PBS Books

Filmmaker Talk with Kim A. Snyder, "The Librarians"
2026-02-11 20:00 - 21:00 (America/Detroit)
In this timely PBS Books Filmmaker Talk, award-winning director and producer Kim A. Snyder joins host Heather-Marie Montilla for an in-depth conversation about The Librarians, the powerful new documentary that examines the growing national debate over access to information and the freedom to read.
Created in conjunction with the February 9 premiere of The Librarians on PBS, the film follows librarians across the United States who find themselves on the frontlines of an escalating struggle over library collections, intellectual freedom, and democratic values. During this conversation, Snyder reflects on the four-year journey behind the film, from its origins in Texas to its expansion into a national story.
The discussion also explores the human dimension of the film: the integrity and courage of librarians, the communities that stand beside them, and the broader implications for education, public life, and First Amendment rights. Grounded in storytelling rather than partisanship, The Librarians invites viewers into a necessary conversation about who gets to decide what stories are available—and why that question matters to us all.
This PBS Books Filmmaker Talk encourages audiences to reflect, engage, and continue the dialogue in their own communities, libraries, and classrooms.
The Librarians will stream on the PBS App and PBS Stations, check your local listings.

PBS Watch-Alike: Independent Lens | The Librarians
The Librarians traces how library collection standards are impacting communities across the U.S. Librarians find themselves on the frontlines of debates as they navigate the review of library materials that includes books with LGBTQIA+ and race-related themes.

Rick Lowe | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-02-13 20:00 - 21:00
In Spite Of
Rick Lowe is an American artist who pairs paintings, drawings, and installations with collaborative, community-based projects developed in the tradition of Joseph Beuys’ concept of ​“social sculpture.” Working closely with individuals and communities, he has identified many ways to harness creativity to address concerns around equity and justice. Beginning with his co-founding of Project Row Houses (1993 – 2008) in Houston’s Third Ward and continuing through other initiatives across the United States and internationally, Lowe aims to catalyze sustainable change to promote understanding, equity, and justice.
In his studio-based practice, Lowe combines painting and collage to develop works — often at an expansive scale — that take an exploratory approach to geography and abstraction. Inspired in part by patterns of domino games that he plays to engage with community members worldwide, he notes correspondences between the dense, layered arrangements of domino tiles and maps of urban districts. The vibrant paintings that emerge suggest cartographic configurations and transformations of civic structures and relationships over time.
Born in Russell County, Alabama, Lowe lives and works in Houston. Since 2016, he has taught at the University of Houston’s College of the Arts as a professor of interdisciplinary practice. Among his many honors, he received the Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities in 2002, was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2014, and was the Roy Lichtenstein Artist in Residence at the American Academy in Rome in 2024.
Lowe has been working as part of the U‑M Arts Initiative’s Creators on Campus program as artist in residence with the Institute for Social Research (ISR) over the last two years, collaborating with students and researchers in preparation for his upcoming exhibition at UMMA. The exhibition, featuring his ongoing project, Black Wall Street Journey, will open in August 2026.
Presented in partnership with the Institute for Social Research, Arts Initiative, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

U.S. Virgin Islands | American Stories: A Reading Road Trip Episode 109
2026-02-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Facebook Live
Join PBS Books and the Library of Congress as we visit the U.S. Virgin Islands in our next stop in American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. Join us on February 18th at 8pm ET for a PBS Books Facebook Live event, or on the PBS Books YouTube channel, the PBS app, or pbs.org. Visit pbsbooks.org/readingroadtrip to learn more.
Journey to the Caribbean paradise of the U.S. Virgin Islands, where history drifts on the ocean breeze and stories ripple far beyond the shores. Rooted in generations of oral and written tradition, these narratives stretch from the formidable youth of Alexander Hamilton, who would help shape a nation, to D. Hamilton Jackson, whose fight for a free press forever changed the islands and founded The Herald. This legacy had endured with voices like Dr. Marilyn Krigger, (Race Relations in the U.S. Virgin Islands), and J. Antonio Jarvis, founder of the Daily News and author of The Virgin Islands and Their People, each carrying forward dialogs that continue to define the islands today.
Hear from the writers shaping the U.S. Virgin Islands’ literary present and future. Cadwell Turnbull’s The Lesson uses speculative storytelling to interrogate colonial legacy, power, and resilience, while Tiphanie Yanique, author of Monster in the Middle, brings a lyrical intimacy to island life and its complexities. Angela Golden Bryan’s James and the Fireburn preserves and elevates Crucian storytelling traditions, connecting past and present through story. Discover The Caribbean Writer, the annual journal that amplifies voices from across the islands and the Caribbean diaspora, and explore a literary heritage rooted in memory, imagination, and the enduring power of the written word. Together, these works reflect a profound engagement with history, identity, and place.
The islands may be small, but their devotion to books, history, and cultural memory is immense. Be inspired by statues honoring the Queens of the Fireburn, whose courage helped ignite a labor revolution that reshaped the islands. Wander streets lined with buildings dating back to the 1500s, and explore historic landmarks like Fort Christian on St. Thomas—once a bulwark against pirates. Along the way, step into local bookstores that do far more than sell books; these spaces serve as vibrant cultural hubs, fostering art, conversation, and community while keeping the islands’ stories alive for generations to come.
About American Stories: A Reading Road Trip
Pack your curiosity —PBS Books is hitting the road! In partnership with the Library of Congress Centers for the Book, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip shines a spotlight on individual U.S. states and select territories to uncover their one-of-a-kind literary treasures.
From iconic authors and unforgettable books to hidden-gem bookstores, amazing libraries, and the real-life locations that inspired great works, this cross-country adventure celebrates the stories that have shaped our shared identity. Along the way, we’ll meet bestselling authors, passionate booksellers, and local storytellers —plus share highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state’s Center for the Book —revealing how their corner of America has left its mark on the nation’s imagination. Aligned with America’s 250th birthday, each episode invites viewers to explore the heart, history, and creative spirit of the United States —all through the lens of books and storytelling.
New episodes will stream on select Wednesdays at 8pm EST as PBS Books Facebook Live event, and on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States –and extensive materials from around the world –both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
About PBS Books
PBS Books is a multi-platform initiative celebrating the love of reading. PBS Books is dedicated to connecting books with audiences by engaging them in unique experiences to spark their curiosity and encourage a life-long love of reading and learning. Through social and digital engagement and live coverage of important literary events across the country, PBS Books celebrates books and writers and works to foster a passion for reading among public media viewers and listeners.Visit pbsbooks.org, subscribe to the PBS Books YouTube channel, and follow PBS Books on social media to learn more.

Basil Twist | Penny Stamps Speaker Series
2026-02-20 20:00 - 21:00
The Alchemy of Puppetry
Basil Twist is a visionary, third-generation puppeteer whose work has reshaped contemporary puppetry worldwide. A San Francisco native and the only American graduate of France’s École Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la Marionnette, he gained national attention with The Araneidae Show and the ground-breaking multiple award-winning Symphonie Fantastique, which revealed him as a singular artist of unlimited imagination. His inventive, genre-defying productions — from Petrushka and Dogugaeshi to Arias with a Twist (co-created with nightlife icon Joey Arias) — have toured internationally.
Deeply musical in nature, Twist’s love of music has led to major opera collaborations at the Opéra Comique, English National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Vienna State Opera. Other operatic highlights include Hansel and Gretel and La Bella Dormente Nel Bosco, and De Falla’s Master Peters Pupper Show with Eos Orchestra.
In dance, he has created puppetry for works by Christopher Wheeldon, Pilobolus, the Joffrey Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Royal Ballet, and Joe Goode Dance Company, and adapted Petrushka for symphony orchestras and City Center’s Fall for Dance.
Twist created the siblings in Paula Vogel’s The Long Christmas Ride Home at Trinity Repertory, The Long Wharf, and The Vineyard Theatre, including directing and designing the West Coast première at The Magic Theatre. He also designed the play-within-a-play for Oskar Eustis’ Hamlet at Shakespeare in the Park and worked on Des McAnuff’s Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots at La Jolla Playhouse. Broadway credits include puppetry design for Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Oh, Hello!, and The Addams Family, as well as puppetry direction for the Pee-Wee Herman Show. A longtime collaborator with the late Lee Breuer and Mabou Mines, Twist also worked on Peter and Wendy, Red Beads, and A Streetcar Named Desire at the Comédie Française.
Twist has received a MacArthur Fellowship, Rome Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, USA Fellowship, and multiple Obie, Drama Desk, Bessie, UNIMA, and Henry Hewes Awards. He directs the internationally recognized Dream Music Puppetry Program at HERE in New York City.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Arts Initiative at the University of Michigan.
Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.

Book Picks for Black History Month with Princess Weekes and Lauren Smith | Readers Club Episode 302
2026-02-25 20:00 - 21:00
In this special episode of the PBS Books Readers Club, hosts Princess Weekes and Lauren Smith recommend their favorite Black History Month reads. The episode will be available on PBS Books YouTube Chanel on February 1st, and as a Facebook Live Event on February 25th at 8pm EST.
February is Black History Month, and in 2026 we mark a major milestone: 100 years of national Black history commemorations. What began as a weeklong observance has grown into an annual opportunity to reflect, learn, and celebrate Black history, culture, and contributions. In this special episode, PBS Books Readers Club hosts Lauren Smith and Princess Weekes share book recommendations that spotlight and celebrate Black authors.
Princess reflects, “I think so often Black literature is used for educational or sociological purposes. And that’s great, but we have rich narratives outside of that. So, I was looking for stories about Black people being complicated, messy, and trying to find love— because, you know, I love a romance!”
Which books make the list? From a sweeping reimagining of The Great Gatsby to a gritty Southern crime saga, this list spans intimate family histories, cultural touchstones, and stories that wrestle with faith, desire, and belonging. Expect bold voices, moral reflections and unforgettable communities. Join Lauren and Princess as they reveal their picks and share a few on their personal TBR lists.
PBS Watch-Alike: Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven HistoryThis new PBS documentary series hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the deep, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans across U.S. history. Tracing moments of solidarity, shared struggle, cultural exchange, and periods of tension, the series examines how these two communities have shaped American life—While also reflecting on the challenges and need for cooperation in the face of ongoing injustices.
Series premiere Tuesday, February 3rd @ 9ET, on PBS, the PBS app and pbs.org
About the Hosts
Princess Weekes
Princess Weekes is an award winning writer and video essayist who works at breaking down the intersections between race, gender, and pop culture. Formally an Assistant Editor at The Mary Sue, co-host of Netflix’s The Geeked Podcast, and co-host and co-writer on the PBS Digital Series It’s Lit. On weekends she works as a bookseller at a local bookstore. When not reading or writing she can be found playing TTRPGs of cuddling with her cat, Lola.

Lauren Smith
Executive Producer and host of national PBS programming at Detroit PBS, Lauren develops content for PBS and other distributors of public media for broadcast, streaming, and other digital channels and has executive-produced and/or produced over 60 national broadcast and programs. Her passion is to develop inspiring, entertaining, and educational content alongside the best national and international talent, and to engage important content with communities across the country. Lauren loves to read and has worked to develop and produce PBS Books content for nearly ten years!
