Big congrats to Doctor Jack Kausch @realcharacterlanguage.world who passed his thesis defense today! “A 21st century essay towards a real character language" Thanks to @gnoli.eu @lukestark.bsky.social @brimwats.com @danlizotte.bsky.social Grant Campbell, Shengnan Yang and @westernufims.bsky.social

Oh, thank you!

Along the lines of this article’s warning. (Scroll past a few headlines to view the article) www.thewesterlysun.com/opinion/gues...

Curious to know how many authors are getting highly flattering, seemingly engaged requests for contact. I’ve gotten two now, same formula—one asking to set me up with a publicist, one just wanting to connect. Both impersonating famous writers.

Ride for Alex Pretti, London, Ontario

Let’s ride, London, Ontario. Victoria Park, Central and Richmond.

🎙️Melissa Adler discusses her new book, #PeculiarSatisfaction.

📚💡The #NewBooksNetwork interview is now available, and today, 4–5:30 pm EST, she joins a virtual Zoom event hosted by Western University (Canada).

🔗Interview + event details in bio: linktr.ee/fordham_press #LibraryStudies #ReadUP

The Author’s Corner with Melissa Adler Melissa Adler is Associate Professor of Information & Media Studies at Western University. This interview is based on her new book, Peculiar Satisfaction: Thomas Jefferson and the Mastery of Su…

"...we can locate the early systemization of racial categories in American cultural institutions by looking to Jefferson’s classificatory and information management techniques." thewayofimprovement.blog/2026/01/19/t...

I’m co-chairing the program committee for the 4S conference in Toronto this year. Looking forward to seeing lots of submissions!

A new issue of The Political Librarian includes ‘Truth-telling in library land: In defense of emancipatory and justice-based frameworks in library and information science’ by Jamillah R. Gabriel and Amber Matthews.

buff.ly/filKaJt

An open letter from educators who refuse the call to adopt GenAI in education

"GenAI adoption in industry is overwhelmingly aimed at automating and replacing human effort, often with the expectation that future “AGI” will render human intellectual and creative labor obsolete. This is a narrative we will not participate in."

openletter.earth/an-open-lett...

Cover of Peculiar Satisfaction, with an archival document listing categories and relations

A round of applause is in order for Ideas on Fire author Melissa Adler @murmz.bsky.social! 👏 Her new book Peculiar Satisfaction: Thomas Jefferson and the Mastery of Subjects is out now from Fordham University Press.

fordhampress.com/peculiar-sat...

#IoFAuthors

Actually, @jsench.bsky.social, come to think of it, my next book—on tj and surveillance—is more in dialogue with your research. It’ll be out in 2-3 months, too.

Thanks, Jonathan! Your work is important to parts of Peculiar Satisfaction!

Two books on a wood table, on the left: Peculiar Satisfaction: Thomas Jefferson and Mastery of Subjects and Bibliotactics: Libraries and the Colonial Public in Vietnam.

HUGE mail week for critical library histories. @cindyanguyen.bsky.social @murmz.bsky.social

Reading Peculiar Satisfaction by @murmz.bsky.social at the Jefferson Memorial in DC! #ASIST2025

Peculiar Satisfaction - Melissa Adler How Thomas Jefferson’s vision for knowledge shapes what we know and how we access it—and why that matters more than ever As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Ind...

@fordhampress.bsky.social is having a 25% off sale, and free shipping to the U.S. AND Peculiar Satisfaction is available! Jefferson and the making of US libraries, archives, and museums. Thinking with Walter Benjamin, Sylvia Wynter, and others. fordhampress.com/peculiar-sat...

If you’re going to #4S2025 check out our panel!

Fall 2025 Catalog Browse our latest titles in New York City & regional studies, American studies, LGBTQ studies, race & ethnic studies, political science, history, literary studies, philosophy & theory, the...

issuu.com/fordhamup/do...

Fordham UP catalog

@fordhampress.bsky.social Catalog is out. Preorder Peculiar Satisfaction: Thomas Jefferson and the Mastery of Subjects or get Cruising the Library (2017). Both address the paradox of access to information in libraries. Both are written from a place of love for public institutions.

AI isn't magic. AI is land, real estate, and energy.

Safe travels! For you and the books 😂

Most books pulled from Naval Academy library are back on the shelves in latest DEI turn All but a few of the nearly 400 books that the U.S. Naval Academy removed from its library because they dealt with anti-racism and gender issues are back on the shelves.

All but a few of the nearly 400 books that the U.S. Naval Academy removed from its library because they dealt with anti-racism and gender issues are back on the shelves after the newest Pentagon-ordered review

Really looking forward to my first CAIS. And my first visit to Halifax. And what I know will be exciting, thoughtful conversations.

Targeting Books for Removal at U.S. Military Libraries - ACRLog In the course of looking for resources relating to critical cataloging, I stumbled on a new memorandum from the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense, dated May 9th and titled “Reviewing the Departm...

New blog post at ACRLog: Targeting Books for Removal at U.S. Military Libraries acrlog.org/2025/05/11/t.... I talk about how painful it is that LCSH are being used for this dirty work. #critcat 📚

Library of Congress Staff Turn Away New MAGA Bosses Two Justice Department officials who thought they had been appointed into top roles at the library were denied entry on Monday.

Library of Congress staff turn away new MAGA bosses appointed by felon after firing existing heads. Staff called Capitol Police and the two fake bosses withdrew for now.

It’s the library of congress and not the library of the president/wanna be king/felon.

www.thedailybeast.com/library-of-c...

Updates on NSF Priorities

“What awards are being cut by NSF?
Awards that are not aligned with NSF's priorities have been terminated, including […] those on […] misinformation/disinformation."

SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR, OUR GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO STOP RESEARCH ON DISINFORMATION

www.nsf.gov/updates-on-p...

Not former potus saying Harvard has set a precedent for other universities and I have to hold myself back from mentioning Wesleyan, Georgetown law, Rutgers faculty senate, etc. What we're not gonna do is erase the Jesuits! Sigh, let me reread Elite Capture.

Harvard has set an example for other higher-ed institutions - rejecting an unlawful and ham-handed attempt to stifle academic freedom, while taking steps to make sure students can benefit from an environment of intellectual inquiry, rigorous debate and mutual respect. Let’s hope others follow suit.

Further dismantling of our public institutions.

Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1.  Purpose and

The titles for these executive orders are incredible. Weirdly makes me think of the time Jefferson made demands for “reparations”. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...