The library will be open regular hours during the Town Winter Wonderland Event on 12/2, but there will be no parking available at the library on this date. Limited parking will be available across the street at the Town Hall Annex.
Rhody Radio Podcasts
Rhody Radio is a podcast produced by library staff and their communities. It captures conversations, lectures, and performances with many talented Rhode Islanders all in a format as welcoming as libraries themselves, available 24/7 wherever you find your podcasts. Listed below are the Rhody Radio episodes produced and/or created by Coventry Public Library staff.
Hey, Jude: A Conversation with Judith Kalaora
Air date: 11/07/2023
Lauren chats with Judith Kalaora, the Founder and Artistic Director of History at Play™, which educates and entertains audiences with their Immersive Living History Experiences. They discuss inspirational women, Princess Diana conspiracy theories, the best time periods to visit in a time machine, the importance of libraries, and more!
BONUS: A Second Helping of Tacos
Air date: 10/27/2023
For this bonus episode of Rhody Eats, we enlist even more of our colleagues across the state to find the best tacos Rhode Island and choose our favorites, using the RI Food Fights Taco Mania 2023 as a guide.
Rhody Eats: Tacos
Air date: 10/24/2023
Rhody Eats is a segment in which we rank the most popular foods in Rhode Island. In this episode, we enlist our colleagues across the state to find the best tacos Rhode Island and choose our favorites, using the RI Food Fights Taco Mania 2023 as a guide.
Rhody Recommends: Spooky Season
Air date: 10/20/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. We’re celebrating spooky season with these horror recommendations to die for!
Rhody Recommends: For Cinephiles
Air date: 9/8/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. These recommendations are for cinephiles, a.k.a. movie buffs, a.k.a. anyone who has seen “2001: A Space Odyssey” multiple times just because they love it so much.
Tasting History with Max Miller
Air date: 8/15/2023
Lauren chats with Max Miller, author of the cookbook, Tasting History, and creator and host of the viral digital series, “Tasting History with Max Miller” on YouTube. They discuss the joys and difficulties of researching and recreating historical recipes, and talk about which dishes are the best and which ones are…not the best. If you’re interested in cooking and history, don’t miss this episode!
Rhody Recommends: Escapism
Air date: 7/28/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode features recommendations with escapist themes.
If These Walls Could Talk - The Paine House Museum
Air date: 7/18/2023
If These Walls Could Talk is a new segment on Rhody Radio where we learn about the historic house museums of Rhode Island. In these episodes, Lauren Walker – from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library – tours Rhode Island’s many historic homes, talks with the people who take care of them, and shares all of this great history with our listeners. For this first episode, Lauren visits the Paine House Museum in Coventry, Rhode Island and talks with Colleen Hodges and Brenda Jacob, President and President Emeritus respectively of the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society.
Rhody Recommends: Dystopian Fiction 101
Air date: 6/16/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode features recommendations for dystopian fiction.
Rhody Recommends: The RI Middle School Book Award Vol. 2
Air date: 6/2/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. Today we're featuring Kylie Woodmansee, publicity chair of the Rhode Island Middle School Book Award committee. Voting is open through March 31st, 2024, so be sure to help the middle schoolers in your life check out these titles and vote for their favorite to win!
Preserving History with the American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Air date: 5/23/2023
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library talks with Alan Gevinson and Karen Cariani, co-directors of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting, a collaboration between the Library of Congress and GBH. They talk about what the Archive does and why it’s important to preserve public broadcasting content and they’ll share a couple of their favorite clips from the collection.
All About E-Books!
Air date: 5/9/2023
In this episode, you’ll learn all about how to download e-books and audiobooks for free with your library card!
Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library chats with Lisa Sallee, Assistant Director at Ocean State Libraries; Julie Holden, Assistant Director at Cranston Public Library; and Kiki Butler, Head of Adult Services at Coventry Public Library, all of whom work extensively with the Ocean State Libraries eZone, the statewide collection of free, downloadable e-books and audiobooks. They talk about how to use the eZone, answer some frequently asked questions, and talk about the e-book legislation that is currently before the RI General Assembly.
Rhody Eats: Doughnuts
Air date: 4/25/2023
Rhody Eats is a segment in which we rank the most popular foods in Rhode Island. In this episode, we taste some of the best doughnuts in Rhode Island and choose our favorites, using the list of participants in the RI Food Fights #BestDonutRI LoveFest 2023 as a guide.
Opening the Oyster: Black Rhode Island Foodways
Air date: 4/11/2023
In 2011, Robb Dimmick, co-founder of the award-winning non-profit, Stages of Freedom, curated the groundbreaking exhibit, "Creative Survival: African American Foodways in Rhode Island, 1690 to the Present." Held at the Culinary Arts Museum, the exhibit, the first of its kind, garnered national attention and achieved the Museum's largest attendance and longest run. In this episode, Dimmick shares his talk, "Opening the Oyster: Black Rhode Island Foodways” for Rhody Radio listeners. "Opening the Oyster" is a fascinating and illuminating talk which explores how the culinary genius and excellence of Rhode Island African Americans bought their way out of slavery and created a foundation of community prosperity. Learn about Duchess Quamino, the Pastry Queen of Rhode Island; master chocolate grinders; turtle frolicks; and more!
Rhody Recommends: It Happened in the Library
Air date: 3/24/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode features books and movies that take place in a library.
Episode 100: What We Love About Rhode Island
Air date: 2/28/2023
It's our 100th episode, and we've got a special episode for you! As a podcast produced by library workers across the Ocean State, we got in touch with past producers, partners, and guests, and asked them to share what they love about Rhode Island. We hope you enjoy this lovefest celebrating our first 100 episodes 🥳
Get Ready to Date with Debra L'Heureux
Air date: 2/14/2023
In this Valentine's Day episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library sits down for a chat with Debra L’Heureux, the Barrington-based matchmaker behind Get Ready to Date, LTD. Debra talks about the matchmaking process and gives some dating and relationship advice for our listeners. Stay tuned through the end of the episode for some romance book and movie recommendations from your local librarians!
Rhody Recommends: Carrie Fisher
Air date: 1/27/2023
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode’s theme is: Carrie Fisher.
Decluttering in the New Year with Laurie Lindemann
Air date: 1/3/2023
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library sits down with Laurie Lindemann, who is a Master Certified KonMari consultant serving all of New England and beyond. She helps people declutter their homes using the KonMari Method, which consists of the systems and strategies created by decluttering expert Marie Kondo as described in her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Laurie talks about how we can declutter our homes and spark more joy!
Rhody Recommends: Magical Feminism
Air date: 12/16/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode’s theme is: Magical Feminism.
A Tour of Historic Maple Root Cemetery
Air date: 11/22/2022
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library takes us on a walking tour of historic Maple Root Cemetery in Coventry, Rhode Island. This tour is based on information from the Pawtuxet Valley Preservation and Historical Society Cemetery Group.
Paranormal Activity at the Paine House
Air date: 10/25/2022
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library chats with Ken DeCosta of RISEUP Paranormal about RISEUP’s decade-long series of paranormal investigations at Coventry’s own Paine House Museum. Ken talks about the investigations as well as how RISEUP began and some advice for any amateur paranormal investigators out there. He also shares some actual EVP recordings from the Paine House.
Rhody Recommends: 2ks Throwbacks
Air date: 10/21/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode is all about recommendations that will bring on early 2000s nostalgia!
RI4All: Puppets and Politics
Air date: 8/30/2022
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library speaks with Tammy Brown and Emily Boucher of the Womxn Project about its RI4All video series, which aims to educate Rhode Islanders about the importance of civic engagement.
Rhody Recommends: LIVE from the Greene Library Farmers Market
Air date: 8/12/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. In this episode, we went to the Greene Library Farmers Market to find out what Greene is reading!
Rhody Recommends: Alternative Religions
Air date: 7/29/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. In this episode Debra Young, Circulation Manager at the Coventry Public Library, shares her recommendations for titles about Alternative Religions.
How To Talk About Slavery with Ray Rickman
Air date: 7/19/2022
In this episode, we hear from Ray Rickman, co-founder and Executive Director of Stages of Freedom, a nonprofit that teaches swimming to children of color and provides African American cultural programs to thousands of Rhode Islanders of all races. Rickman provides an introduction to the topic of slavery in Rhode Island and the problematic idea that slavery was a southern problem.
Queer StoRIes Oral History Project
Air date: 6/21/2022
In this episode, Lauren Walker from the Rhody Radio crew and Coventry Public Library speaks with Kate Wells, Curator of Rhode Island Collections at Providence Public Library, and Dr. Virginia Thomas, Assistant Professor of Art & Art History and Women & Gender Studies at Providence College, about an oral history project called, “Queer StoRIes”- a project of the Rhode Island LGBTQ+ Community Archive, which is housed at Providence Public Library. Kate and Virginia talk about the project, why it’s important, and how more Rhode Islanders can get involved.
Rhody Eats: Ice Cream
Air date: 6/7/2022
Rhody Eats is a segment in which we rank the most popular foods in Rhode Island. In this episode, we rank the top 5 places to get ice cream in Rhode Island.
Rhody Recommends: Agatha Christie - The Queen of Mystery
Air date: 6/3/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode is all about the Queen of Mystery - Agatha Christie.
Rhody Recommends: Women in Hollywood
Air date: 4/22/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode shares recommendations about women in Hollywood.
Indulging in the 6th Annual Poutine Indulgence
Air date: 3/29/2022
Lauren Walker, Assistant Director of the Coventry Public Library and self-proclaimed Official Poutine Correspondent for Rhody Radio, sits down with Anne Conway, Director of the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, to discuss their annual Francophonie celebration and the 6th Annual Poutine Indulgence. Then, Lauren indulges and reviews all 7 poutine contestants.
Rhody Recommends: Sweden
Air date: 2/25/2022
Rhody Recommends brings you a short segment on our off weeks where we tell you what we’re reading, watching, and listening to. Everything you hear about in this segment is available at your local library, or freely available online. This episode features Swedish recommendations!
Are You Afraid of the Stacks?
Air date: 10/26/2021
Lauren Walker, Assistant Director at the Coventry Public Library, hosts this spooky episode featuring ghost stories from librarians across Rhode Island. Hear stories from Celeste Dyer, Director of the Cumberland Public Library; Natalie Coolen, Children’s Librarian at George Hail Free Library; Mary Anne Quinn, Reference Librarian at Warwick Public Library; and Stefanie Blankenship, Director of the North Providence Union Free Public Library. These librarians share eerie first-hand accounts of paranormal investigations, ghostly figures, and empty elevators moving on their own.
Celebrating One Year of Rhody Radio!
Air date: 9/7/2021
Rhody Radio, RI's first collaborative state-wide library podcast project, began in a time when libraries were closed to the public due to a worldwide pandemic, and has since become a long-term programming outlet for libraries. Through fifty-seven episodes and twice as many meetings, the creative team has been meeting via Zoom to plan and program each episode. Now, a year later, Rhody Radio meets in person for the first time, recording live at Barrington Public Library! Host Lauren Walker (Assistant Director at Coventry Public Library) chats with the rest of the team - Nicolette Baffoni (Library Development Manager and LSTA Coordinator at the RI Office of Library and Information Services), Dave Bartos (Coordinator of Adult Services at Cranston Public Library), Jessica D'Avanza (Community Engagement Librarian at Barrington Public Library), and Emily Goodman (Community Outreach Coordinator at North Kingstown Free Library) - about their experience creating a weekly library podcast and their goals for the future of this program.
On the Road with the Coventry Mobile Library
Air date: 8/3/2021
Lauren Walker, assistant director at the Coventry Public Library discusses the library’s new grant-funded summer Mobile Library program and shares an overview of bookmobile history. Lauren chats with Library Director, Megan Weeden and Bookmobile Intern, Aliyah Harris about the goals of the Mobile Library and how the program is going so far.
Fake News: Why It Matters and How To Spot It
Air date: 11/3/2020
Kiki Butler, Head of Adult Services and Lauren Walker, Assistant Director at the Coventry Public Library sat down to discuss the issue of fake news, why it’s important, and how to tell whether or not a source is reliable.