Lyn Robinson | Lightnews

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 1d

The study shows association with a reduced risk, rather than a definitive link - but still encouraging!

Reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%, study finds

Cognitive health in later life is ‘strongly influenced’ by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments, say researchers Reading, writing and learning a language or two can lower your risk of dementia by almost 40%, according to a study that suggests millions of people could prevent or delay the condition. Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health threats. The number of people living with the condition is forecast to triple to more than 150 million globally by 2050, and experts say it presents a big and rapidly growing threat to future health and social care systems in every community, country and continent. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 1d

Reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%, study finds

Cognitive health in later life is ‘strongly influenced’ by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments, say researchers Reading, writing and learning a language or two can lower your risk of dementia by almost 40%, according to a study that suggests millions of people could prevent or delay the condition. Dementia is one of the world’s biggest health threats. The number of people living with the condition is forecast to triple to more than 150 million globally by 2050, and experts say it presents a big and rapidly growing threat to future health and social care systems in every community, country and continent. Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 2d

Exposition of Libraries Alliance from founder @richove.bsky.social in conversation with Rob Green @cilip.bsky.social - importance of technologically up-to-date library staff. Listen to the end for clear statement on what libraries mean to society.

CILIP @cilip.bsky.social · 2d

🎧New episode of the Info Pro Podcast!
Bodleian librarian Richard Ovenden joins Rob Green to talk Libraries Alliance, advocacy and need for a workforce with the skills to navigate the digital landscape.
Like, share & subscribe.
Listen now on your favourite platform or at: https://ow.ly/FbzY50YcJA3

A man in a blue sweater speaking in a room filled with bookshelves during The Info Pro Podcast episode on library advocacy.

CILIP @cilip.bsky.social · 2d

🎧New episode of the Info Pro Podcast!
Bodleian librarian Richard Ovenden joins Rob Green to talk Libraries Alliance, advocacy and need for a workforce with the skills to navigate the digital landscape.
Like, share & subscribe.
Listen now on your favourite platform or at: https://ow.ly/FbzY50YcJA3

UCL Press @uclpress.bsky.social · 2d

📚 Two centuries of student life reveal a dynamic, changing London.

To mark UCL’s 200th anniversary, Student London: A New History of Higher Education in the Capital is out today- free to read and download: bit.ly/3NcnXpi
#StudentLondon #LondonHistory #HigherEducation #OpenAccess

Library of Congress @librarycongress.bsky.social · 3d

MAGAZINE MONDAY | From fragile fragments to the digital world: Library conservators treat crumpled Egyptian papyrus texts and bring them to a global audience online. https://lcm.loc.gov/issue/january-february-2026/history-unfolded/?loclr=blsky

History Unfolded

Conservators treat crumpled, fragmented papyrus texts from Egypt.

lcm.loc.gov

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 4d

' Ronald Barnett describes the contemporary fascination with skills as a form of ‘bewitchment’ (others have put it more strongly elsewhere)....When individuals are defined in this way, they become more easily interchangeable in the labour market, increasing workers’ vulnerability.'

How did skills take over higher education? One short history - HEPI

Over the weekend HEPI published blogs on the freezing of student loan thresholds, and the Westminster Hall debates on duty of care. This blog was kindly authored by Dr. Josh Patel, Senior Education an...

www.hepi.ac.uk

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 5d

An uplifting photo of our crocus lawn. Every single bulb moved there from under the trees by resident squirrels over the years 🐿️ No yellow ones. I guess they eat those straightaway.

Photo of a variety of purple crocuses in a lawn, in February.

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 5d

It’s never a good thing to dictate what other people’s children can read. School libraries are spaces for every child.

The Ferret @theferret.scot · 5d

🔴NEW: Books are being removed or restricted in Scottish school libraries following complaints, creating a “chilling effect” that campaigners warn threatens both freedom of speech and inclusive education.

Read the story: https://www.theferret.scot/books-scottish-schools-librarians/

A person removes a book from a library shelf. Text overlay: "Books are being challenged in Scottish schools. Librarians fear a 'chilling effect' on freedom of speech."

The Ferret @theferret.scot · 5d

🔴NEW: Books are being removed or restricted in Scottish school libraries following complaints, creating a “chilling effect” that campaigners warn threatens both freedom of speech and inclusive education.

Read the story: https://www.theferret.scot/books-scottish-schools-librarians/

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 6d

The joy of books!

Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social · 6d

Anke Gowda: The Karnataka man who built a library of two million books

Anke Gowda, whose library is open to everyone, recently received an Indian government award.

www.bbc.com

Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social · 6d

Anke Gowda: The Karnataka man who built a library of two million books

Anke Gowda, whose library is open to everyone, recently received an Indian government award.

www.bbc.com

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 10d

Treated, yesterday, to a David Bowie themed tea at the newly made-over Cafe Royal. Taken fashionably with the tourists at 1.00pm, the glam rock fare was served in the glittering Oscar Wilde Room, where videoing content took precedence to eating. Good times!

Menu from Cafe Royal in London “David Bowie Afternoon Tea”.

Small scone topped with image of David Bowie.

Selection of David Bowie themed small cakes.

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 13d

I have favoured the all black, non-biz style of dressing for a long time. Perhaps it is universal rather than specific to Manchester. It seems to say “I can think for myself” and “I don’t need to look like the rest of you”. Also, of course, eminently practical; everything matches everything else.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 13d

‘Quietly, subtly, the outsider’: Andy Burnham’s dress sense decoded

Ditching the traditional suit and tie for understated all black ‘is as calculated as any Westminster suit, just aimed at a different audience’

www.theguardian.com

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 13d

‘Quietly, subtly, the outsider’: Andy Burnham’s dress sense decoded

Ditching the traditional suit and tie for understated all black ‘is as calculated as any Westminster suit, just aimed at a different audience’

www.theguardian.com

Nora Ramsey @nrammy.bsky.social · 14d

Even while the UK Web Archive’s public site is offline, the work hasn’t stopped. Behind the scenes, teams are still collecting, preserving, and building new collections to safeguard the UK’s digital history. 💻
www.bl.uk/stories/blog...
#WebArchiving #UKWebArchive #UKLegalDeposit

The UK Web Archive: continuing our work behind the scenes

We are hoping to restore the UK Web Archive towards the middle of 2026.

www.bl.uk

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 14d

If current politics is getting you down, Paddington The Musical will restore your faith in liberal London 😎 paddingtonthemusical.com

PADDINGTON The Musical | Official West End Show | Book Now!

Discover PADDINGTON as you’ve never seen him before in the world premiere of PADDINGTON The Musical. Showing at the Savoy Theatre, London. Tickets on sale now.

paddingtonthemusical.com

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 21d

Detailed organisation and understanding of works still requires human effort.

The Scholarly Kitchen @scholarlykitchen.bsky.social · 21d

Guest Post – The Next Era of Reference Management: An Interview with William Gunn scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2026/01/23/g...

Guest Post – The Next Era of Reference Management: An Interview with William Gunn - The Scholarly Kitchen

Today's guest post features an interview with William Gunn discussing how AI will (or won't!) change the future of reference management tools.

scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org

The Scholarly Kitchen @scholarlykitchen.bsky.social · 21d

Guest Post – The Next Era of Reference Management: An Interview with William Gunn scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2026/01/23/g...

Guest Post – The Next Era of Reference Management: An Interview with William Gunn - The Scholarly Kitchen

Today's guest post features an interview with William Gunn discussing how AI will (or won't!) change the future of reference management tools.

scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org

The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · 22d

The government has pledged £27.5m to the Libraries Improvement Fund as part of a £1.5bn package to be invested in cultural organisations over a five-year period 👇 #BookSky

Government pledges £27.5m to Libraries Improvement Fund as part of £1.5bn package

ebx.sh

davidbawden.bsky.social @davidbawden.bsky.social · 24d

Marie Curie in the history of bibliographic control. New blog post theoccasionalinformationist.com/2026/01/20/t...

The bibliographic elements of Marie Curie

While reading Dava Sobel’s fascinating study of the life and work of Marie Curie, I was intrigued by a passing mention of something I had not known before: Curie’s involvement in the ea…

theoccasionalinformationist.com

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 25d

Sad news. Lovely clothes.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 25d

Breaking News: Valentino Garavani, the last of the great 20th-century couturiers and a designer who defined the image of royalty in a republican age for all manner of princesses — crowned, deposed, Hollywood and society — died on Monday at his home in Rome. He was 93. nyti.ms/49OFrj6

Valentino Garavani is seen wearing a dark blue suit, with two dresses in the background. A headline reads: "Valentino Garavani, Regal Designer and Fashion’s ‘Last Emperor,’ Dies at 93." Photo by Chris Warde-Jones for The New York Times.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 25d

Breaking News: Valentino Garavani, the last of the great 20th-century couturiers and a designer who defined the image of royalty in a republican age for all manner of princesses — crowned, deposed, Hollywood and society — died on Monday at his home in Rome. He was 93. nyti.ms/49OFrj6

Lyn Robinson @lynrobinson.bsky.social · 25d

“Many academic leaders follow managerial paths rather than scholarly ones ..” (often with no competence, creativity or credibility)

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 25d

The UK university sector has gone beyond the red line and is now in a stage of rapid decomposition. Only a fundamental reset could save whole chunks of it. Probably too late for large parts.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Why are UK universities failing? - Impact of Social Sciences

The HE sector in the UK faces the prospect of a university going into administration. How have universities fallen so low and is change possible?

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 25d

The UK university sector has gone beyond the red line and is now in a stage of rapid decomposition. Only a fundamental reset could save whole chunks of it. Probably too late for large parts.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...

Why are UK universities failing? - Impact of Social Sciences

The HE sector in the UK faces the prospect of a university going into administration. How have universities fallen so low and is change possible?

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 26d

My books cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com

Panel One.
Two figures walk up a hill in a park. One walks in front and the other is walking a dog

Front "My new year's resolution is to stop lending books"

Dog-walker "Really?"

Panel Two.
Front, becoming agitated
"It's just not worth the risk: cracked spines! Bent corners! Torn pages! Grubby fingers! Crumbs! Baths! Burglars! Rats! Children!! I can't allow such precious artefacts to fall into the careless hands of clumsy philistines!"

Panel Three.
Dog-walker "And how do the other librarians feel about this?"

Front "Less supportive Than I'd hoped."

Libraries Connected @librariesconnected.bsky.social · 28d

On the first anniversary of the signing of a century-long partnership between the UK and Ukraine, @richove.bsky.social, Bodley's Librarian at @ox.ac.uk expresses the city and university's unwavering solidarity with Ukraine's librarians.

The Librarians Film @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social · Jan 12

THE LIBRARIANS has made the BAFTA Longlist for Best Documentary! We’re thrilled that the film is resonating with UK and Irish audiences and that our Librarians Without Borders movement continues to gain momentum. Now streaming in the UK on via BBC Storyville’s iPlayer.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

LSE Impact Blog @lseimpactblog.bsky.social · Jan 12

👀From 2024... "If you’re an academic who is still using X, I would gently suggest to you that it is time to let go. The platform will either fold ~ or complete its evolution into the central engine of a politics, that compromises your professional credibility through association."

#X #AcademicSky