Let's Talk: Camden library podcast
Welcome to our podcast, Let's Talk Camden Library, in partnership with Bloomsbury Institute.
Every month, your hosts Abul Kashim from Camden Libraries and Barra Fitzgibbon from Bloomsbury Institute, sit down with a special guest to hear about their library experiences.
Our guests represent a diverse library community, including staff, volunteers, partner organisations, and library users.
Tune in every month for an engaging exploration of library life and culture.
Listen live
You can listen to Let’s Talk Camden Library live every Saturday at 6pm on Bloomsbury Institute.
Listen to previous episodes
Visit our Soundcloud page to listen to previous episodes of the podcast.
Episode 13
Matthew Smith: Passion for Art and Literature and the Kilburn Library re-design
In this episode of Let’s Talk Camden at Bloomsbury Institute, our host Abul Kashim is joined by co-host Haleema Ali for a lively and inspiring conversation with Matthew Smith, Library Manager at Kilburn Library.
We dive into:
- The exciting new library development in Kilburn
- Matthew shares insights into the vision, community impact, and progress behind the transformation.
- Camden’s Year of Reading & World Book Day
- We explore how these initiatives are bringing residents together and celebrating the joy of reading across all ages.
- Matthew’s passion for art and history
From his early love of books to his years working in a bookshop, Matthew reflects on his personal journey and the stories that have shaped him.
This episode is full of creativity, community spirit, and a deep appreciation for books and learning , a must-listen for anyone who loves libraries and the people who make them come alive.
Episode 12
Let's Talk Camden: Stories That Shape Us, Helen Hastle and the Imagination Library Journey
Join hosts Abul Kashim and Haleema Ali as they chat with Helen Hastle (Regional Director of the Imagination Library).
Helen shares her personal journey with books, her lifelong passion for reading for pleasure, and how stories have shaped her work, her family life, and her commitment to early years literacy.
Helen also talks about the incredible impact that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has had on her own family, from the excitement of monthly deliveries to the joy of building a beautiful home library with high quality, age appropriate books. She explains why this free service is such a gift for families, and why every child in Camden under the age of five should be signed up.
The Imagination Library sends a free book every month to children aged 0 to 5, wrapped and addressed to them, at absolutely no cost.
Sign up to the Imagination Library.
In this episode, we also look ahead to the National Year of Reading 2026, a nationwide campaign led by the government and the National Literacy Trust to unite parents, schools, libraries and communities in fostering a love of reading for pleasure.
This episode celebrates personal stories, community reading culture, and the magic that happens when every child has access to books.
Episode 11
Darren on Libraries: From Passion to Innovation
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Darren, a driving force in library development, as he shares his lifelong love of reading, reflects on his early career in libraries, and unveils exciting plans for Camden Libraries. Hosted by Abul Kashim, this episode explores how libraries continue to evolve as vibrant community spaces. Tune in for insights, stories, and a glimpse into the future of library services.
Episode 10
In this episode we introduce Katie - our Health and Well-being Librarian. We talk Creative Health, Green Libraries and how working in libraries create agency, autonomy and ultimately help to change lives'.
Episode 9
Join Valeria, Reader Development and Stock Librarian at Camden Libraries, Haleema Ali, and host Barra Fitzgibbon from Bloomsbury Institute for a brand-new episode of Let’s Talk Camden — the podcast where stories, community, and creativity come together.
This month, we’re welcoming Valeria to the mic. She brings a unique perspective from Abruzzo, Italy — the greenest region in Europe, known for its incredible biodiversity. Her background beautifully ties into this year’s Summer Reading Challenge theme: Story Garden.
We’ll also be tackling a national issue: children’s reading is in decline, with only 1 in 3 young people enjoying reading and 1 in 4 unable to read well by age 11 (Clark et al., 2024). But there’s a way to turn the page — and it starts with the Summer Reading Challenge. Children are encouraged to read 6 books over the summer, collecting tokens and entering a prize draw to win theatre tickets, LEGO sets, and more.
Plus, Barra and Valeria dive into some brilliant reads, including Conclave by Peter Straughan. Valeria also shares her love of languages and her growing interest in Korean and Japanese literature, especially slice-of-life stories that offer a window into everyday experiences across cultures.
Tune in for book chat, summer inspiration, and a celebration of the power of reading.
Episode 8
After a bit of a hiatus, the Let’s Talk Camden Libraries podcast is back.
Join Abul Kashim and Haleema Ali from Camden Libraries, along with host Barra Fitzgibbon from Bloomsbury Institute, for a brand-new episode packed with exciting updates.
This month, we’re diving into the much-anticipated reopening of Holborn Library after its refurbishment. We’ll be chatting about new community partners moving in — including Shifted, who work with children and young people on design and tech projects — as well as the arrival of The Workary and the launch of Holborn’s brand-new gallery space.
We’ll also highlight some fantastic opportunities for local artists to display their work and a new pod space for work which is free to book.
Episode 7
In this episode, we’re thrilled to introduce a special guest, author Anne John-Ligail. Anne dives deep into her writing journey, sharing her creative process, the books and authors that inspire her, and what she enjoys reading when she's not crafting her own stories.
Anne will be in Holborn Library on Saturday 7 December 12.30 to 2pm, where you can get into the holiday spirit as we guide you through creating your own advent calendar, giant bauble decorating, and pinecone Christmas trees. Visit our Eventbrite page to reserve your spot.
In this episode, we also cover updates from our library community, including the temporary closure of the West Hampstead Library and the highly anticipated reopening of Highgate Library.
Episode 6
In this episode we bring you the latest news and upcoming events from our libraries. We cover highlights from the recent staff conference, where we celebrated our team’s achievements over the past year and shared updates on new projects and future goals.
You can hear about exciting building upgrades and some temporary closures as we refresh our spaces with new furniture, painting, and redecorating, especially at Holborn Library.
The podcast also enables us to shine a spotlight on our wonderful partnership with the Bloomsbury Festival, which each year brings even more creativity and culture to our community. We report on a number of events that will take place during the festival including the special ballet performance telling the Windrush Story by Island Movements for Black History month.
It also includes a Family science, creative and story day for children and adults at Holborn Library. Join us for a great day of science discovery, craft, workshops and an extra special story writing and creative session. The session is with Ross Montgomery, award winning children’s author.
Take part in pop-up exhibitions, games and activities with some of London’s leading science teams including scientists from UCL, Moorfields and Great Ormond Street Hospital research teams.
Episode 5
Topic: The guest this month is Haleema and Elizabeth, Elizabeth shared her love and passion for reading, delved into her inspiring career journey, and discussed what led her to work in libraries. We also explored the Summer Reading Challenge, the joy of reading for pleasure, a variety of engaging activities, and much more.
Additionally, we discussed the Read On app, which is like a Couch to 5k equivalent for rekindling your love for reading.
Stay tuned for an engaging conversation filled with insights and inspiration!
Episode 4
Topic: The guest this month is Richard Neville, and the conversation is all about storytelling. Richard uses stories and oral traditions to create community conversations. He works in libraries and many other settings. We discuss the importance of listening, the power of stories to connect people together and much else besides.
Episode 3
Topic: Tudor shares with us how he became an archivist, what an archivist does and the services he and the team provide. Abul joins the podcast from Bangladesh and contributes to the discussion and highlights how library services are working with the Bangladesh community He also shares his experience with lovely food and the weather in Bangladesh.
Tudor Allen, Local Studies and Archives Manager talks to Abul Kashim, Library Development Lead and Barra Fitzgibbon.
Episode 2
Topic: The collection of books available for users to borrow and access to online resources. A range of free activities and service provision for Camden residents.
Jean Aston , Library Development Lead talks to Abul Kashim, Library Development Lead.
Episode 1
Topic: Career progression within the library service and what Holborn library offers the local community.
Haleema Ali, Community library Manager talks to Abul Kashim, library Development lead.