Check Us Out

A message from our director, Peter Coyl, about our podcast going on hiatus.

This month's episode is from an Instagram Live session where Adrienne, Ken, and Kiersten discuss books they loved and ones they did not! Books discussed: Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Standing at the Scratchlines by Guy Johnson Echoes of a Distant Summer by Guy Johnson

This month Selwa interviews local author Valerie Wilson Wesley on her recent book, "A Glimmer of Death." Books discussed: A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley The Tamara Hayle mystery series by Valerie Wilson Wesley The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson

Maurice highlights African American History Month, career development, and leisure programs. Molly talks about four Open Book/Open Mind events as well as a few more. Kiersten shares fiction titles that won Youth Media Awards in 2021 that are available digitally or physically in our collection. Ken shares new February adult fiction titles. Adrienne explores the beginning of There There by Tommy Orange. Ariel interviews local author Gabrielle Glaser on her new book, "American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption." Books Discussed: A Bright Ray of Darkness by Ethan Hawke The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles Blood Grove by Walter Mosley Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 edited by Ibrim X. Kindi Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story, by Daniel Nayeri Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh We Are Not Free by Tracy Chee All the Days Past, All the Days to Come,” by Mildred D. Taylor Legendborn by Tracy Deonn This is My Brain in Love by I. W. Gregorio Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender This Light Between Us, by Andrew Fukuda They Went Left by Monica Hesse X: A Novel, by Kekla Magoon, co-written by Ilyasah Shabazz How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon Fire in the Streets by Kekla Magoon

In the January edition of Check Us Out: Molly discusses upcoming business and author programs in January and February as well as Creativebug. Maurice talks about the Winter classes beginning Tuesday January 19. Ken gets excited about this month's new adult releases. Kiersten promotes new YA releases all available as either Ebooks or Eaudio. Adrienne dives deep into "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents". Selwa interviews local author Jessica Henry, author of "Smoke but No Fire: Convicting the Innocent of Crimes that Never Happened." Books discussed: The Unquiet Englishman: A Life of Graham Greene by Richard Greene Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders The Fall of America Journals by Allen Ginsberg That Old Country Music by Kevin Barry The Cousins by Karen McManus A Sky Beyond the Storm by Sabaa Tahir It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne Admission by Julie Buxbaum Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

In the December edition of Check Us Out: Maurice talks about 3 upcoming December programs, Molly shares information about an essential oils program and Open Book/Open Mind, Ken is excited about new crime and memoir adult books, Kiersten discusses recent young adult releases, Adrienne dives into "The Book of Night Women," and Alex interviews local author, Harvey Araton, on his new book, “Our Last Season: A Writer, a Fan, a Friendship.” Books Discussed: We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict The Searcher by Tana French No Time Like the Future by Michael J. Fox This Is Not My Memoir by Andre Gregory Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein Love and Olives by Jenna Evans Welch.

In the November edition of Check Us Out, we provide an overview of the Adult School classes beginning this month, discuss two free Adult Services programs, share many ways to meet your holiday cooking needs, talk about new adult and young adult November releases, and interview Montclair-based, Nancy Burke, author of "Only the Women are Burning." Books Discussed: The Sentinel by Lee & Andrew Child Robert B. Parker's Someone to Watch Over Me by Ace Atkins A Galway Epiphany by Ken Bruen From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (various authors) Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston Breathless by Jennifer Niven Dear Justyce by Nic Stone Skyhunter by Marie Lu

In the October edition of Check Us Out, we provide an overview of the Adult School's October classes, discuss Adult Services programming, review archival databases, talk about many new adult and young adult October releases, and interview psychotherapist, Robert Ciampi, author of "When to Call a Therapist." Books discussed: Snow by John Banville The Midnight Library by Matt Haig The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton The Abstainer by Ian McGuire The Silence by Don DeLillo Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu Majesty by Katherine McGee Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

In the September edition of Check Us Out, we discuss upcoming virtual adult school Fall programming, the New York Times database accessible with your library card, talk about many new adult and YA fall titles, and interview illustrator, Kristine Lombardi, about her new book,"The Belonging Tree." Books discussed: The Town Crazy by Suzzy Roche The Lost Writings by Franz Kafka V2 by Robert Harris Shills Can't Cash Chips by Erle Stanley Gardner Unseen City by Amy Shearn Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith The Wide Circumference of Love by Marita Golden

In the August edition of Check Us Out, we cover the almost-concluded Summer Reading Program, upcoming virtual adult school programs, share a favorite adult fiction novel and new YA books, and interview Christina Baker Kline about her new book,"The Exiles." Books discussed: The Teagirl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer Burn by Patrick Ness

In the July edition of Check Us Out, we share upcoming virtual adult school programs, various career resources you can access with your library card, new adult and YA books, and interview Anthony DePalma about his new book,"The Cubans: Ordinary Lives in Extraordinary Times." Books discussed: Antkind by Charlie Kaufman Random Shit Flying through the Air by Jackson Ford The Golden Cage by Camilla Lackberg The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards The Lending Library by Aliza Fogelson Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan Eight Hours from England by Anthony Quayle Again Again by E. Lockhart You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow I'll Be The One by Lyla Lee

In the June edition of Check Us Out, we share upcoming virtual programs, how your library card can access Consumer Reports, and interview Nancy Star about her new book, "Rules for Moving." Access Consumer Reports: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,cpid&custid=qakinfo&profile=crcro Virtual program calendar: https://montclairlibrary.libnet.info/events?r=thismonth Book recommendations: Devolution by Max Brooks Interlibrary Loan by Gene Wolfe Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams Liberation by Imogen Kealey Love by Roddy Doyle Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert Stay Gold by Tolby McSmith Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta Date Me, Bryson Keller by Kevin van Whye

In the May edition of Check Us Out, we interview Candy Cooper on her new young adult non-fiction book. We also suggest some great new adult and young adult novels out this month and share information about upcoming online classes and online databases available to our patrons. Check out our virtual programs and online resources at montclairlibrary.org and adultschool.org Books Discussed - all available at ebccls.overdrive.com "Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know" by Samira Ahmed "Time of Our Lives" by Emily Wibberley "The Lightness of Hands" by Jeff Garvin "Don't Call the Wolf" by Aleksandra Ross "The Empire of Dreams" by Rae Carson "I, John Kennedy Toole" by Kent Carroll "The Last Trial" by Scott Turow "If It Bleeds" by Stephen King "Robert B. Parker's Grudge Match" by Mike Lupica "Shakespeare for Squirrels" by Christopher Moore

In the April edition of Check Us Out, we interview Montclair local, E. R. Frank, and share new and favorite adult and young adult books, movies, and TV series available online with your library card.

March 16, 2020 update: Please note the events mentioned in this episode have been canceled due to the library's emergency closure. In the March edition of Check Us Out, we interview Charlotte Alter, author of "The Ones We've Been Waiting For" and share new adult and young adult releases.

In the February edition of Check Us Out, we interview award-winning author Dionne Ford, discuss upcoming events for African American History Month, and share new adult and young adult releases.

In the January edition of Check Us Out, we interview Jacqueline Mroz, discuss upcoming events, and share new book picks.

In this month's edition, we share upcoming programs, recommend books, and interview Dale Berra about his recent book, "My Dad Yogi: A Memoir of Family and Baseball."

In the November edition of Check Us Out, we interview Marcy Dermansky, discuss upcoming events, and share new book picks.

In this edition of "Check Us Out" we discuss library card perks for Montclair residents, new and upcoming books, and interview Julia Phillips about her debut novel "Disappearing Earth."

The October 2018 episode focuses on the Great American Read and an interview with Library Director Peter Coyl.

Special edition of Check Us Out features in-depth discussion between School Superintendent Dr. Kendra V. Johnson and Library Director Peter Coyl. They discuss schools, libraries and the unique town of Montclair