Podcasts

This week I worked with my classmates Sarai and Lorraine to record a podcast discussing the achievements and legacy of Margaret Edwards, a true pioneer in expanding access to readers of all ages. 

During this process, we tried out a few different podcast platforms, including Riverside, Podbean, and Podmatic, which was the platform we ultimately chose to record our podcast with, as linked above. It was fascinating to see how many amazing platforms there are to choose from when hosting a podcast, and it is encouraging to discover the variety of platforms available. This provides greater access to people who have information, thoughts, creative ideas, and more that they want to share through podcasting, and each platform might have factors that better suit different people's needs. 

Podomatic, the platform we recorded our podcast with, was extremely user friendly, which made it stand out above the rest. While Podbean and Riverside fm were not necessarily un-user friendly, there were more logistical questions about recording everyone's audio simultaneously and then figuring out how to access the recording afterwards. Podomatic allowed us to record directly in the app without livestreaming or recording using a different software and then uploading the audio to the platform, which was ultimately why we chose to utilize it. I think using podcasts in the library is a refreshing and helpful tool to share and receive information, and the easier it is to record and upload, the more use people will get out of the podcasting platform. Podomatic offered a free option to record podcasts, a basic tutorial was provided upon logging in that gave an overview of how to get started, and everything was very easy to use even with a beginner knowledge of podcasting. I appreciated this because I want to integrate different kinds of technology into the library community and therefore need an introduction to some of the platforms in order to best utilize them. 

If I were to use podcasts more regularly and wanted to invest more time and money on a plan that provides more features, Riverside fm and Podbean, along with Podomatic, are also good platforms that would provide a variety of editing tools that would be beneficial and offer packages with high storage capabilities. Great editing tools can make podcasts more engaging and reach more listeners, so it is helpful to have a knowledge of various platforms that can be used depending on what your goal is.

Some educational podcasts that I have learned a lot from during my journey into the librarian and education world include: School Librarians United with Amy Hermon, which specifically discusses library current events, tips for librarians, and conversations with prominent figures in the librarian community,  and House of #EdTech, which has a whole series of episodes about how to start a podcast, among other educational technology tools. I found both podcasts through Apple Podcasts, and I hope others also discover helpful tidbits and insights from these podcasts just as I did!


Comments

  1. Landa LangfordMarch 1, 2025 at 10:14 PM

    Hi Lauren!
    I appreciate you sharing your experience with podcasting and the different platforms you explored with your team. I am very excited about you mentioning School Librarians United! I hadn't heard of it before, but it sounds like an amazing resource, and I will definitely check it out. I love hearing from other librarians and staying connected with current topics in the field. Thanks for the recommendation!
    Landa Langford

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elizabeth GrossMarch 3, 2025 at 8:52 AM

    Great information here, and well written, too!

    ReplyDelete

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