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Coffee Break

Coffee Break: Libraries, books and reading

A small boy stands on a pile of books at the Police Athletic League library circa 1955.
A small boy stands on a pile of books at the Police Athletic League library circa 1955.rlando /Three Lions/Getty Images | File 1955

by Anna Weggel

April 29, 2020

We're excited about a new podcast for families launching today from American Public Media starring Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton - "Julie's Library". In the show, Julie and her daughter invite listeners into their library to read their favorite children's books.

Also last week was National Library Week, and it is worth a reminder that even in the midst of most library closures to the public, so many libraries in the Twin Cities and beyond are doing e-book rentals and curbside pickup. Go to your favorite library's website to see if they are doing curbside pickup or e-book rentals, and here's a hot tip: you can download the app "Libby" for participating libraries - it's a place to easily borrow e-books for free with your library card. And if you don't have a library card right now, what better time to get one?

All of this book talk has got us in the mood for book songs!

For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that mention libraries, books and reading?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below, and see if you can avoid these songs we played in February for a similar Coffee Break in honor of our co-host for the day - Jay Gabler of Rock & Roll Book Club fame!

X - Adult Books
Rockpile - When I Write the Book
Father John Misty - I'm Writing A Novel
The Kinks - Picture Book
Husker Du - Books About UFOs
The Beatles - Paperback Writer

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs played

Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write The Book
Ella Fitzgerald - I Could Write A Book
The Magnetic Fields - The Book of Love
Talking Heads - The Book I Read
Stars - My Favourite Book
Frank Sinatra - I Can Read Between the Lines
The Head and the Heart - Library Magic
The Monotones - Book Of Love