It's lucky seven for Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast and the latest edition is chock-full of Library-related features, news and interviews from across the city.  
 
 This month’s episode welcomes legendary Northern music journalist John Robb into the hotseat for our “Big Interview”. A regular talking head on the telly and a member of rock’n’roll bands such as Membranes and Goldblade, John knows his music inside-out and has just penned the new book ‘Live Forever: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Oasis’ at Manchester Central Library in time for their big reunion. As John appeared for a special talk as part of the “Oasis Week” activities at Central Library, our host Alan Lynch sat down with him to talk all things Gallaghers.

There’s also the latest in our “Branch Out” feature series, with Moss Side Powerhouse taking the spotlight this month. Exclusively the only youth libraries in the country, Alan finds out about the events programme and people that make it one of Manchester Libraries’ buzziest spaces.

Elsewhere, the Children’s Team’s Mona Pasha jumps on the podcast for a chat about this year’s Summer Reading Challenge and this year’s ‘Story Garden’ theme for 2025. The scheme encourages children to read books, while collecting stickers and bookmarks in the process.

There’s also an appearance from two of our newest recruits, who join Alan for a chat about their inspiring work experience at Central Library.
 
 Elsewhere, What’s On guru Gary Parkinson comes into the studio to deliver his pick of the pops across Manchester Libraries this month, including plugs for the packed programme of Summer events at the Z-Arts, and a round-up of the recent news that Central Library will be temporarily closing for three weeks this August (2-24) for a major Wi-Fi upgrade.
 
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 ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ takes listeners behind the shelves of our city’s much-loved libraries. Presented by the Central Library’s own Alan Lynch, every month the podcast lifts the lid on a treasure trove of insider tips, exclusive interviews, book reviews, and much more. 
 
Receiving rave reviews and overwhelming support from listeners, the podcast has so far featured special guests such as celebrated authors Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Kimberly Whittam, Manchester City Council photographer Barrie Leach speaking about his exhibition 'Our Town Hall: Portraits of a Workforce', legendary Manchester artist and illustrator Stanley Chow, Manchester’s Lord Mayor, Councillor John Hacking, BBC broadcaster and esteemed newspaper columnist Emma Barnett, plus Manchester City Council’s Head of Libraries, Galleries, and Culture Neil MacInnes OBE more. 
 
‘Episode 7: John Robb’, the latest episode of ‘Full Volume: The Manchester Libraries Podcast’ is on all major streaming services now.  
 
 Turn it up, and tune in to Episode 7 of Full Volume – now: https://push.fm/fl/actjsf7o-80012-96971-32630
 
 Watch out for Episode 8 in August…