Shell S.
ungainlydodge.bsky.social
Shell S.
@ungainlydodge.bsky.social
Shell Steiner, Librarian. She/her. "I always strive, when I can, to spread sweetness and light. There have been several complaints about it." --P.G. Wodehouse
Pinned
👀 **IF YOU LIVE IN OHIO, look for petitions to put anti-discrimination measures on the ballot to update the Ohio constitution: one for the Right to Marry (including LGBTQ+ citizens), one for the Equal Rights Amendment. See OhioEqualRights.org for fuller explanation and/or volunteer opportunities. 😁
Home | Ohio Equal Rights
We are a group of volunteer Ohioans looking to enshrine an Equal Rights Amendment in the Ohio Constitution
OhioEqualRights.org
Reposted by Shell S.
If you applied to be a panelist for ConFusion 2026, please complete the Panel Interest Survey you received recently. We need these surveys in order to complete our schedule of panels.

66 days and counting until ConFusion 2026!

2026.confusionsf.org

#ConFusionSF #ConFusionMI #MagicalConFusion
ConFusion 2026: Magical ConFusion – January 30 – February 1, 2026 in Novi, Michigan
2026.confusionsf.org
November 25, 2025 at 12:31 PM
🥳 THANKS EVERYONE who wrote to a local/national US representative to save the Institute of Library & Museum Services to fund libraries & offer grants despite Trump's efforts to dismantle it, IT WORKED! Article: cloud.e.bookriot.com/vib?postid=6... (Legal appeal incoming, probably, so stay tuned. 🫤)
A Major Court Win for IMLS, Libraries
cloud.e.bookriot.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
Interview with @arula-ratnakar.bsky.social coming as soon as I get 10 minutes. Probably tomorrow!!
November 25, 2025 at 3:52 PM
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tech bro: i have made Artificial General Intelligence

programmer: you fucked up a perfectly good calculator is what you did. look at it. it's got anxiety
I’ve been running around asking tech execs and academics if language was the same as intelligence for over a year now - and, well, it isn’t. @benjaminjriley.bsky.social explains how the bubble is built on ignoring cutting-edge research into the science of thought www.theverge.com/ai-artificia...
November 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
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Bringing this up again to spread the word. People aren’t getting their SNAP (food benefits) come November 1st. This is disastrous.

This feeds poor, unhoused, and disabled people. Our voices are small and it’s hard to get people to notice our struggles. So many people will starve without SNAP
Y’all my November SNAP is being delayed without any more information (which I rely on to yanno EAT)

I am panicking but hoping something will come through… people are gonna starve and I don’t know if anyone is even talking about this.
October 20, 2025 at 5:31 PM
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I know fundraising is rough, but if Larry C can pull in $290K in a month, I think Black woman led Black African translations could be given a few words by some of the big accounts after seven months of global pleas for help.

Know them? Can you ask? Send the direct link? They wouldn't listen to me.
October 21, 2025 at 1:52 AM
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Robin Williams' daughter has some quality thoughts on AI slop
October 6, 2025 at 8:48 PM
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This is SO good.

Next time you've got a couple hours, watch this... it's all about what I'm trying to do with my storytelling.

I especially like her point about how these stories EXIST but we have been trained to ignore/minimize them.

Embracing new ways of telling story is one place to start.
October 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM
❗It's Banned Books Week. If you live in the USA, support freedom to read by encouraging Congress reps to back a resolution. Use link to "Contact Your Member." www.congress.gov/.../house-re... H.Res 797 breaks down the onslaught of unconstitutional government censorship in school & public libraries.
www.congress.gov
October 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
Sometimes it's a job for a Dick.

Could you use a laugh? What about one with a bit of gently furious edge? This brother-sister audiobook on #Kickstarter is not yet funded. Please let people know. www.kickstarter.com/projects/att...
Hornytown Chutzpah
A comedic noir novella by the wonderful Andrew Hiller, and an audiobook in collaboration with his super sister, Alicia!
www.kickstarter.com
September 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
If you called/wrote lawmakers to urge the USA's Institute of Museum & Library Services to remain funded, THANK YOU, this month saw two hurdles cleared! But this article also reveals hurdles (votes) pending. See next post for NEW online letter campaign link!✍️ www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Proposed IMLS Budget Passes Committee
FY2026 funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services has cleared two legislative hurdles, with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees both endorsing a $291,800,000 IMLS budget. The ...
www.publishersweekly.com
September 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Vote for Fiscal Year 2026 got delayed--please take a few minutes to send this form letter to your House rep asking them to fund libraries (via Institute of Library & Museum Services). Rural & tribal libraries are in particular danger of closing w/o action.😬 app.oneclickpolitics.com/campaign-pag...
Tell the House of Representatives to Fund Libraries!
Tell the House of Representatives to Fund Libraries!
app.oneclickpolitics.com
August 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
“when we focus on everything that can go wrong, on just the doom and gloom narrative, it seems like there’s nothing that we can do – when in fact there are lots of things that we can do, both on the large scale and on the small personal scale.” fivebooks.com/best-books/t... #solarpunk #books
The Best Solarpunk Books
Solarpunk fiction is a form of climate fiction, but by focusing on the changes we could make, it can move us past climate anxiety, says author and editor Sarena Ulibarri. She introduces us to five fav...
fivebooks.com
August 25, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
I am still so tickled that THE WORKING is in this 5 best #solarpunk books. Hope you'll read it. fyi, I donate all royalties to #climate #justice organizations.

Consider reading all these #books plus seeking out other #hope filled climate fiction.
August 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
👀 **IF YOU LIVE IN OHIO, look for petitions to put anti-discrimination measures on the ballot to update the Ohio constitution: one for the Right to Marry (including LGBTQ+ citizens), one for the Equal Rights Amendment. See OhioEqualRights.org for fuller explanation and/or volunteer opportunities. 😁
Home | Ohio Equal Rights
We are a group of volunteer Ohioans looking to enshrine an Equal Rights Amendment in the Ohio Constitution
OhioEqualRights.org
August 25, 2025 at 10:27 PM
@parseconfluenceink.bsky.social This thanks is late, but Confluence 2025 was delightful. Great panels, readings, and turnout, wonderful volunteers and consuite, and as ever such great opportunities to chat with writers and publishers and take workshops. My library is fuller, my heart also. 😁
August 14, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
You can't teach U.S. history without "divisive" narratives. Slavery wasn't "unifying." The Japanese incarceration wasn't "unifying." The anti-immigrant Operation Wetback (real name) wasn't "unifying."
It's history's job to tell the truth, not cover up past racism to pave the way for future racism.
White House Announces Comprehensive Review of Smithsonian Exhibitions
www.nytimes.com
August 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
Yay! 15% to enabling The Crocodile Doesn't Hunt! Heading over to the convention center now. I'll keep telling people, if you can, hope that you will too!
August 14, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Keep fighting for USA libraries! Link to quick, simple petition to ask your House of Representatives member to fund public & school libraries, HERE from ALA: app.oneclickpolitics.com/campaign-pag... You may want to mention the Return on Investment for public libraries is $4.50 for every $1 spent.
Tell the House of Representatives to Fund Libraries!
Tell the House of Representatives to Fund Libraries!
app.oneclickpolitics.com
August 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
‼️USE LINK to speak against cutting Institute of Museum & Library Sciences before July 21, please! Includes names of folks on "Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, & Related Agencies Subcommittee" to contact who'll vote, & links to data on why IMLS is vital. view.e.bookriot.com?qs=c64aa8ce8...
To get all Literary Activism Content plus community features, upgrade to All Access!
view.e.bookriot.com
July 16, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Grateful July 1st Gov. DeWine vetoed a budget bill provision to require OH public libraries to segregate books "related to gender identity or sexuality" to an "18 or older only" area. APPALLED he also had to veto withholding funds for youth homeless shelters if they used kids' preferred pronouns.😱
July 10, 2025 at 10:59 PM
IF YOU VOTE IN NORTH CAROLINA & voted in November 2024, please check if your name or the names of any family are one of the 60K votes being challenged by Republicans. If so, confirm ASAP with your Board of Elections. You only have two weeks!

The website to check is linked here: thegriffinlist.com
The Griffin List
A list of 60,273 North Carolina voters – these are registered voters who showed ID to early vote in the November 2024 election – whose votes Jefferson Griffin wants to not be counted. ...
thegriffinlist.com
April 4, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
It's almost time!

The Narratess Sale is an opportunity to grab a bunch of indie books for low prices (or even free!)

In honor of the event, all of my books will be available for $1 on itchio here: whistberry.itch.io

Also part of an itchio Narratess horror bundle here: itch.io/b/2942/narra...
April 4, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Shell S.
There's still time to sign up, get a free ebook of thrilling tales, and receive behind the scenes news from the world of Whistberry! Next newsletter goes out tomorrow!!!
Time are tough... don't have money to burn right now? The ebook version of these forest-themed short stories is available for free simply for signing up for my newsletter. An illustrated collection of fantasy and horror stories (full of trees naturally!)

bookhip.com/QVZXZGM
April 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM