Gretchen N
@geriatricgretch.bsky.social
librarian/archivist, spreadsheets, puzzles, and fiber arts
Reposted by Gretchen N
NEW — Cutting less than one day of the Chicago police would cover the $4.5M needed to ensure there are no cuts to library staffing and resources, one resident writes.
Read this opinion submission about protecting city libraries in the 2026 budget.
thetriibe.com/2025/12/opin...
Read this opinion submission about protecting city libraries in the 2026 budget.
thetriibe.com/2025/12/opin...
OPINION: The Chicago Public Library budget is under threat. Let’s remember what libraries do for us • The TRiiBE
Cutting less than one day of the Chicago police would cover the $4.5M needed to ensure there are no cuts to library staffing and resources.
thetriibe.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:28 PM
NEW — Cutting less than one day of the Chicago police would cover the $4.5M needed to ensure there are no cuts to library staffing and resources, one resident writes.
Read this opinion submission about protecting city libraries in the 2026 budget.
thetriibe.com/2025/12/opin...
Read this opinion submission about protecting city libraries in the 2026 budget.
thetriibe.com/2025/12/opin...
Reposted by Gretchen N
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed disastrous cuts to our city's libraries while setting aside $5M for a ShotSpotter replacement. As library associate Sara Heymann told me, “Libraries embody everything we need to fight back against fascism.” My piece on what’s at stake and how to fight back:
You Can’t Fight Fascism While Defunding Libraries
“Libraries embody everything that we need right now to fight back against fascism," says Sara Heymann.
organizingmythoughts.org
December 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed disastrous cuts to our city's libraries while setting aside $5M for a ShotSpotter replacement. As library associate Sara Heymann told me, “Libraries embody everything we need to fight back against fascism.” My piece on what’s at stake and how to fight back:
Reposted by Gretchen N
in recent years SAIC has shown a lot of disrespect for the unique and important work that the Video Data Bank does, but this sudden removal of some of my amazing former colleagues without warning or consulting with the artists represented by the VDB, is *enraging*
www.artforum.com/news/school-...
www.artforum.com/news/school-...
SAIC Guts Video Data Bank
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago cut staff at the Video Data Bank and announced major cutbacks to the contemporary video art repository.
www.artforum.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:11 AM
in recent years SAIC has shown a lot of disrespect for the unique and important work that the Video Data Bank does, but this sudden removal of some of my amazing former colleagues without warning or consulting with the artists represented by the VDB, is *enraging*
www.artforum.com/news/school-...
www.artforum.com/news/school-...
Reposted by Gretchen N
November 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Gretchen N
For my knitting friends:
October 7, 2025 at 6:55 PM
For my knitting friends:
I'm so frustrated that this is happening, both to my former colleagues and to the Chicago public who have had access to research and archives cut off. Everyone here deserves so much better. chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
Chicago History Museum cuts hinder research, exploration
The timing couldn't have been worse. The Trump administration has slashed museum budgets, the Smithsonian is being reviewed to align with Donald Trump's vision of America and the school year just star...
chicago.suntimes.com
September 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I'm so frustrated that this is happening, both to my former colleagues and to the Chicago public who have had access to research and archives cut off. Everyone here deserves so much better. chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...
Reposted by Gretchen N
Fobazi is currently in the ICU and could use your support. Apologies to those I haven’t been able to reach out to yet. You can message me for more info and I will be posting updates to GoFundMe. Please share, send healing thoughts, prayers, etc. ❤️ -Elena
gofund.me/c8485b58
gofund.me/c8485b58
Donate to Fobazi’s road to recovery: Kidney and liver transplant, organized by Ysabel Gerrard
Hello all, my name is Ysabel and I’m fundraising for my friends … Ysabel Gerrard needs your support for Fobazi’s road to recovery: Kidney and liver transplant
gofund.me
August 7, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Fobazi is currently in the ICU and could use your support. Apologies to those I haven’t been able to reach out to yet. You can message me for more info and I will be posting updates to GoFundMe. Please share, send healing thoughts, prayers, etc. ❤️ -Elena
gofund.me/c8485b58
gofund.me/c8485b58
Even though I don’t get to see this as much anymore, watching students engage with history day was one of the highlights of my career. This is horrible news.
National History Day was defunded. This is devastating. 📚
nhd.org/en/
nhd.org/en/
National History Day
National History Day forms thoughtful citizens and confident teachers by improving the teaching and learning of history.
nhd.org
April 11, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Even though I don’t get to see this as much anymore, watching students engage with history day was one of the highlights of my career. This is horrible news.
Workers at the Chicago History Museum have recently overwhelming voted to unionize, but leadership has unethically and illegally retaliated. Here's a letter you can send if you'd like to make your feelings on the issue known: actionnetwork.org/letters/stop...
Stop union-busting at Chicago History Museum!
On April 1, Chicago History Museum employees voted to form their union. On April 2, CHM management retaliated with discipline and terminations. Send a message—let management know that union-busting is...
actionnetwork.org
April 10, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Workers at the Chicago History Museum have recently overwhelming voted to unionize, but leadership has unethically and illegally retaliated. Here's a letter you can send if you'd like to make your feelings on the issue known: actionnetwork.org/letters/stop...
Reposted by Gretchen N
What does the IMLS mean to us and to our members? Here's one example--in 2017 member @chicagomuseum.bsky.social got an IMLS grant to hire a project cataloger to get small archival collections into the online catalog and also into the Explore Chicago Collections portal. 1/2
Results
explore.chicagocollections.org
April 2, 2025 at 10:01 PM
What does the IMLS mean to us and to our members? Here's one example--in 2017 member @chicagomuseum.bsky.social got an IMLS grant to hire a project cataloger to get small archival collections into the online catalog and also into the Explore Chicago Collections portal. 1/2
Reposted by Gretchen N
The Social Responsibilities Round Table of the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social is hosting a day long virtual summit April 7, “Building Spaces of Solidarity and Connection." What could possibly be more important than that?
Info here! www.ala.org/srrt/buildin...
Info here! www.ala.org/srrt/buildin...
Building Spaces of Solidarity and Connection: A Historical, Theoretical, and Practical Lens on Libraries’ Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Justice
A Virtual Summit sponsored by the Social Responsibilities Round Table Monday, April 7, 2025 This event is free and open to the public
www.ala.org
March 17, 2025 at 4:47 PM
The Social Responsibilities Round Table of the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social is hosting a day long virtual summit April 7, “Building Spaces of Solidarity and Connection." What could possibly be more important than that?
Info here! www.ala.org/srrt/buildin...
Info here! www.ala.org/srrt/buildin...
I'm so excited to see this news!
About two dozen workers at the Chicago History Museum have signed a letter saying they plan to unionize. In the letter, issued Wednesday morning, the employees said they are seeking clear communication from management and competitive wages. www.wbez.org/museums/2025...
Chicago History Museum workers want to join an arts industry unionization wave
About two dozen staffers say they want clear communication from management and competitive wages.
www.wbez.org
February 13, 2025 at 4:12 PM
I'm so excited to see this news!
Reposted by Gretchen N
If you are looking for a mutual aid network on the South Side of Chicago, please tap into Market Box: marketboxchi.org
If you are interested in learning more about how our food distribution works, join our email list, volunteer, and consider joining our next leadership cohort.
If you are interested in learning more about how our food distribution works, join our email list, volunteer, and consider joining our next leadership cohort.
February 12, 2025 at 6:43 PM
If you are looking for a mutual aid network on the South Side of Chicago, please tap into Market Box: marketboxchi.org
If you are interested in learning more about how our food distribution works, join our email list, volunteer, and consider joining our next leadership cohort.
If you are interested in learning more about how our food distribution works, join our email list, volunteer, and consider joining our next leadership cohort.
Reposted by Gretchen N
If you’re feeling a sense of despair and looking for a way to take action, join us this Saturday and help us build a public archive of government-conducted transit and climate studies — starting with federal studies before they disappear.
This is a great way to find community and get plugged in!
This is a great way to find community and get plugged in!
Join us this Saturday at @beermiscuous.bsky.social for our first ever download party!
We're working on an archive of federal transit and climate studies before they disappear again – and we need your help. Bring your laptop, grab a beer, and take action.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/DwnldParty
We're working on an archive of federal transit and climate studies before they disappear again – and we need your help. Bring your laptop, grab a beer, and take action.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/DwnldParty
January 23, 2025 at 2:22 AM
If you’re feeling a sense of despair and looking for a way to take action, join us this Saturday and help us build a public archive of government-conducted transit and climate studies — starting with federal studies before they disappear.
This is a great way to find community and get plugged in!
This is a great way to find community and get plugged in!
If you're in Chicago, you can use this form: www.chipublib.org/suggest-a-pu...
If you want to read a new book coming out but don't want to buy it, a great thing you can do is ask your local library to order it. The more requests they get, the more likely they are to acquire it and then lots of people will get to read it who othewise wouldn't.
January 22, 2025 at 5:51 PM
If you're in Chicago, you can use this form: www.chipublib.org/suggest-a-pu...
Also much love to my Chicago-area scouts, but they seem to all use Little Brownie Bakery - if you're looking for more vegan and/or non-dairy alternatives, many scouts on this list use the ABC Bakery, which is much more friendly to those dietary preferences.
1. Did you know that Girl Scouts has, for a long time, accepted trans girls and nonbinary scouts?
Trans kids are under attack. Every year, I make a thread of trans and nonbinary girl scouts you can get your cookies from.
Lets get our cookies from them this year in solidarity!
Trans kids are under attack. Every year, I make a thread of trans and nonbinary girl scouts you can get your cookies from.
Lets get our cookies from them this year in solidarity!
2025 Trans Girl Scouts To Order Cookies From!
This year, consider ordering your Girl Scout cookies from a trans girl scout to make their day!
www.erininthemorning.com
January 13, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Also much love to my Chicago-area scouts, but they seem to all use Little Brownie Bakery - if you're looking for more vegan and/or non-dairy alternatives, many scouts on this list use the ABC Bakery, which is much more friendly to those dietary preferences.
Reposted by Gretchen N
Here's an update on what happened last night in Downers Grove.
Folks SHOWED UP.
This is what we need every single time, y'all.
patch.com/illinois/dow...
Folks SHOWED UP.
This is what we need every single time, y'all.
patch.com/illinois/dow...
December 4, 2024 at 2:56 PM
Here's an update on what happened last night in Downers Grove.
Folks SHOWED UP.
This is what we need every single time, y'all.
patch.com/illinois/dow...
Folks SHOWED UP.
This is what we need every single time, y'all.
patch.com/illinois/dow...
If you have a stake in Downers Grove, please take note!
Downers Grove (IL) Village Council tries to ram through a spring 2025 ballot measure that would divorce the library from the village. This was done without input from the library & without following process.
We're going to see this happen a lot more.
wellsourced.substack.com/p/how-one-vi...
We're going to see this happen a lot more.
wellsourced.substack.com/p/how-one-vi...
How One Village Is Attempting Sneakily to Divorce the Library
The speed and method by which the Downers Grove Village Council wants to get a library referendum on the ballot is a sign of the future
wellsourced.substack.com
December 2, 2024 at 3:33 PM
If you have a stake in Downers Grove, please take note!
This is such an important equity issue - if you live or work in Chicago I urge you to send an email.
Made the front page today for all the wrong reasons.
A budget is a moral document, and Mayor Johnson is sending a clear message.
Help us send an even clearer message to your leaders and urge them to fund #PlowTheSidewalks.
Send an email ➡️ betterstreetschicago.org/plow-the-sidewalks/act
A budget is a moral document, and Mayor Johnson is sending a clear message.
Help us send an even clearer message to your leaders and urge them to fund #PlowTheSidewalks.
Send an email ➡️ betterstreetschicago.org/plow-the-sidewalks/act
November 25, 2024 at 6:11 PM
This is such an important equity issue - if you live or work in Chicago I urge you to send an email.
Reposted by Gretchen N
Renewers, I'm happy to share that along with Twanna Hodge and Amanda Leftwich, we'll be hosting/facilitating our ninth BIPOC in LIS Mental Health Summit. It's free, so register now. Please note that this is a BIPOC space - thanks for your support! tinyurl.com/mu5ybh4b
November 25, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Renewers, I'm happy to share that along with Twanna Hodge and Amanda Leftwich, we'll be hosting/facilitating our ninth BIPOC in LIS Mental Health Summit. It's free, so register now. Please note that this is a BIPOC space - thanks for your support! tinyurl.com/mu5ybh4b
Reposted by Gretchen N
I’ve been really impressed with the work of #critcat and folks who are seriously working towards reparative description. I have seen how inaccurate cataloging hurts marginalized folks. Offshoring cataloging to AI feels harmful & unethical, especially if the training model is insufficient or biased.
November 21, 2024 at 3:07 PM
I’ve been really impressed with the work of #critcat and folks who are seriously working towards reparative description. I have seen how inaccurate cataloging hurts marginalized folks. Offshoring cataloging to AI feels harmful & unethical, especially if the training model is insufficient or biased.
Reposted by Gretchen N
Chicago: if you're on the NW side (Logan-Albany-Irving-Humboldt Parks or nearby) there'll be a "post-election debrief" at Roosevelt High School next Saturday, November 16th.
Featuring a host of our electeds discussing what they're preparing for, & what we can do. www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief
Featuring a host of our electeds discussing what they're preparing for, & what we can do. www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief
November 10, 2024 at 4:45 AM
Chicago: if you're on the NW side (Logan-Albany-Irving-Humboldt Parks or nearby) there'll be a "post-election debrief" at Roosevelt High School next Saturday, November 16th.
Featuring a host of our electeds discussing what they're preparing for, & what we can do. www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief
Featuring a host of our electeds discussing what they're preparing for, & what we can do. www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief
Reposted by Gretchen N
Goodreads is owned by Amazon & there is an AMAZING alternative‼️
The StoryGraph is a black women-owned competitor to GoodReads with better UI in my opinion.
When you sign up you can even transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph!
The StoryGraph is a black women-owned competitor to GoodReads with better UI in my opinion.
When you sign up you can even transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph!
November 12, 2024 at 1:59 PM
Goodreads is owned by Amazon & there is an AMAZING alternative‼️
The StoryGraph is a black women-owned competitor to GoodReads with better UI in my opinion.
When you sign up you can even transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph!
The StoryGraph is a black women-owned competitor to GoodReads with better UI in my opinion.
When you sign up you can even transfer your data from Goodreads to StoryGraph!
Heck, put the full date on your house show flyers.
Please, I am begging you, put the full date on your press releases.
Signed,
An Archivist
Signed,
An Archivist
November 7, 2024 at 8:28 PM
Heck, put the full date on your house show flyers.
Reposted by Gretchen N
Thanks to a great suggestion in the #ACH2024 chat, we now have a Ravelry group for #DHmakes! All are welcome. www.ravelry.com/groups/dhmakes
Ravelry
www.ravelry.com
November 7, 2024 at 7:46 PM
Thanks to a great suggestion in the #ACH2024 chat, we now have a Ravelry group for #DHmakes! All are welcome. www.ravelry.com/groups/dhmakes