I was preparing to write a blog post about self-service libraries then decided to follow the spirit of experimentation to try something new (for me) and recorded a podcast episode!
Listen to Exploring Participatory Service & Transparency through Self-Service Libraries.
Download the podcast transcript.
The topic of self-service libraries was surprisingly rich and inspiring, and I did a lot of reading and thinking to create an outline to then riff from instead of a strict script. My final podcast episode clocks in at 11:00 despite my rigorous (and technically rudimentary) editing. Hope that’s OK and that listening to the episode feels like an informed and open-ended conversation with your pal Nancy.
References
American Libraries Magazine. (2019, September 3). Automatic for the people: Are self-service libraries a threat to the profession or an opportunity to better serve patrons? https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2019/09/03/automatic-people-self-service-libraries/
Bibliotheca. (2021, March 2). Customer story: Gwinnett County Public Library | open [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/qAQxJw2H_tw?si=uEy3GymWaO1C2GdX
Bibliotheca. (2025, September 1). In Belgium, the library that hardly ever closes: Open+ in action at the B3 Resource Center. https://www.bibliotheca.com/belgium-b3-library-open-plus-extended-access/
CBC News. (2018, October 2). Innovative self-serve program extends library hours in rural Hamilton. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/innovative-self-serve-program-extends-library-hours-in-rural-hamilton-1.4847083
Left Lane. (2018, November 26). Freellton | Open Plus | Bibliotheca [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/302741173
Schmidt, A. (2013, November 5). Earning trust | The user experience. Library Journal. https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/earning-trust-the-user-experience
Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship: attentive, positive, and purposeful change. ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association.
2 Comments
Janna W. · June 23, 2026 at 10:53 pm
Hi Nancy,
I enjoyed listening to your podcast. What program did you use to edit? I’ve been thinking about experimenting with audio recording as well.
I think you did great at keeping in the transitional phrases so our brains know when you are pivoting topics or moving on to a different point. It didn’t feel like a burden to process the 11 min long listen.
I liked learning through your lens, especially because these were not articles I dove deeply into myself.
Nancy Lee · June 25, 2026 at 9:48 pm
Hi Janna, thanks for listening!
I used my phone for everything: Smart Recorder to record, Otter to transcribe, Super Sound to edit. Reviewing the written transcript with time stamps on my laptop helped me figure out what to cut and where. Then I combined all the separate clips I made into a final episode. It was an extremely basic process but I worked with what I already had. And all the programs were free!