The Top 10 Library-Related Podcasts to Listen to in 2026
Librarians have become one of the richest niches in podcasting. Between national library associations, big-city public library systems, and independent librarians talking shop, there is now a full deck of shows dedicated to all things related to libraries. Podcast directories tracking the space list dozens of active shows, from small local library update programs to nationally recognized interview series [1][3][4]. Below are ten of the best library-related podcasts worth your notice in 2026, ranging from fun librarian talk shows to polished institutional productions from some of the country’s flagship libraries.
1. librarypunk
Hosted by a trio who go only by their first names — Justin, Sadie, and Jay — librarypunk blends topical library discussion with left politics and dry humor, drawing from both academic and public library backgrounds. The show has built a reputation for tackling thorny professional issues head-on, including intellectual freedom fights, the publisher lawsuit
against the Internet Archive over controlled digital lending, and the limits of information literacy training in a “post-truth” media environment [2]. Its hosts have also argued that library workers need to be more combative in responding to the recent wave of book challenges. This stance has made the podcast a touchstone for politically engaged librarians [2].
2. Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcast
This long-running show follows librarians Anna Ferri, Matthew Murray, Meghan Whyte, and Jam (RJ) Edwards as they deliberately read outside their comfort zones — tackling everything from Amish romance to military nonfiction to Nordic noir — as a form of 
professional development in readers’ advisory work [2]. What sets it apart from other “book club” podcasts is the hosts’ commitment to explaining genre conventions for listeners unfamiliar with them, including a well-regarded meta-episode devoted to the deceptively simple question “What is a Book?” [2].
3. Circulating Ideas
Now more than a decade old, librarian Steve Thomas’s Circulating Ideas remains one of the field’s essential interview shows, built around “conversations about the innovative people and ideas moving libraries through the 21st century” [2]. Thomas has a track record of landing long-form interviews with authors and researchers whose work is generating buzz across the profession, and the show has occasionally taken on a civic role — notably hosting conversations with American Library Association presidential candidates so listeners can hear their platforms directly [2].
4. LibVoices
Hosted by librarian Jamia Williams and Ph.D. student Jamillah R. Gabriel, LibVoices centers librarians of color, asking guests to reflect candidly on the successes, barriers, and turning points of their careers [2]. The interviews often have the intimacy of oral history recordings, and the show has been credited as a leading voice in the profession’s post-2020 push toward greater equity, diversity, and inclusion work [2]. A recent standout episode featured Dr. Stanton F. Biddle, a major figure in the history of the Black Caucus of the ALA [2].
5. Overdue Finds
Produced by the Edmonton Public Library, Overdue Finds is hosted by EPL Manager 
Caroline Land and Senior Marketing Consultant Bryce Crittenden, and it’s frequently cited as the standout among the many official podcasts produced by North American public library systems [2]. Each episode follows a comfortable rhythm — a check-in on what the hosts have been reading, a themed discussion with guests, and a closing Q&A — punctuated by fan-favorite features like an annual pop-culture “March Madness” bracket [2]. The show also uses its platform to spotlight substantive programs, including EPL’s virtual programming connecting Ukrainian families with kids’ activities and a community kitchen space built for food and nutrition education [2].
6. Library Land Loves
Produced by the Ontario Library Association and hosted by Michelle Arbuckle, the 
organization’s Director of Member Engagement & Education, Library Land Loves functions as both a podcast and an educational tool, staying ahead of trends that are just beginning to register across the profession [2]. It has released multiple episodes on book challenges and bans, along with deep dives into “library Twitter,” the use of Discord for library programming, and libraries’ growing presence on BookTok [2] — making it a reliable barometer for where library-adjacent digital culture is heading next.
7. Call Number with American Libraries
The American Library Association’s own Call Number with American Libraries, hosted by Diana Panuncial, Associate Editor of American Libraries magazine, is the closest thing the field has to a nightly-news broadcast — tightly focused on the biggest stories and most urgent policy fights in librarianship [2]. Its production resources have allowed it to book high-profile guests, including Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden alongside literary figures like novelist Yaa Gyasi and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones [2].
8. The Librarian Is In
The New York Public Library’s The Librarian Is In is a biweekly show about books, culture,
and “what to read next,” currently hosted by Frank Collerius and Crystal Chen [5][6]. New episodes typically drop every other Thursday and mix casual reading recommendations with guest librarians and the occasional author conversation; the show sits alongside NYPL’s broader Library Talks program, which brings in bigger literary names for onstage-style interviews [5][7].
9. Borrowed
Brooklyn Public Library’s Borrowed is a narrative-style series that goes well beyond the typical library-podcast format, telling stories about libraries during natural disasters, the realities of homelessness in public library spaces, and New York City’s fraught relationship
with waste and sanitation [2]. Its limited-run spin-off, Borrowed & Banned, focuses specifically on the country’s escalating fights over which books belong on library shelves, and recent episodes have featured guests like author Jacqueline Woodson discussing how families tell stories across generations [2].
10. Shakespeare Unlimited
Produced by the Folger Shakespeare Library, Shakespeare Unlimited proves that “library podcast” doesn’t have to mean “podcast about library operations.” The show digs into 
Shakespeare’s plays, Renaissance history, and the ways his work continues to be reinterpreted on stage and screen, drawing on the Folger’s status as one of the world’s leading Shakespeare research collections [2]. It’s a reminder that special and research libraries produce some of the most subject-rich audio content in the entire library-podcast space.
Why Library Podcasts Are Worth Following in 2026
Library podcasts occupy an unusual middle ground: part professional trade press, part book club, part civic advocacy. As libraries continue to navigate funding pressure, censorship battles, and rapid technological change, shows like librarypunk and Library Land Loves function as real-time professional development for library workers, while institutional
productions like Call Number and The Librarian Is In keep general readers plugged into what their local library actually offers [2][5]. With library podcast directories now tracking well over 100 active shows [1][4], there has never been a better moment to add a few of these ten to your queue.
Sources
- Feedspot. “100 Best Library Podcasts to Listen to in 2026.” podcast.feedspot.com/library_podcasts, 2026. https://podcast.feedspot.com/library_podcasts/
- Fisher, Daniel Clarkson. “The 7 Best Library Podcasts.” Podcast Review, updated March 11, 2026. https://podcastreview.org/list/best-library-podcasts/
- Player FM. “Best Librarian Podcasts (2026).” https://player.fm/podcasts/Librarian
- Goodpods. “Best Library Podcasts.” Goodpods Leaderboard, 2026. https://goodpods.com/leaderboard/top-100-shows-by-category/other/library
- The New York Public Library. “How to Listen to The Librarian Is In.” nypl.org. https://www.nypl.org/connect/podcasts/the-librarian-is-in
- Apple Podcasts. “The Librarian Is In.” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-librarian-is-in/id1070595177
- The New York Public Library. “Podcasts.” nypl.org. https://www.nypl.org/connect/podcasts