Shush-Free Zone - Where librarians get loud!

In this episode of the Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Nicole Buckenwolf, Senior Staff Ontologist at Spotify, to unpack the invisible knowledge systems shaping how millions of people discover music and audiobooks every day.Nicole’s journey is anything but linear. From growing up in rural Ohio and falling in love with a single encyclopedia volume, to studying medieval history, working in rare book preservation, and eventually finding the way into taxonomy and ontology, Nicole's story is a perfect example of how librarian skill sets show up in the most unexpected places.We explore what it actually means to be an ontologist at Spotify (spoiler: it’s deeply librarian work), how you structure something as subjective and emotional as music, and why ambiguity—yes, even the dreaded “Other” category—is where the real magic happens.We also get into the realities of building knowledge systems at massive scale, the tension between speed and thoughtful knowledge work in the age of AI, and why librarians might finally be having their moment… even if the hard parts of the work haven’t changed. If you’ve ever wondered how your Spotify Wrapped comes together, or how machines make sense of something as human as music, this episode is for you.About Nicole: Nicole Buckenwolf | LinkedInNicole Buckenwolf is a Senior Staff Ontologist at Spotify, where she works on a small central team responsible for ontology/taxonomy and domain modeling across the company's media catalog. The team serves as an expert resource for groups across the organization, helping teams improve interoperability, align their models to best practices, and extend them to new use cases. Specializing in knowledge representation for subjective and emotionally resonant domains, she builds the frameworks that make concepts like genre, mood, and format structured enough for production systems without losing the human meaning that makes them useful. Her interdisciplinary background spans music, history, linguistics, and the non-profit sector, informing an approach attentive to cultural context and inclusive practice. At Spotify, her work has included building the audiobooks genre classification system and leading genre alignment across teams and platforms. She is drawn to the gaps between how humans experience content and how systems are asked to represent it.

In this episode of Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Heather Johnson - a public health professional working at the intersection of evidence synthesis, health communication, and implementation science.Heather’s career is a powerful example of what this podcast is all about: taking core library and information science skills such as organizing knowledge, evaluating evidence, translating complexity and applying them in ways that go far beyond traditional roles.From systematic reviews to patient education to community health programming, Heather shows how getting the right information to the right people at the right time isn’t just good practice… it’s life-changing.Heather holds both an MLIS and an MPH and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), continuing to bridge librarianship and public health in meaningful, scalable ways.About Heather Johnson: Heather Johnson is a public health professional specializing in evidence synthesis, cancer screening initiatives, and implementation science.In her work within cancer diagnostics, she focuses on understanding what drives (or prevents) colorectal cancer screening, using systematic reviews and data-driven insights to inform real-world interventions.Heather's work also encompasses:Aydel Health - Where she is developing tailored patient education tools that improve understanding and reduce friction in healthcare. Sonoran Evidence Partners - Supporting libraries in designing and evaluating community health programs with measurable impact.Relevant Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherjohnson-publichealth/Aydel Health:https://www.aydelhealth.com/Sonoran Evidence Partners: https://www.sonoranevidencepartners.com/

In this episode of the Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Angela Pashia, a leadership and career development coach, about her journey from academic librarian to coaching library professionals. They discuss the importance of curiosity in coaching, the challenges of leadership, and how librarians can translate their skills into new contexts. Angela shares insights on handling difficult conversations, the difference between coaching and advising, and the future of librarianship in a rapidly changing world. The conversation also touches on Angela's personal experiences moving to a new country and her coaching programs designed to empower library leaders.About Angela: Angela Pashia helps library leaders confidently manage change and conflict in their libraries. As an ICF-certified (ACC) leadership coach, Angela offers confidential individual coaching to navigate challenging team dynamics in a way that is aligned with your values. Angela also teaches Lead With Curiosity: Coaching skills for library leaders, adapting professional coaching skills to the complex practicalities of managing a team. Angela was an academic librarian for 12 years, focusing on teaching critical information literacy, working against structural oppression within libraries, and growing as a collaborative leader. In addition to leading a team within the library, Angela led change across campus through roles like chairing the Faculty Senate Diversity and Internationalization Committee, co-chairing the campus General Education Redesign Committee, and serving a term as President of the campus AAUP chapter. Related Links: Lead With Curiosity - https://leadwithcuriosity.org Individual coaching - https://angelapashia.com/coaching/ Coaching Librarian Newsletter (free!) - https://angelapashia.com/newsletter/ 

In this episode of The Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Matthew Noe, a health sciences librarian at Harvard Medical School who specializes in graphic medicine. Matthew shares his path into librarianship, how comics became central to his professional identity, and why storytelling is such a powerful tool in health education.They explore how graphic novels can deepen understanding of illness, support empathy in medical training, and create meaningful connections between clinicians, patients, and communities. Matthew also discusses building a major graphic medicine collection, fostering community through zines and book clubs, and teaching future librarians about the growing intersection of comics, health, and knowledge sharing.About Matthew: Matthew Noe is currently the Lead Collection & Knowledge Management Librarian at Harvard Medical School, an instructor for both the University of Kentucky and Library Juice Academy, and a Trustee for the Worcester Public Library. He is a former President for the American Library Association's Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table and the Treasurer for the Graphic Medicine International Collective. While continuing to take on far too many things, he tries to find time to be kind, do good, and read comics. Find him on social media at @NoetheMatt or by e-mail: [email protected] Links: Graphic Medicine at Countway: https://countway.harvard.edu/services/collections/graphic-medicine-countwayGraphic Medicine International Collective: https://www.graphicmedicine.org/American Library Association, Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table: https://www.ala.org/gncrtSyllabus by Lynda Barry: https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/syllabus/Ripple Effects - an award-winning work of graphic medicine by Jordan Hart and Bruno Chiroleu, published by Fanbase Press. Matthew provided a foreword: https://fanbasepress.com/publishing/item/11960-ripple-effects/Gender Queer: The Annotated Edition by Maia Kobabe - Matthew provided annotations for this upcoming special edition: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Gender-Queer-The-Annotated-Edition/Maia-Kobabe/Gender-Queer-A-Memoir/9798894880822Library Juice Academy, Introduction to Comics Librarianship course: https://libraryjuiceacademy.com/shop/course/337-introduction-to-comics-librarianship/More about that smoky tea, called lapsang souchong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapsang_souchong

In this episode of The Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar talks with Jessica Talisman - librarian, semantic systems expert, and founder of Ontology Pipeline - about what it really takes to build knowledge systems that work for both humans and machines.Jessica shares her journey from GLAM institutions into the corporate world, where she discovered just how urgently library skills are needed to make sense of messy data, AI hype, and “semantic slop.” Together, Dawn and Jessica unpack ontologies (without the jargon headache), the Ontology Pipeline methodology, and why intentional semantic structure is the key to trustworthy, scalable AI.From childhood card catalogs to enterprise taxonomies, tag-a-thons, and the hidden power of inference, this conversation is a love letter to librarianship as a technical, strategic, and deeply human discipline, right when the world needs it most.About Jessica: As an Information Architect, Jessica applies her extensive experience and education in data architecture, taxonomy, and ontology to build information systems that enhance user experience, support business goals, and enable machine learning. Jessica has a Master of Library and Information Science with a concentration in Informatics and a MicroMasters in Design Thinking.She has over 25 years of experience in developing and implementing enterprise architecture, e-commerce content structures, knowledge management systems, digital libraries, taxonomies, ontologies, and knowledge graphs for various domains and purposes.Jessica is founder of the Ontology Pipeline, a framework for building semantic knowledge infrastructures and Contextually, which offers collaborative consulting and coaching, focused on helping people master the ways of semantic systems. Links:Jessica Talisman | LinkedInOntology PipelineIntentional Arrangement | Jessica Talisman | Substack

In this episode of the Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar chats with MJ D'Elia, founder of Thirdway Think and Director of LLEAD, about his journey from academic libraries to teaching and creative facilitation. MJ shares insights on leadership, innovation, and the importance of stepping away from traditional roles to embrace creativity and collaboration. The conversation touches on MJ's unique career path, his passion for teaching, and the transformative power of play in professional settings.About MJ: MJ creates and facilitates learning adventures, workshops and custom courses related to leadership development, strategic thinking, and high-performance teams. After 20 years in academia, MJ launched Thirdway Think with a simple mission to instill creative confidence and build capacity for inventive thinking in emerging leaders and their teams. He is the current director for LLEAD, a six-month intensive leadership development program for the library and information sector. He facilitates with a variety of tools including Everything DiSC, The 5 Behaviors, and Lego Serious Play – yes, that’s a real thing. In his spare time, MJ doodles, reads far too many leadership books, and follows the Toronto Blue Jays. Links: Thirdway Thinkhttps://www.libraryleadership.org/

In this episode, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with the unstoppable Clare Bilobrk, whose decades-long journey across school, public, and law libraries has evolved into a career in content strategy and remote knowledge work.Clare shares how her love of literacy began with cloth books at age three, how a Saturday job at Torquay Central Library set her on the path to librarianship, and why understanding why something matters is the secret superpower of every great information professional.From law libraries in London to a year picking olives on a Croatian island, Clare’s story is full of detours that reveal just how flexible and global library and information skills can be.About Clare:Clare Bilobrk has over 25 years’ experience managing law libraries for national and international firms in the UK. She now works with Simple Little Library System and Lucidea, supporting information professionals worldwide in demonstrating the value of their services and systems. She writes regularly on knowledge management and library practice and has presented at BIALL, AALL, and other professional forums.Links:https://lucidea.com/author/clare/https://simplelittlelibrarysystem.co.uk/about-us/library-software-blog/Clare Bilobrk | LinkedIn

In this episode of Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Mairead McKeown, Knowledge and Market Intelligence Manager at Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board. They discuss Mairead's journey into librarianship, the evolution of Bord Bia's library services, and the impact of AI and emerging technologies on knowledge management. Mairead shares insights on the importance of lifelong learning, the diverse requests received at Bord Bia, and her aspirations for the future of the library. The conversation also highlights the vital role librarians play in various industries and offers advice for aspiring librarians.About Mairead McKeown: Mairead McKeown is Head of Knowledge & Critical Capability at Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board. She holds a Higher Diploma in Library & Information Studies and has been recognised as a Senior Associate of the Library Association of Ireland. Mairead is also a Certified Knowledge Manager and a Certified Conversational Leadership Specialist.In her role she has overseen the transformation of Bord Bia’s library and information services into a forward-looking knowledge hub that supports market intelligence, insights, and decision-making across the food & drink sector. She’s deeply interested in emerging technologies such as AI, lifelong learning, and information governance.Mairead’s work bridges librarianship, business intelligence, and capability building; she is passionate about how libraries and knowledge services can drive innovation, strategic insight, and continuous learning.Connect with Mairead here: Mairead Mc Keown Snr. Assoc. SALAI HDip LIS | LinkedIn

In this episode of Shush Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar speaks with Laura Pike Seeley, a knowledge management and digital workplace strategist. Laura shares her journey from a love of libraries to her current role at HKS, where she focuses on user-centered design and knowledge strategy. They discuss the intersection of history and librarianship, the impact of AI on knowledge management, and the importance of digital literacy. Laura also shares insights from her unique experience as a brand archivist and her creative project, the Book Face Project. The conversation emphasizes the evolving role of librarians in corporate settings and the need for curiosity and flexibility in the profession.About Laura Pike Seeley: Laura Pike Seeley has spent 15+ years helping organizations make knowledge work for people. With a background spanning public librarianship, taxonomy consulting, brand archives, and knowledge management, she brings a systems-thinking approach that blends strategy, design, and human experience. Laura is passionate about building world-class intranets, vibrant communities of practice, and digital workplaces where knowledge flows naturally. A lifelong learner and dot-connector, she believes librarians are uniquely equipped to guide organizations into an AI-powered future—while creating work experiences that spark connection and protect focus.Connect with Laura here: Laura Pike Seeley, MLIS | LinkedIn

In this episode of Shush-Free Zone, host Dawn Brushammar sits down with Jennie Pu, director of the Hoboken Public Library, whose career path in the library world has been anything but linear. From childhood memories of summer reading to leading one of the most dynamic public libraries in America, Jennie shares how she’s turned a traditional institution into a sanctuary for creativity, dignity, and intellectual freedom.Jennie is also co-leading a statewide push for intellectual freedom, helped draft the Freedom to Read legislation, and presenting her work nationally. Her story highlights how librarianship can be a chutes-and-ladders career—full of unexpected turns, bold advocacy, and deep community service.Tune in to hear how Jennie champions the right to read, creates safe and accessible spaces, and shows just how varied and revolutionary a career in the LIS world can be.About Jennie PuJennie Pu is the Director of the Hoboken Public Library and a nationally recognized champion of intellectual freedom. With a career spanning school, academic, museum, and public libraries, she’s led a multimillion-dollar restoration, abolished fines, and launched New Jersey’s first book sanctuary city. A 2024 NJLA Librarian of the Year and Library Journal Mover & Shaker, Jennie also co-authored the state’s Freedom to Read legislation. Her work centers on creating inclusive, accessible spaces that serve real community needs. Jennie’s career path (which she describes in the episode as more chutes and ladders than straight lines) embodies the transformative power of librarianship. Connect with Jennie on Linked in here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniepu/About Hoboken Public Library Founded in 1889 and housed in a beautifully restored historic building, the Hoboken Public Library connects people with ideas, opportunities, and each other, offering innovative programs, inclusive services, and a vibrant makerspace for lifelong learning and community growth. Learn more at Hoboken Library

Welcome to The Shush-Free Zone! In this short intro episode, host Dawn Brushammar shares her unexpected path from political science student to librarian, consultant, and podcast host. Get to know the voice behind the mic and the big ideas behind this podcast celebrating librarians who’ve stepped outside the stacks.The Shush-Free Zone releases new content the first Friday of each month. Please contact Dawn if you have any ideas for future guests or content. Mentioned in this episode: Knowledge Fika podcast, Dawn cohosts with Rebecka Isaksson https://open.spotify.com/show/0X7STHKKiIEEj1nrd9hvQa?si=bbbe64d397f94bd5

The Shush-Free Zone is a podcast that celebrates the bold, creative, and unexpected paths librarians are taking beyond traditional stacks and shushed reading rooms. Your host is Dawn Brushammar, an independent knowledge management consultant, advisor, evangelist, and longtime librarian. This show dives into the fascinating lives and careers of library professionals who are redefining what it means to be a librarian today.In each episode, Dawn chats with library friends and innovators whose work spans everything from tech startups to art galleries, from corporate knowledge hubs to classrooms. The Shush-Free Zone is where library science meets limitless creativity—and where no story is too unconventional.Dawn brings her own eclectic background to the mic: she's worked as a KM lead in international consultancies, an advisor in the SaaS space, a corporate knowledge specialist, an academic librarian, and even a dinosaur-costumed school librarian in Sweden. Throw in a detour as a professional organizer and a stint building databases for Oprah and you've got quite the mix. Through these experiences, she’s developed a deep appreciation for the versatility of library and information professionals and a passion for helping others see their potential.If you believe librarians are rock stars (and Dawn certainly does), tune in, turn it up, and help spread the word about The Shush-Free Zone!