Looking for advice on hairdressing, health and fitness or gardening tips? How about policing, cooking or the media?
It was all available and freely given Saturday at the Powassan Library as it held its second annual "Ask an Expert" two hour speed chat event.
See: Ask an expert 'speed chat' at Powassan Library Saturday
Participants were urged to 'take out' an expert for a chat, instead of a book. It operates like speed dating, where a person is allowed 15 minutes with an expert before moving on to someone else.
In all, 15 experts were available to speak one-on-one to people curious about a number of topics.
"People wanted to know how I ended up in Sudbury," Markus Schwabe, host of CBC Morning North, told BayToday. " And a lot of personal questions about my family and who I am.
"You always hear concerns when you're in the media about concentration of ownership and just this past week another announcement that there is going to be more layoffs at Postmedia, so that's always a concern that the state of journalism is under threat."
Schwabe said that people were curious about CBC cutbacks in the past, but thinks that maybe things have stabilized with the new government.
The library CEO Marie Rosset was pleased with the turnout.
"I love to see people having conversations. We had it last year and there were fewer people, but this year we have 50 per cent more people so it's very worthwhile.
"I would like to see all the small libraries around here like Callander, that on this day we all do it at once."
The library is planning an expansion as it now is squeezed for space.
See: Powassan plans library expansion
And: Interest growing in Powassan library expansion
The list of experts included:
Vic Fedeli, MPP
Markus Schwabe, CBC Morning North host from Sudbury
Jeff Turl, baytoday.ca in North Bay
Rene Dubois, owner and head chef at White Owl Bistro in North Bay
Anne Dockendorff, Master Gardener
Carolyn Ward, OPP
David Moore, anthropologist
Richard Paul, funeral director, Paul's Funeral Home
Lori Hogan, hair dresser
Dr. Dielle Raymond, naturopath doctor in North Bay
Jared Dupuis, Maple Hill Health and Fitness
Debbie Piper, owner of Castle Building Centre, Powassan
Esther Yoder- Amish 'Martha Stewart" of Chisholm Township- homemaker and farmer
Dean Raven, REMAX agent
Pete Bonell, pilot and former Avro Arrow employee
