The books in front of our library.

We recently acquired six letters relating to a planned revision of Henri Dugout, S.J.'s 屠恩烈 (1875-1927) maps of Jiangsu province. The letters date from 1926 to 1932 and were sent by various individuals in different locations in Jiangsu.

This is a detailed drawing of the Catholic church known as OLEM in Cambridge, done from the roof of a nearby building. It's a shame I drew this on thick but poor quality paper which has badly foxed. I'll keep it though (in a cellophane art storage bag so it doesn damage other work).

Shoutout to my amazing colleagues at Cambridge & Birmingham on the 'Small Performances' project into John Baskerville's typographic punches - today is released a @camdiglib.bsky.social collection of imagery of the punches. Check it out! cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...

One decoration in our office to celebrate the #YearOfTheHorse is a calligraphy piece in oracle bone script reading 物華天寶，人壽年豐 — “Nature yields its finest treasures, and the people enjoy long lives and abundant years.”This is an auspicious blessing for the New Year.

Street art in the city centre: Let the sunshine in.

Today I discovered a 1903 brochure promoting the UL’s Chinese collection. It bears the names Professor Wade and Giles, the first two Chinese professors and honorary curators, whose selfless efforts built and preserved our collection, reminding me why safeguarding books matters. @theul.bsky.social

Attention current University of Cambridge students! Entries are welcome for this year's Rose Book Collecting Prize until 30 January. Your collection doesn't need to be large or valuable; just interesting.

The old Cambridge University Library. @theul.bsky.social #AlphabetChallenge #WeekBforBooks 📷 #photography

📝 The Research Skills Training Programme from University of Cambridge Libraries and Archives is open for bookings! 👋 Designed primarily for PhD students and researchers, the sessions are open to all Cambridge staff and students. 🔎Learn more and book: https://loom.ly/RjU6dj4

Fascinating to see this @theul.bsky.social today - Newton’s drawing of his reflecting telescope, made in 1668.

A nice record of 81 plants still in flower on 29 October 1800 around Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire by Revett Sheppard (1778-1830), then a student in his twenties at @caiuscollege.bsky.social, Cambridge. From his ‘Naturalist’s Calendar’, MS Add. 9839/22/1 @theul.bsky.social. @bsbibotany.bsky.social 1/2

Had Hainanese chicken rice 海南雞飯 with my son for lunch near we live in Shanghai including Wuchang 五常 rice from Northeast China, free-range chicken 走地雞, a four-hour slow-cooked chicken broth, and blanched fresh lettuce. Very yummy and healthy but only about £5:-)

My hands are completely dirty from handling old books almost every day this week. I truly believe that I have the best job in the world, and I work hard out of passion and genuine interest, not for promotion, money or fame. That is why I feel so fortunate：)

🎄We have a special festive treat for you today! ✨ The video of the UL's Christmas Carol Concert is now live on YouTube: https://loom.ly/i1aAGZA

I still think this is my favourite wallpainting of a trip full of wallpaintings. From the tomb of Sennefer, Mayor of Thebes, so around 1400 BCE.

Check out our new video about what you can do on Art UK ✨ Art UK is a unique digital cultural space, giving everyone free access to the UK’s public art collections. This video showcases what you can do on our site. 👉 Discover extraordinary art from all over the UK at artuk.org

「無事是貴人」 (ぶじこれきにん): The truly noble person is one who lives without entanglement or disturbance — one at peace in body and mind.

Last chance to turn it off. On Monday, November 3rd, Microsoft will start using your LinkedIn data for AI training. And remember, you're opted in by default. To toggle it off 👉 Account - Settings & Privacy > Data privacy > Data for Generative AI Improvement.

Chinese Virginia creeper being spectacularly autumnal at 10 Brookside, Cambridge, former home of Francis Jenkinson (1853-1923), Librarian @theul.bsky.social. 📷 #photography

Helophilus pendulus hoverfly on Ivy in Ely at the weekend. #WildWebsWednesday

I've written about the life and just some of the achievements of my former classmate Andy West aka 魏安, Ando, and BabelStone @babelstone.co.uk www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

My favorite line, in my calligraphy: 貧賤難移、威武不屈（Unshaken in poverty, unbowed by power).

📚 Whether you're an undergraduate, postgraduate, academic, or independent researcher, our research grants and By-Fellowships are designed to support work using our collections here at Churchill Archives Centre. 🔗 Click the link to find out more & apply: buff.ly/JGsTtHK

Amazing to see the chained books earlier this week. Many thanks to my librarian colleagues for making it possible.

Friendly reminder for Cambridge and UCSD PhD students in Chinese Studies: my colleague Amelie Roper (Head of Research), Xi Shi from UCSD Library, and I will be giving two information sessions on the fully funded exchange program. It’s not too late to register and join!

My essay on the first Chinese book (1632) in Cambridge UL, tracing 17th-c. Chinese books in Europe, was just published. Grateful to Shuwen Cao and Martin Heijdra from Princeton, and Shaun Thompson, Paul Frank, Clarck Drieshen and Liam Sims in @theUL for their guidance & support.

📣 Opportunity for University of Cambridge and UC San Diego postgrads Apply for scholarship to spend 4-6 weeks at the partner institution researching its Chinese Collections. Details for Cambridge students: https://loom.ly/rxIAcq8 Details for UCSD students: https://loom.ly/hwdVy9s

A timely talk by Professor Klaus Muehlhahn in ShanghaiTech University on 8 September: Beyond the Black Hole: How Humanities and Liberal Arts Can Thrive in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. 上海的小伙伴请考虑参加:-)

Research opportunity in California ☀️ The WongAvery Visiting Scholar Exchange Programme is now accepting applications to spend 4-6 weeks researching the Chinese Collection at ‪UC San Diego Library. How to apply: https://loom.ly/rxIAcq8 @ucsandiego.bsky.social‬

The Reading Room at Cambridge University Library in 1934 and 2025. Which era do you prefer? #CambridgeUniversityLibrary #OldPhotos Images: 1. Photograph of the Reading Room in 1934 (Cam.bb.934.7) 2. Photograph of the Reading Room taken in 2025

I am humbled to share my newly published essay (金庸与剑桥大学的书缘和情缘) about Dr. Louis Cha, Honorary Fellow of both Robinson and St John’s Colleges. Many thanks to my librarian colleagues Judith (Robinson), Miki, Beth, and Elmo at @AMES_Library for their kind support.

Super happy to share the news on behalf of the team for the Sally T. WongAvery Digital Collection of Chinese Materials at Cambridge University Library: our Hopkins Oracle Bones (2D set CUL1–610) and 50 3D images are now freely accessible to the world. cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...

Cambridge PhD students: please consider this great opportunity to use the Chinese collections at UCSD library for your PhD studies, under the WongAvery Visiting Scholar Exchange Programme. Application deadline: 30 September 2025. For details, please see: library.ucsd.edu/news-events/...

Martagon lily #scape, @cubotanicgarden.bsky.social. 📷 #photography

“The time given to engage in research in Cambridge is beautiful. It’s like stepping into a magical fairyland divorced from day-to-day PhD life.” Emma Laube reflects on her experience as the 2025 WongAvery Visiting Scholar: https://loom.ly/CGOc9xw @‪trinityhallcamb.bsky.social‬

The the important Shanghai newspaper Shenbao (申報) from 1930-37 and 1939-1949 in English translation (via LLM) here: baokan.pages.dev 1930-1936 recently added.

It is horrible to see the new US policy assault on Chinese students. It is foolish and cruel. From undergraduate language studies to graduate research, I spent around two years at three Chinese universities: Beijing Normal University, Qinghua University and Shandong University. 1/5

An excellent picture of what a domestic library looks like in England in 1659 …

Big congratulations to our amazing PhD and PhD students at @CambridgeFAMES for launching 劍橋文藝—the very first Chinese-language literary magazine created by our own students! The inaugural issue is just out, with the title calligraphy done by the renowned artist Meilin Han.

I was struck by how some perfectionists prioritize flawless English over actual knowledge and skills. Ironically, these people are often not native English speakers themselves. This kind of bias is where discrimination often begins.

My thoughts on the disgraceful removal of Dr Carla Hayden as Librarian of Congress (and the Archivist of the United States too). LC and NARA are part if the infrastructure of democracy in America, and are under attack. on.ft.com/4mdynBU The US Library of Congress is under attack

Carla Hayden was president of the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social when ours was one of few organized voices opposed to the USA PATRIOT Act. Librarians have been fired all across the federal government, gutting not just ours but the world’s intellectual infrastructure. Devastating.

As a former intern, I was honored to co-author this report. The training with top cataloguers at the LOC gave me skills and knowledge I’ll carry with me for my life. I’m grateful for the experience and hope this partnership keeps going strong. scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol2025...

My colleague Blazej Mikula will talk about his excellent work on Digitizing Chinese Oracle Bones tomorrow, at a digital humanities workshop in King’s College London. The UL’s digitized oracle bones have been publishing to Cambridge Digital Library: cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/...

I’m thrilled to host our first WongAvery Visiting Scholar from UCSD and honored to appear in the video as Emma’s supervisor here at Cambridge University Library. Super happy that the UL’s Chinese collections are being used broadly.

見群龍無首，吉