Podcasts for diverse audiences

Podcasts for diverse audiences

by | Oct 7, 2016

Are there many podcasts by and for people other than white male techno-geeks?

That’s something I looked into when writing the report, “Podcast literacy: recommending the best educational, diverse, and accessible podcasts for library users” (coming in 2017 from ALA TechSource).

Maybe not…

According to Pew Research, “They’re more likely to be male, young, have higher incomes, be college graduates, live in an urban area.” (“Podcast’s biggest problem isn’t discovery, it’s diversity,” Wired, Aug. 31, 2015).

But wait…

But as of late 2016, there is some good news. Edison Research, a group that has been tracking demographics of podcast listeners for over a decade says, “…In the early days of the medium, podcasting was disproportionally a medium for white males, ages 25-44. … but today, the content universe for podcasts has exploded, and the diversity of programming available rivals any other form of audio.”

So how do you find podcasts for diverse audiences?

One place to look is the site of a podcast collective called Postloudness. Based in Chicago, it’s aiming to create a community of shows by women, people of color, and queer-identified hosts. Their goal is to bring more diversity to podcasting and help underrepresented voices create their own shows.

Get my report

Postloudness is a good place to start, but there are many more diverse podcasts available. In order to assist librarians with recommending podcasts for diverse audiences, I’ve complied lists in the following categories:

◆ produced or hosted by women
◆ racial and ethnic diversity (African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, Native Americans)
◆ LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning)
◆ aging and ageism (elders’ & children’s rights)
◆ homelessness, poverty and economic class
◆ people who are (or were) incarcerated
◆ adult literacy
◆ neurodiversity and mental health issues
◆ physical disabilities

To get this annotated list of podcasts for diverse audiences, watch for my report from ALA Tech Source, available in 2017.

Learn more about what this report covers:
Podcast Literacy – table of contents

To be notified when the full report is available, sign up for my newsletter.

Mobile Apps News: stay current with mobile apps

Win a free book in my Goodreads giveaways

Win a free book in my Goodreads giveaways

by | May 16, 2016

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Apps for Librarians by Nicole Hennig

Apps for Librarians

by Nicole Hennig

Giveaway ends May 23, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Selecting and Evaluating the Best Mobile Apps for Library Ser... by Nicole Hennig

Enter Giveaway

Goodreads makes it easy for authors to give away free copies of their books in “giveaways” managed by Goodreads. I have 4 copies of Apps for Librarians, and 3 copies of Selecting and Evaluating the Best Mobile Apps for Library Services to give away.

The contest begins on Monday, May 16 and lasts for a week. On May 24 Goodreads will randomly pick the winners and I will ship your free copy (US only).

These are for print copies — Apps for Librarians is normally $45, and Selecting and Evaluating the Best Mobile Apps is normally $43.

Feel free to enter both giveaways!

Mobile Learning Trends

Mobile Learning Trends

by | Apr 8, 2016

Recently I wrote a technical report for ALA called Mobile Learning Trends: Accessibility, Ecosystems, Content Creation. Published in April of 2016, it focuses on three trends:

  • Natural user interfaces and accessibility
  • Multi-device ecosystems
  • Content creation with mobile devices.

There are synergies between these trends that offer opportunities for those who care about access for all. This report includes ideas for how libraries can use this information to empower their users, and resources for learning more. (more…)

Advancing accessibility with mobile

Advancing accessibility with mobile

by | Nov 17, 2015

Photo by Marcus Kwan (aperturismo on Flickr).

Natural user interfaces are making computing easier for all ages and abilities

The widespread adoption of mobile computing is a good thing for librarians who care about access for all. That’s because mobile devices make use of “natural user interfaces,” and those interfaces are making computing easier for people of all ages and abilities.

Success stories

Have you heard the many stories of success that people with disabilities are having with mobile apps? Here’s an example.

Todd is a successful businessman, entrepreneur, and public speaker. An accident at age eight caused a spinal cord injury that left him as a C4 quadriplegic. (more…)