M
@mlibrarian.bsky.social
Library worker. Cataloging and collections.
“By teaching us how to read, they had taught us how to get away.” - Robert C. O'Brien
“By teaching us how to read, they had taught us how to get away.” - Robert C. O'Brien
This thread is good, devastating, important, IMO. I‘m only a collections librarian, but have recently developed a strong desire to teach or get *someone* to teach these classes at university and make them mandatory: (1) reading; (2) computer skills; (3) 20th and 21st c history / current affairs.
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 29, 2025 at 7:04 AM
This thread is good, devastating, important, IMO. I‘m only a collections librarian, but have recently developed a strong desire to teach or get *someone* to teach these classes at university and make them mandatory: (1) reading; (2) computer skills; (3) 20th and 21st c history / current affairs.
Reposted by M
I've never encountered more students who say they hate reading. Students who want to be teachers, writers, or both. I wonder if "hate" means "I have trouble reading," but I also talk with so many students who write in a genre but refuse to read in it. They can't see themselves in relation to others.
November 28, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I've never encountered more students who say they hate reading. Students who want to be teachers, writers, or both. I wonder if "hate" means "I have trouble reading," but I also talk with so many students who write in a genre but refuse to read in it. They can't see themselves in relation to others.
Reposted by M
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
Reposted by M
Why are universities paying money to fascists when they could just use said money to support their faculty to do their research without fascist money? It’s so fucking stupid.
November 29, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Why are universities paying money to fascists when they could just use said money to support their faculty to do their research without fascist money? It’s so fucking stupid.
Reposted by M
RDA Official reads like a series of if/then statements but in text form: narrative Python. That’ll make a good set of rules!
…oh wait.
Anyway, idk where 6.2.2.10.3 is because it doesn’t refer to Original, and Official doesn’t have chapters. Thanks for the ref LC, very helpful.
…oh wait.
Anyway, idk where 6.2.2.10.3 is because it doesn’t refer to Original, and Official doesn’t have chapters. Thanks for the ref LC, very helpful.
November 19, 2025 at 5:53 PM
RDA Official reads like a series of if/then statements but in text form: narrative Python. That’ll make a good set of rules!
…oh wait.
Anyway, idk where 6.2.2.10.3 is because it doesn’t refer to Original, and Official doesn’t have chapters. Thanks for the ref LC, very helpful.
…oh wait.
Anyway, idk where 6.2.2.10.3 is because it doesn’t refer to Original, and Official doesn’t have chapters. Thanks for the ref LC, very helpful.
Reposted by M
the product edtech-compromised universities (that's nearly all of them) have decided your children should have access to and use, folks
November 27, 2025 at 4:42 AM
the product edtech-compromised universities (that's nearly all of them) have decided your children should have access to and use, folks
Reposted by M
Are we really at a stage in public education where we consider it OK to have literally Google-branded schoolchildren whose learner identities are tied to being "responsible AI" users of private for-profit technologies?
November 22, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Are we really at a stage in public education where we consider it OK to have literally Google-branded schoolchildren whose learner identities are tied to being "responsible AI" users of private for-profit technologies?
Reposted by M
I'm not sure if I'm legally allowed to post two #birdoftheday posts for #birdonawire
But here's a closer view of the male Black-headed Trogon, showing his darker head and iridescent back.
#CostaRica #birds #trogon #nature
But here's a closer view of the male Black-headed Trogon, showing his darker head and iridescent back.
#CostaRica #birds #trogon #nature
November 22, 2025 at 8:45 PM
I'm not sure if I'm legally allowed to post two #birdoftheday posts for #birdonawire
But here's a closer view of the male Black-headed Trogon, showing his darker head and iridescent back.
#CostaRica #birds #trogon #nature
But here's a closer view of the male Black-headed Trogon, showing his darker head and iridescent back.
#CostaRica #birds #trogon #nature
Reposted by M
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees staggering reduction in homelessness
The state program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years. At the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
www.streetroots.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:35 AM
An Oregon pilot program giving cash to homeless youths sees a staggering reduction in homelessness. The program gave participants $1,000 cash payments each month for two years, and at the end of the project's first phase, 91% of participants reported being in stable housing.
This burnout -> weird observation is something I’ve been thinking about all day. It’s true for me, I think, and not good. I think part of it is also being alone too much bc of understaffing.
"I say this as a paster turned librarian who suffered from burnout. We get tired, and we get weird. And you do have to take care of yourself, friends."
~ Shamichael Hallman, during a recent @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social webinar
📚
~ Shamichael Hallman, during a recent @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social webinar
📚
November 21, 2025 at 12:45 AM
This burnout -> weird observation is something I’ve been thinking about all day. It’s true for me, I think, and not good. I think part of it is also being alone too much bc of understaffing.
Reposted by M
Portland author Omar El Akkad won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for "One Day, Everyone Will Always Have Been Against This."
Portland Author Omar El Akkad Wins a National Book Award
Andrew Jankowski
www.wweek.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Portland author Omar El Akkad won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for "One Day, Everyone Will Always Have Been Against This."
Reposted by M
but there’s no such thing as someone else’s children.
(From One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad)
(From One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad)
May 16, 2025 at 12:50 PM
but there’s no such thing as someone else’s children.
(From One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad)
(From One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad)
Reposted by M
Just reading through this new OpenAI "teen literacy blueprint document." A few things jumped out. 1) document mentions multiple times that rigorous instruction must be protected but also seems to be suggesting/1
cdn.openai.com/pdf/openai-t...
cdn.openai.com/pdf/openai-t...
cdn.openai.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Just reading through this new OpenAI "teen literacy blueprint document." A few things jumped out. 1) document mentions multiple times that rigorous instruction must be protected but also seems to be suggesting/1
cdn.openai.com/pdf/openai-t...
cdn.openai.com/pdf/openai-t...
Reposted by M
in this passage that this core knowledge would be taught in service of AI literacy rather than vice versa, which is an odd framing. ("AI literacy requires..."). But not surprising-this doc is about how to use AI everywhere. /2
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 AM
in this passage that this core knowledge would be taught in service of AI literacy rather than vice versa, which is an odd framing. ("AI literacy requires..."). But not surprising-this doc is about how to use AI everywhere. /2
Reposted by M
I am averaging one book read per month this year. March: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad. Highly, highly recommend. “And it may seem now like it's someone else's children, but there's no such thing as someone else's children.”
March 31, 2025 at 5:39 AM
I am averaging one book read per month this year. March: One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad. Highly, highly recommend. “And it may seem now like it's someone else's children, but there's no such thing as someone else's children.”
Reposted by M
The winner of the 2025 National Book Award for Nonfiction is ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ by Omar El Akkad. #NBAwards
November 20, 2025 at 2:35 AM
The winner of the 2025 National Book Award for Nonfiction is ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This’ by Omar El Akkad. #NBAwards
Reposted by M
Enjoy this little demon, #Bugsky
At first I thought this was just a small fly, but when I got my macro on it I found this alien creature. I think it's in the genus Poppea, a type of treehopper. Found at @casabentbill.bsky.social #CostaRica #nature #insects
At first I thought this was just a small fly, but when I got my macro on it I found this alien creature. I think it's in the genus Poppea, a type of treehopper. Found at @casabentbill.bsky.social #CostaRica #nature #insects
November 17, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Enjoy this little demon, #Bugsky
At first I thought this was just a small fly, but when I got my macro on it I found this alien creature. I think it's in the genus Poppea, a type of treehopper. Found at @casabentbill.bsky.social #CostaRica #nature #insects
At first I thought this was just a small fly, but when I got my macro on it I found this alien creature. I think it's in the genus Poppea, a type of treehopper. Found at @casabentbill.bsky.social #CostaRica #nature #insects
Reposted by M
We could solve like half the problems in education with smaller class sizes (like 15 instead of 30 kids crushed in a room). Including that it would be easier to find teachers b/c they wouldn’t get so burnt out.
Every decade, we hear "the kids can't read or write!"
Interventions that don't work are proposed. Those that do work are ignored: reducing class sizes, making kids & families feel safe at school and welcome, becoming a community resource.
When their expensive reform fails, they yell at us again.
Interventions that don't work are proposed. Those that do work are ignored: reducing class sizes, making kids & families feel safe at school and welcome, becoming a community resource.
When their expensive reform fails, they yell at us again.
November 15, 2025 at 1:29 AM
We could solve like half the problems in education with smaller class sizes (like 15 instead of 30 kids crushed in a room). Including that it would be easier to find teachers b/c they wouldn’t get so burnt out.
Library work is, in part, an endless series of spatial reasoning tests and 5th-grade math word problems, done by English majors, with the knowledge that failure means moving large numbers of books a second time. They should cover this in library school.
November 15, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Library work is, in part, an endless series of spatial reasoning tests and 5th-grade math word problems, done by English majors, with the knowledge that failure means moving large numbers of books a second time. They should cover this in library school.
Reposted by M
Can I quietly ask we stop talking about what "AI" *could* do in education and identify instead what's actually happening with AI in education? I'll start...
November 15, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Can I quietly ask we stop talking about what "AI" *could* do in education and identify instead what's actually happening with AI in education? I'll start...
Reposted by M
The purpose of education is not workforce readiness
I would love to see more nuance around point 1 though. Fact is that employers are heavily encouraging the use of AI and it's important to know how to use it - and when not to - for workforce readiness.
November 14, 2025 at 11:50 PM
The purpose of education is not workforce readiness
Over the past several years, the mainstream publishing industry seems to have decided that boys and young men don’t read fiction. It is so so frustrating trying to buy a variety of books to appeal to everyone (university campus private school + university lib popular reading collection).
We keep yelling about the male loneliness crisis and focusing on everything except the harms the system itself is causing. If teen boys don't get mirrors for masculinity, and other kids don't get windows and sliding glass doors, then we're doing kids of all gender identities a major disservice.
November 14, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Over the past several years, the mainstream publishing industry seems to have decided that boys and young men don’t read fiction. It is so so frustrating trying to buy a variety of books to appeal to everyone (university campus private school + university lib popular reading collection).
Reposted by M
We keep yelling about the male loneliness crisis and focusing on everything except the harms the system itself is causing. If teen boys don't get mirrors for masculinity, and other kids don't get windows and sliding glass doors, then we're doing kids of all gender identities a major disservice.
November 13, 2025 at 10:41 PM
We keep yelling about the male loneliness crisis and focusing on everything except the harms the system itself is causing. If teen boys don't get mirrors for masculinity, and other kids don't get windows and sliding glass doors, then we're doing kids of all gender identities a major disservice.
Reposted by M
This is another consequence of the colonization of New Adult, esp of the romantasy variety, into YA. Publishers aren't just selling YA to adults, they're selling YA to adult women (usually cisallohet and white). That category doesn't want a book about 14yo boys playing basketball. My teen boys do.
November 13, 2025 at 9:41 PM
This is another consequence of the colonization of New Adult, esp of the romantasy variety, into YA. Publishers aren't just selling YA to adults, they're selling YA to adult women (usually cisallohet and white). That category doesn't want a book about 14yo boys playing basketball. My teen boys do.