Greenburgh Public Library Blog

How to Listen to Podcasts

Last month I talked about what a Podcast is (the new best way to hear people talk... kind of like radio, but you can get them whenever you want them). In the time since I wrote that post and now, Vulture (a division of New York Media) did a much better, albeit longer, version of what I hoped to convey to you. If you still need more information on how Podcasts were born, this article is a must read! Podcasts are a new and exciting way to hear experts and enthusiasts talk about anything that might interest you. 

Today we're going to focus on how to find and get a Podcast. 

Find a Podcast
There are a lot of different ways to find the right Podcast for you! Here are a few simple ways to find something you'll want to hear: 

Apps for Your Tablet or Phone
Apps are the programs that come installed on your smart phone or tablet device, and they can also be downloaded for free or for a fee from your device's app store. They display as little colorful icons on your home screen. If you have an Apple iOS device like an iPhone or an iPad, it comes with a Podcast app pre-installed. Check out the icon to the left to identify it on your iOS device. If you have another device, like Android- you can download apps like Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or Pocket Casts that are very similar to the iOS app (learn more about podcast app options here). There is typically a search field in each of these apps that allows you to search for podcasts by keyword, name, subject, etc. Most of these apps also have a "browse" feature that will allow you to peruse by category to find the right podcast for you! How do you know if a podcast is good? Check out the reviews listed right in the app, from many other listeners. 

Search Engines
You can also find podcasts simply by searching Google with keywords of topics or names, and include "podcasts" in your search. There is even a special search engine, designed specifically for finding podcasts, called Listen Notes.  Listen Notes allows you to keyword search just like you would in Google, but all of the results in your list will point to podcasts that match your search terms. Your results can be filtered by language or publication date, and you can also specify whether you want a whole series of podcasts on your topic, or are just interested in specific episodes. Want to find what Game of Owns (a Game of Thrones themed podcast) has to say about Tyrion Lannister? Just do a quick search to find every episode where he's mentioned. 

Listen to a Podcast
There are a couple of different ways to listen to a podcast: 

1. Use one of the previously mentioned apps on your phone to find and download the podcast to your device. The process typically only requires one or two clicks to get the audio file onto your device (make sure you are connected to a wireless network!). You'll then be able to listen to your podcast anytime and anywhere, until you remove it from your device. 

2. If you like everything a podcast has to offer and you want as much of it as you can get, SUBSCRIBE! Most podcasts will allow you to subscribe, again using one of the above apps. Whenever a new podcast is published and your device is connected to the internet, it will automatically download it for your convenient listening pleasure. 

3. You can also stream podcasts in your browser. Don't have a smart phone or tablet device, or not interested in downloading another app? Open up a web browser on your internet connected desktop or laptop, and listen directly through Listen Notes or your podcasts homepage. 

Interested in family friendly podcasts for kids and the whole family? Stay tuned! Next week my colleague Nicole will be publishing a post with some great suggestions!