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@estherarens.bsky.social
430 followers 180 following 360 posts
Library systems, content, metadata, acquisition, team work, leadership. Choral music. Running.
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estherarens.bsky.social @estherarens.bsky.social · Jun 2
Our next concert "The spirit of truth" on Sat, 5th July 2025 at St Andrews Jarrom Street in #Leicester (LE2 7DH)
www.leicestershirechorale.org.uk/concert/the-...
Poster for Leicestershire Chorale's next concert "The spirit of truth" on Sat, 5th July 2025 at St Andrews Jarrom Street in Leicester (LE2 7DH)
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revrachelmann.bsky.social
And I say again … how will they enforce this?!? Do trans women have two heads? Will there be people there to ‘denounce’ anyone who - subjectively - ‘looks a bit too much like a ‘fella’’?!? The sheer crassness of it …
December 6, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Love my city #leicester
December 3, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Ever so slight scratch in my throat only yesterday evening. A million razors whenever I swallow since 3am. Blocked but also runny nose since 4am. #feelingSorryForMyself
November 29, 2025 at 9:52 AM
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simon.fedi.simonwillison.net.ap.brid.gy
The Netflix number is five years old and the ChatGPT number pre-dates GPT-5 by a couple of months so there are plenty of caveats here, but I expect the order of magnitude remains about correct
November 29, 2025 at 2:28 AM
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simon.fedi.simonwillison.net.ap.brid.gy
Out of curiosity I decided to try and run the numbers on how much Netflix you can watch for the energy cost of a ChatGPT prompt

As far as I can tell it's between 5.1 and 10.2 seconds, depending on which end of the 2019 IEA Netflix energy usage […]

[Original post on fedi.simonwillison.net]
In June 2025 Sam Altman claimed about ChatGPT that "the average query uses about 0.34 watt-hours". In March 2020 George Kamiya of the International Energy Agency estimated that "streaming a Netflix video in 2019 typically consumed 0.12-0.24kWh of electricity per hour" - that's 240 watt-hours per hour at the higher end. Assuming that higher end, a ChatGPT prompt by Sam Altman's estimate uses: 0.34 Wh / (240 Wh / 3600 seconds) = 5.1 seconds of Netflix Or double that, 10.2 seconds, if you take the lower end of the Netflix estimate instead. I'm always interested in anything that can help contextualize a number like "0.34 watt-hours" - I think this comparison to Netflix is a neat way of doing that. This is evidently not the whole story with regards to AI energy usage - training costs, data center buildout costs and the ongoing fierce competition between the providers all add up to a very significant carbon footprint for the AI industry as a whole.
November 29, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Good! news
chrischirp.bsky.social Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 10d
this is amazing news - the HPV vaccine promises to eliminate cervical cancer in countries where uptake is high.
ivalaine.bsky.social Dr M @ivalaine.bsky.social · 11d
Vaccinating boys and girls. It works bitches.
November 26, 2025 at 10:25 PM
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manwhohasitall.bsky.social
Did you know I have a shop that celebrates human nature? And there's 10% off at the moment with the code TAKE10.

https://manwhohasitallshop.com/
November 21, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Did most of tax return yesterday. Did parkrun despite pouring rain. Some laundry. Sorted & rearranged some kitchen shelves. Cooked. Had big pot of tea & listened to audiobook. Went to cinema for live opera broadcast.
Why am I not happy?
November 22, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Thia absolute classic
oddthisday.bsky.social Coates is Odd This Day @oddthisday.bsky.social · 16d
In highly important news from history today, it’s the 80th anniversary of the 21st birthday of Christopher Tolkien, notable now for the wording (especially the small print) of the invitation to the party
20 Northmoor Road, Oxford. Professor and Mrs. Tolkien request the pleasure of your company on Wednesday, November 21st, 1945, to assist them in celebrating the Coming of Age of their Son Sub-Lieut. C. J. R. TOLKIEN, R.N.V.R. 6.30 p.m. onwards. R.S.V.P. if not coming. Carriages at midnight. Ambulances at 2 a.m. Wheelbarrows at 5 a.m. Hearses at daybreak.
November 22, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Not seen a single teaspoon for months and this morning there were two in the staff kitchen. #goFigure
hetanshah.bsky.social Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 17d
‘The half life of the teaspoons was 81 days.’
eikofried.bsky.social Eiko Fried @eikofried.bsky.social · 17d
70 teaspoons placed in tearooms around the institute & observed weekly over 5 months. 80% of spoons disappeared; spoon halflife~81 days. Communal room halflife lower than in specific labs. 250 spoons annually required to maintain 70 spoon population.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...
November 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
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colettet.bsky.social
Really looking forward to more from #NAGWebinarWeek tomorrow w/ What Doesn’t Come Shelf-Ready and What Do Cataloguers Do With It? w/ @annewelsh.bsky.social from Beginning Cataloguing.
booking info: nag.org.uk/event/welsh/ - free & open to all
I feel like it might open a can of shelf un-ready worms!
What Doesn’t Come Shelf-Ready and What Do Cataloguers Do With It? – National Acquisitions Group
nag.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 10:04 PM
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richove.bsky.social
Good to see the problems facing our colleagues @britishlibrary.bsky.social being raised here by @hetanshah.bsky.social (of @britishacademy.bsky.social). If this had happened in France it would be considered a national problem to be urgently addressed! www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:58 AM
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lampallib.bsky.social
✨Introducing the world premiere recording of seven choral works from the Arundel Choirbook, one of the most significant collections of English polyphony from the early 16th century.

The full album will be available 28th November but you can listen to a single now on Spotify ✨
November 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
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boatmancryptics.co.uk
It's the Seasonal Reposting Competition! Repost this over the weekend, and on Sunday one lucky person will win a signed copy of one of my books. For you or the #crossword addict in your life: 50 fiendish @theguardian.com #puzzles and all the stories behind them:
boatmancryptics.co.uk/crossword-bo...
Boatman - the first 50 reportedly makes a great present or holiday read, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show the story behind the Shipping Forecast puzzle, on display on Brighton beach. Reviewing Boatman - the first 50, Alan Connor (The Guardian's crossword editor and the brains behind many of BBC2’s quiz programs) says: "This is one to savour. Boatman's puzzles are witty and ingenious. It is an extraordinary pleasure to read how his unique mind works. The first 50 is a book I never knew I needed in my life. Gift it to yourself and to the word-lovers in yours". Hugh Stephenson (Alan’s predecessor at The Guardian) says: "This is a unique book of crosswords" and Henry Morris: "a Boatman crossword is like a theme park. Each daunting line is a rollercoaster ... He scares you witless. But you can't wait to do it all over again". Boatman - the second 50 contains another 50 puzzles from The Guardian, with five bonus puzzles previously only available online and including puzzles, solutions and the ideas and stories behind them, exemplified by this image of the book opened to show one of the stories, which is accompanied by a picture of a large cow. Reviewing Boatman - the second 50, Gyles Brandreth says: "If you want a fiendish crossword, you want the best - which means you want Boatman, because he is the best" and Brian Bilston: "Cracking crosswords - each puzzle a delightful daily workout for the brain and a welcome tonic for the soul".
November 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
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hetanshah.bsky.social
The Python Software Foundation has turned down a $1.5m grant from the National Science Foundation as it came with a restriction that they would not operate any programs (at all - not just funded by the grant) that promote diversity, equality or inclusion…
pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
The PSF has withdrawn a $1.5 million proposal to US government grant program
In January 2025, the PSF submitted a proposal to the US government National Science Foundation under the Safety, Security, and Privacy of Op...
pyfound.blogspot.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Annual staff discussions (not called appraisals here) done today - incl. my own and all mandatory training. 💪
October 30, 2025 at 5:35 PM
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hetanshah.bsky.social
If you are in or near Leicester I’ll be giving the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture at De Montfort University on 27 Nov. I’ll be exploring what insights the humanities & social sciences can provide for policymakers and how policy can support them
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaping-a-...
Shaping a Brighter Future
The first event in our Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Lecture Series, delivered by Hetan Shah, Chief Executive, The British Academy
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 27, 2025 at 11:36 AM
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bucksarchives.bsky.social
We've got a new job available here in the archive! We're looking for an Archive Assistant to support our collections team.

For more information, head to jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/job_detail/3...
Records of Buckinghamshire with the words 'We're Hiring! Archive Assistant' overlaid.
October 27, 2025 at 1:04 PM
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clairesewell.bsky.social
The House of Commons Library Open Day returns in 2026!

Come and learn about what we do to inform democracy and take advantage of a rare chance to tour the Commons Library space.

Full details are on our website and applications close 24th November commonslibrary.parliament.uk/training-and...
House of Commons Library Open Day
We are pleased to invite librarians, library staff and information officers to the House of Commons Library Open Day 2026.
commonslibrary.parliament.uk
October 27, 2025 at 1:54 PM
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ruthlesslibrarian.bsky.social
Every year is the year I’m gonna get my data organized so that completing the annual survey is a breeze - last year was not the year.
October 27, 2025 at 7:12 PM
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cilip.bsky.social
📢We're ending an exciting week at #CILIP by looking into the future!

Yesterday it was announced that we'll be hosting the World Library and Information Congress with @ifla.org. A wonderful celebration of their 100th and our 150th anniversary. #WLIC2027 www.cilip.org.uk/page/IFLAWLI...
IFLA selects the UK to host the 2027 World Library and Information Congress
The most prestigious international library event will be in London in 2027 after a successful bid by a partnership including CILIP.
www.cilip.org.uk
October 24, 2025 at 2:54 PM
#TinyJoys are the news reporting No Kings demonstrations.
October 19, 2025 at 6:24 AM
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danielsiemens.bsky.social
The new book by @kathiprager.bsky.social 'A Game as Mindless as Love: The Life of Satirist Karl Kraus' is magnificent, especially for former Berliners like me who have always struggled to understand the coexistence of reactionary and progressive elements in Vienna around 1900. 1/2
October 18, 2025 at 2:52 PM
www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/weed...
‘Weeding’ unneeded books from libraries is not a crime against culture
Weeding allows collections to evolve with academia – but redistributing books to other libraries could help equalise knowledge access, says Natalie Pang
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Grrrrr!
bookjockeyalex.bsky.social Alex Brown 🇵🇸 (they/them) @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social · Oct 14
Elsevier continues to be the worst. Last month they assured me that the AI research assistant on ScienceDirect was opt in, so I did not. Now an AI reading assistant is popping up on every article and it cannot be removed globally. There's no way to remove it as an admin!
Screenshot of an excerpt of an email from tech support: "Please note that the Reading Assistant feature on ScienceDirect is cookie-based and settings are applied per individual user. Unfortunately, there is currently no option to disable this feature at the institutional level. If users wish to turn off the Reading Assistant, they will need to do so individually through their own browser settings on the article page."
October 14, 2025 at 9:59 PM