Brooklyn Public Library is full of stories. Our podcast brings the best of them to you.
You can listen by clicking the audio players below, or subscribe to Borrowed on your podcast app of choice.
Borrowed and Banned
BPL's Peabody-nominated series about America's ideological war with its bookshelves. Over ten episodes, you'll hear from students on the frontlines, librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and writers whose books have become political battleground. This series also won a Webby Award and was nominated for an Ambie Award.
Start listening to the series here.
Borrowed
BPL's Anthem Award-winning podcast is a narrative show about superhero librarians, neighborhood stories and what it means to be a free, democratic place in today’s changing world. We’ve told stories about libraries during natural disasters, the challenges of homelessness, and NYC’s fraught relationship with trash.
Can I read a transcript of the podcast?
Yes! You can read full transcripts for each episode by clicking on the title of the episode below. You'll also find pictures and links to articles or books mentioned in the episode, too
I have an idea for an episode. Can I tell you about it?
Yes! We're always looking for stories about our Brooklyn community, or how public libraries impact our lives. Reach out to us by emailing podcasts@bklynlibrary.org.
How do I listen?
You can listen right on our website by clicking the audio players below. You can also listen on your smart phone. All you have to do is search for “Borrowed” in your podcast app of choice, then click “subscribe” or “follow” to get new episodes downloaded to your device as soon as they come out. Or, click the buttons below to subscribe on these apps.
Season 7, Episode 7
The Challenge
Student activists in York, Pennsylvania organized a silent protest when hundreds of books were banned from their classrooms, paving the way for lasting change in their community. In this final episode of the series, we tackle the challenge head-on: from encouraging open dialogue about the books on our shelves to the ongoing work of protecting the freedom to read.
Check out every book mentioned on our Borrowed and Banned series!
Season 7, Episode 6
On the Frontlines
Library workers often risk their livelihoods when they speak out against censorship, spurring community members to pick up the fight for intellectual freedom. We tell the story of how one Louisiana parish came together to defend their library amidst book challenges, tip lines, and even sign burning.
Check out this list of challenged and banned children's books.
Season 7, Bonus Episode
An Interview with Maia Kobabe
Maia Kobabe's debut memoir, Gender Queer, was the most frequently banned book in 2021 and 2022. We talked with Maia about what it's like to be on the recieving end of so many challenges, and the importance of public libraries.
Season 7, Episode 5
Beloved Blues
Despite being one of the most frequently banned authors, Toni Morrison’s work has inspired countless others to tell stories outside the mainstream. We take a closer look at Morrison's writing, her legacy, and her impact on the anti-censorship movement.
Check out our list of Toni Morrison's books.
Season 7, Bonus Episode
An Interview with George M. Johnson
George M. Johnson talks about their debut Young Adult memoir All Boys Aren't Blue, the support of their family, their love of Toni Morrison, and the importance of standing against book bans.
Season 7, Episode 4
Battle of the Classics
Banning of so-called “classics” grabs public attention, but books like To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984 don't need your defense. It's the more recently published titles by and about people with marginalized identities that are most at risk. This episode, we investigate what we mean when we call a book a "classic," and hear from young people about what books they care about today.
Read the new "classics," according to teens.
Season 7, Bonus
An Interview with Mike Curato
Mike Curato talks about his award-winning graphic novel Flamer, his writing practice, and how it feels to have his story vaulted into national headlines as parents, politicians, and school boards campaign to remove his book from school and library shelves.
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Season 7, Episode 3
Of Parents and School Boards
Over the past few years, school board races have become more heated and more political — and books have become the center of that political storm. We look at what happened in Keller, Texas when an ultra-conservative group took over the school board.
Check out our book list created for this episode.
Season 7, Episode 2
Seen and Obscene
The birth of obscenity laws in the 1870s provides a cautionary tale for the present moment, when far-right conservatives incorrectly label books “sexually explicit” as a way to provoke outrage in communities nationwide. This episode, we delve into the parallels that history can reveal and hear from students in Texas fighting for their freedom to read.
Check out this list of books recommended for this episode.
Season 7, Episode 1
All for a Library Card
When a high school teacher in Norman, Oklahoma shared a QR code with her students that would grant them access to BPL’s digital collection, she took a stand against a restrictive state law. That act of resistance made her first day of school ... also her last.
Read some of the most frequently-challenged books (many of which will be featured on this podcast series)!