Maureen Babb 🍁
@librarian-m.bsky.social
Science Librarian. Fond of Classics, Archaeology, Paleontology, Comics, and of course Library Stuff. Queer.
The icon choices available in outlook calendar are bewildering to me. You have three different types of cars/trucks, but no... camera, for example, or phone.
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
The icon choices available in outlook calendar are bewildering to me. You have three different types of cars/trucks, but no... camera, for example, or phone.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
For #FossilFriday & in honor of @alinemghilardi.bsky.social & colleagues' fantastic discovery of a new Cretaceous pterosaur in Brazil in a dinosaur regurgitalite ("fossil vomit"), here's a diagram I made for my book 'Dinosaurs Without Bones' (2014) showing the physics of a puking brachiosaur. 🧪🦕🤮🪨
November 14, 2025 at 1:14 PM
For #FossilFriday & in honor of @alinemghilardi.bsky.social & colleagues' fantastic discovery of a new Cretaceous pterosaur in Brazil in a dinosaur regurgitalite ("fossil vomit"), here's a diagram I made for my book 'Dinosaurs Without Bones' (2014) showing the physics of a puking brachiosaur. 🧪🦕🤮🪨
Me disliking something will not stop me from learning about it.
November 13, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Me disliking something will not stop me from learning about it.
"No other country, or group of countries, will be able to replace what is being lost in U.S. funding and collaboration, however. Ultimately, Canada’s researchers will need the Canadian government to step up to try and fill the gap."
universityaffairs.ca/features/fea...
universityaffairs.ca/features/fea...
Science interrupted - University Affairs
How the Trump administration’s cuts to U.S. science are derailing Canadian research
universityaffairs.ca
November 12, 2025 at 10:01 PM
"No other country, or group of countries, will be able to replace what is being lost in U.S. funding and collaboration, however. Ultimately, Canada’s researchers will need the Canadian government to step up to try and fill the gap."
universityaffairs.ca/features/fea...
universityaffairs.ca/features/fea...
Something real depressing about trying to access the links on an older list to examples of diversity plans at American uni libraries in this day and age.
November 12, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Something real depressing about trying to access the links on an older list to examples of diversity plans at American uni libraries in this day and age.
The thing about online learning with multiple choice tests you can retake repeatedly, is that you learn pretty quick that more often than not, the problem isn't that *you* got the question wrong, it's that whoever built the quiz did so poorly, and, say, forgot to define a correct answer altogether.
November 12, 2025 at 6:55 PM
The thing about online learning with multiple choice tests you can retake repeatedly, is that you learn pretty quick that more often than not, the problem isn't that *you* got the question wrong, it's that whoever built the quiz did so poorly, and, say, forgot to define a correct answer altogether.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
Librarians told 404 Media they are being inundated with new pitches for AI library tech and catalogs are being flooded with AI slop books that they need to wade through. AI maximalism across society is supercharging the ideological war on libraries, schools, academics
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge
"Fascism and AI, whether or not they have the same goals, they sure are working to accelerate one another."
www.404media.co
November 6, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Librarians told 404 Media they are being inundated with new pitches for AI library tech and catalogs are being flooded with AI slop books that they need to wade through. AI maximalism across society is supercharging the ideological war on libraries, schools, academics
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
www.404media.co/ai-is-superc...
"X, Y, and Z databases were searched systematically using MeSH terms and keywords related to [topic]" is NOT an adequate description of a search strategy for a systematic or scoping review oh my GOD.
November 5, 2025 at 5:33 PM
"X, Y, and Z databases were searched systematically using MeSH terms and keywords related to [topic]" is NOT an adequate description of a search strategy for a systematic or scoping review oh my GOD.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
As many have pointed out, Mamdani didn't stand apart from our trans brothers and sisters. He didn't play the "Gee, gosh, it sure is complicated," milquetoast moderate card. And he crushed.
The way forward is together, not over the bodies of our own.
The way forward is together, not over the bodies of our own.
November 5, 2025 at 2:52 AM
As many have pointed out, Mamdani didn't stand apart from our trans brothers and sisters. He didn't play the "Gee, gosh, it sure is complicated," milquetoast moderate card. And he crushed.
The way forward is together, not over the bodies of our own.
The way forward is together, not over the bodies of our own.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
PEN Canada joins 43 organizations and 123 individuals in open letter opposing “National Sprint” consultation on AI strategy, which proposed a mere thirty-day window on short notice.
pencanada.ca/news/open-le...
pencanada.ca/news/open-le...
Open Letter to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation from civil society organizations and individuals opposing “National Sprint” consultation on AI strategy - PEN Canada
pencanada.ca
November 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
PEN Canada joins 43 organizations and 123 individuals in open letter opposing “National Sprint” consultation on AI strategy, which proposed a mere thirty-day window on short notice.
pencanada.ca/news/open-le...
pencanada.ca/news/open-le...
Why's it smell vaguely like electrical burning outside on campus today? I don't like it.
November 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Why's it smell vaguely like electrical burning outside on campus today? I don't like it.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
Remember to check your kids candy for paleontology! #paleontology
October 30, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Remember to check your kids candy for paleontology! #paleontology
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
i'm sure the "faculty forum" on "reducing burnout" and "enhancing resilience" will include helpful things like "join your faculty union" and "here's a bucket of money" and "we hired a bunch of new full time faculty to reduce the teaching load across the university"
October 30, 2025 at 7:17 PM
i'm sure the "faculty forum" on "reducing burnout" and "enhancing resilience" will include helpful things like "join your faculty union" and "here's a bucket of money" and "we hired a bunch of new full time faculty to reduce the teaching load across the university"
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
It’s time to go fishing.
October 30, 2025 at 5:53 PM
It’s time to go fishing.
You know how literally every time you check the news or social media right now there's some new horror?
I don't like that.
I don't like that.
October 30, 2025 at 5:59 PM
You know how literally every time you check the news or social media right now there's some new horror?
I don't like that.
I don't like that.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
Woodcut print by Eline Brontsema, Blue Swimming Hall , Fincknsteinallee 2024. Size 67.8 x 51 cm.
October 29, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Woodcut print by Eline Brontsema, Blue Swimming Hall , Fincknsteinallee 2024. Size 67.8 x 51 cm.
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
Something I love about archival films is that when someone had a couple feet of film left on a roll they'd often use it to film their cat. So many films finish with a few seconds of cats
So, here's some cats from the 1950s and 60s. They were loved
Scanned from 8mm films
#Film #History #Cats
So, here's some cats from the 1950s and 60s. They were loved
Scanned from 8mm films
#Film #History #Cats
October 27, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
They keep saying "AI" will reduce workload and make my life easier.... and yet...
20 Ways “AI” Has Created More Work for Me
To listen to the generative AI enthusiasts and vendors with exclamation riddled decks, you would think that every boring and mundane task was now easily handled, freeing me up to lead that mythical life of a librarian -- you know, the one who gets to read print books all day, drink tea, and work in a hallowed space of quiet. And yet, here we are, the better part of two years in and so far this technological wave has only created a variety of new kinds of work for me.
hedgehoglibrarian.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:56 PM
They keep saying "AI" will reduce workload and make my life easier.... and yet...
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
I'm also concerned that things could be removed #canmedlibs
It's very concerning that the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee was terminated and there's little awareness of it. This has me concerned that more predatory/crap science will become part of PubMed. #medlibs
PubMed is running on autopilot during shutdown, but key independent committee has been abolished #medlibs www.bmj.com/content/391/...
October 27, 2025 at 5:06 PM
I'm also concerned that things could be removed #canmedlibs
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
Higher Ed’s Rush To Adopt AI Is About So Much More Than AI - defector.com/higher-eds-r...
Higher Ed’s Rush To Adopt AI Is About So Much More Than AI | Defector
If you don’t work at a university or have college-age kids, you may have missed the flurry of news stories and social media banter about AI adoption in higher ed, stories which have snowballed into th...
defector.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Higher Ed’s Rush To Adopt AI Is About So Much More Than AI - defector.com/higher-eds-r...
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
It's very concerning that the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee was terminated and there's little awareness of it. This has me concerned that more predatory/crap science will become part of PubMed. #medlibs
PubMed is running on autopilot during shutdown, but key independent committee has been abolished #medlibs www.bmj.com/content/391/...
PubMed is running on autopilot during shutdown, but key independent committee has been abolished
PubMed, the life sciences search engine maintained by the US government and relied upon by researchers worldwide, is still performing its basic automated functions during the federal shutdown, but new...
www.bmj.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
It's very concerning that the Literature Selection Technical Review Committee was terminated and there's little awareness of it. This has me concerned that more predatory/crap science will become part of PubMed. #medlibs
Reposted by Maureen Babb 🍁
When a chatbot gets something wrong, it’s not because it made an error. It’s because on that roll of the dice, it happened to string together a group of words that, when read by a human, represents something false. But it was working entirely as designed. It was supposed to make a sentence & it did.
June 19, 2025 at 11:28 AM
When a chatbot gets something wrong, it’s not because it made an error. It’s because on that roll of the dice, it happened to string together a group of words that, when read by a human, represents something false. But it was working entirely as designed. It was supposed to make a sentence & it did.
