Randomly running into my sister's in-laws at a Dublin departure gate, them en route from Iowa to Edinburgh on holiday and me from Minneapolis to Liverpool heading home was not on my 2026 Bingo card. May serendipity continue to delight and surprise me.
This wonderful new song by @michaelstipe.bsky.social is just making me happy. I'm singing it to cars and strangers on my bike as I cycle through Liverpool to work, I'm listening as I'm answering librarian emails and I'm dancing in my kitchen. The world feels temporarily good youtu.be/0PxkldueTws?...
Getting to hear about @datarescueproject.org twice in one week is making my #UKSG2026 Feeling galvanised and inspired by this fantastic panel, all about data curation, preservation, & stewardship. In a world where data we expect and deserve to access is disappearing, seeing things I can do to help!
This was wonderful. An old housemate was the dramaturg for this production, so took a punt on our first ballet yesterday for Clare. What. A. Show. Touring this spring and summer, highly recommend! www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/m...
Our family feels like the exact same way! I've legit been buying the Observer every Sunday for decades and today was the first time I decided no point. Magazine feels like a fashion advertorial. Even my 14 year old daughter noticed there was 'nothing'.
Poster of a rally in support of Minneapolis on a electric box in Liverpool.
Seen on the Streets of Liverpool, thinking of my family in Minneapolis.
The joy of my son's smile upon discovering that his beloved Norwich City defeated league leading Coventry 2-1 whilst he slept last night was pure perfection on this grey, gloomy day. Little joys, I'll take them.
Did you know you can apply for an expenses paid trip to #UKSG2026? UKSG is sponsoring a number of places, and Jove is sponsoring an additional place for an early career library professional. Check it out here: dub.sh/zXgew9r and please share far and wide!
I've been offered the opportunity to publish with MDPI with no APC to both myself as Professor Stephan (nope!), Dr. Stephan (nope again) and via my employer Dr. Liverpool John Moore University (really, really bad nope). Not very hot on publication ethics with any of them.
This American/English household is going nuts for Scotland (and proud Norwich City fan in our house!) Well done, absolutely brilliant!!!!
We ran this quite last minute and we were amazed at the creativity and artistry of the pumpkins. Bravo!
Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch performing music at the Manchester Apollo.
Bucket list gig achieved! Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch after nearly my entire adulthood of waiting to see them. More wonderful than I could have ever imagined.
Day/year/world instantly better and more hopeful knowing that Wilco and Billy Bragg are back to perform Mermaid Avenue next year (even if just once). I'm joyfully singing along to Woody Guthrie's words and their tunes tonight in Liverpool: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
Lots of ideas to think about on my train home to Liverpool from my excellent day in London with the Research Catalyst cohort. Was exciting to have my own research hat on, not just supporting others with theirs. Thank you for the opportunity @rluk.ac.uk @armauk.bsky.social #librariesxresearch
Toby Jones is wonderful in everything but his portrayal of Neil Baldwin in 'Marvellous' was extraordinary. I rewatch every so often just to remind myself how lovely it was. What a wonderful honour for a fantastic actor: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Solidarity from Liverpool. This happened to us many moons ago and our whole family is still slightly traumatised by it. (I was a bad mom and ran screaming out of the room to leave my husband and young daughter to corral it out!!)
Fancy a move to Liverpool? This is a new post at LJMU, managing academic skills, librarians and our collection (yes, it's a big job, ha!) www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DNL425/a...
Free people, read freely.
Oh my goodness!!!! That's so cool!
I am not a stranger.
I have not caused incalculable damage to the UK.
I am your neighbour and your colleague and your friend and a Norwich City fan and I call Liverpool home.
I am an immigrant.
Joining the 'Oh my god, Hamilton is amazing' team, 10 years after everyone else. Finally saw Hamilton last night. Oh my god, it is amazing.
One my librarian heroes. Gutted, ashamed, and heartbroken at the dismantling of libraries and the people that defend and enrich them in the country of my birth and where I called home for so long.
Bristol City are in the playoffs for the first time in 17 years and the friendly robin returned to our yard. We're taking that as a sign of good things to come! Today, one half of our household can dream!
Photo of Miffy the bunny at an art exhibition.
The Miffy exhibition @leedsmuseums.bsky.social was fantastic. I was a total fangirl and enjoyed taking part in the Miffy ear and mask making, too. So glad we made the trip to Leeds.
The grey and rain is back in Liverpool but at least I've got new glorious music from the band caroline to enjoy. youtu.be/rAg3YuHkMHQ?...
And as a travel aside to my conference trip, I'm astonished and overjoyed at how seamless my train travel was to/from Liverpool to Brighton. I've had trips to Manchester take longer and I'm not joking. When you work trains, I love you. #UKSG2025
A hamper filled with books
Just gone across the Mersey, which means I'm nearly home. Really appreciated the opportunity to speak with @cathdishman.bsky.social @uksg.bsky.social And learn about so many cool things going on in schol comms. And, I WON A HAMPER. I now own a hamper, thank you @cambridgeup.bsky.social #UKSG2025
Oh my goodness, it's out! I had such a lovely time speaking with @clairesewell.bsky.social about her librarian journey & her super cool current role (and dream mash-up librarian job....you'll have to listen to find out!) Speaks volumes to the possibilities of where information+career can take you!
My dad died of pancreatic cancer in 2022. From diagnosis to death, it was 10 months. It was painful and awful for him. Our family desperately miss him. What a shameful, ridiculous waste of science.
We're a leading partner in the @thinkchecksub.bsky.social initiative (thinkchecksubmit.org) and we're delighted to see Lorraine Estelle's post on the IFLA blog about the important work that TCS does helping authors:
blogs.ifla.org/arl/2025/02/...
#scholcomm #PredatoryPublishing #academicchatter