Middle Country Public Library Podcast

Can you believe the podcast team has never seen the holiday classic "It's a Wonderful Life"? Just in time for the holidays, we discuss Frank Capra's 1946 film starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, and Henry Travers. Haven't seen it yet? We have it here at the library...take out your copy today and get into the holiday spirit.

On this week's supersized episode, Nicole and Sara discuss all things tech: from Social Media trends and new laws coming in 2025, to the top tech trends coming next year.

From the arrest to Rosa Parks to the completion of the Washington Monument, so much has happened this week in history! Join Sal and Jim as they weave their way through events such Ford's introduction of the Assembly Line, George Washington's resignation as military commander, Walt Disney's birthday and more!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at the MCPL Podcast! As is our tradition, every year we dive into some interesting trivia to kick off the holiday season... this year based on a Reader's Digest article, which you can read here: https://www.rd.com/article/thanksgiving-trivia/. Who will triumph and win this year's contest? Tune in for some fun and find out!

It's that time of year again...time to get ready for the holidays, Thanksgiving dinner, food and merriment! Do you know what you are cooking this year? Perhaps you'd like to do something different. The library has a cornucopia of cooking books dedicated to holiday meals, baking, hosting, and so much more. Sara has just a small sample of what we have in our collection. Nicole chats about our fabulous Innovation Space where patrons can make personalized items for a potential gift for someone special...you'll need to make an appointment and it's busy this time of year, so check out the details at http://www.mcplibrary.org/innovation-space.

This week, Nicole discusses an interesting article on ways kids are learning to read today and how it's changed over the years. But first, Sara has a list of the latest DVD releases available at the library.

It's time for another This Week in History...and this week there are many historic elections that took place, along with the opening of the Berlin Wall, the discovery of X-Rays, the Cubs winning the World Series, and much more!

Happy Halloween from the MCPL Podcast! If you were to be blindfolded would you be able to identify some of the most popular Halloween candy without seeing it? Our ghoulishly delightful Sara and Nicole test their tastebuds on this week's special episode, wrapping up this year's Spooktober!

We are celebrating our 350th episode by bringing you some SPOOOOOKY stories during our Spooktober celebration! What creepy and dark otherworldly things lurk around the corner? Join us for this week's episode to find out!

We continue our Spooktober 2024 episodes with a creepy Movie Chat! This week we discuss the 2006 super-natural fantasy film, Pan's Labyrinth starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, and Doug Jones. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film follows the story of a girl dealing with life in 1944 Falangist Spain tasked with surviving three fantastical tasks to prove herself as a true princess of the underworld. It's a creepy feast for the eyes and a perfect flick for a spooky October night.

On this week's SPOOKTOBER episode, Sara has a list of the top NEW horror fiction books of 2024 for you to devour. But knock on wood three times before reading to protect you from the spirits and the many superstitions that Nicole has for us this week!

Welcome to Spooktober 2024! On the first episode of our annual series on the podcast, Jim Ward is back to discuss haunted places on Long Island. From Katie's in Smithtown to Camp Hero in Montauk, we will dive deep into the creepy stories that make these places an interesting visit for all you spooky fans out there!

Nicole has some interesting stats and info on banned books from the American Library Association. Plus Sara went down a rabbit hole to research where movie ratings originate from and what they really mean.

Find something good to read with this week's episode! Sara and Nicole discuss the finalists for the 2024 National Book Awards for both Adults and YA/Children selections. Perhaps you can find your next read among this group of eclectic and interesting stories on this year's list! Tune in and find out...

Are you into book series? There are authors who have 10, 20, over 30 books featuring the same characters and places, allowing you to delve deep into a whole new world of intrigue, adventure, and mystery. Sara did her homework this week, along with some extra credit, to bring us plenty of books from some popular series authors available here at the library. PLUS: What's the best day to straighten your hair? There's a book to find out...and Nicole's got the answer on this week's super-sized episode.

This week, Sara and Nicole preview the great programs coming up this fall at Middle Country. Registration is open for Children and Teens on Sept. 12th and the Adults on Sept. 13th. Get your MCPL library card ready and take advantage of the amazing things we have going on for you at our Centereach and Selden buildings! You can view our entire Fall 2024 Catalog here: https://www.mcplibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/MCPL_Quarterly.pdf

We are counting down the days to the beginning of school, and Nicole has some tips on getting the kids ready for their big day. But first, speaking of days... Sara has some interesting books on days and numbers that you might want to check out. Plus Sal surprises the team with a story about his cousin who happens to be beatified.

It's the 55th anniversary of the festival that brought upstate New York hundreds of thousands of young people for 3 days of Peace, Love, and Music. Woodstock took place August 15th through the 18th in 1969, and Jim Ward is joining us for this special episode to discuss the history, the artists, and the legacy of this historic event.

Get some popcorn and watch some new movies on this month's DVD list: Sara has the details. Plus Nicole has information on how social media is effecting teens and what resources we have at the library to deal with it.