Checking In with the GPPL

Lexi just returned from Boston and tells about her trip and experience there with the library and literature.  Adam gushes about bookworm some more like he thinks it's a good series or something.  They both freak out about weird sounds coming from the speakers. Neither admits the library is haunted.

Adam and Lexi discuss going through their backlog of materials as a form of spring cleaning.   They wax about various forms of fantasy series and Lexi hammers home how much Adam will like The Dresden Files.   (Tune in next time to get his first quick review during Lexi's traveling librarian piece).

Adam and Lexi talk about things they reread as means of getting out of their reading slumps.  The haddock still looms for Adam's  recommendation while Lexi geeks out about rereading Twilight.  

Adam and Lexi discuss reading slumps.  Adam recommends to folks to reread some things people liked, while recommending for adults a comic series he read in college that is still fun while informing in the pod and in here DO NOT LET YOUR KIDS READ IT.   He would like to let anyone know that if they come in saying they let their kid read the comic and now blame him that he will smack them with a haddock.    To learn more about haddocks visit your local library!

Adam and Lexi kick in the new year sharing some goals, some things to look forward to, and only get mildly sidetracked on things along the way.   Join in on starting the year 2025 with your favorite long winded librarians.

The year is ending and Adam and Lexi discuss their top reads of 2024.  Adam is still horribly bookworm pilled.  Lexi is meanwhile making us all look bad with 100 books in her have been read pile.  Listen in on our discussion of 2024, and we will see you again in January of 2025.

Today Adam and Lexi discuss a bunch of reading material they found very cozy.   Adam gushes a LOT over Ascendance of a Bookworm and Lexi discusses books about murder and treason with a hint of Christmas spirit.      Adam's Suggestions: Ascendance of a Bookworm is by Miya Kazuki and can be read on hoopla digital. Spice and Wolf is by Isuna Hasekura Apothecary Diaries is by Natsu Hyuuga   Lexi's Suggestions: Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is by Rebecca Thorne, I'll Be Gone For Christmas is by Georgia K Boone, Murder Your Employer is by Rupert Holmes.  

It's been a year since Adam and Lexi started off Bibliobanter.   We figured it was time to retread some ground and come up with some spooky recommendations for the season. Adam nearly says Hell, then doubles down, because it's a place.  

Up at MLA Adam interviews several librarians and library workers on the topic of Makerspaces and libraries.  The librarians and library staff in question are Rei over at Madison Heights,  Matt over at Rochester Hills, Michael over at Northville, And Krista over at Sterling Heights.   All their libraries are cool and they all have cool Makerspaces.   Lexi was enjoying a birthday surprise from her partner.  Everyone say "Awwwww" for Lexi.

Lexi takes the lead today with a tale of her traveling to various national parks and what type of reading she got into there.   Some discussion of bear crime (though Adam remains convinced it was the raccoons framing the bears) and stories of the parks and people who helped preserve them provide cozy reading to go with cozy hiking trips. 

Adam and Lexi dive into the wide ranging field of Fan Fiction.  They get into the history and discuss some famous pieces and even talk about various ships.   For those not in the know a Ship is a pairing of characters.   It's short for relationship.  And all ships fall flat of the truest ship, Shreklock.     

Today Adam and Lexi talk about reruns; media that is great when viewed again.   Adam's voice is back and he seems very excited to subject you all to this.  Lexi makes no attempt to stop him.   Also Adam mentions rewatching The Venture Brothers.  That won't be on Netflix until August 16th.   

Lexi leads as Adam trudges along with his lost vocal chords (THE SACRIFICES HE MAKES FOR YOU) to end Pride month with some recommendations of books, and a bit of history of pride in libraries.  For those looking to read Kill Six Billion Demons it can be found here.   https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/kill-six-billion-demons-chapter-1/ Resources Lexi mentions: Unite Against Book Bans LGBTQIA+ Library Rainbow Roundtable Resources

Technical difficulties abound! Fortunately Adam and Lexi have backups in place for just such an occasion. This month Adam and Lexi talk about one of the best resources available on the internet. The Internet Archive. A free online library that contains books, movies, music, games, and even whole entire websites that were once thought gone.   And be sure to let us know what treasures you find.  The next pod will start after the studio is back in order (and Adam can put down Wolfenstein 3D, seriously this place has everything!). The Internet Archive can be reached at https://archive.org/

Today Adam and Lexi are joined by several people.   Bringing attention to different workers in libraries for National Library Workers Day, the duo hear stories that will make you laugh, make you aww, and make you question life, the universe, and everything.    So grab a beverage, get yourself a quince, and enjoy these quick tales from folks in the library.

We are just a little over halfway through Reading Month, and we have a bunch of facts to share with you regarding libraries.  Adam and Lexi get long winded. Adam laments the passing of Akira Toriyama.  Adam was going to put something here that was mentioned in the show, but more importantly he wants to know where you all stand on the whole pineapple on pizza debate!  

2023 is over and 2024 is here. Adam and Lexi get started on the right foot.  Well, Lexi does.  Adam like a fool gave the wrong hours for Friday and Saturday in the DREAM Lab.  ITS 1-4 THOSE DAYS, PAST ADAM, YOU FOOL, YOU ABSOLUTE BUFFOON, YOU TOTAL RUBE! Despite said gaffe the two provide a bit of a discussion on things going on in the library and what the new year is bringing for them, and what they have all been up to.   So welcome to 2024 y'all and enjoy the podcast.   Expect a fun year full of crazy banter. This description is brought to you by Current Adam.

We got a cozy one for ya today.   Adam and Lexi review Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree. A charming story about a retired lady orc adventurer setting up a small coffee shop in a fantasy village.   This is the last pod for the year of 2023, and the banterers decided to close out the year with something you can curl up with.   Available in both physical and eBook format, pick it up from the library when you get the chance.

Lexi and Adam are out once again interviewing bookstores about their goings on and stop in the some might say, downright magical realm of Coreander's Children's Bookshoppe. They delight in the atmosphere, the collection, and the cocoa and coffee. Adam doesn't even have any sass for the description this time! 

Lexi and Adam make one final bookstore trek to Shaw's Books in Grosse Pointe Park. Shaw's is a used and rare book store that is tight and windy and run by just the nicest gentleman, Hank. Hank tells us all about the history of the store, and just gives a fascinating insight into a business he is now a 40 year veteran of.   

Adam and Lexi again reach out to another bookstore for an interview.  This time with the new bookstore and restaurant, Flyleaf.   Here they interview Lani who is the manager and get to know a bit about the store itself, what led to its creation, and what sorts of things to expect from it.  Adam tried a quiche there and it was delicious.  Lexi had a lovely blueberry muffin.  It was totally done in one take and not two, you weren't there, you can't prove anything.      More info on their website here: https://www.flyleafgp.com/ 

Adam and Lexi take to one of the local bookstores this episode.  Join them as they interview Jay and Sarah, the owners of Next chapter  The owners are charming and delightful people. Their store specializes in new and gently used books, and has clothing.  They have a book club and are doing some holiday events.   The mic drops.  Adam doesn't edit it out at all.   Check them out at https://www.nextchapterbkstore.com/  Follow their Instagram at nextchapterbooksdetroit and Next Chapter Books on facebook.

This episode of Bibliobanter, Adam isn't quite taking a solo trip.  While Lexi is gone, Adam brought on for an interview, The Man, The Myth, The Legend, Rufus McGaugh.   For those not in the know, Rufus is a famous teacher among the Grosse Pointe area.  He is noted for having managed to visit every country in the world and has written several books about it.  He and Adam discuss the book Treasures, Travels, and Tales of a Nomad, his year teaching Adam back in 1999, and just in general some reflections on what it is like having seen so much.  

Hey hey everyone, we now have a name!  Welcome to Bibliobanter.   Today Lexi and Adam discuss books and media for which they are grateful.   We also learn that Adam secretly has a taste for garbage media as well!  It should be noted that Adam brings up Steven Universe as being on hoopla, but it is only season 2.    Join us as we discuss the media we are thankful is in the library and on hoopla.

Finishing out spooky season, Lexi and Adam discuss The Michigan Dogman.  This is the cryptid and NOT the cute mascot of Dav Pilkey's graphic novels for kids.  They discuss the origins, and literature about the beast, and review the two films available on Hoopla Digital linked below.  They also make many references to the famous song by Steven Cooke which you can find on YouTube. Dogman (Hoopla) Dogman 2: Wraith of the Litter (Hoopla)

Starting up a new podcast, GPPL Welcomes Adam Pecar and Alexis Smith as they kick off the fall season with a new series called Short Stacks where they give quick (allegedly) reviews of materials that are recommended by the various librarians of Grosse Pointe Public Library.  

Introducing Adam and Stephanie to the podcast as Matt has moved on to another library. We discuss what we have been reading, watching, and thew new stuff coming to the library this fall.

This is a little late as I've been home with sick children. We talked about what's happening at the library over the spring and summer. Look forward to Books on the Lake and the annual Summer Reading Program.   We still haven't fulfilled each other's new years requests yet. There's still time though...

Annie catches Matt up on her year end challenge. Matt is given a challenge to a virtual art challenge using Creative Bug. Our progress will be tracked in the upcoming episodes.   It's a new year and we've been up to some stuff. Annie has been reading books and Matt has been watching anime. It doesn't feel like much has changed but, it has, trust me.    We recorded this episode prior to the snowpocalypse of 2022. Which didn't happen quite how they expected it. As always, thanks for listening and hope you're off to a great new year.

Matt & Annie are back and this year we decide to challenge each other to do something they wouldn't normally do.  I challenged Annie to watch an anime series I think she will enjoy. Annie will be giving me a challenge next episode. Stay safe and have a good holiday and new year.

We have our new librarian, Stephanie, on the podcast. We talk about her career, her favorite kind of reads, and various other things.

Matt & Annie return and discuss some spooky/scary stuff they've been doing and recommend. During the recording we were visited by the library ghosts.    We talk more about Only Murders in the Building and Matt tries to convince Annie to watch Squid Game. Thanks for checking in with us we'll be back in a couple weeks.

We are back for Season 2 of Checking In! It was a long time away but we are happy to be back. We're hoping that this next "season" of the podcast is as exciting as the first.    We're doing a back to school themed episode this week. Also included is fall, how COVID has changed work, and how we both turned towards more "comfort food" material during our time away.   Things that were brought up: Only Murders Left in the Building  Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner  

Annie has finally finished Harry Potter. We talk about that and other epic stories she can read next. We also discuss how new formats have changed storytelling and has added many new tales to the classics of old. We'll be back in July with our next episode. Remember to signup for summer reading if you haven't already.

Matt & Annie are finally back with another episode of Checking In. We catch each other up with what we've been doing and how things have been going this past pandemic year. We'll be back on a regular schedule moving forward so look forward to more episodes in the coming weeks.

Matt talks about formula One, the Good Place, video games, and more.

Annie talks about her armchair philosophy phase.

Matt's response to Annie's ode to joy. Some video game talk and other media consumption stuff is been doing.

Annie is addicted to Frozen II and can’t say Elizabethan.

Matt responds to Annie finally watching Star Wars. We hope you enjoy the new format and stay tuned for more episodes.

A first episode in our new series, She Said He Said. Annie finally saw Star Wars, but prefers Brad Pitt.

On this special at home episode, Matt has some hoopla and kanopy recommendations for you to consider. Hope everyone is staying safe. We'll get through this together.

Annie is back from her trip to Florida and Matt's been chilling here. Annie's family got sick during the trip but still managed to have a good time. Matt relaxed and enjoyed the easy commute and the quiet with lots of people seemingly out of town. We talk about the books we've been reading, shows we watched, among other things.  After the break, we get into library stuff like the short story contest and upcoming events. It's a fun episode where we somehow start talking about Uncle Harry's Deli and Annie's Dutch Blitz rites of passage.  Black Puma's Colors closes us out for the week. Thanks for listening and enjoy the episode.

Matt & Annie are back to discuss what they've been up to these past couple weeks. More reading, watching movies and TV shows, and some working out. After the break we talk about what we do to cope during the Michigan grey winter. Things that work for us include: going for walks, funny movies, SAD lights, and leaving. Thanks for listening and enjoy the episode. George Harrison's "I Got My Mind Set on You" closes us out for the week.    podcast@grossepointelibrary.org for any questions or suggestions. 

Matt & Annie discuss what they've been doing the past several weeks. We talk about the books we read and shows and movies we watched. In the second half we look back on our first year of podcasting and what we've learned and hope to accomplish.  Some of the mentions include: Little Women, Parasite, Good Place, Last Poets, Memory Police, Good Riddance, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more.

It's a new year and a new episode for Checking In. Annie & I discuss what we think are the biggest trends of the decade. We touch on social media, video games, podcasts, and other technology trends. The last decade brought about a lot of change, the next decade is sure to do the same. Maybe looking back we can see what lies ahead.  As always, thanks for listening. Subscribe to us on your favorite podcast listening app to get the newest episodes when they are posted.  "Toss a Coin to Your Witcher" from the Netflix show The Witcher closes us out this week. It's a very catchy song, try not to get it stuck in your head.

Matt & Annie are back with a holiday themed episode. We talk about our family traditions, things we like about the holidays, and whether or not Die Hard is, in fact, a Christmas movie. We're taking a break for the rest of the year and will be back in January with a new episode. Have a good holiday and new year. See you in 2020!   Trans Siberian Orchestra's Carol of the Bells is our intro for the week and Last Christmas by Wham! closes us out. 

A previously recorded episode where Matt & Annie discuss what they're reading and the fall holidays. Matt talks about his baby on the way. UPDATE: Checking In has added a new addition: a healthy baby girl!

Annie & I are back to the studio with newest episode. We discuss the things we've been reading and watching. We talk about what the Great American Novel is, David's new Science Fiction book group and the Digital Media Lab. In the second half, we talk about Halloween and the upcoming library programs and events that will be happening. Books Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, & Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson by Peter Ames Carlin My Year of Rest & Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates I Am the New Black by Tracy Morgan Movies Plus One Booksmart Love & Mercy Desk Set   Television Black Mirror The Last OG   The Barenaked Ladies "Brain Wilson" closes us out for the week.

On this special episode of Checking In Annie and I are on the road with outreach librarian Kathleen. We talk about her role and the services the library offers. Additionally, we talk about the books we've been reading and Grosse pointe architecture.

On this episode of Checking In, Shirley Maylock joins us to discuss being a radio performer on the hit show The Lone Ranger. She talks about her time in radio and growing up in Detroit. She sees podcasting as the radio shows of the present and is surprised in the type of resurgence this form of media has. It's an exciting conversation and we hope you enjoy it. After the break, Annie & I talk about the things we've been doing and get sidetracked talking about studios teenagers and microbrews. Thanks for listening. Books: Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng One Of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas   Watching: 27 Dresses Gilmore Girls Succession New Girl Chef Volume 2   Maren Morris' "Once" closes this weeks episode out.