The meteoric rise of podcasts in the last few years has been incredible, but if you’ve been left in the dust, look no further for an explanation of this listening trend:

Podcasts are a series of spoken audio episodes that you can subscribe to through an app on your device and listen to whenever you like on your headphones, in the car or through speakers. Different shows often focus on a particular topic or theme. Simply put, they are like talk radio, on demand. Listeners can subscribe to a show they like (most are free) and are then notified every time a new episode is released, instead of having to check for themselves. Apps like Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Stitcher Radio and Spotify all feature free podcasts — some will even automatically download episodes for you. So you can get your favorites delivered directly to your phone — all without lifting a finger.

Since podcasts lack visuals, they allow your imagination to paint a picture for you, much like being read to aloud or listening to audiobooks. Both stimulate the brain differently than reading print material. Listening is also hands-free, so you can do it while exercising, cleaning or driving. Tight-knit communities are born of listeners communicating with one another online about the episodes, adding another layer to listener satisfaction. All of this make podcasts a gratifying medium for many people.

According to Podcast Insights, there are over 750,000 different podcast shows with over 30 million episodes streaming as of June 2019. With that many choices, there’s certainly something out there for you to explore for free through your smartphone or device. International Podcast Day is coming up on September 30 so there’s no better time to try one out. Our librarians will be happy to help with the technical side and can make book suggestions based on your podcast interests. Check out some of these great titles below and as always happy listening.