In recent years, podcasting has become the most exciting medium on the planet. No matter what niche topic interests you, there is a podcast out there that screams your name, or whispers gently into your ears. In this session we will look into ways that the GLAM community can use podcasting to reach a global audience, harnessing the power of the human voice. Concrete examples from the popular Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast will be used to explain how to tap into new audiences and bring them back to your institution. Topics covered will include how to convince management that podcasting is worth investing in, and how to get that elusive New & Noteworthy feature on Apple Podcasts that will fuel your success for years to come!

1. The Power of the Human Voice: Using
Podcasting to Reach Audiences You Didn’t
Know You Had!
Tom Thompson, Multimedia Production
Specialist, Library and Archives Canada
Contact: Tom.Thompson@Canada.ca

2. Where did the idea for a podcast for Library and
Archives Canada come from?
A black and white photograph of a snowy winter street scene
in Ottawa, Canada, circa 1940. A bus and car are driving past
the parliament buildings near Library and Archives Canada’s
headquarters. Credit: Alison Dickison / Library and Archives
Canada / PA-194860
A black and white photograph of two women walking a Great
Dane and a man straightening his bowtie as he smiles at the
women. Two boys are playing catch in the background.
Credit: Ken Bell / Library and Archives Canada / e004666217

3. Who is the
podcast for?
A black and white photograph of a motley
crew of characters posing on a dock near a
body of water. Credit: Basil Zarov / Library and
Archives Canada / e011050099

4. What should the first episode be about?
A colour photograph of a young Inuit man looking at old family photos with a
woman elder. Credit: Tom Thompson / Library and Archives Canada

5. Library and Archives Canada website screenshot showing a podcast episode
page. This page features the first episode in the Discover Library and
Archives Canada podcast series entitled Project Naming and Canada's North.

6. A colour photograph of five men in colourful jumpsuits joyfully
jumping into the air on top of a building, carrying presents and
flowers, some are waving at the camera. Credit: Bert Beaver/
Weekend Magazine/ Library and Archives of Canada/ e002852709

7. iTunes webpage screenshot showing various podcasts in the “New & Noteworthy” category. Discover
Library and Archives Canada and Découvrez Bibiliothèque et Archives Canada both appear in this category.

8. Screenshot of rankings on the iTunes Canada webpage showing the top podcasts in the Government
& Organizations Category. Discover Library and Archives Canada is #1 in this category.

9. What is the process?
• Brainstorm topics (must be related to the collection)
• Identify guests!!! - must be experts in their field and above all have a passion for their work
• Write work plan, interview questions
• Book guests, host
• Record interview(s)
• Edit interviews
• Create rough edit of first language podcast
• Write transcript
• Send for approval/translation
• Book LAC staff to record voice-overs
• Record Voice-overs
• Edit second language podcast and fine tune first language podcast incorporating all music, sound effects, etc.
in both (as similar as possible)
• Create episode webpage
• Add related images to podcast/Flickr gallery
• Update RSS (adds episode to all Podcatchers)
• Launch website!

10. Colour photograph of the Discover Library and Archives Canada podcasting studio in
Gatineau, Quebec. Credit: Tom Thompson/ Library and Archives Canada

11. Colour photograph of the podcasting team in the studio, circa 2017. From left to right – Tom Thompson (producer/engineer),
Geneviève Morin (former host) and David Knox (producer/engineer). Credit: David Knox/ Library and Archives Canada

12. Where we are now
• 60 episodes in English and French
• Available on all major podcast platforms
• Listeners/subscribers from all over the world

13. Google Play webpage screenshot showing episodes from the Découvrez Bibliothèque et Archives Canada podcast.

14. iTunes podcast webpage screenshot showing episodes from the Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast.

15. iTunes podcast webpage screenshot showing ratings and reviews. Discover Library and
Archives Canada has 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 78 ratings, and several positive reviews.

16. Spotify podcast webpage screenshot showing episodes from the Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast.

17. Map of the world showing geographic reach and distribution of Discover and Library and
Archives Canada podcast based on Blubrry statistics. Most countries have registered downloads.

18. Library and Archives podcast webpage screenshot featuring the episode entitled
“UFOs at LAC: The Falcon Lake Incident – Part 1”. Hover over speaker icon for audio.

19. Library and Archives Canada podcast webpage screenshot featuring the episode
entitled “Tom Longboat is Cogwagee is Everything”. Hover over speaker icon for audio.

20. So why isn’t your organization
podcasting?!?
Let’s talk!

21. Thanks for listening! Questions?
Email – Tom.Thompson@Canada.ca