In this special episode of Tales from The Leeds Library, Archive Assistant Niimi Day Gough and Assistant Librarian Anna Goodridge interview our longest subscribing member. Miss Judith Pickard became a member in 1952 - which, at the time, required references and a share certificate (viewable on our social medias @theleedslibrary)! To celebrate her 7…

For the final episode of season 2 of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to author Sarah Brooks about her upcoming debut novel A Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands, if less is more in sci-fi and speculative fiction, bringing myth into her work and being taught by George R.R. Martin. We also discuss the Leeds Centre for New Chinese Writin…

This week's episode of Tales from The Leeds Library features a conversation with Jed Aitchison from Buy Nowt LS6. We talk to Jed about libraries, but not as we know them: instead of lending books Buy Nowt LS6 lends things. We also discuss sustainability and the ethos behind the Library of Things movement, some of the weirder objects available for b…

This week we talk to author Yvonne Battle-Felton about growing up in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, completing a PhD while raising three children, the differences between writing for children and writing for adults and what you can learn about writing in universities vs the school of life. We also talk in depth about her Women's Prize for Fiction sho…

In today’s episode, we talk to Librarian Ann Sproat and Archivist Errin Hussey from the Henry Moore Institute. We discuss art archives in the digital age, how libraries and archives acquire new material, what does and doesn't count as sculpture and the difficulties of deciding how to order an archive. Henry Moore Institute: https://www.henry-moore.…

In today's episode, we talk to Niimi, the Archives Assistant and Anna, the Assistant Librarian, about The Leeds Library's archive. Anna has been working for the library for over 20 years and has a strong understanding of the archive, while Niimi has only been with us for a few months. Together we discuss the reasons we have an archive in the first …

Lisa from fellow independent library The Morrab talks to us about a career in libraries, the trials and tribulations of independent library life and keeping the Morrab running over lockdown. We discuss the Morrab's extensive Cornish collection; 3,000 books printed in the 16th-18th centuries; manuscripts relating to various local families; long runs…

This week we talk to Cheryl who runs The Little Bookshop in Chapel Allerton about what makes us fall in love with reading, what inspires young readers, and why it is important to focus on building diverse and inclusive collections for children and young adults. We also talk about the day to day logistics of running a bookshop and the joys and hards…

We talk to Aoife Larkin about artist books and books as artefacts, Leeds Arts University's special collections and some of the more unusual volumes it holds, and issues of conservation in historic collections. Aoife worked for a long time at fellow independent library The Portico in Manchester, and we discuss her work there as well as some of the i…

This week we talk to poet and new staff member at The Leeds Library Ian Harker. Ian joined the Library as the Marketing and Communications Officer a month ago, and we discuss the exciting projects that will be taking place in the Library over the next few months. We also talk about Ian’s background in writing and the Leeds poetry and literature sce…

In this episode, we have a conversation with Peter Spafford, a musician, author, broadcaster and writer organiser. We talk to Peter about his role at Chapel FM as the director of words. We also discuss the work Peter has done in poetry, tv and radio plays to see what inspired Peter to be a creative that has experience in so many mediums. The Openin…

In this episode, we have a conversation with Hannah Stone, a theologian and poet. We talk with Hannah about her experience with poetry and making her extensive collection of works. As well as her experiences getting published and how she leads a community of like-minded individuals at the Leeds library in her Friday lunch club: Nowt but Verse. The …

Welcome back to Tales from The Leeds Library! Kicking off our second season is a fascinating conversation with Susan Watkins. We talk about her work on contemporary women's post-apocalyptic fiction and what post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction can tell us about our current world. We also discuss the posthuman, women and aging and why, when we so …

For the final episode of season one of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to actor/writer and director of Heritage Corner and Leeds Black History Walk Joe Williams. We talk about Joe’s life and work, black history in Leeds, and the importance of engaging with local history through creativity and the arts. Heritage Corner Leeds: https://heritageco…

In this episode, we have a conversation with the author of the only novel ever set in The Leeds Library. We talk with Frances Brody, author of the gripping Kate Shackleton series of detective fiction, about her life in libraries both here on Leeds and across the UK and the US. Frances’s website: https://frances-brody.com/ Find Frances on Twitter @F…

Like all good historic buildings, The Leeds Library has a ghost. In this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we discuss the haunting of the library with our resident paranormal expert and assistant librarian Anna Goodridge. Anna’s ASSAP talk on the ghost: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Ixm-O1SPA The Opening and Ending Song is Book Bag - E's …

In this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to author Chris Nickson about his life as a music journalist in America, the changing face of Leeds over the years, and the importance of historical research and veracity in his own historical fiction. We also discuss Chris’s latest book in his DI Inspector Tom Harper series: Brass Lives. Chri…

In this week’s episode of Tales from the Leeds Library we talk to Ruth Robbins – professor in English and Director of Research for the School of Cultural Studies and Humanities at Leeds Beckett University. We talk to her about her research specialisms in the late Victorian era and the work she has done on The Leeds Library’s own Victorian fiction c…

This week’s Tales from The Leeds Library episode features a conversation with Shaun Page, a local historian photographer, and host of the Leeds Echoes podcast. Shaun talked to us about the importance of local history, the use of new technologies in arts, culture and heritage, and the joys of living in Burley. Shaun’s Website: https://www.warehouse6…

Brian Cole has worked extensively with The Leeds Library’s collection as a conservator and bookbinder. In this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we discuss the history of bookbinding, and the shape of the trade in the UK today. We discuss his book Aspire to the Beautiful and Brian also takes us through some of the different bookbinding techni…

The latest episode of Tales from The Leeds Library features Dr Emily Zobel Marshall - Author, poet and Reader in Postcolonial Literature at Leeds Beckett University. We talk about Emily's work with Carnival, her work with the charity Remember Oluwale and their planned memorial sculpture garden featuring work by artist Yinka Shonibare. We also talk …

In this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to Louisa Yates, Director of Collections and Research at Gladstone’s Library and visiting Lecturer at the University of Chester. We talk about the collection and her work at Gladstone’s Library, the importance of preserving independent libraries and their future – particularly how digital tech…

Tales From The Leeds Library S1E3 Feat. Jane Riley Jane Riley has been The Leeds Library’s librarian since 2015 and for this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to her about the collection and its history, the gems of the collection including The Leeds Library’s oldest book, the issues facing libraries housing historic collections, and …

Tales From The Leeds Library S1E2 Feat. James Nash In this episode of Tales from The Leeds Library we talk to poet James Nash. We discuss his chosen form - the sonnet, how art influences life and life influences art, and his recent collection of poetry entitled A Bench for Billie Holiday. We also discuss James’ longstanding relationship with The Le…

Tales From The Leeds Library S1E1 Feat. Kevin Grady + Fiona Gell To Launch Tales from The Leeds Library: The Leeds Library’s new podcast series we have a conversation streamed live from the Old Librarian’s Office with president of The Leeds Library Kevin Grady and Communications Officer Fiona Gell. We talk to Kevin about the early history of the li…