Reposted by Anna Foden
British Library staff asked for a decent pay. Instead they got ‘a few money-saving present ideas’, such as ‘consider not giving presents this holiday season’. They are on strike this week. I wrote about it for @lrb.co.uk. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Anna Aslanyan | On the Picket Line
On Monday morning, more than a hundred people formed a picket line outside one of the entrances to the British Library...
www.lrb.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
British Library staff asked for a decent pay. Instead they got ‘a few money-saving present ideas’, such as ‘consider not giving presents this holiday season’. They are on strike this week. I wrote about it for @lrb.co.uk. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Reposted by Anna Foden
Lantern Parade (late 19thc) by Danish painter Anne Sophie Petersen (1845-1910) #WomensArt
December 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Lantern Parade (late 19thc) by Danish painter Anne Sophie Petersen (1845-1910) #WomensArt
Reposted by Anna Foden
Frankly, I’m up for this.
I would like JD Vance to be forced to sit in a room and consume the last five years of my social media history.
I would like JD Vance to be forced to sit in a room and consume the last five years of my social media history.
December 10, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Frankly, I’m up for this.
I would like JD Vance to be forced to sit in a room and consume the last five years of my social media history.
I would like JD Vance to be forced to sit in a room and consume the last five years of my social media history.
Reposted by Anna Foden
"You know, every major city in Germany has state-supported theatre. That’s why they’re so good.” Patricia Hodge mourns the disappearance of repertory theatres in the UK. www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/d... via @theguardian.com
‘A producer grabbed me, and I thought, Oh, for God’s sake’: Patricia Hodge on sexual harassment, drugs – and being in her prime at 79
Until she reached her 50s, the actor was a constant presence on stage and screen. Then the offers disappeared. Now, as her renaissance continues, she is taking on Mrs Malaprop in The Rivals
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:45 AM
"You know, every major city in Germany has state-supported theatre. That’s why they’re so good.” Patricia Hodge mourns the disappearance of repertory theatres in the UK. www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/d... via @theguardian.com
Reposted by Anna Foden
Solidarity, once more, with the staff at the British Library. The people who keep it going and who make it what it is should not be on poverty wages and living in fear of abuse from angry users. Something needs to change!
Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed today (8 December). We are also likely to have to close our Reading Rooms for the rest of the week and will update if this is the case. Please make sure you check our service updates before you visit: bit.ly/StrikeAction...
Planned strike action in St Pancras
We have been notified of planned strike action taking place between Monday 8 and Friday 12 December 2025.
bit.ly
December 8, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Solidarity, once more, with the staff at the British Library. The people who keep it going and who make it what it is should not be on poverty wages and living in fear of abuse from angry users. Something needs to change!
Reposted by Anna Foden
The fading of Japan's Shōwa era. www.theguardian.com/world/galler...
The fading of Japan’s Shōwa era – in pictures
Lee Chapman’s photographs document the scenes, signages and family businesses in Japan from the postwar Shōwa era as they rapidly disappear
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:09 PM
The fading of Japan's Shōwa era. www.theguardian.com/world/galler...
Reposted by Anna Foden
December 2, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Reposted by Anna Foden
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by Anna Foden
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
November 25, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
Reposted by Anna Foden
Reposted by Anna Foden
This is on the X account of the UK Home Office. A Labour government.
Where is this country going?
I would like to remind the British government that among the taxpayers in the UK there are millions of non-British people.
#notonationalism #migrantsarenotcriminals
Where is this country going?
I would like to remind the British government that among the taxpayers in the UK there are millions of non-British people.
#notonationalism #migrantsarenotcriminals
November 22, 2025 at 12:21 PM
This is on the X account of the UK Home Office. A Labour government.
Where is this country going?
I would like to remind the British government that among the taxpayers in the UK there are millions of non-British people.
#notonationalism #migrantsarenotcriminals
Where is this country going?
I would like to remind the British government that among the taxpayers in the UK there are millions of non-British people.
#notonationalism #migrantsarenotcriminals
Reposted by Anna Foden
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Anna Foden
'City Lights Bristol' by contemporary UK painter Cath Read #WomensArt
November 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
'City Lights Bristol' by contemporary UK painter Cath Read #WomensArt
Reposted by Anna Foden
Nazi Germany, 1939 👇🏻
Refugees can take their wedding ring and a watch, but other jewellery was forfeit to the state.
Either on leaving, or on relatives’ deportation a couple of years later.
Apropos nothing much, in current UK politics…
Refugees can take their wedding ring and a watch, but other jewellery was forfeit to the state.
Either on leaving, or on relatives’ deportation a couple of years later.
Apropos nothing much, in current UK politics…
On leaving Nazi Germany
10) The inclusion of jewellery & valuables is prohibited
With the exception of:
Wedding ring of the emigrant
Pocket watch value to 100 RM
Used cutlery – silver 1 set pp for a family of 3, 1 extra set for family of 5. Each piece total weight 40 gm
👇🏻 translation & original
10) The inclusion of jewellery & valuables is prohibited
With the exception of:
Wedding ring of the emigrant
Pocket watch value to 100 RM
Used cutlery – silver 1 set pp for a family of 3, 1 extra set for family of 5. Each piece total weight 40 gm
👇🏻 translation & original
November 17, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Nazi Germany, 1939 👇🏻
Refugees can take their wedding ring and a watch, but other jewellery was forfeit to the state.
Either on leaving, or on relatives’ deportation a couple of years later.
Apropos nothing much, in current UK politics…
Refugees can take their wedding ring and a watch, but other jewellery was forfeit to the state.
Either on leaving, or on relatives’ deportation a couple of years later.
Apropos nothing much, in current UK politics…
Policy borrowed from Denmark? I can think of another regime that confiscated jewellery and valuables. This is appalling.
Hey Labour
Remember the majority of voters who believe in treating people decently and not stealing from those who've endured months and years of hardship fleeing war and persecution to seek a place of safety?
We're still over here 👋
Remember the majority of voters who believe in treating people decently and not stealing from those who've endured months and years of hardship fleeing war and persecution to seek a place of safety?
We're still over here 👋
November 17, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Policy borrowed from Denmark? I can think of another regime that confiscated jewellery and valuables. This is appalling.
Reposted by Anna Foden
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 PM
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
Reposted by Anna Foden
'Three black cats' by Maud Lewis (1903-1970), Canadian folk artist #WomensArt #FridayFeeling
November 14, 2025 at 6:41 AM
'Three black cats' by Maud Lewis (1903-1970), Canadian folk artist #WomensArt #FridayFeeling
What a great idea from the brilliant Orkney Library & Archive.
We are launching a new Winter Coat Swap at Orkney Library & Archive. If you have any winter coats you no longer need we'd be delighted to have them.
We're looking for coats to fit any age and size, adult or child, as long as they are in good, clean condition ready for wearing. 🧥 #GreenLibraries
We're looking for coats to fit any age and size, adult or child, as long as they are in good, clean condition ready for wearing. 🧥 #GreenLibraries
November 14, 2025 at 4:34 PM
What a great idea from the brilliant Orkney Library & Archive.
Love this.
For those who are interested in rediscovering the joys of reading, I wrote a step-by-step guide:
bibliollcollege.substack.com/p/how-to-rek...
bibliollcollege.substack.com/p/how-to-rek...
How to Rekindle Your Love of Reading
I read 186 books in six months. Here's how.
bibliollcollege.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Love this.
Reposted by Anna Foden
“The resource over which they hold custody is of great worth to the country …Would Karl Marx and Virginia Woolf, Mahatma Gandhi and George Orwell, all erstwhile users of the British Library, have produced their masterpieces without this resource?”
Imperilled culture - it really is.
Such negligence.
Imperilled culture - it really is.
Such negligence.
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 AM
“The resource over which they hold custody is of great worth to the country …Would Karl Marx and Virginia Woolf, Mahatma Gandhi and George Orwell, all erstwhile users of the British Library, have produced their masterpieces without this resource?”
Imperilled culture - it really is.
Such negligence.
Imperilled culture - it really is.
Such negligence.
Reposted by Anna Foden
I love this not-entirely-a-joke:
Q: What did Watson and Crick discover?
A: Rosalind Franklin's notes!
Q: What did Watson and Crick discover?
A: Rosalind Franklin's notes!
August 7, 2024 at 3:45 PM
I love this not-entirely-a-joke:
Q: What did Watson and Crick discover?
A: Rosalind Franklin's notes!
Q: What did Watson and Crick discover?
A: Rosalind Franklin's notes!
Reposted by Anna Foden
sudden urge to share @mcnees.bsky.social 🧵 on Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind Franklin was born #OTD in 1920. Her X-ray diffraction work was critical for establishing the helical nature of DNA. 👩🔬 🧪
Work carried out by Franklin (with doctoral student Raymond Gosling) was given to Watson and Crick without her consent.
Image: Vittorio Luzzati / Jewish Women’s Archive
Work carried out by Franklin (with doctoral student Raymond Gosling) was given to Watson and Crick without her consent.
Image: Vittorio Luzzati / Jewish Women’s Archive
November 7, 2025 at 8:23 PM
sudden urge to share @mcnees.bsky.social 🧵 on Rosalind Franklin
Reposted by Anna Foden
This distinguished Odesan gentleman wishes all a quiet Friday.
November 7, 2025 at 8:59 AM
This distinguished Odesan gentleman wishes all a quiet Friday.