Charitable donations are a drop in the ocean where there should be government funding, but for what it’s worth I’ve been asking to people to give to St Christopher’s Hospice in memory of my father, in memory of his love for my mother, who was cared for there. www.stchristophers.org.uk

Solidarity to all colleagues at Lancaster university right now. “The destructive programme of cuts at all while directing money to vanity projects abroad is completely unacceptable.” @drjogrady.bsky.social We must come together. Vote YES. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Our student Lola Dibden does such an incredible job of breaking down the shortsightedness of our administration's planning decisions in this video Which begs the question- if our students can see these shortcomings, why can't the university? www.instagram.com/reel/DQzgG-N... #stopthecuts

Picket demonstrating feeling about announcements of cuts to courses at University of Nottingham @uonucu.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

This week has been absolutely brutal, I am looking forward to community and cathartic shouting with union folks tomorrow.

Please do sign these petitions! The change.org website will ask you for money - if you would like to donate to help stop the cuts, the local UCU hardship fund is a much more effective place for your generosity to go. Direct bank details here: uonucu.org www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...

Sam Watts, composer of #TheTraitors theme and UoN music alumni, shares his thoughts on the newly renamed University of Little England course closures... #StopTheCuts #SaveHE c.org/pdK6xxk6yf

Quite a good illustration of why the problems of knowledge production are not about "misplaced incentives" but the degradation of the material conditions that allow us to do our work.

A significant new development in the Imperial College pay dispute. The Joint Trade Unions have uncovered that key 2018 pay benchmarking recommendations—based on extensive staff consultation—were quietly set aside by College management. Read the full update here: ucu.imperial.ac.uk/archives/1143

This week, UoN announced course suspensions for all modern languages, music, theology & religious studies, biosciences, mental health nursing and more. @uonucu.bsky.social fighting management tooth & nail to prevent this reckless, shortsighted stupidity. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

You know it's a pretty bad decision when the response from people is to create about 100 different petitions... Sign every one. Let's fight this by all means necessary.

Devastated to share the news that was broken to colleagues in Music (and other departments) at the University of Nottingham yesterday. This is obviously a very difficult time for us and our students. Please contact us on [email protected] if you would like to be involved.

It's not just music and language courses- it's 48 courses across the university. But here's the thing- our UCU colleagues at other universities (like @Cardiffucu.bsky.social) have faced the exact same threats, fought back, and won. So we can too.

I can't express how damaging this is, music and languages aren't just optional extras, they are at the core of what a university does: cultivate knowledge and culture in the next generation. And if they'll cut those, what's next? It's institutional self-destruction. www.bbc.com/news/article...

STRIKE RESUMES ON MONDAY!!! On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).

Listen. We aren’t stopping til we win this thing.

Call for Chapter Proposals for Disability Justice in Libraries. deadline December 1, 2025 docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Final quote from Carlos Chaccour: “The legitimate discussion risks being drowned by the synthetic noise.”

If you missed the talk on class in HE librarians by @patchedelbows.bsky.social last week, don't despair! Here's the doi, you can catch up now 😀 doi.org/10.52843/cas...

In which @amylibrarian.bsky.social and I argue that if LIS journals had more rigorous guidelines for authors, things like that ridiculous "privacy of thought" article in C&RL wouldn't get published. crl.acrl.org/index.php/cr...

First in person delivery of my research metrics session today and I woke up really dizzy. Breakfast seems to have sorted it, but please everyone send me good wishes that a) dizziness stays away b) I get at least one chatty person attending

Lots of Ozymandias memes going around at the moment and I am choosing to believe they are all about this cat

Living wage, please. This is WAY wider than the BL. If the only way to keep things open, or on sale, or running, is to make your workers take the heat, yet again, you should close down. And let’s see how long the leak of money upwards continues when we lose all our services and things we rely on.

More authors booked for events at the British Library are pulling out in solidarity with our striking members #BritishLibraryonStrike www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Working from the sofa this afternoon so that Goblin can join @patchedelbows.bsky.social’s webinar

"Don't give up, and together we're stronger." ✊♥️

We’re gonna be running the wollaton park run next week in memory of our wonderful friend and legendary pres, Agnes, taken from us far too soon. We’re raising funds to support her beloved trade union campaigns. Please sponsor us. @uonucu.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding...

This is disastrous; hospices do such important work, not only to give people a good death, but to provide pain management and other services to people with terminal conditions. The staff in hospices work so, so hard and the fact that these institutions depend on charity to operate is a scandal.

Announcement! The Fair Library Jobs newsletter is getting off Subtack. Sign up to our contact list to receive future blog posts via email docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Due to ongoing strike action, all St Pancras Reading Rooms will be closed on Friday 31 October and Saturday 1 November. Reader Registration will also be closed on 1 November and operating at a reduced level on 31 October. Find all service updates on our website. bit.ly/StrikeAction...

Not saying my patience is low but I did just block some on here for asking me a question they could have googled.

News from Instagram: all 4 authors have pulled out in solidarity with the PCS strike. Absolute diamonds! ✊🏳️‍🌈

Keeping to time is an accessibility issue! People need breaks between sessions in conferences for all sorts of accessibility reasons - whether for cognitive load, to take medication, needing bathroom breaks, check blood sugar or anything else! Making an effort to keep to time is inclusive.

I've just emailed my MP in support of British Library workers on strike over pay #BritishLibraryOnStrike As my own union ballots its members in response to a paltry pay offer of 1.4% (whilst inflation is at 4.5%), now is the time to stand together as #libraryworkers for #fairpay for the work we do.

New post from me, telling everyone to join a union and show solidarity with other workers (especially #BritishLibraryOnStrike)

Goblin is cross at me for paying attention to another cat @reeserichardson.bsky.social

We publish *imaginary* research abstracts! The Journal of Imaginary Research is now accepting submissions of new short fictional pieces. Click to read: Why Abstract fiction? The theme How to get started What to submit to us What *not* to submit journalofimaginaryresearch.home.blog/2025/10/28/c...

“Senior authors shamed me in front of group for asking for recognition (trying not to be a female-doormat stereotype backfires pretty much every time I have tried...)”. (female participant seeking credit on a paper) 🧵

‘Suffering’ British Library staff take to picket lines. Library “operating reduced service” as PCS members demand better pay, two years on from cyberattack. www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

We will be closing our representation statistics survey at some point in the next month, and we have already heard from more than 1000 neurodivergent librarians! #librarians #neurodiversity lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

This post has been in draft a while but it feels particularly timely given the strike over pay that starts tomorrow (27th Oct) at the British Library. If you've ever despaired at the low salaries at the BL now is the time to act in solidarity www.pcs.org.uk/news-events/... #BritishLibraryOnStrike

New Fair Library Jobs blog post! On those low paid jobs it's difficult to call out, complexities around pay, the bleakness of the sector, and what you can do about it (spoiler: nag CILIP to Do Better and #JoinAUnion) sites.google.com/view/fairlib...

New post from me, telling everyone to join a union and show solidarity with other workers (especially #BritishLibraryOnStrike)

The risible wages are well-known in the wider field of the library, museum, gallery and archive world. I’d like to think public opinion is with the people who make the place click day-in-day-out; they deserve better. Knowledge may be free but labour isn’t: spread the wealth and pay the workers!

British Library staff are out on strike from Monday 27 October until Sunday 9 November over pay: please do not undermine their action by attending this exhibition (or any other events at the BL) during that time. www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...

No scabbing, please. Support your striking library workers.

This applies to online events hosted by the British Library. Digital pickets are still pickets.

Looks like an amazing exhibition! Produced by people with incredible levels of skill, knowledge and expertise who all deserve to be paid properly. www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...

The national ballot against insufficient pay and unnecessary redundancies is ON! Get out to your nearest post box and make your voices heard! And if you haven't gotten a ballot yet, please talk to your reps about requesting a replacement. #StopTheCuts #SaveHE