For this week's special episode, we take a look at the 2025 Summer Reading Club, themed "Color Our World"! Join librarians from the adult, children's and teen departments as we cover this year's clubs and learn how reading this summer can enter you into a raffle to win amazing prizes and access to fun experiences. Sign up now and color your summer …

In this episode, we explore heartwarming and thought-provoking titles for all ages, from charming picture books like "Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle" and the true-story-inspired "Our Subway Baby" to captivating teen reads such as "Her Royal Highness" and "Every Day." We also highlight acclaimed novels like "The Song of Achilles," "The Guncle,"…

Join us for an exciting episode of the Middle Country Public Library Podcast as we dive into the vibrant summer programming for 2025! We cover everything from teen and children's programs to adult activities. Registration for teen and children's programs begins June 12th at 9:30 AM, with adult programs following on June 13th at 9:30 AM. Discover hi…

Join us for an eclectic episode this week as we dive into two important topics: water safety and micro habits. Nicole presents her annual look at critical insights on water safety, highlighting the importance of vigilance around pools and open water, especially for kids, with stats and tips from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. Then, Sara…

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Nicole shares cozy, comforting book recommendations for kids and teens, including classics like Good Night Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, plus mindfulness resources like Breathe Like a Bear. She also highlights library programs and digital resources to support mental well-being. Sara dives into exci…

Join us for another "This Week in History" for May 11th–17th! From Minnesota joining the Union in 1858 to the Dust Bowl storms of 1934, the debut of Mickey Mouse in 1928, and the final episode of Seinfeld in 1998, we cover a wide range of historical events that shaped the world. Expect fascinating stories, Civil War insights, and pop culture moment…

Join us as we dive into the heartwarming sci-fi comedy Jules! The team discusses this hidden gem, starring Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, and Jane Curtin. When a UFO crashes in a small Pennsylvania town, lonely retiree Milton befriends a mute alien named Jules, sparking an unexpected adventure filled with quirky neighbors, government pursuits…

In honor of the premiere of the PBS documentary "Free For All," which many say is "a love letter to libraries," we’re diving into a fun and educational round of library trivia! Test your knowledge with 12 historical and technical questions about libraries, from the ancient Library of Alexandria to modern cataloging systems like MARC. Play along wit…

Celebrate Earth Day (a little late) and get funky! This week, Nicole dives into the importance of Earth Day, sharing practical tips for families to connect with nature and recommending eco-friendly books for kids, teens, and adults. Plus, groove to the beat as we preview the upcoming Indie Lens Pop-Up event featuring the documentary "We Want the Fu…

This week, discover the history of National Poetry Month, started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, and explore its impact on readers, students, and poets worldwide. From tips on reading poetry to spotlighting U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s work, this episode covers it all. Plus, enjoy poetry recommendations for teens and kids, featuring po…

This week Nicole explores the rise of space tourism and discusses Blue Origin's historic all-women space flight, launching April 14. Plus: Sara surprises us with a fun "real or fake" romance novel game.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

Take a nostalgic trip through time with Sal and Jim celebrating the milestones of 2025! From the 10th anniversary of the earworm sensation Baby Shark (yes, it’s been a decade!) to the 70th birthday of Disneyland, where Walt’s magic began, this episode is packed with surprises. We’re talking Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Office, Back to the Futu…

Spring is blooming at the library! In this episode, Sara, Nicole, and Sal unpack the exciting lineup of spring programs. From Free Comic Book Day to MCPL Under the Stars concerts in July, there’s something for everyone. Adults can enjoy crafts like paper peonies and crocheting, plus the Strictly Business networking event on May 6th. Kids and teens …

In this episode, we’re celebrating Women’s History Month with Nicole spotlighting fascinating new children’s picture books about trailblazing women like Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, a conservationist who helped save the Everglades; Ruth Asawa, an artist shaped by her internment camp experience; and Clara Driscoll, the creative force behind Tiffany St…

This week, we’re gearing up for St. Patrick's Day with a tasty dive into Irish cuisine—think bacon and cabbage, boxty pancakes, "poundies" with scallions, and even quirky dishes like batter burgers and black pudding. Sara shares a primer on these traditional foods, plus tips on finding Irish cookbooks at the library (check call number 641.59415!). …

In this lively episode of the podcast, Sara and Nicole take on a 1990s-themed trivia challenge! Featuring questions crafted by Sal—with a lot of help from A.I.—the team explores a fun mix of topics from that decade, including a few tricky A.I. surprises. Packed with 90s nostalgia, this episode promises an enjoyable time for anyone who loves a good …

In this week's episode of the podcast, Sara takes a closer look at the fascinating world of Oscar eligibility, breaking down how movies and actors qualify, the process of nominations, how directors submit their films for consideration, and the way winners are ultimately voted on by the Academy. She’ll also walk us through the lineup of movies nomin…

The Harlem Renaissance sparked a wave of creativity, inspiring timeless literature—Nicole’s got a list of must-read books about that era to grab on your next library trip. Meanwhile, did you know New York is home to 17 snake species? Some are venomous, and they’ve got their favorite haunts across the state. Find out where they like to slither.…

Happy Valentine's Day! Ready for a weekend of love with a twist? How about diving into a horror movie that's got a dash of romance? Sara has curated a spine-chilling yet romantic list, all accessible for free on Hoopla Digital with just your library card. If reading is more your speed, Nicole's got you covered with a selection of romantic books tha…

We're absolutely delighted to welcome Brookhaven Town Councilman Neil Manzella as our special guest this week! Join us for an enlightening discussion on everything you need to know about your tax bill. We'll dive into how appraisal values are determined, break down what portion of your taxes goes to the school district versus the town, and explain …

It's that time once again for Sara to give us a list of the upcoming movie releases on DVD available here at MCPL! Plus: Nicole discusses the importance of recognizing misinformation, especially online, and what resources you can use to help wade through everything that's out there to find accurate information. One of those resources is All Sides, …

Coming to you this week from Podfest 2025 in Orlando, Florida...Sara and Sal reflect on the upcoming seventh anniversary of the podcast as well as discuss how the podcast came to be, along with details on how budding podcasters can use the resources at the library to create their very own professional sounding podcast. Want to learn more about podc…

Jim is back for another jam-packed This Week in History. Did you know that this week is the anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq, the creation of Wikipedia, and the amazing story of the "Miracle on the Hudson," U.S. Airways flight 1549? And there's much more: join us for an informative and entertaining episode.…

Sara's here to let us know which Golden Globe winners you can take out from the library, plus Nicole has a follow-up on the Sold a Story podcast and what the future may be on teaching kids how to read.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

Happy New Year! Wishing our listeners and viewers best wishes in the new year. On our 360th episode, we chat about the things coming up this year including the new Superman movie, new music, the new Cormoran Strike novel, and more.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

Happy Holidays from the MCPL Podcast team! As we wrap up this year, we'd like to thank everyone who joins us every week. We look forward to bringing you more great episodes in 2025. But now it's once again that time of year when Sara, Nicole, and Sal let us know what their favorite things were in 2024...…

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.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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 …

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 hav…

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.Autor: Middle Country Public 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!Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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!Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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!Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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 fa…

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!Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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 …

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 2…

Autor: Middle Country Public Library

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.Autor: Middle Country Public Library

We are previewing a busy week on this special episode with our guests Deborah Hempe, the Coordinator of Outreach for MCPL, and our very own Councilman Neil Manzella from the Town of Brookhaven! We chat about the upcoming National Night Out, plus a slew of great events coming up. Plus, we find out about some exciting new things coming to our communi…

Have you heard of the term "Summer Slump?" It's something that actually exists, and we happen to be in the middle of Summer Slump season. Sara chats about what the Summer Slump actually is, along with 21 things that only happen during the summer. Nicole is NOT in a slump, she's in the mood for some Formula One racing and has a book or two to check …

On this week's show, Nicole discusses the importance of monitoring your child's screen time, and has some suggestions for books you can take out from our collection. And speaking of books, Sara has a stack of interesting books on communication and why we need to talk with each other instead of at each other.…

Did you know library cardholders have access to a Netflix-like streaming service that allows you to watch amazing movies on your favorite device? Sara's here to let us know what new releases are available this month on Kanopy. And even if you're not an MCPL cardholder, check out your local library for details on how you can access. What better food…