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ianjsimpson.bsky.social
ianjsimpson
@ianjsimpson.bsky.social
180 followers 390 following 140 posts
Photos | Books | Music | Film | Comics | Libraries

Occasional reviewer for Strange Horizons

Manager in Liverpool Central Library

Lives in Macclesfield
Often in the Peak District
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by ianjsimpson
gralefrit.bsky.social
Despite the headline it’s not George RR Martin personally going for them cos he’s rich and famous. It’s all of us.

The test case used his work, but it’s about the plain-as-day issue that ANY generative AI ignores and infringes copyright, by passing off.

That’s a win for basic law.
culturecrave.co Culture Crave 🍿 @culturecrave.co · 17d
Judge rules George R.R. Martin and other authors can sue OpenAI for copyright infringement

• Said ChatGPT generated 'Game of Thrones' content similar enough to infringe copyright

• OpenAI’s motion to dismiss was denied
October 30, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
sadiehartmann.bsky.social
It's Banned Books Week! Here are some Horror (and adjacent) books that are often banned and/or frequently challenged. I have read most of them but I chose Bless Me, Ultima to read & enjoy. See if your public/school libraries have these books! Read Banned Books
The Exorcist Beloved Exquisite Corpse The Hunger Games Carrie Rosemary's Baby The Witches Bless Me, Ultima Lord of the Flies Kindred The Handmaid's Tale Lovecraft Country 100 Years of Solitude When the Reckoning Comes The Witch of Blackbird Pond The Lottery Perfume Tipping the Velvet In the Miso Soup
October 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
carolecadwalla.bsky.social
What do you do when your media org is captured? You start your own.

Introducing....The Nerve!!! @thenerve-news.bsky.social

We're all-female, journalist-owned & launching next week.

Please help us build a truly independent, progressive new media!👊👊👊
pressgazette.co.uk Press Gazette @pressgazette.co.uk · Sep 26
Former Observer big-hitters inc @carolecadwalla.bsky.social launch new title The Nerve with redundancy payouts

After Observer sale: "We decided to launch a title that the journalists themselves would own, that would be truly independent"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/former-...
Former Observer big-hitters launch new title with redundancy payouts
Five former Observer journalists including Carole Cadwalladr have launched their own culture publication using their redundancy money.
pressgazette.co.uk
September 26, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
iandunt.bsky.social
Mandatory ID cards are a terrible, terrible idea
iandunt.substack.com/p/id-cards-a...
September 26, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
lrlam.bsky.social
Hi, can I interest you in some fantasy written by a nonbinary author? With trans and intersex characters? Not based on a franchise by a transphobic author!

Dragonfall, Emberclaw, and my rewritten debut, Pantomime, are out now, and I could very much use some help getting the word out about them. 💖
September 25, 2025 at 7:39 PM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
And on my last day, at 12.05, my last piece of formal work is complete...
September 26, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
cameronlmitchell.bsky.social
The Librarians review – the heroic women battling against book bans and censorship

#movies #documentaries
The Librarians review – the heroic women battling against book bans and censorship
Kim A Snyder’s documentary highlights the defenders of young readers’ rights to see their lives in print facing rightwing attacks
www.theguardian.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
Three Shires Head, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire

#waterfallwednesday
Long exposure photograph of Three Shires Head which is 2 main short falls in the distance under a small stone bridge and a series of smaller cascades in the foreground. The sky is filled with wispy white clouds and a winter tree is on the upper left.
September 24, 2025 at 12:04 PM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
In one week I'll be back in public libraries...
September 24, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
louiestowell.bsky.social
This is NOT just america. This is happening here. Local coverage of it, if you can bear the pop up ads....

www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/2548259...

#UKKidlit #Edusky
September 23, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
librariesconnected.bsky.social
Public #Libraries are 'essential for more equitable access to books, texts and digital resources', a new report from Literacy Lab @edinburghuni.bsky.social on the future of books and reading notes.

blogs.ed.ac.uk/literacylab/...

#Reading
A woman and child read a picture book in a library.
September 23, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
aspencerhall.bsky.social
What the fuck. Are there any decent alternatives?
hystericalblkns.bsky.social Ordinary Notes @hystericalblkns.bsky.social · Sep 17
If you’re on academia dot edu, let me suggest that you strongly consider deleting your account.
The new TOC from academia dot edu. By creating an Account with Academia.edu, you grant us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable license, permission, and consent for Academia.edu to use your Member Content and your personal information (including, but not limited to, your name, voice, signature, photograph, likeness, city, institutional affiliations, citations, mentions, publications, and areas of interest) in any manner, including for the purpose of advertising, selling, or soliciting the use or purchase of Academia.edu's Services.
September 18, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
garwboy.bsky.social
Daily life in 2025.

#AI #Tech #JustLetMeBe #FFS
The tuba meme, where a schoolgirl has her head pressed against the wall by another girl wielding a tuba, pushing it right up to her face, suggesting and intense, unavoidable onslaught of sensory information Girl against wall:Me trying to do a basic ask I've managed Jo do every day Without incident for many years Girl with tuba: EVery organisation on Earth Tuba: AI
January 23, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
josiah.writes.news
The Labour MP for East Thanet, Polly Billington MP, has written to the Reform Leader of Kent County Council to express her concern about Reform in Kent’s "continued endorsement of anti-science organisations and conspiracy theories" in a new motion on climate change (🧵)
September 17, 2025 at 10:02 AM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
Come to Aston and do my job...

Head of Content and Digital Transformation - Jobs at Aston
jobs.aston.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Closing date: Monday 29 September 2025.

#AcademicSky #HigherEd #Skybrarians
Job Vacancy at Aston University: Head of Content and Digital Transformation
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the dedicated and forward-thinking Library Leadership Team (LLT) at Aston University as Head of Content and Digital Transformation.In this strategic leadersh...
jobs.aston.ac.uk
September 17, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
nwhyte.bsky.social
Your occasional reminder that Ursula K. Le Guin and Philip K. Dick were in the same year in the same high school, liked each other’s writing, but never met in person.
September 13, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
irmorus.bsky.social
Entirely agree.
How AI is undermining learning and teaching in universities | Letter
Letter: Prof Leo McCann and Prof Simon Sweeney say student misuse of generative artificial intelligence is widespread and we must be sceptical of its usefulness
www.theguardian.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
tomgauld.bsky.social
My latest cartoon for @theguardian.com books.
p.s. I have a new book of cartoons out soon: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2
Panel One: A woman sits in a chair reading happily in a book-filled room. A voice offstage says "You can't survive on books alone" The woman replies "Maybe I can!" Panel Two: "How?" asks the voice "I don't know yet, but I'm sure the answer will be in one of my books." Says the woman Panel Three: Caption: However The book is filled with yet more books. A skull sits on the chair. It says "I regret nothing!"
August 31, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
tomgauld.bsky.social
My cartoon for the @theguardian.com books autumn reads special.
Panel 1 A figure lies on a lounger as a hot, orange sun sets, saying "The holiday's over." Panel 2 Now wheeling a suitcase towards a plane in warm eveniong light "It's nice to sit around in the sun reading all day." Panel 3 The plane rises amongst the clouds "But all good things must come to an end." Panel 4 The figure deplanes with the suitcase in drizzle "Coming home has its own pleasures." Panel 5 The rain is harder. The figure shelter under an umbrella and looks into a shop window containing a selection of books and a sign reading "New books for autumn!" Panel 6 The figure now sits at home by an open fire, happily reading a new book. The suitcase has not yet been unpacked.
September 7, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
strangehorizons.bsky.social
Strange Horizons published our first issue 25 years ago this month! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who has ever read, shared, submitted, donated! We wouldn't be here without you and we hope you'll continue to support us into the future!
Happy 25th Birthday to Strange Horizons
September 16, 2025 at 10:49 AM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
This accessible, local service is saving Brits £1,473 a year. www.better.org.uk/news/this-ac...

Love your #library
This accessible, local service is saving Brits £1,473 a year.
Better leisure centres, libraries, swimming pools, gyms, spas, pitches and other community spaces. Find you nearest centre and join the movement.
www.better.org.uk
September 15, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
hbsj.bsky.social
That was "Unfunded hobbyist research", the latest single from President Malcolm Press
John Peel, legendary Radio1 DJ, at a mixing deck
September 12, 2025 at 10:01 AM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
2 weeks to go...
September 12, 2025 at 8:35 AM
ianjsimpson.bsky.social
Last summer at Lathkill Dale, Derbyshire

#waterfallwednesday
Long exposure photograph of several short waterfalls coming over a very green rocky area
September 10, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Reposted by ianjsimpson
jeroenson.bsky.social
What might seem like a small announcement—it’s just one institution—actually carries substantial weight and has a strong symbolic meaning.

@utrechtuniversity.bsky.social, has taken another bold step: it won't renew its Web of Science license. www.uu.nl/en/news/acce...
Access to Web of Science will end on 1 January 2026
The university library has decided not to renew the licence for access to the Web of Science citation database (including Journal Citation Reports).
www.uu.nl
September 8, 2025 at 12:27 PM