Podcasts. Maybe you are a devotee, listening to shows like Serial or Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Maybe you’ve never listened, but you are peripherally aware of the fact that 44% of Americans have listened to a podcast in their lifetimes, and 20% listen to shows each week. Have you ever considered how your institution can use podcasts as a means to engage your community, spread the word about your unique collections, and tell your compelling stories? Museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage institutions can create podcasts that showcase their own special stories and collections. Podcasts can drive interest, engagement, and support. Join presenter Heather Teysko to learn the basic steps to creating a podcast including basic hosting and editing options, and explore the many ways you can use audio to increase engagement in your community.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the session, participants should be able to:
Understand what makes podcasts unique, and why a library would want to launch a show
Identify barriers to starting a podcast and how to navigate around them
Name the key steps to starting a podcast, including identifying basic hosting and editing options and how to select one for your institution
Create a plan for content creation and show launch
Recognize podcasting best practices and avoid common missteps
Instructor:
Heather Teysko is a writer and podcaster whose show on Tudor history, the Renaissance English History Podcast, is closing in on three million downloads. Started in 2009, the show is also the longest continuously running indie history podcast. She has used her show to grow a large online community around Tudor history that includes books, online conferences and live events. She speaks throughout the US and Europe on community building through podcasting, including at the Sound Education educational podcasting conference at Harvard University, and Intelligent Speech, featuring leading education podcasters. Before she became a full time podcaster, Heather worked at the Califa Group for ten years, most recently as the Assistant Director, where, in addition to negotiating contracts and member offers, she was instrumental in building the enki eBook library, a statewide open source eBook platform with a shared collection of content purchased directly from publishers.
