Celebrate the 100th ABC Book Review Podcast!

The is celebrating the 100th episode of the ABC Book Review Podcast. There’s a new episode available on iTunes, also available to listen at http://bethandcari.blogspot.com.

On the 100th episode, and reminisce about the past five years, chat about Fifty Shades of Grey, consider the transformation of the library and technology, and the recent author visits/Skype sessions at the library.

There’s also an awesome giveaway! Tell us your favorite book of the past five years or your favorite Beth and Cari podcast and enter for a chance to win an advanced copy of Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker.

About Beth and Cari: The Podcast

If the ABC Book Review Podcast was a baby, it would now be in kindergarten. Five years have passed since Cari and I set up the Twinsburg Public Library podcasting equipment and starting spouting our love for books over the sound waves of cyberspace.

The very first podcast we recorded was in August 2007, and we talked about Chic Lit: Books written by authors like Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Weiner, Meg Cabot, Jane Green, and Marian Keyes. The Beth and Cari of 2007 enjoyed these authors probably because that laughable romantic craziness mirrored, in part, our own lives. We were both newly married without children.

During the past few years, our lives have changed a lot professionally. Cari was promoted – twice! She became the Assistant Manager of the adult services department and was given the Employee of the Year Award in 2010. This year, she was promoted to the Computer Services Manager position. She still hosts the Writer’s Circle. I went from working in adult public services to splitting my time between youth services and being a Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for the library.

I picked up the cohost slot for the new Cookbook Club and starting doing book talks with the Teen Librarian at the high school and middle school. This year I am working full time in the administration office in the PR/Marketing capacity. My blabbering on and on about the wonders of the library and reading translates well into my new role.

Our personal lives have also dramatically changed, as our avid listeners no doubt have heard. I’ve given birth to two babies – now three and almost two -- and just celebrated my five-year wedding anniversary. Cari is expecting her first baby the month of July!

Despite our busy lives as professional working mom and soon-to-be mom, we’ve collectively read over 1,200 books in the past six years. Cari read almost 800 books; I read about 425 books but I’m not counting all the picture books that have replaced my evening reading time with my children’s bedtime.  

Even with our new responsibilities, Cari and I love our podcast and sharing our reading experiences with our listening audience, which has grown from a few dozen to over 3,000 per month. We hope you enjoy our 100th podcast. Listen at http://bethandcari.blogspot.com or search for ABC Book Review Podcast on iTunes!