Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Joseph Howley @illdottore.bsky.social · 9h

This fellowship changed the trajectory of my career and my time on its committees is the most worthwhile professional service I have ever done. Please apply and help us spread the word

Rare Book School @rarebookschool.bsky.social · 13d

The Andrew W. Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography (SoFCB) at RBS invites applicants to its 2025 cohort of Junior Fellows.

Applications are due 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟭𝟵 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

For details about this & other RBS scholarships & fellowships, visit tinyurl.com/Apply-SoFCB-2025

A vertically oriented rectangular graphic is split into an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper half shows a photo of a woman with pulled-back dark brown hair wearing a dark dress jacket and scarf. To her left, bold black text reads “I feel no hesitation saying that joining the SoFCB fully transformed my academic life and research.” Below the woman, smaller text in white reads, “Elizaveta Strakhov, Past President, Andrew W. Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography (SoFCB)”. The lower portion of the graphic has a mostly white background with a couple of horizontal bars in gray and black. Text in white, black, red, and yellow reads, “Apply now! The SoFCB Junior Fellows Program. Application Deadline: Wednesday, 19 November 2025. Learn more & apply at tinyurl.com/Apply-SoFCB-2025.”

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Martin Paul Eve @eve.gd · 10h

A preprint/author's original version of my review of @elikaortega.bsky.social's Binding Media.

Posted under OUP's self-archiving policy academic.oup.com/pages/self_a...

works.hcommons.org/records/kekj...

Review of Binding Media by Élika Ortega

A review of Ortega's Binding Media. My conclusion is that Ortega's terminology—"binding media"—is a useful phrase that should enter the critical lexicon. It gives us the means through which to conside...

works.hcommons.org

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · 3h

Lovely news!!

Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Aubrey Hirsch @aubreyhirsch.bsky.social · 7h

Did you know that if you buy my book on Amazon, Jeff Bezos makes 5 times as much as I do on each copy sold? Sharing some behind-the-scenes book math on why buying directly from presses is best for EVERYONE (except Bezos) in my newsletter today! aubreyhirsch.substack.com/p/book-math

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Katie McDonough @kmcdono.bsky.social · 5h

Wow, exciting to see this new application of MapReader with historical Danish series maps!

stigsvenningsen.bsky.social @stigsvenningsen.bsky.social · Sep 4

Ny artikel ude sammen med @mvperner.bsky.social, som undersøger potentialet ved brug af MapReader til at hive data ud af historiske topografiske kort. Konklusion - det virker godt. tidsskrift.dk/landbohist/a...

Historiske kort og kunstig intelligens: Brugen af MapReader til automatisk udtræk af arealkategorier fra ældre topografiske kort | Landbohistorisk Tidsskrift

tidsskrift.dk

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Katie McDonough @kmcdono.bsky.social · 6h

During this period of open peer review of the Living w/Machines book, 2 new chapters are available:

1. MapReader - a deep cut on the epistemological shift it offers for computational map studies

2. Environmental Scan - a method for digital source criticism at scale

#skystorians #dh #maps #histstm

Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · 7h

Hey! We have two new draft chapters of the Living with Machines book up online for your delectation! One on Mapreader and one on the Environmental Scan. read.uolpress.co.uk/projects/liv...

Living with Machines | University of London Press

*Living With Machines* is a data-driven history of the coming of the machine age in Britain in the long nineteenth century. Featuring an innovative open access edition enhanced with interactive maps, ...

read.uolpress.co.uk

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · 7h

Tagging @kmcdono.bsky.social @danielwilson.bsky.social @jonhistorian61.bsky.social @danielvanstrien.bsky.social @kallewesterling.bsky.social @nottinauta.bsky.social - Rosie Wood and Kaspar Beelen too.

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · 7h

Hey! We have two new draft chapters of the Living with Machines book up online for your delectation! One on Mapreader and one on the Environmental Scan. read.uolpress.co.uk/projects/liv...

Living with Machines | University of London Press

*Living With Machines* is a data-driven history of the coming of the machine age in Britain in the long nineteenth century. Featuring an innovative open access edition enhanced with interactive maps, ...

read.uolpress.co.uk

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Royal Historical Society @royalhistsoc.org · 13h

Now open: call for the Royal Historical Society's First Book and Early Career Article Prizes, 2026.

Eligible titles, published in 2025, may be submitted by the author before the closing date of 15 December. Further details and how to apply: bit.ly/3KnR47v

#Skystorians

Royal Historical Society Book and Article Prizes, 2026: submissions now invited - RHS

The Royal Historical Society invites applications for its First Book Prize, 2026 and Early Career Article Prize, 2026. The call for submissions opens on Monday 29 September 2025 and runs to Monday 15 ...

bit.ly

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

scott b. weingart @scottbot.bsky.social · 10d

The next Historical Network Research conference will be held in Turin, Italy in July 2026, and submissions are now open.

Proposals due December 1. Bursaries available for early career scholars.

This year's theme is "Networks and their Sources." See you there!

hnr2026.sciencesconf.org

HNR2026: The Historical Network Research Conference 2026 (Turin, Italy) - Sciencesconf.org

Call for Papers – Historical Network Research Conference 2026

hnr2026.sciencesconf.org

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Prof. Liz Oakley-Brown @earlymodlancs.bsky.social · Jul 30

- 400 jobs to go at Lancaster University

- 1 in 4 people will be made redundant

But where's the financial evidence for this extreme action?

Please read 👇

Sign the petition 👇

chng.it/7F52bThYqn

Sign the Petition

Stop Mass Redundancies at Lancaster University – Hold Senior Management Accountable

chng.it

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Prof. Liz Oakley-Brown @earlymodlancs.bsky.social · 18d

Petition update

3700 signatories to date

Thankyou

Prof. Liz Oakley-Brown @earlymodlancs.bsky.social · Jul 30

- 400 jobs to go at Lancaster University

- 1 in 4 people will be made redundant

But where's the financial evidence for this extreme action?

Please read 👇

Sign the petition 👇

chng.it/7F52bThYqn

Sign the Petition

Stop Mass Redundancies at Lancaster University – Hold Senior Management Accountable

chng.it

1

Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Samuel Moore @samuelmoore.org · 18d

We're going to be hosting a one-day event in Cambridge on Dec 3rd focusing on the Publish Review Curate model. More info very soon but save the date!

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · 19d

WTF

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

mia ridge @miaout.bsky.social · 25d

The Alliance of Digital Humanities Organisations @adho-org.bsky.social has a number of positions open - help out with ADHO Awards, Communications or with a Fellowship aimed at improving the website

adho.org/jobs/

It's a great way to help the field and support your local DH organisation too

Jobs – Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations

adho.org

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

mia ridge @miaout.bsky.social · 25d

More manuscripts are coming to the British Library's online site www.bl.uk/collection/d...

And, erm, how can I say this nicely? If you have a cheeky script that downloads images from the site, please build in some delays so that you don't kill the servers. Play nice, innit!

Digitised manuscripts and archives - British Library

View more than 2,000 of our digitised manuscripts and archival documents, including the Sherborne Missal and Octateuch, Four Gospels and Synodicon.

www.bl.uk

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · Sep 13

I’m sorry Liz. Xxx

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Felicity Callard @felicitycallard.bsky.social · Sep 12

With the phrase “unfunded hobbyist research” the new Universities UK President continues a much longer history of contempt that UUK has shown towards the labour of all those who work in universities

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ - Research Professional News

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · Sep 12

Apologies for all the rage-reposting this morning.

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · Sep 12

'"You can’t have hobbyist research that’s unfunded going on in institutions. We can’t afford it.”'

Such a badly formulated phrasing of the issues, so open to so many misinterpretations. If this is the level of thinking about research among sector leaders and policy-makers, be very afraid.

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ - Research Professional News

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Dave Andress @davidandress.bsky.social · Sep 12

One of the things that really grinds at the “elite” is that RAE/REF has shown for 30 years that research excellence really IS spread far beyond their narrow vision. They absolutely HATE it.

Leonie V. Hicks @lvhicks.bsky.social · Sep 12

You what now? Who gets to define 'hobbyist'? The REF 'funds' research.

Anti-intellectual, utilitarian, ignorant approach from the UUK president.

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Rosalynd Southern @rosalynd.bsky.social · Sep 12

The people who are supposedly 'the voice' of research intensive universities don't understand research funding or even research. A truly embarrassing organisation

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ - Research Professional News

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Will Tattersdill @tattersdill.bsky.social · Sep 12

The last REF found that 98% of UK research was either "internationally recognised", "internationally excellent", or "world-leading". If you think low-quality research is the noteworthy challenge in UK higher ed right now, you are wilfully looking in the wrong direction

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Sep 12

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ .

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”.

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...

Ministers ‘want to shift funds away from low-quality research’ - Research Professional News

Universities UK president says institutions cannot afford “unfunded hobbyist research”

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Ruth Ahnert @ruthahnert.bsky.social · Sep 11

Important new article form my colleague Paula Westenberger on Artificial intelligence for cultural heritage research, and the challenges in UK copyright law and policy. www.frontierspartnerships.org/journals/eur...

Frontiers Publishing Partnerships | Artificial intelligence for cultural heritage research: the challenges in UK copyright law and policy

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising our relationship with cultural heritage, enhancing access to, engagement with and preservation of collections...

www.frontierspartnerships.org

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Reposted by Ruth Ahnert

Samuel Moore @samuelmoore.org · Sep 11

I have an op-ed out today in @resprofnews.bsky.social introducing my new book on the commercialisation of open access publishing.

Make academic publishing a commons, not a market - Research Professional News

Commercialisation has thwarted the promise of openness—it’s time for new priorities, says Samuel Moore

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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