The Armchair Reference Radio Half Hour

The Armchair Reference Radio (Half) Hour!, is a bi-monthly, short-form virtual program that allows the Researcher Services team to share information about resources and new projects, while also engaging with viewers in a light-hearted but meaningful way.

Each program in the series is conceived as an episode of a vintage radio show—including a live studio audience—broken down into segments that incorporate radio formats including interviews and conversations, short stories, and news. Episodes revolve around the Folger’s strengths and researcher needs—format-based research themes like printed books and manuscripts or genre research of poetry and drama.

Invitations are issued to registered Folger readers. If you are not already a reader, you are welcome to sign up at our online portal.

Show notes and recordings

Episode 1: The Infinite Variety Show

Recording coming soon!

  • "Subscribe & Save": a feature highlighting subscription e-resources available through the online research portal at request.folger.edu (account required)
    • How to use the online research portal
    • Introduction to three newest resources, Early Modern England: Society, Culture and Everyday Life, 1500-1700, New Cambridge Shakespeare, Bibliography of British and Irish History
      • Contact registrar@folger.edu for assistance with research account or help navigating to these resources
      • Contact reference@folger.edu for assistance using these resources and others
  • "Off the Shelf": short story highlighting a Folger collection item
    • This month's feature: Diary of Junius Brutus Booth for 1864, Y.d.374
  • "What's New with You?": an interview with a Folger Collections staff member about a recently completed project
    • Spoke with Erin Blake, Senior Cataloger for Art and Manuscripts about the addition of 24,000 card catalog records to the Folger online catalog
    • Read more about this project at The Collation