Web 2.0 Training - Podcasts

I've been aware of podcasts for a long time; almost five years ago, my friend Jason was telling me how podcasts would replace radio, and how we would be able to easily listen to whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted (and avoid the junk that was on most commercial radio stations). But I didn't really jump on the podcasting bandwagon until I got an iPod over a year ago. I usually only listen to the radio when I'm driving; now I could load a podcast onto my iPod and listen to that instead. And yet, when I'm driving, podcasting still takes a backseat to my cds, WNRN, and AM Sports Radio. But there is one place where I always listen to podcasts - the gym.

Podcasts are perfect for the gym; they force your brain to listen to a conversation rather than acknowledge the heavy weight lifting that you're currently sweating through. I've found that most of my music is too fast or too slow to match the medium, steady pace of lifting weights, so listening to podcasts was the perfect solution. (Obviously, it's a different situation if you are on a treadmill; your mind is too fried to pay attention to a conversation, you need fast music that motivates you to keep going. I've found H2O albums to be the perfect choice...on the rare occasions that I can actually motivate myself to get on the treadmill in the first place.) Now I lift and listen to people talk about sports, movies, music or current events - the only problem is when something funny is said and I start to laugh mid-lift. My new routine to get ready for the gym involves changing clothes, filling my water bottle, and loading a podcast onto my iPod - it's just natural, I don't even have to think about it. In fact, it still throws me off that my favorite weekly podcast was canceled at the beginning of the year (Weasel Radio, based out of Madison, Wisconsin). I used to listen to Owen and Ben argue sports, music and politics every Thursday, but then Owen went and moved to Seattle. Yes, I'm nostalgic for a podcast gone by...how's that for living the Web 2.0 life?

I think podcasts could be very useful at the library. Story Times could be recorded and then archived for future listening. In fact, you could just bypass the actual library 'Story Time' and record the librarian reading a book in the comfort of their own home. Maybe sound effects could be added as well - you could have a whole Story Time Podcasting Production! You could turn book discussions, computer classes, and live appearances by book authors into podcasts as well. Podcasts could be geared towards a broad audience, or target a specific group, such as teens or Henrico County residents. There are a variety of ways this technology can be utilized at Henrico County Public Libraries, and I look forward to seeing how we will move forward into the podcasting world.