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Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2020, part 2

We continue an annual Connections tradition by talking to different community members about their favorite books of the year. This year, we put the focus on librarians, whose work has changed during this pandemic. We about their “books of the year,” and about reading habits among patrons from across the community. Get a pen and paper so you can write a book list for yourself!

Our guests:

  • Anna Souannavong, director of the Gates Public Library (Brené Brown’s podcasts)
  • Ron Kirsop, executive director of the Pioneer Library System (“Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think” by Hans Rosling)
  • John Cohen, director of the Ogden Farmers’ Library (“Peace Talks” and “Battle Ground” by Jim Butcher)
  • Jenny Paxson, reader's discovery librarian at the Webster Public Library (“Memorial: A Novel” by Brian Washington, “Smoke Bitten” by Patricia Briggs, “The 7 ½  Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton, “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism” by Robin DiAngelo, and “The Yellow House” by Sarah M. Broom)
  • Matt Krueger, children's services librarian at the Irondequoit Public Library (“You Matter” by Christian Robinson)
  • Alexis Lawrence, adult services librarian at the Wood Library in Canandaigua (“Small Great Things: A Novel” by Jodi Picoult)
  • Adrienne Pettinelli, director of the Henrietta Public Library (“Leave the World Behind” by Rumaan Alam, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey” by Mariah Carey and Michaela Angela Davis, and “Kent State” by Deborah Wiles)
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
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