Susan Reed
@susanreed.bsky.social
British Library German collections curator. Tiny translation sideline. Reader, bellringer, Wagner & Archers fan. Comprehensive educated & proud. Views my own.
German Studies librarianship conference klaxon! Marking 40 years since a symposium on the topic that led to the founding of an interest group for German Studies librarians in the UK gslg.org.uk/2025/10/31/g...
GSLG Annual Conference 2025 – German Studies UK Resources, 40 Years On
The 2025 GSLG conference will take place on 15 December in the Foyle Suite at the British Library. The conference takes as its starting point the 40th anniversary of the colloquium ‘German Studies …
gslg.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 10:01 AM
German Studies librarianship conference klaxon! Marking 40 years since a symposium on the topic that led to the founding of an interest group for German Studies librarians in the UK gslg.org.uk/2025/10/31/g...
I was telling someone at work about this.
Them: But is it about Penguin Books or actual penguins?
Me: Actual penguins. [Which should have been clear from the fab penguin anecdote I’d just been telling.]
Him: Oh well, as a bibliographer it’s of no interest to me.
🤷♀️
Them: But is it about Penguin Books or actual penguins?
Me: Actual penguins. [Which should have been clear from the fab penguin anecdote I’d just been telling.]
Him: Oh well, as a bibliographer it’s of no interest to me.
🤷♀️
I’m surprised they hadn’t thought of this before, but here it is. (Shortly after I took this photo in Waterstones I saw the book in my local library so of course borrowed it.)
October 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I was telling someone at work about this.
Them: But is it about Penguin Books or actual penguins?
Me: Actual penguins. [Which should have been clear from the fab penguin anecdote I’d just been telling.]
Him: Oh well, as a bibliographer it’s of no interest to me.
🤷♀️
Them: But is it about Penguin Books or actual penguins?
Me: Actual penguins. [Which should have been clear from the fab penguin anecdote I’d just been telling.]
Him: Oh well, as a bibliographer it’s of no interest to me.
🤷♀️
Librarian followers, are you being driven to distraction (and tears) by the new RDA toolkit or is it just me? Apparently I have to learn how to navigate this thing before I can carry on cataloguing (which I’ve been doing for over 30 years & I was an RDA trainer when RDA started). And it’s awful.
October 24, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Librarian followers, are you being driven to distraction (and tears) by the new RDA toolkit or is it just me? Apparently I have to learn how to navigate this thing before I can carry on cataloguing (which I’ve been doing for over 30 years & I was an RDA trainer when RDA started). And it’s awful.
Oh dear, Ruairi’s not the messiah, he’s just a very naughty boy #TheArchers
October 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Oh dear, Ruairi’s not the messiah, he’s just a very naughty boy #TheArchers
I assume this weird Mulligan story is meant to highlight loneliness and mental health issues among farmers but it seems to be morphing into a way of finding Josh a new love interest #TheArchers
October 24, 2025 at 6:14 PM
I assume this weird Mulligan story is meant to highlight loneliness and mental health issues among farmers but it seems to be morphing into a way of finding Josh a new love interest #TheArchers
What we really need on #TheArchers is for Debbie to come back and wipe the floor with all the other candidates to run Bridge Farm.
October 23, 2025 at 7:00 PM
What we really need on #TheArchers is for Debbie to come back and wipe the floor with all the other candidates to run Bridge Farm.
I’m surprised they hadn’t thought of this before, but here it is. (Shortly after I took this photo in Waterstones I saw the book in my local library so of course borrowed it.)
October 18, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I’m surprised they hadn’t thought of this before, but here it is. (Shortly after I took this photo in Waterstones I saw the book in my local library so of course borrowed it.)
I'll be doing a presentation with a colleague on propaganda in Nazi- and Soviet-era children's books on 10 November as part of the Leeds City of Languages festival. Details here: leedscityoflanguages.leeds.ac.uk/events/talk-...
Talk: A for Allegiance, by the British Library | Leeds City of Languages
leedscityoflanguages.leeds.ac.uk
October 13, 2025 at 2:53 PM
I'll be doing a presentation with a colleague on propaganda in Nazi- and Soviet-era children's books on 10 November as part of the Leeds City of Languages festival. Details here: leedscityoflanguages.leeds.ac.uk/events/talk-...
Are George, Amber and Brad going to be the new Will, Emma and Ed? #TheArchers
October 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Are George, Amber and Brad going to be the new Will, Emma and Ed? #TheArchers
Saw this portrait in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille and can’t help thinking he has something of Michael Caine about him.
October 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Saw this portrait in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille and can’t help thinking he has something of Michael Caine about him.
Watched ‘The Librarians’ on BBC iPlayer, and I encourage everyone to seek it out on any platform or in any cinema you have access to.
October 8, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Watched ‘The Librarians’ on BBC iPlayer, and I encourage everyone to seek it out on any platform or in any cinema you have access to.
Started watching ‘The Hack’. Not sure I’ll stay with it, but was amused to see Senate House in London having to stand in for Broadcasting House given that it’s an ITV production.
October 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Started watching ‘The Hack’. Not sure I’ll stay with it, but was amused to see Senate House in London having to stand in for Broadcasting House given that it’s an ITV production.
Sad news indeed, but also a classic example of a sentence that absolutely calls for the Oxford comma.
October 3, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Sad news indeed, but also a classic example of a sentence that absolutely calls for the Oxford comma.
Curating in the Crossfire: a 2-day event at the British Library looking at how materials created and shared in times of conflict are selected, collected and preserved. Details and booking here
events.bl.uk/events/curat...
events.bl.uk/events/curat...
Curating in the Crossfire: Collecting in the Time of War, Conflict and Crises | British Library
In recent years, the world has faced a series of profound challenges – from the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters to political protests and ongoing c
events.bl.uk
October 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Curating in the Crossfire: a 2-day event at the British Library looking at how materials created and shared in times of conflict are selected, collected and preserved. Details and booking here
events.bl.uk/events/curat...
events.bl.uk/events/curat...
Reposted by Susan Reed
Our blogs have a new look: bit.ly/BL-Blogs
All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.
All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.
Blogs and updates from curators, staff and guests - British Library
Get the latest stories and updates from our curators, cataloguers, reference staff and guest contributors. Find out more about amazing items in our collection.
bit.ly
September 30, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Our blogs have a new look: bit.ly/BL-Blogs
All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.
All previously published blogs will be available in our archive, launching in coming weeks. Watch this space for an update on when that goes live.
“Brian’s the gammon.” That kind of figures #TheArchers
September 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
“Brian’s the gammon.” That kind of figures #TheArchers
Is this Scottish castle holiday going to turn into a version of The Traitors or a cosy crime mystery? #TheArchers
September 25, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Is this Scottish castle holiday going to turn into a version of The Traitors or a cosy crime mystery? #TheArchers
I know this is not the most important takeaway from this story, but I’m intrigued that German media follows the German convention of giving the suspect’s surname as an initial only although US media has spelt it out.
Tyler R. wird verdächtigt, den ultrarechten Aktivisten Charlie Kirk erschossen zu haben. Der 22-Jährige stammt aus einer strenggläubigen Familie, seine Heimat ist bekannt für einen freizügigen Umgang mit Waffen.
Charlie Kirk: Wer ist der mutmaßliche Attentäter Tyler R.?
Tyler R. wird verdächtigt, den ultrarechten Aktivisten Charlie Kirk erschossen zu haben. Der 22-Jährige stammt aus einer strenggläubigen Familie, seine Heimat ist bekannt für einen freizügigen Umgang mit Waffen.
www.spiegel.de
September 13, 2025 at 4:13 PM
I know this is not the most important takeaway from this story, but I’m intrigued that German media follows the German convention of giving the suspect’s surname as an initial only although US media has spelt it out.
Ooh, the Ambridge cricket team are never going to play for Ambridge again. Does this mean no more tedious cricket storylines on #TheArchers? 🤞🤞🤞
September 12, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Ooh, the Ambridge cricket team are never going to play for Ambridge again. Does this mean no more tedious cricket storylines on #TheArchers? 🤞🤞🤞
Saw this in the Radio Times and misread it as ‘Jerry & Margo Go Large’ so obviously thought that it was a weird spinoff from ‘The Good Life’. Alas, it is not.
September 5, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Saw this in the Radio Times and misread it as ‘Jerry & Margo Go Large’ so obviously thought that it was a weird spinoff from ‘The Good Life’. Alas, it is not.
Picked up this YA dystopian fantasy novel on spec at station book swap last week & it’s had me absorbed all weekend & left me longing for the sequel. If you like that sort of thing I would highly recommend. (But it’s going back to the book swap where an actual young adult might benefit from it.)
August 31, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Picked up this YA dystopian fantasy novel on spec at station book swap last week & it’s had me absorbed all weekend & left me longing for the sequel. If you like that sort of thing I would highly recommend. (But it’s going back to the book swap where an actual young adult might benefit from it.)
A friend has just sent me pictures of the puppy she’ll be bringing home in a few weeks, and I will probably spend the rest of the evening intermittently looking at them and shouting out loud about how cute the puppy is. And I have volunteered for dog-sitting duties if ever required.
August 25, 2025 at 6:27 PM
A friend has just sent me pictures of the puppy she’ll be bringing home in a few weeks, and I will probably spend the rest of the evening intermittently looking at them and shouting out loud about how cute the puppy is. And I have volunteered for dog-sitting duties if ever required.
Amber going abroad for sponsored cosmetic dental treatment? Surely that’s not going to go well. #TheArchers
August 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Amber going abroad for sponsored cosmetic dental treatment? Surely that’s not going to go well. #TheArchers
So my theory is that Chris (and sometimes Martha) move in with Fallon, and living with a child suddenly makes Fallon realise she wants children. And either she has a big reconciliation with Harrison and gets pregnant or has a 1 night stand with Chris & gets pregnant #TheArchers
August 21, 2025 at 6:41 PM
So my theory is that Chris (and sometimes Martha) move in with Fallon, and living with a child suddenly makes Fallon realise she wants children. And either she has a big reconciliation with Harrison and gets pregnant or has a 1 night stand with Chris & gets pregnant #TheArchers