Your Family, Your Library

Combating the Loneliness Epidemic

Tue, 26 May 2026 09:36:00 -0600

Brenna and Amy talk with Marni about the trending loneliness epidemic we're experiencing and how the library creates space for human connection.

Meet our Makers in Residence

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:03:53 -0600

Brittany Bouyer and Zeeshan Farooq were chosen as our November 2025 and March 2026 Makers in Residence. Marni sits down with them individually to talk about their inspiration and community projects.

Our Skokie Yearbook Project

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0600

Librarians Laurel and Maria share the idea behind the Skokie Yearbook Project, a yearlong community-focused initiative, and some of their favorite moments from the past year.

Sifting through Information

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0600

Information Services Supervisor Amy shares her tips for evaluating and navigating information, as well as some of her favorite reference questions.

Show Notes: https://www.skokielibrary.info/podcast

Local Government with Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti, Part II

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

We wrap up our conversation with Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti. We explore her background in policy writing, what's new in Springfield, and how the community can give back.

Local Government with Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti, Part I

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:50:00 -0600

Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti joins Marni and Richard to dive into the workings of a township and what services they provide.

Meet the Executive Director Part II

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:21:00 -0600

We conclude our conversation with Executive Director Richard Kong. After the interview, we give you a behind-the-scenes look at a recent community volunteer project.

Find the show notes on our website: https://www.skokielibrary.info/podcast

Meet the Executive Director Part I

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0600

Richard Kong became the Skokie Public Library executive director in 2016. During his tenure, he's experienced a lot of change (like multiple renovation projects), but the library's commitment to the community hasn't wavered.

Show notes: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Meet our Maker in Residence

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0600

In 2025, Skokie Public Library welcomed its first Maker in Residence: Julie Oh!

Learn more about Julie's inspiration, advice to new crafters, and what she's worked on in the Studio.

https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

The "A" in STEAM

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0600

Experiential Learning Supervisor Marni joins Katie to discuss the importance of art in personal and professional growth, and how the library supports STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) for all ages.

Want to connect? Email us at podcast at skokielibrary dot info.

https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library

Goodbye, Caitlin

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

We bid a tearful goodbye to Caitlin and reflect on Katie and Caitlin's achievements as "Your Family, Your Library" hosts.

Keep an eye out for new episodes in 2025!

Nature in Our Community Part II

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:29:41 -0600

Katie and Caitlin wrap up their conversation with naturalist Amanda Krause. They chat about the history behind lawns and how families can get started with native plants.

Find our show notes on our website: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Nature in Our Community Part I

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0600

Naturalist Amanda Krause from Oakton College joins our Youth librarians to chat about how adults and children can get involved in nature and highlights the advantages of spending time in nature.

Learn more about our podcast and find show notes here on our website: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Get in touch with our team by emailing us.

Sibling Dynamics

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 08:27:05 -0600

Does birth order determine your child's personality? Katie and Caitlin share their views on birth order in their own family and chat about how they introduced their older children to their new siblings.

Find our resources at https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Taking Care of You and Your Partner

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:29:57 -0600

Caitlin and Katie talk about how they make time for themselves in their busy schedules. They also share their challenges and successes in growing their relationships with their partners.

Learn more about our podcast: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Talk to us! Email us podcast at skokielibrary dot info.

Burnout

Tue, 28 May 2024 14:52:04 -0600

What is burnout, and are we all burned out right now?

Katie and Caitlin explore ways to manage burnout and provide library resources for burned-out caregivers.

https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Want to get in touch? Email us at podcast@skokielibrary.info to start the conversation!

Meet the Crew!

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:39:45 -0600

Producer Amber and sound engineer Paul join Caitlin and Katie for this special first anniversary episode. The team reflects on their year on the podcast and their parenting journeys.

https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Email us at podcast@skokielibrary.info to get in touch or share a topic idea.

Reflecting on Parenthood

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0600

Were you inundated with parenting wisdom and myths when you were expecting?

Caitlin and Katie share some myths they've heard over the years and share resources and library book recommendations that'll help you when the days feel long.

https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library

Share what parenting myths you've heard with us! Email us at podcast@skokielibrary.info.

When Things Get Scary

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0600

How do you talk to your children about upsetting and challenging occurrences? Skokie Public Library Youth Services librarians Katie and Caitlin chat about their approach and share library books and other resources to help parents and caregivers start the conversation.

Browse our show notes including picture books, parenting collections, and other library resources: https://skokielibrary.info/your-family-your-library/

Creating Boundaries

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin kick off the new year by discussing boundaries. They chat about their struggles and how to create boundaries, both as children and adults.

Failure and Empathy

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:30:00 -0600

How do you talk about failure in your home? Mandy joins Caitlin and Katie as they discuss ways parents can fail, adults can fail, and how we should use this as an opportunity to learn and build empathy.

Climate Change and Climate Anxiety

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin chat about their experience with climate change, how their families discuss and work to counteract climate change, and share helpful resources from the library.

Bedtime Challenges and Reading Instruction

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin share their challenges when dealing with sleep regression and other sleep issues.

Caitlin also gives an overview from a July library event about literacy and how the library can support young readers.

We'd love to hear from you! Email us at: podcast [at] skokielibrary [dot] info.

How to Be a Friend

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin share how they've seen their children make friends, and discuss how difficult it seems to make friends as adults.

Post-Pandemic School

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0600

School is back in session, and we want to talk about it! In this episode, we chat about how the pandemic has affected the school year, and Community Engagement Librarian Lorrie shares how she has adapted to better meet classroom needs.

Connect with us at podcast@skokielibrary.info.

It Takes a Village

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Is having a stay-at-home parent better than sending your child to daycare? Caitlin and Katie are joined by Holly as they discuss their own ups and downs with childcare and resources to build a support network.

Summer Fun

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin chat about how summers have changed from their childhoods, their perspectives on summer learning, and recommend some family-friendly activities.

Social Anxiety

Mon, 15 May 2023 08:05:00 -0600

Katie and Caitlin discuss what social anxiety is (and how it's different from shyness) and recommend some books for young readers struggling with social anxiety.

Big Feelings

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 06:45:43 -0600

Katie and Caitlin discuss how they deal with "big feelings" and resilience in their households.

Your Family, Your Library: Teaser

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 13:15:06 -0600

Welcome to our new podcast, "Your Family, Your Library."

During this monthly podcast, Skokie Public Library youth librarians Caitlin and Katie share their parenting journeys and provide resources for caregivers seeking support.