Today, we’re announcing the launch of the Ex Libris hosted podcast channel, Citing the Obvious. As higher-ed libraries worldwide continue to strive to support institutional goals and drive student success, the Citing the Obvious podcast will bring together thought leaders from the academic community to discuss the hot topics and issues that face the modern academic library.
Episodes will focus on sharing the spectrum of perspectives and experiences across the academic library, teaching and learning, and research fields.

Through these intimate conversations, we will share insights into our guests’ passions, challenges, aspirations and of course, hear their words of wisdom.
Dr. Bob Banerjee, Director of Marketing, Ex Libris North America, the host of Citing the Obvious, explains, “Through these intimate conversations, we will share insights into our guests’ passions, challenges, aspirations and of course, hear their words of wisdom. I prefer the interviews unscripted and unrehearsed – these are truly natural conversations.”
In the first episode, titled “The Grand Reopening: How Libraries are Preparing for the Fall,” we reprise the Library Journal webcast from July 30th. Bob hosted a panel of consisting of Julie Beth Todaro, Dean, Library Services at Austin Community College, Gregg D. Kimball, Director of Public Services and Outreach from Library of Virginia, Kathy Coleman, Interlibrary Services Coordinator from Kansas State University Libraries, Michael Levine-Clark, Dean of the Libraries University of Denver, and Allen Jones, Director – Digital Library and Technical Services at The New School Libraries and Archives.
The panel discussed the measures being taken by academic libraries in preparation for the return of students to the physical campus. Topics include the physical facility, e-resource collection development, sharing through ILL, staffing, workflows, and ensuring that the libraries’ assets match the needs of in-person and online classes. While the issues are complex and the situation is constantly evolving, the panel shares guidelines based on their experience with disaster recovery and having already transformed their libraries to support remote teaching and learning.
You can catch up on our other episodes of Citing the Obvious as multiple episodes are being made available at launch, all available on the podcast page:
Episode 1: Supporting the move to online learning: Best practices from the University of Mary Washington
Episode 2: The Intelligent Library: How will advanced intelligence impact library systems over the next decade?
Episode 3: Reasons Libraries are Expanding to Influence Academic Research
Episode 4: The Impact of Remote Learning
Fans of the podcast can contact us via email at podcast@exlibrisgroup.com to provide feedback and ideas for the podcast, or to become a future guest on the show.
To listen to the podcast, visit https://exlibrisgroup.com/podcast, or subscribe directly on your favorite podcast platform.
August 10, 2020