Overall, I enjoyed the library-related podcasts more than the library-related YouTube videos. I think it is easier to come across as professional when you only have to be concerned with an audio recording (though video podcasting can be done, too) than with video feed, too.
Booktalks seem to be a popular choice of subject matter. And teens make a more frequent target audience than other library generations.
"Booktalks - quick and simple" by Nancy Keane (http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/podcast_list.htm) target a middle school audience with short reviews. In fact, I'd shorten her introductory music and give her a few more seconds of content. But that's just me.
The Wadsworth Library creates a series called "In Good Company" (http://www.wadsworthlibrary.com/media/podcasts/) that produces rather long, in-depth interviews on subjects of interest to their users. I listened to the beginning of two: one on a partnership with an organization providing assistance to the caregivers of developmentally disabled individuals and another on funding issues. Both were very NPR in style and content.
The Manchester Public Library uses "Prime Speaks" (feed://feeds.feedburner.com/primespeaks) to post reviews of books for teens. I enjoyed them for the personality and enthusiasm that showed through in the voices.
The library podcasts I listened to were better about keeping their recordings short and to the point than were the ones from podcast alley that are obviously created out of personal interest.
"That's one of the drawbacks to podcasts. People like to ramble." -TKChase
I think that by tailoring podcasts to different target audiences, libraries could fairly easily disseminate a lot of information and fun. An in-depth interview once a month covering an important issue (that also demonstrates the library's involvement in the community), book reviews once or twice a week, a weekly "events at the library" and other useful news. (For our library, I'm thinking about a head's up warning about events in the square that create traffic problems.)
And I don't know why you couldn't do a version of storytime. A sort of chapter-a-day meets book talk. Once a week read the beginning of a good book. (Maybe one that doesn't circulate as much as it should.) Remind everyone to come check it out to find out how it ends.
It seems to me that there are a number of possibilities. And it takes a little less work if you just use audio instead of video. And if anyone else is like my husband, podcasts allow for multi-tasking. Play them in the background while doing other work on the computer. Or working out at the gym. Or wherever.
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