Best DC Public Library Podcasts (2025)

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Pitching Policy & Fielding a Federal Shutdown - A DC View with Congressman Johnny O 47:19

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12h ago47:19

47:19

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson sit down with Congressman Johnny Olszewski, Jr., a former Maryland Delegate, Baltimore County Executive, and 2025 MACo President, now serving Maryland’s Second Congressional District. Congressman Olszewski discusses the federal shutdown and the strain it places on Marylan…

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A Conversation with Lisa Thompson 8:18

2d ago8:18

8:18

Does a background in radio help you write dialogue? What's the one thing you should never include in a book designed for readers with dyslexia? We ask the expert: Lisa Thompson, author of "The Light Jar" and other middle grade novels.By Kitty Felde

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"We're not going to let you take our tradition": A Beautiful Year with Diana Butler Bass 1:01:54

5d ago1:01:54

1:01:54

"The feeling of not being alone is probably one of the most powerful tools we have." The latest episode The State of Belief features Dr. Diana Butler Bass. As an award-winning author, speaker, and theologian, Diana brings a wealth of insight to the intersection of faith, spirituality, and contemporary issues. In this episode, we dive deep into her …

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The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson 23:28

9d ago23:28

23:28

Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little? Nate did. And he's back. Just in time. Students from Garvanza Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss Lisa Thompson's novel "The Light Jar." NPR newscaster Dale Willman is celebrity reader and Kitty Felde is host. FAVORITE BOOKS FROM GARVANZA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: The Stand - Stephen King A Good …

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Reigniting Michigan’s Greatness: Tom Leonard & Kevin Rinke on The Grassroots Army Podcast 1:49:48

9d ago1:49:48

1:49:48

Michigan was once the heartbeat of America’s strength and innovation, the state that built the middle class and led the world in manufacturing, energy, and education. But somewhere along the way, we lost our edge. In this powerful episode of the Grassroots Army Podcast, Garrett Soldano sits down with Tom Leonard, candidate for Governor of Michigan,…

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The Faithful Fight Against Authoritarianism with Rev. Chloe Breyer 49:00

13d ago49:00

49:00

“What we will do will not be enough. That, however, is not the reason for not doing anything." The latest episode of The State of Belief features the inspiring Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director of the Interfaith Center of New York. Rev. Chloe and host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushebush dive deep into the intersection of faith, activism, and comm…

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Favorite Books from Manchester Elementary 8:56

16d ago8:56

8:56

We visit Maine to talk to readers at Manchester Elementary School about their favorite books. Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss The Wild Robot - Peter Brown Toilet-bound Hanako-kun - Iro Forgotten Girl - India Hill Brown The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus - Dusti Bowling Naruto the Boy Ninja - Masashi Kishimoto …

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Faith Rising for Democracy: How to Show Up for No Kings, With Adam Friedman 43:50

20d ago43:50

43:50

The latest episode of The State of Belief features Adam Friedman, organizing and election strategist at Interfaith Alliance. In this episode, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush and Adam dive deep into the significance of the upcoming No Kings demonstration on October 18th and the vital role of faith communities in advocating for democracy. The dis…

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A Seat at the Table: MACo's 24-County Tour Hits St Mary's 56:04

21d ago56:04

56:04

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson...goes solo? Just kidding! He does set the stage, however, for a special recording from St. Mary’s County, where MACo President and Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jack Wilson joins Michael for a briefing with St. Mary’s County leaders to talk all things local governance. It’s a lively, co…

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Episode 24 - Al Capone Does My Shirts - live from the Gaithersburg Book Festival 45:29

23d ago45:29

45:29

It's banned books week, as we continue our look at books that have been challenged or banned. This week, it's Gennifer Choldenko's tale "Al Capone Does My Shirts." Back in 2016, the book was challenged by a group that said the book "perpetuates negative stereotypes" by including Al Capone as a character in the book. And earlier this year, a school …

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League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart: Courage is Not the Absence of Fear 1:00:58

27d ago1:00:58

1:00:58

This week, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Celina Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the League of Women Voters. They get into the way the League’s work has evolved over the past 105 years, with a focus on expanding access to the ballot, as well as on voter education,protecting voter rights, and strengthening civic engagement. Cel…

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Keeping the Lights On: Maryland, PJM, and the Future of Energy 34:40

28d ago34:40

34:40

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Dominic Butchko sits down with Jason Stanek of PJM Interconnection for a deep dive into Maryland’s evolving energy landscape. From the state’s growing dependence on imported electricity to the backlog of clean energy projects waiting to connect to the grid, Jason breaks down the challenges and opportunities …

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Episode 49 - Ungifted by Gordon Korman 26:15

1M ago26:15

26:15

What does it mean to be "gifted?" Don't we all have unique gifts to share with the world? Readers from Eliot-Hine Middle School on Capitol Hill discuss Gordon Korman's story of a prankster who lands in a "Gifted" program. KNX sports anchor (and Talking About Cars podcast host) Randy Kerdoon is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.…

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Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Randi Weingarten, and Skye Perryman speak on Religious Freedom in Public Schools 1:03:12

1M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

Religious freedom and public education: how do these issues come together? This week on The State of Belief, we hear leading voices make a compelling argument for ensuring the latter comes with a healthy dose of the former: Labor leader Randi Weingarten, activist Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, and Democracy Forward's Skye Perryman. Most of this episode wa…

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Revenues, Roads, and Rising Risks 47:24

1M ago47:24

47:24

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson unpack Maryland’s fiscal outlook. They break down the State’s year-end budget results, the new revenue forecast, and looming structural deficits. They also dig into the crunch in transportation funding — with local road dollars set to plunge off a fiscal cliff — the threa…

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Donna Barba Higuera 8:26

1M ago8:26

8:26

Kitty Felde talks to the author of Lupe Wong Won't Dance Donna Barba Higuera about creating an unlikeable character. She also gives us a sneak preview of a new science fiction novel she's writing.

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Confronting Antisemitism and Its Weaponization: The Nexus Project's Jonathan Jacoby 50:12

1M ago50:12

50:12

This week, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Jonathan Jacoby, National Director of the Nexus Project. The compelling conversation highlights Jonathan's unique insights on confronting antisemitism and fostering a pluralistic democracy. Drawing from his family history as the descendant of Holocaust survivors and his intrinsic connectio…

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Libraries Leading Maryland 51:37

1M ago51:37

51:37

From literacy programs to telehealth pods, Maryland’s libraries are evolving far beyond bookshelves. Join this week's Conduit Street host, Sarah Sample, as she sits down with Maryland State Librarian Morgan Lehr Miller to explore how local libraries serve as community hubs, connect residents to vital resources, and adapt to funding challenges at th…

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Lupe Wong Wont Dance 24:02

1M ago24:02

24:02

Does square dancing count as an athletic activity? Lupe Wong doesn't think so and is willing to fight the system to make her point. Readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington, DC discuss the book with host Kitty Felde and interview the writer Donna Barba Higuera. Our celebrity reader is the former president of United Square Dancers of Am…

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I Sat Down With Kevin Rinke to Talk About What's REALLY at Stake in Michigan 2:24:47

2M ago2:24:47

2:24:47

I sat down with Kevin Rinke to talk about what’s REALLY at stake in Michigan: - Michigan Gubernatorial Candidates - “AxeMITax” petition. - Protecting our elections with "Americans For Citizens Voting" Petition And much more! This fight is about FREEDOM, COMMON SENSE & WE THE PEOPLE. Visiting the Detroit area? A Dream Limousine And Sedan, serving S.…

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Libraries and Religious Freedom, with ALA President Sam Helmick 53:01

2M ago53:01

53:01

This week on The State of Belief - a conversation with Sam Helmick, the newly inaugurated president of the American Library Association. Sam and host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush mark National Library Card Sign-up Month by discussing the importance of libraries in advocating for intellectual freedom and access to information, noting that librarie…

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Turning Data Into Decisions: Results for America in Maryland 38:49

2M ago38:49

38:49

On this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, host Michael Sanderson sits down with Zachary Markovits, Vice President & Local Practice Lead at Results for America, to explore how data and evidence can transform government decision-making. From Maryland’s efforts in using evidence-based budgeting and grantmaking to success stories from across the c…

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Honeymoon Road: Pete & Me & our Model T 22:30

2M ago22:30

22:30

In 1925, newlyweds Pete and Gert packed up their lives and headed west for California in a Model T Ford. Gert chronicled thejourney in a series of letters. Now, one hundred years later, a pair of cousins Kitty Felde and Marie Felde follow their route to see America through their eyes. Join us on a podcast journey at honeymoonroad.com.…

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Honeymoon Road: Pete & Me & our Model T 22:30

2M ago22:30

22:30

In 1925, newlyweds Pete and Gert packed up their lives and headed west for California in a Model T Ford. Gert chronicled thejourney in a series of letters. Now, one hundred years later, a pair of cousins Kitty Felde and Marie Felde follow their route to see America through their eyes. Join us on a podcast journey at honeymoonroad.com.…

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Trump Posted A Video Calling The Vaccine Preservative Thimerosal “POISON.” 37:41

2M ago37:41

37:41

President Trump just dropped a red-pill nuclear bomb on Truth Social. He posted a video with an NIH Geneticist and Biochemist laying it all out: vaccines are filled with toxic chemicals like mercury. For years, the establishment mocked parents, silenced doctors, and destroyed careers of anyone who dared to question Big Pharma’s profits. But now, th…

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The Power of Community: Keya Chatterjee and the Vision for a Free DC 47:29

2M ago47:29

47:29

The Trump administration’s federal takeover of the nation’s capital is having a profound impact on Washington, DC’s 700,000 residents - and on our very democracy. That’s according to this week’s guest on The State of Belief, Keya Chatterjee. Keya’s the co-founder and executive director of Free DC, a civic campaign defending Washington, DC’s home ru…

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Maryland Supreme Court Weighs Public Nuisance Claims in Opioid Case 37:16

2M ago37:16

37:16

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson and Policy Associate Sarah Sample sit down with Anne Arundel Deputy County Attorney Hamilton Tyler to unpack a local case now headed to the Maryland Supreme Court on September 9. At the center of the case: whether counties can bring public nuisance claims tied to the staggering costs of the…

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Hypatia Academy by Esther Goldenberg 23:37

2M ago23:37

23:37

Did Harry Potter make you wish you were going to boarding school? This week, we visit another extraordinary boarding school with invisible students and k'lepreechons. It's Hypatia Academy by Esther Goldenberg. It's the favorite book of this trio of Maryland readers. NPR's Morning Edition host Rachel Martin is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. …

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How the Christian Right is Taking Over America with Talia Lavin 48:38

2M ago48:38

48:38

She's a Jewish woman who has spent countless hours undercover, impersonating the White supremacist, misogynistic, antisemitic extremists she was researching for her first book. She's also brought an outsider's view to the growing dominance of Christian Nationalism in our society and our government for her second. This week on The State of Belief, j…

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Baltimore City's Opioid Response Strategy With Councilwoman Phylicia Porter 26:25

2M ago26:25

26:25

The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities across Maryland, and Baltimore City remains at the forefront of both the crisis and the response. In this episode, Karrington Anderson from the MACo policy team sits down with Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter to discuss the city’s evolving strategies for confronting opioid misuse, sa…

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Back to School Episodes: Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan with Peter Sagal 22:33

2M ago22:33

22:33

Americans have a romanticized image of English boarding schools. RIBBLESTROP is the opposite of that. Writer Andy Mulligan has created what must be the most dangerous school on planet earth. And this trio of readers at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey, debate whether they'd like to attend. Peter Sagal, playwright and host of NPR's quiz…

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"Curiosity, Not Contempt": Adam Nicholas Phillips on Bridging Divides 58:59

2M ago58:59

58:59

What does it mean to build bridges amidst the turmoil of the second Trump Administration? How have interfaith communities moved forward with productive dialogue post-October 7th? Is there a more nuanced way to think about Christian Nationalism and the MAGA constituency? In this episode of The State of Belief, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenush and Inter…

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Live from Summer #MACoCon With Comptroller Brooke Lierman 57:24

2M ago57:24

57:24

This week on the Conduit Street Podcast we bring you a special treat from the 2025 MACo Summer Conference, and it might involve MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson singing karaoke! The highlight of this episode, however, features a sit-down with Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Michael Sanderson, where they tackle some of the most pres…

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A Conversation with Shannon Messenger 8:58

2M ago8:58

8:58

Thinking of writing a series? We ask New York Times bestselling writer Shannon Messenger about the 101 things a series writer has to think about. Kitty Felde is host.By Kitty Felde

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An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Muslim Feminist Ani Zonneveld 56:05

3M ago56:05

56:05

This week on The State of Belief, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush sits down with Ani Zonneveld, feminist Muslim activist, musician, and Grammy-winning songwriter. Ani’s journey from Malaysia to Germany, Egypt, India and eventually Los Angeles - and the lessons learned along the way - is nothing short of inspiring. And she lays it all out in her…

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Grassroots Army: Parent Sued for Exposing Explicit Books in Lowell School Libraries 50:55

3M ago50:55

50:55

In this explosive episode of the Grassroots Army Podcast, Garrett Soldano sits down with a parent being sued by a Lowell School librarian for allegedly running a “smear campaign” after discovering sexually explicit material in the district’s libraries. Hear the full story, the legal battle, and what it means for parents’ rights, transparency, and p…

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Get Lit: Gray, Angelella, Lennox, Seibel 1:06:56

3M ago1:06:56

1:06:56

Please be advised that this episode contains explicit language. Join us this month as we talk to Sarah Gray, who has a memoir out with Simon and Schuster titled, An Everlasting Life. She’s also a member of the DC Library Writers Workshop and she’ll read her piece The Lacemaker (read here) and we’ll talk about expectations and publishing a memoir. W…

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Number One on Book Club for Kids' Top Ten List - Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger 21:24

3M ago21:24

21:24

We added up the numbers and found our NUMBER ONE top listened-to episode over the past decade of Book Club for Kids! It's Shannon Messenger's fantasy adventure Keeper of the Lost Cities. Readers from St. Elizabeth School in Maryland discuss The girls ask our writer to pick her favorite characters, something she hates to do. Our celebrity reader is …

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Number One on Book Club for Kids' Top Ten List - Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger 21:24

3M ago21:24

21:24

We added up the numbers and found our NUMBER ONE top listened-to episode over the past decade of Book Club for Kids! It's Shannon Messenger's fantasy adventure Keeper of the Lost Cities. Readers from St. Elizabeth School in Maryland discuss The girls ask our writer to pick her favorite characters, something she hates to do. Our celebrity reader is …

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Separating Church from Hate: A Conversation With John Fugelsang 53:50

3M ago53:50

53:50

This week on The State of Belief, truth through comedy. Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush welcomes comedic genius John Fugelsang, author of the new book Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds coming September 9th. Together, they delve into the tension…