Mike Townsend
@miketownsend.bsky.social
Collections and Metadata librarian at the IHR @ihr.bsky.social (https://www.history.ac.uk/library-digital) | History | Photography | Curious rather than competent language learner
Just curious to see what Grok thought (at the moment) about trillionaires. Unfortunately the response was a bit too long to compress in 4 images.
![Text from Grok in response to the question, Should there be trillionaires? [8/11/2025]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6u4j2qgukjiordvyvxqxcgai/bafkreibkehqvrmoyqlczhkees4ydnbqbnsr2wac7hl3sdncjtf7kmicqee@jpeg)
![Text from Grok in response to the question, Should there be trillionaires? [8/11/2025]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6u4j2qgukjiordvyvxqxcgai/bafkreibg5dza2cb43jbvq3frfjuafvwshhiopdekitfzb2c7aq6ibeavc4@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Just curious to see what Grok thought (at the moment) about trillionaires. Unfortunately the response was a bit too long to compress in 4 images.
Productive day out, and good to see the off-site collections again.
October 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Productive day out, and good to see the off-site collections again.
Reposted by Mike Townsend
⭐ Ahead of History Day 2025, why not take a moment to read our blog on LGBTQ+ books in the IHR Library? The blog highlights some of our more recent titles, uncovering hidden stories, challenging narratives and celebrating queer history 🏳️🌈
👉 Read here: blog.history.ac.uk/2025/04/new-...
#HistDay25
👉 Read here: blog.history.ac.uk/2025/04/new-...
#HistDay25
October 21, 2025 at 10:05 AM
⭐ Ahead of History Day 2025, why not take a moment to read our blog on LGBTQ+ books in the IHR Library? The blog highlights some of our more recent titles, uncovering hidden stories, challenging narratives and celebrating queer history 🏳️🌈
👉 Read here: blog.history.ac.uk/2025/04/new-...
#HistDay25
👉 Read here: blog.history.ac.uk/2025/04/new-...
#HistDay25
Reposted by Mike Townsend
New blog from @ihrlibrary.bsky.social trainees, Sasha Pond and Sarah Snelling, highlighting new titles in which reflect the diversification of our collections across Black history.#BlackHistoryMonth blog.history.ac.uk/2025/10/blac...
Black History Month 2025 – Recent Acquisitions in the IHR Library - On History
Over the past year, the IHR Library has acquired a number of new titles on various aspects of Black history. In this blog, we highlight seven of these new titles which reflect the diversification of…
blog.history.ac.uk
October 20, 2025 at 2:22 PM
New blog from @ihrlibrary.bsky.social trainees, Sasha Pond and Sarah Snelling, highlighting new titles in which reflect the diversification of our collections across Black history.#BlackHistoryMonth blog.history.ac.uk/2025/10/blac...
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Very much this. The IHR really is open to everyone and this includes our common room and our library as well as our wonderful seminars. All free, all welcome!
History curious? You don't need to be in London (or the UK) to attend many Institute of Historical Research seminars, although if you're in Bloomsbury you'll enjoy doing so. Most are hybrid (online/in person). They're free, usually fortnightly and open to the public.
Starting this week:
Starting this week:
Events
Stay up to date with the upcoming events organised or hosted by the Institute of Historical Research
www.history.ac.uk
September 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Very much this. The IHR really is open to everyone and this includes our common room and our library as well as our wonderful seminars. All free, all welcome!
Those 5 espressos during the day made the walk between stations...brief
September 25, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Those 5 espressos during the day made the walk between stations...brief
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Just a reminder to check for your name in this list of books that OpenAI trained from. If your name is there, they probably owe you several thousand dollars.
OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.
OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.
Search LibGen, the Pirated-Books Database That Meta Used to Train AI
Millions of books and scientific papers are captured in the collection’s current iteration.
www.theatlantic.com
September 6, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Just a reminder to check for your name in this list of books that OpenAI trained from. If your name is there, they probably owe you several thousand dollars.
OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.
OpenAI cried that if everyone eligible author files, the company will go bankrupt, so I'm alerting every author I have ever spoken to.
@cathamclarke.bsky.social Spotted in the Piccadilly Waterstones last night, and - huge announcement - comes with a complimentary bookmark
August 30, 2025 at 10:05 AM
@cathamclarke.bsky.social Spotted in the Piccadilly Waterstones last night, and - huge announcement - comes with a complimentary bookmark
Well, that was a week
August 15, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Well, that was a week
Reposted by Mike Townsend
The power of the response "I don't know" is really underrated. It's not only a display of humility that resonates with others, but it's also the necessary basis for curiosity about the world around us, which is fundamental to being human.
The lost art of admitting what you don’t know
Even LLMs are starting to show this worrying human tendency
www.ft.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:30 AM
The power of the response "I don't know" is really underrated. It's not only a display of humility that resonates with others, but it's also the necessary basis for curiosity about the world around us, which is fundamental to being human.
Part of a lost canto from the Inferno
August 8, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Part of a lost canto from the Inferno
Interesting tour of the west cemetery today, and wandering around the east, retracing mum's leisurely root to school in the 50s from Waterlow Park to Brookfield
August 2, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Interesting tour of the west cemetery today, and wandering around the east, retracing mum's leisurely root to school in the 50s from Waterlow Park to Brookfield
July 1, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Reposted by Mike Townsend
UK academia’s lack of language skills ‘imperils research integrity’ www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
UK academia’s lack of language skills ‘imperils research integrity’ - Research Professional News
British Academy report calls for more recognition of linguistic ability, including in Research Excellence Framework
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
April 12, 2025 at 7:54 AM
UK academia’s lack of language skills ‘imperils research integrity’ www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...
Reposted by Mike Townsend
In celebration of Women's History Month, Graduate Trainee Library Assistant Sarah Admans has written a blog showcasing a selection of the wide range of sources that can be found in the @ihrlibrary.bsky.social focusing on women and their lived experience. blog.history.ac.uk/2025/03/wome...
Women’s History Month 2025: Celebrating Women’s Voices in the IHR Collections - On History
The Institute of Historical Research has a large collection of primary material focusing on women and their lived experience. This blog showcases a small selection of this exciting range of sources…
blog.history.ac.uk
March 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM
In celebration of Women's History Month, Graduate Trainee Library Assistant Sarah Admans has written a blog showcasing a selection of the wide range of sources that can be found in the @ihrlibrary.bsky.social focusing on women and their lived experience. blog.history.ac.uk/2025/03/wome...
Reposted by Mike Townsend
We’re in Cambridge for the Cambridge Archives and Collections Fair, with a wide variety of fellow stall holders @ihrlibrary.bsky.social
March 13, 2025 at 12:39 PM
We’re in Cambridge for the Cambridge Archives and Collections Fair, with a wide variety of fellow stall holders @ihrlibrary.bsky.social
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Got a minute? Please complete our annual library survey. We'd love to hear what you think! buff.ly/euZHYnA
March 7, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Got a minute? Please complete our annual library survey. We'd love to hear what you think! buff.ly/euZHYnA
Foggy morning walking to the station this morning
March 5, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Foggy morning walking to the station this morning
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Our latest ‘state of the discipline’ report has lots of interesting findings on politics and international relations subjects in HE.
In 2018/19, female students surpassed their male counterparts to become the majority among first degree students
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/new-rep...
In 2018/19, female students surpassed their male counterparts to become the majority among first degree students
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/new-rep...
New report uncovers popularity of Politics and International Relations degrees, with graduates outearning national averages
A new British Academy report on Politics and International Relations (PIR) provision in UK higher education shows a 20 per cent increase in first degree enrolments and a 41 per cent rise in postgradua...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
January 22, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Our latest ‘state of the discipline’ report has lots of interesting findings on politics and international relations subjects in HE.
In 2018/19, female students surpassed their male counterparts to become the majority among first degree students
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/new-rep...
In 2018/19, female students surpassed their male counterparts to become the majority among first degree students
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/news/new-rep...
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Over 60 German universities quit social media platform X.
Platform accused of failing to uphold values of diversity, freedom, and scholarship.
Platform accused of failing to uphold values of diversity, freedom, and scholarship.
Over 60 German universities quit social media platform X
Platform accused of failing to uphold values of diversity, freedom, and scholarship - Anadolu Ajansı
www.aa.com.tr
January 12, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Over 60 German universities quit social media platform X.
Platform accused of failing to uphold values of diversity, freedom, and scholarship.
Platform accused of failing to uphold values of diversity, freedom, and scholarship.
Shoeburyness on a bit of a bleak day.
December 29, 2024 at 3:53 PM
Shoeburyness on a bit of a bleak day.
Reposted by Mike Townsend
Dr. Gordon McKelvie, in the latest On History blog, explores how historians can use the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) to generate data for classroom discussions on broader historiographical trends, using English history revolts as an example
Using Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) Data to Stimulate Classroom Discussion: The Case of the Peasants’ Revolt - On History
Using the example of revolts through English history, this blog uses BBIH to produce data that can frame classroom discussions about wider historiographical trends.
buff.ly
December 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Dr. Gordon McKelvie, in the latest On History blog, explores how historians can use the Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) to generate data for classroom discussions on broader historiographical trends, using English history revolts as an example
Reposted by Mike Townsend
