Behind the Covers

Dakota County Library podcast covering a variety of topics about your library.

Episode 29 08/04/2026

Episode 29 Today’s episode is all about books! We’ll tell you what other readers say are the best books they’ve read so far in 2026, and we share some new titles to add to your TBR list. We also share info about Dakota County Library at the Dakota County Fair! /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/42305665

Episode 28 07/14/2026

Episode 28 On today’s episode we welcome author Angela Pelster who is here to discuss her book The Evolution of Fire: Essays on Crisis and Becoming. We also share some new books perfect for your summer reading list. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/42070520

Episode 27 06/23/2026

Episode 27 On today’s episode we welcome special guest Owen Brittan, President of AWE Learning to discuss early literacy and the library’s AWE literacy computers. And we’ll fill you in on a few new titles for your TBR lists. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/41741905

Episode 26 06/02/2026

Episode 26 On today’s show we talk to Jackson Becker, author of his new children’s book Recycla-Bull. We'll also catch you up on new books for May and June. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/41509105

Episode 25 05/05/2026

Episode 25 On today’s episode, we share a recorded interview with author Mary Berman who joined us remotely from her home in Philadelphia. She generously joined us to discuss her new book and what it’s like to have your first novel published. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/41164445

Episode 24 04/21/2026

Episode 24 On today’s episode, we will learn all about the refreshed Visit Kit collection with the staff who coordinated the update. We'll also let you know about some great new books coming out this spring! /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/40955185

Episode 23 03/31/2026

Episode 23 On today’s episode, we welcome special guest, author Laurie Hertzel, who will discuss her new book, Ghosts of Fourth Street: My Family, a Death, and the Hills of Duluth. We also reccomend a few new books to put on your reading list. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/40668540

Episode 22 03/10/2026

Episode 22 On today’s episode, we’ll tell you all about seed libraries! We'll also catch you up on some new titles you can add to your TBR list. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/40369105

Episode 21 02/17/2026

Episode 21 On today’s episode, we welcome author Andrea Swensson, who will discuss her books about the Minneapolis sound, particularly her latest book Deeper Blues: the Life, Songs, and Salvation of Cornbread Harris, as well as some of her future projects. We’ll also tell you about a few new books to put on your lists. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/40129940

Episode 20 01/27/2026

Episode 20 On today’s episode we are going to revisit the perennial topic of why you have to wait so long for your eBooks at the library. We’ll also tell you about a new feature where you can keep track of your physical checkouts on your account. And, as always, we’ll tell you about some new books coming out next month. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/39896215

Episode 19 01/06/2026

Episode 19 On today’s episode, we welcome Dakota County Public Health Program Coordinator, JJ Johnson, who will tell us all about the library’s naloxone access points. We’ll also give you some advice for setting your reading goals for 2026 and let you in on some new titles coming out in January. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/39620795

Episode 18 12/16/2025

Episode 18 On today’s episode we welcome special guests Megan Koenen and Andrea Egbert, youth services librarians at our Pleasant Hill Library, who will tell us about our outreach and connections with the Dakota County Detention Center. We’ll also tell you about some of the books making the best of 2025 lists, as well as some new books coming out in early 2026. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/39427310

Episode 17 11/25/2025

Episode 17 On today’s episode we tackle the art of giving books with the help of our resident book advisor, Melissa Pond-Benesh. We also offer some ideas for shorter books, and have a few new ones for you as well. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/39166750

Episode 16 11/04/2025

Episode 16 On this episode, we tell you all about the calming spaces that are available at the library with the help of our special guest, Jill Bambenek, and share info about a new resource to enhance your hobbies. We also talk about some of the new books that are out in November. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/38899215

Episode 15 10/14/2025

Episode 15 On today’s episode, we welcome radio personality and author Mary Lucia who will be discussing her new book, What Doesn’t Kill Me Makes Me Weirder and Harder to Relate To. We also catch you up on some new titles coming out this fall. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/38577270

Episode 14 09/22/2025

Episode 14 On today’s episode we talk with special guest Maggie Meehan, a Dakota County law librarian who will tell us about the rich law resources we have available to the public. We’ll also let you know about a new feature in our catalog that allows you to keep track of the materials you have checked out. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/38311670

Episode 13 09/01/2025

Episode 13 On episode 13 we feature special guest, Dakota County Library Director Margaret Stone, in her final podcast interview before her retirement. We also tell you about some new books coming out this fall and reveal our author for this fall’s Club Book season. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/38048010

Episode 12 08/11/2025

Episode 12 On today’s episode we discuss some of the great tools we have to help you make smart purchases. We also highlight some of the titles our customers think are the best books they have read this year, as well as some new titles for September. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/37759135

Episode 11 07/21/2025

Episode 11 On today’s episode we have special guest Kallie Schell, Youth Services Librarian at the Heritage Library, who shares all the secrets of what goes into our storytime programming at the library. We also tell you how to take advantage of our free meeting room spaces and talk about some of the new titles hitting our shelves in August. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/37482545

Episode 10 07/01/2025

Episode 10 On episode 10 we tell you about great options for assistance with your projects in our iLAB creative spaces. We also share some music memoirs and recommended audiobooks for family road trips. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/37238610

Episode 9 06/10/2025

Episode 9 On today’s episode we talk with Youth Services Manager, Amanda Geske, who will tell us all about what is happening for kids and teens this summer at the library. We also dig into some hidden tricks in the catalog to help you to find your next great read, and cover some of the new books coming out in July. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/36937845

Episode 8 05/20/2025

Episode 8 On today’s episode, we have special guest, Heidi Jolivette Satre, the library’s Community Engagement Coordinator. We also share some tips from our staff on how to get out of a reading rut and let you know about some of the new titles coming out in June. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/36643365

Episode 7 04/29/2025

Episode 7 On today's episode we welcome Branch Manager of the Kaposia Library, Honora Rodriguez, staff suggestions about how to read more, and we'll tell you about some of the new books coming out in May. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/36359110

Episode 6 04/08/2025

Episode 6 On today's episode we feature, Self-Service Hours, career resources, and new April titles. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/36052140

Episode 5 03/18/2025

Episode 5 On today’s episode we feature some of our homework help resources, the DCL mobile app, and new books coming out in March. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/35745685

Episode 4 02/25/2025

Episode 4 On today’s episode, we introduce you to Dakota County Library Director, Margaret Stone. And, on our “I Didn’t Know the Library had That” portion of the show we suggest a great service called, Book Match. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/35425995

Episode 3 01/28/2025

Episode 3 On today’s episode we cover how to use your library card better, music biographies and memoirs that we like, and Libby tips and tricks. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/35048615

Episode 2 01/14/2025

Episode 2 On this episode of Behind the Covers we learn about upcoming titles for Janauary 2025, the Wescott recording studio with Shawn Foster-Huot, and Maureen and Michael answer the question, 'What are you reading?' /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/34836880

Episode 1 01/13/2025

Episode 1 In our first episode we discuss reading resolutions for 2025, the mysterious issue of why you have to wait so long for e-books from the library, and our great winter programming. /episode/index/show/e868d736-63be-4353-b57f-8e55fd65be61/id/34836575

Behind the Covers

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