Interview — Amanda Licastro After turning the tide in a debate about AI in scholarly publishing, we talk

This week I had the pleasure of speaking on the Disrupted Science podcast about the impact on AI on higher education. Check out our conversation here www.the-geyser.com/interview-am...

Calling scholars of Quaker history, Peace history, and allied topics! Swarthmore College Special Collections is accepting applications for our Moore Research Fellowship for 2026-2027. Academics, creatives, and researchers at all levels are welcome to apply! www.swarthmore.edu/libraries/re...

Debate: Artificial Intelligence Tools Resolved: AI tools will provide a net benefit to scholarly communication Two debaters argue for and against the proposition. This will be a formal debate, with the result decided by the impact of the arguments on all the Conference participants. An initial ‘baseline’ vote is taken at the start of the debate, and another vote is taken at the end. The winner is the side that has swayed opinion in their favour. • Rick Anderson, University Librarian at Brigham Young University (moderator) • Darrell Gunter, Managing Director at Gunter Media Group (for the motion) • Amanda Licastro, Head of Digital Scholarship at Swarthmore College (against the motion)

What's on the Agenda at #R2RConf on 24-25 February in London?

Debate: Resolved: AI tools will provide a net benefit to scholarly communication

r2rconf.com/r2r-conferen...

@rickanderson.bsky.social
@amandalicastro.bsky.social

The conventions started in PA and #DouglassDay transcribers finished them first too! You all are a powerful group! All of the Northeast conventions are done!

All rights for all buttons

The fourteenth amendment is such a critically important topic for #DouglassDay this year.

Peace Collection We are open to anyone who would like to explore our collections. Special Collections staff are available to answer questions during reading room hours. Please make an appointment to use our primary so...

Our Peace Collection is phenomenal! www.swarthmore.edu/peace-collec...

Thanks. I appreciate you, too.

Making progress on transcription and exploring special collections at Swarthmore’s @douglassday.bsky.social #DouglassDay

Our librarian @betovargas.github.io went to Knox and is so happy to see you participating in #DouglassDay as well!

GOTV table

Buttons and cookies

Also at Swarthmore, our Get Out the Vote is registering voters, our Makerspace laser cut cookies, and our Outreach Librarian made buttons for @douglassday.bsky.social #DouglassDay

Red cake with Fredrick Douglass picture

Here at Swarthmore we are celebrating @douglassday.bsky.social with this stunning cake and an exhibit from the Friend Historical Library #DouglassDay

MLA app screenshot showing “collections as AI data” and “teaching approaches to Margaret Atwood” panels

I’m bad at BlueSky, but I’m good at #mla26, so please come to these two fabulous panels tomorrow!

I'm attending #MLA26 virtually this year, so I won't be able to attend this panel tomorrow, but I hope people attending in person will consider attending 233 - Collections as AI Data? mla.confex.com/mla/2026/mee... It's sponsored by my forum Libraries and Research.

How universities can cultivate arts and humanities in practical, affordable ways Are the arts and humanities still needed as universities retrench staff and cut costs? Patty Raun explains why curtailing or eliminating these disciplines is an egregious mistake

'Despite persistent myths, employment rates for humanities graduates are comparable to those of STEM graduates, as Humanities Indicators data shows. Early earnings differ but the salary gap narrows significantly mid-career, particularly for graduates who pursue further study'. 1/2

We save in glb for digital exhibits, and stl and obj for VR/AR and 3D printing.

I have lots to say about this since I have done it myself. We use mostly photogrammetry, but are moving into Lidar as well.

If you’d like to help me pay for my prescriptions while I’m furloughed, consider buying some of my books directly from me! DM for details 🏴‍☠️📚🖤

Ok, I know I've been a bit absent on socials, but allow me to reemerge to beg you to circulate this excellent job on a wonderful team. Please apply!
careers.swarthmore.edu/cw/en-us/job...

I’m so excited that my book is now out in the world. It pulls together my scholarly training in African American literature with my turn to digital humanities. I’ve also published the complete data dataset of 100 years of AFAM and am lit anthologies that is the backbone of the book.

One of the highlights of my summer is teaching in the @humanitiestexas.bsky.social institute. The middle and high school teachers in this program are fiercely dedicated and the Humanities Texas staff are 💯. Learn more www.humanitiestexas.org/education/te...

Framed sign that says “make art not war” with a peace sign

Just arrived in Austin to lead a workshop for Humanities Texas and this hotel is 💯

Thanks so much. I’m happy to chat more about it!

Always inspired by your #DHMakes work! And I was able to incorporate my #ByteSizedPedagogy materials as an example for this group before we went to the Makerspace.

Thanks! It is called Pollinator Park, and it allowed us to teach with the 3D printers, two kinds of laser cutters, and a craft printer all in a 3 hour sprint!

Game board with pollinators cards

3D printed dice and wood game board laser cut in a honeycomb pattern.

Teaching “DH in the Classroom” at DREAM Lab @pricelab.bsky.social was a rewarding experience. Fantastics students, the best collaborator @betovargas.github.io, and friends old and new. We covered a huge range of topics, but here’s a peek at the game we made in the #DHMakes unit.

Wonderful! And very well deserved.

I am so grateful for your mentorship through the years. Although I can’t wait to read your sci-fi novel, I also can’t imagine this profession without your fierce and public presence.

Last week we celebrated @cathyndavidson.bsky.social, a mentor whose support and advocacy is unparalleled. The joke was that she must have clones, because she offers such personal, genuine attention to every request that it seems impossible (especially if you 👀 at her pubs). Thank you Cathy ❤️👏

Thank you to @apprecovery.bsky.social especially @gbaezaventura.bsky.social, Dr. Lorena Gauthereau, Dr. Linda García Merchant, & Youngjun Kim for hosting me and to @betovargas.github.io for helping me prepare. It was a pleasure to speak to this curious and thoughtful group.

😡😡😡
(Thank you for posting)