The Internet has given booksellers many new channels with which to engage collectors, some have endured (email, electronic catalogs, websites) while others flamed out relatively quickly (message boards, tumblr...) But, these channels are poor relations to actually talking to a bookseller about books--the main reason so many of us still enjoy visiting bookstores. Podcasts are prehaps the closest one can come to chatting with an erudite rare bookseller without leaving your home, and there are an increasing number of ABAA members who are regularly producing audio and/or video podcasts focused on rare books, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, and much more.
Brattlecast: A Firsthand Look at Secondhand Books (Brattle Book Shop, Boston, MA)
Since 2017, Brattle Book Shop owner Kenneth Gloss and co-host Jordan Rich have shared stories about the shop, notable Boston books and bibliophiles, and the larger book world on their podcast, the Brattlecast. The most-recent episode (their 212th) explores Kerri Maher's historical novel about 1920s Paris, Sylvia Beach and the lost generation of writers and artists.
CartoCuriousity (Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, Brooklyn, NY)
Geographicus Rare Antique Maps owner Kevin J. Brown has started a podcast (with partners the Silver Podcast Network) focusing on the stories behind some of their rare and unusual maps. Although the podcast has not been officially launched yet, Brown has been busy recording episodes throughout 2025, including at this year's New York Antiquarian Book Fair. Their most-recent episode looks at the legend of Fu Sang, a lost Chinese colony in North America 1000 years before Columbus.
A House Divided (Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, Chicago, IL)
Since 2005, Abraham Lincoln Book Shop owner Daniel Weinberg has been producing monthly author interviews on book subjects related to shop specialties (Lincoln, the Civil War, and U.S. Presidents.) as well as live-streaming a series of shows featuring American historical artifacts. Primarily accessible through their Facebook page, these video podcasts (or vodcasts) can also be accessed on their website and YouTube channel.
Inspired by History (The Raab Collection, Ardmore, PA)
The goal of the “Inspired by History” podcast is "to use history as inspiration, to shed light on the stories behind the discoveries and the documents themselves to tell a broader story that might have more tangible meaning in people's lives today." Hosts Nathan Raab and Rebecca Barry launched this podcast in early 2025 with an episode looking at a remarkable George Washington letter. Since then, they have featured a Martin Luther King, Jr. autograph with a fascinating backstory, the newly discovered Yale diploma of John Hancock, and most-recently were joined by Mayor Viktor Šimunić, mayor of the Croatian town of Oroslavja, Croatia, to discuss the acquisition of Joseph Mikulec’s remarkable autograph book.
Literary Libations (Ken Sanders Rare Books, Salt lake City, UT)
Ken Sanders partners with local radio show host Bill Allred and wine expert Jimmy Santangelo for a monthly salon called Literary Libations - Ken Sanders' Boozy Book Club. Sanders discusses one of his favorite writers with Allred, and Santangelo serves bestoke cocktails for the enthusiastic audience, and a great time is had by all. These salons are taped and made available as podcasts on Allred and Santangelo's Let's Go Eat and Drink podcast channel and as video podcasts on YouTube.
Rare Book Chat (Manhattan Rare Book Company, New York, NY)
Manhattan Rare Books launched their podcast, Rare Book Chat, in October 2024 to share their "love and enthusiasm for discoveries in the rare book world." Hosted by Michael DiRuggiero and Jeremy O'Connor, the founders of Manhattan Rare Books, the most-recent episode features ABAA-member Hélène Golay of Capitol Hill Books joining the hosts to post-war diplomacy, the dawn of personal computing, and the new realities of AI as it pertains to the bookselling commuity.