id=schlow_vufind_search_form

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Sascha Meinrath is the Palmer Chair in Telecommunications at Penn State and director of X-Lab, an innovative think tank focusing on the intersection of vanguard technologies and public policy. He is a renowned technology policy expert and is internationally recognized for his work over the past two decades as a community internet pioneer, social entrepreneur, and angel investor. Sascha will host Schlow Labs: Practical Tools for Digital Privacy February 16 at Schlow. Before then, we had a conversation with him about the issues of tech and privacy.

Schlow Labs: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/schlow-labs-practical-digital-tools-personal-privacy

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The Schlow Library Podcast talks with local artist Marisa Eichman Kupiec, whose exhibition The Hunt for the Red Doe will be in the Schlow gallery during the month of February. Kupiec won the Images 2018 award for her painting "The Hunt for the Red Doe."

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The Schlow Library Podcast talks with Mark Shirey and Jennifer Delozier, co-leaders of the Nittany Valley Writers Network, which meets each month at Schlow.

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BookPage is a monthly national publication featuring book reviews, interviews, and features that is distributed for free at Schlow and public libraries across the country. We talk with BookPage editor Stephanie Koehler about how 2018 was for books and what are some of the hot titles to look forward to in 2019.

BookPage: https://bookpage.com

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Maria Burchill, head of adult services at Schlow Centre Region Library, talks about Centre County Reads and this year's selection of Vulture by Katie Fallon.

Centre County Reads: https://www.centrecountyreads.org/

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New Leaf Initiative and Schlow Centre Region Library are partnering to bring coworking and programming to students, entrepreneurs, and remote workers across the Centre Region. We talk with New Leaf community manager Stacey Budd and Schlow's head of adult services Maria Burchill about the partnership and what it means for both organizations.

New Leaf Initiative: https://newleafinitiative.org

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We look back at 2018 with with district consultant Brady Clemens and Lisa Shaffer and Laura Sarge from Centre County Library & Historical Museum. We talk about libraries, books, movies, and more.

Centre County Library: https://www.centrecountylibrary.org

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We talk with Mr. Music, Lenny Tepsich, as he prepares to make his return to Schlow Library on December 31 as part of First Night State College activities!

First Night: https://firstnightstatecollege.com

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We talk with teacher/writer Anne Burgevin and four of her students who participated in the exhibition Quilts & Prints: Young People Respond to Gee's Bend Art, which is in Schlow's gallery through December.

The students on the show are Ruth Anstrom, Almila Dukel, Katie Loomis-Adams, and Faith Kinglsey.

For more on the exhibition, visit https://www.schlowlibrary.org/news/2018-11-29/quilts-and-prints?_ga=2.74643355.867939599.1544451723-1806983674.1493227878

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With the popular Polar Express back at Schlow, we talk with Sara Willoughby-Herb and Steven Herb, who have been reading Polar Express at Schlow since the event began.

Polar Express at Schlow: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/polar-express-8?_ga=2.225370706.910084437.1543342195-1806983674.1493227878

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We talk with Meg Reed and Shannon Walker of the Penn State Thespian Society and preview the society's production of Corduroy, which will be at Schlow Library December 1-2.

Penn State Thespian Society: https://www.psuperformingartscouncil.com/penn-state-thespians.html

Performances of Corduroy: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/corduroy

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Susan Orlean's latest book, The Library Book, not only looks at the fire that destroyed the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986 but also is about public libraries in general and their impact on communities. Schlow talks with Susan about her books and love of libraries.

Susan Orlean: http://www.susanorlean.com

Books by Susan Orlean at Schlow: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Search/Results?type=AllFields&submit=Find&lookfor=susan+orlean&op=Search&form_build_id=form-TRVA6f-ZZZeYv7iWZrtJDaR3_eXNGmBoJVbXHEgBF84&form_id=schlow_vufind_search_form

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Schlow Library talks with Nittany Ballet artistic director Rebecca Maciejczyk and previews The Nutcracker performance. Nittany Ballet will perform scenes from its Nutcracker production 2:30pm November 18 at Schlow.

For more on Nittany Ballet and PASCP, visit http://www.pascp.org

Book mentioned: The Giving Tree: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/38312

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Schlow talks with best-selling thriller author J.D. Barker, who will be visiting Schlow at 6:30pm November 13. Barker is the author of The Fourth Monkey. He just came out with The Fifth to Die and co-authored Dracul, a prequel to Dracula with Dacre Stoker.Barker's visit is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, and is presented by the Nittany Valley Writers Network and Schlow Foundation.

Works by Barker at Schlow: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Search/Results?type=AllFields&submit=Find&lookfor=J.D.+Barker&op=Search&form_build_id=form-jn9q2JF9hmf6cVwMPFn4J40cvmiHxsR_NJWIjHMgkqw&form_id=schlow_vufind_search_form

For more on Barker, http://jdbarker.com

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Schlow looks ahead to Global Entrepreneurship Week Penn State with Kimberlee MacMullen, director of Penn State Small Business Development Center. 

For a schedule of Global Entrepreneurship Week events visit https://gew.psu.edu.

For information on Penn State Small Business Development Center visit https://sbdc.psu.edu

Books Kimberlee MacMullen talks about include Jurassic Park: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/372865

Also check out the Hardy Boys, Anne Rice, and Jacques Cousteau.

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Schlow gets you ready for Halloween with a conversation with Penn State graduate students Josh Tuttle, founder of the Spooky Scary Society, and Rachel Banka, vice president of the group.

For more on the Spooky Scary Society, visit http://www.spookyscarysociety.com

Some titles mentioned:
Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/66652

Practical Magic: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/352406

To comment or suggest an idea for the podcast, email dpencek@schlowlibrary.org.

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We talk with Andrea McCloskey and Nate Rufo of Happy Valley Improv. They talk about the art of improv, the Happy Valley Improv Collection at Schlow Library, and An Evening with Happy Valley Improv on October 25 at Schlow.

For more on An Evening with Happy Valley Improv: https://www.schlowlibrary.org/events/enjoy-evening-happy-valley-improv

For more on Happy Valley Improv: https://www.happyvalleyimprov.com

For comments and suggestions about the Schlow Library Podcast, email dpencek@schlowlibrary.org.

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Author Stephanie Powell Watts talks about her debut novel No One Is Coming to Save Us and more. She'll be at Schlow Library on October 22.

For more on Stephanie Powell Watts, visit http://stephaniepowellwatts.com.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith is a book Stephanie mentions in the podcast: https://search.schlowlibrary.org/Record/383848.

If you have comments/suggestions for the podcast, email dpencek@schlowlibrary.org.

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District Library Consultant Brady Clemens talks about the free services that are available through the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

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Schlow previews the return of Research Unplugged in October with an interview with Charima Young, director of local government and community relations for Penn State.

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Local artist Jennifer Shuey talks about her career in art and her exhibition in the Schlow Library gallery. Check out Jennifer's work at her home page: http://www.jennifershueyart.com.

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Schlow Library chats with Conn Thieman, author of the new children's book A Weekend in Happy Valley. Conn will be visiting Schlow on Sunday, September 9, as part of the Meet the Authors even in the Children's Department.

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Schlow Library's head of adult services Maria Burchill and district library consultant Brady Clemens discuss the Great American Read and share their thoughts on the books that made the list.

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We talk with Park Forest Middle School librarian Kathy Billet about the Schlow to School program that allows students in the State College Area School District middle schools to check out books from Schlow and have those books delivered to their school.

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Schlow Library talks with Douglas Shontz and Autumn Busbee of the Borough of State College about this year's LIONBash event.