Kankakee Public Library Podcasts

Adam Selzer lives in downtown Chicago, where his only official job is as guide on Weird Chicago Tours. By day, he roams from coffee shop to coffee shop writing books - the first, How To Get Suspended and Influence People, was released in February, 2007 by Random House. It will be followed by a sequel, Pirates of the Retail Wasteland, and at least two more books in coming years. Adam talks to Vicki Stankewicz of the Kankakee Public Library about his books, writing and favorite stories about wierd Chicago

Kathryn M. Harris, Library Services Director at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, presented Harriet Tubman “in person.” Harriet Tubman is best known for her work with the Underground Railroad, a network of people and places that helped escaping slaves to freedom. Harris’ one-woman show portrayed the faith, tenacity, bravery, determination, and courage of a person who was called “The Moses of her People.” After her opening monologue, “Harriet” took questions from the audience, the answers based on research that Ms. Harris has done over the years.

Welcome to the Podcast for the 2007 Teen Poetry Slam. This program features a competition of writing and performance skills of Kankakee Area teens. The host for this podcast is Tich Richardson with music by the MDs.

Gary W. Moore is a successful entrepreneur and business executive, exciting speaker and sales trainer, musician and author. Dedicated to success through creativity, coupled with hard work, Gary is a diverse, multitalented professional with boundless energy. In this podcast, Gary talks about and reads from his book Playing with the Enemy. The book describes the real life experiences of his father in World War II. It centers on the unusual bond created between Moore senior and a group of German prisoners created through baseball.

This is podcast #5 of BiblioTech – the podcast for future looking library users and staff. Joining Roland Johnson of the Kankakee Public Library is Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White and Director of the Illinois State Library Anne Craig.

This is podcast #4 of BiblioTech – the podcast for future looking library users and staff. This podcast was recorded on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at Dominican University in River Forest Illinois. Joining Steve Bertrand and Allison Beasley of the Kankakee Public Library is Michael Stephens, Instructor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University. Michael is well known for his influential blog tametheweb.com, where he comments on library issues and trends. Since 2000, he has presented at library conferences locally, nationally and internationally as well as workshops for libraries and library associations. As a result of his tireless library advocacy, he was named a 2005 Library Journal Mover and Shaker.

New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Berg spoke at the Library February 23. Berg, writer of 17 works of fiction, including several New York Times bestsellers and an Oprah's Book Club selection (Open House), read from some of her work and also selections requested by local book club members. In particular, they included Talk Before Sleep, The Art of Mending, and The Year of Pleasures. Her latest book, The Handmaid and the Carpenter was published in November 2006 and she has a new novel due out in May 2007, Dream When You're Feeling Blue.

In April of 2004 Stuart Dybek’s The Coast of Chicago was named by Mayor Richard J. Daley as his selection for the citywide book club, “One Book, One Chicago.” His first book was a collection of poetry, Brass Knuckles (1979). A collection of short stories, Childhood and Other Neighborhoods, followed in 1980, and then came The Coast of Chicago (1990). I Sailed with Magellan (2003) portrays the Chicago escapades of Perry Katzek in 11 stories. It has been adapted for the stage by Claudia Allen, and its World Premiere will be June 18, 2007 at the new Victory Gardens Theater now located at the restored Biograph Theater. His most recent publication is a collection of poems, Streets in Their Own Ink (2004). Mr. Dybek’s characters are the product of his love for the expression of ethnicity, and many of them appear in more than one book or story. He is currently serving as a visiting professor at Northwestern University the first semester of this academic year and will return to Western Michigan University for spring s

This is podcast 3 of BiblioTech, the podcast for future looking library users and staff. Paul Mills and Brian Smith of Prairie Area Library System speak to Steve Bertrand and Allison Beasley. The system covers the northern third of Illinois excluding the Chicago area. At PALS, Paul Mills is Director of Technology and Brian Smith is a library consultant. They talk about library system trends, the RefWiki project and their thoughts on Web 2.0.

This is podcast #2 of BiblioTech – the podcast for future looking library users and staff. Michael Porter speaks to Steve Bertrand and Allison Beasley from Ontario, California. Michael Porter is a librarian, trainer, technology fan and PEZ collector. Since receiving his graduate degree in 1999, Michael has worked for the U.S. Library Program as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and taught workshops on emerging library technology through OCLC Western. Michael discusses the meaning of the "2.0" library and how delivery of community generated content is the future of the public library.

Welcome to the very first episode of BiblioTech: the podcast for future looking library users and staff. In this episode we welcome Keri DeYoung, Student Services Coordinator at Kennedy Middle School in Kankakee Illinois, and Holly Grabow, Language Arts Coach, also of Kennedy Middle School, to talk about cooperation between public schools and public libraries. Kankakee School District 111 and the Kankakee Public Library have enjoyed a close working relationship, bringing top notch servcies to children of our city. Hear about how this relationship was established, how it thrives, and how other communities might duplicate its success.

Indiana Gothic is the true story of Pope Brock's great-grandfather, Ham Dillon, who had been a charismatic and ambitious young Indiana politician when he was shot to death in 1908 by his own brother-in-law, Link Hale. Hale was at least half-crazed with anger and grief that his wife--and Ham's wife's only sister--Allie, had just borne Ham a child. At the trial, the case made headlines because of Hale's groundbreaking attempt to use the insanity plea. Brock talks to the Kankakee Public Library's Betty Schatz about uncovering this family secret, and the impact it has had on him and those around him. 19 min.

Mystery lovers will revel in this podcast with Chicago mystery writer Barbara D’Amato. D’Amato - playwright, novelist, and crime researcher - is the author of 18 books, mostly mystery novels. Her books include the popular Cat Marsala series and a gritty Chicago Police series. D’Amato is a past president of Mystery Writers of America and also a past president of Sisters in Crime International. She has been a columnist for the Sisters in Crime newsletter and Mystery Scene magazine. A native of Michigan, D’Amato has been a resident of Chicago for many years. Join us for what is sure to be a compelling look at the world of mystery writing.

Noted children's author Verla Kay visited the Library in April 2006 to talk about her many children's books. Verla discusses her use of cryptic rhyme, the arduous path leading to her first published book, and reads from Orphan Train, Pilot Daddy, and Yo Ho Ho I'm Pirate Joe. She also recalls her collaboration with noted local painter Ken Stark on Orphan Train.

Lois Lowry, two time Newberry Medal winner, talks about the origins of her books through the story of her life. Ms. Lowry traces her biography from her birth in Hawaii, her early life in New York and Tokyo, her marriage, and her son's early death. The author talks extensively about her award winning book The Giver and about events surrounding the World War II plot in Number the Stars. This program was made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley and was presented in cooperation with Kankakee School District 111, the I-KAN Regional Office of Education, and the Two Rivers Reading Council.

The Kankakee Public Library was honored to welcome Dr. Margaret Burroughs, founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History. Dr. Burroughs is a teacher, author, poet, and artist. During her talk, she read an essay about Harriet Tubman, another on aviator Bessie Coleman, and a humorous poem about aging. Though largely retired, Dr. Burroughs continues to do public speaking, and to teach art to prisoners. She spoke to commemorate "Women Making History Month."

Noted author and historian Glennette Tilley-Turner visited the Library on February 23 to talk about her book The Underground Railroad in Illinois. She has served on the nine-member National Park Service Underground Railroad Advisory Committee and testified before subcommittees of the U.S. Senate and House and the Illinois Senate in support of Underground Railroad legislation. She has written Underground Railroad articles for publications of the National Parks and Conservation Association, the Illinois State Lilbrary, and the Illinois Bureau of Tourism and been interviewed on C-SPAN and other cable and network television outlets. Her work has been featured in a film produced for the Illinois State Library and in electronic and print media.

Sue Monk Kidd, popular author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair, spoke from Florida to Allison Beasley of the Kankakee Public Library. Sue talks about her childhood in the turbulent Georgia of 1964, which inspired the characters of The Secret Life of Bees. She also gives insight into her use of the Black Madonna, as well as the uninvited "guests" in the walls of her home that gave rise to the title of her famous novel.

During his talk, Mr Urrea spoke of doing the emotionally difficult research for the Devil's Highway, growing up in a Mexican family, the sudden success of The Hummingbird's Daughter, and the politics of immigration in the 21st century.

This podcast was recorded December 8, 2005 at the Kankakee Public Library. Arlo Guthrie and his family were traveling on "The City of New Orleans" from Chicago to New Orleans to raise money and awareness of hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Mr. Guthrie visited the Kankakee Public library during a two day stopover. On the podcast, you will hear Arlo and his daughters, Sarah Lee, Annie and Cathy, and son-in-law Johnny Irion. Arlo talks about his legendary father Woody Guthrie, the music business, family life, world peace, and a host of other topics.