I hate that I have to say "I have competing deadlines" instead of "completely fucking losing my goddamned mind" in professional settings.

The Onion making me miss my turtle...

Just watched a crow chow down on what I thought was a rat, but turned out to be a baby bunny so now my week is ruined.

So excited that Rachel and the Transportation Library are featured! Especially excited that the unsung yet genius designers of government docs are getting some love. 😍

Coming up with alt-text for a photo of a deconstructed Fluxus art piece is the equivalent of an entire semester of creative writing.

I was going to write today, but until we know more, I don't have any new words for this moment. What I will say is that if you are reeling, and you know you want to be part of making things better, Mariame Kaba and I wrote a book for you. I hope it helps.

The Suez Canal debacle was WAY more fun than Hormuz. This admin ruins everything.

Lol someone put this on the fridge where our "Mr AI" Dean stores his lunch.

I talked with @prisonculture.bsky.social, Alison Macrina, and Katie Clark about libraries as public infrastructure, contested political terrain, and spaces of possibility—and about what it means to fight for them in this fascistic moment.

Really great info in this Chicago Voter Guide. #knowyourcity

Even as sentiment across the country turns against ICE more broadly I think we're still heading for something of a political split where, if you live in a city that's been directly subject to ICE occupation, it becomes the only issue that matters in a way that's difficult to grasp from outside.

Do you love Talas as much as I do? Well, you will after watching this! Behind the scenes at their warehouse with a conservator. 😍 cc @joshuajfriedman.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqOq...

My library had a raccoon fall through the ceiling in the archival processing area. We assumed it had a PhD so thought itself a qualified archivist.

“If [wealthy, powerful people] can get us to accept that the future’s already settled, AI is already here, the end is already here, then we will create that for them. My most daring idea is to refuse.” — @tressiemcphd.bsky.social

Cool hey did anything happen *before* 1979 between the United States and Iran

Procedural liberalism on display. We support the murder of innocents, the immoral and demonic violence, but the President didn't fill out the right paperwork. The same logic that calls for higher police training budgets and more diversity among prison guards. Polishing the bars of the cage.

For Chicago folks: Liberation Library is looking to recruit additional members to its Steering Committee (SC). Apply by March 31st. It's a great group. bit.ly/JoinLibLib

After nearly 15 years of serving as a venue for underrepresented artists in Chicago and beyond, DePaul University announced that its art museum will close its doors for good on June 30.

The amazing folks at Cultural Heritage Advocacy and Action Coalition (CHAACo) created a guide for various ways to "counter the harmful narratives" in our work/outreach. www.chaaco.org/resource-hub...

Things can go downhill real fast.

Atlanta teacher killed in car crash after ICE chases after undocumented immigrant with no criminal history. Local police say there was no reason for ICE to start a dangerous car Chase www.fox10tv.com/2026/02/16/t...

I could probably dominate the skeleton if not for too much boobs.

ICON

This is AWFUL. Univ of Texas is consolidating 4 depts into 1: African and African Diaspora Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, American Studies, and Mexican American and Latino Studies will become "a Social and Cultural Analysis department." www.texastribune.org/2026/02/12/t...

Evidence shows feds lied about Marimar Martinez's shooting in Chicago, attorney says @chicago.suntimes.com story: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Ah, town and gown beefs since 1300. Good thing we've learned our lesson. 🙃

I'm choosing to interpret this as statement about the island's poor infrastructure due to colonialism and exploitation.

Cool! www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/a...

The Institute of Museum and Library Services’ grant application process has taken a political turn under Trump. “It’s clear the administration wants a whitewashed story,” said a Republican who led the agency from 2019 to 2024. “And that’s wrong.”

ok. does anyone know if it's twice per athlon or every two athlons

The archivist (my good friend), who gathered all the city council tapes, processed the collection, fought an uphill battle to get buy-in just to apply for the digitization grant (therefore making all this possible), will obviously not get credit. Three cheers for the unsung heroes and hidden labor!

New Chi skyline on press. Especially pleased with a Bean made of parentheses. #letterpress

You can test new tech ideas using the Seinfeld Test Would the product eliminate the plot of an episode? (Google maps, cell phones, paypal, battery packs) Good tech. Would the product inspire new Seinfeld plots? (NFTs, AI chatbots, crypto currency, blindboxes, metaverse land sales) Bad tech.

"Tarantino is married? I thought he just liked feet" - my sister, splicing in an aside during an otherwise serious convo

Calling them “protests” is lazy, inaccurate and plays into the false narrative that’s being used to justify further escalation by the federal government. 3/3

HEYO

Getting more real

Is today when he finally became presidential?

Given the continued escalation by the federal forces occupying Minneapolis-St. Paul, we’re going to continue diverting all GFM donations to help people on the ground. $2,549 raised and counting. I’m also collecting material donations through tomorrow! gofund.me/0b3af2ca7

One unintended consequence of this admin's refocus of the military is there's no 2026 cat and dog calendar from the Portland US Army Corps of Engineers. It's honestly devastating. www.nwp.usace.army.mil

Police killed at least 1,292 people in the United States in 2025. There were only six days with zero police killings last year. Source: mappingpoliceviolence.org.

Throwback to the city commissioning art to promote vaccines in 2021. 7-color print, all metal & wood type. More info & process here: www.starshaped.com/postersprint...

I just heard someone say we're only a week into the new year. I've canceled them for spouting offensive lies.

blogged it defector.com/how-hard-is-...

Larger context on the ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota: Fed. officers have fatally shot at least 3 other people in the last 5 months & wounded or threatened others. We describe a few of the recent incidents and patterns we've noticed here. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/01/07/i...

In Sept, ICE killed another person in a car and lied about it. www.reuters.com/world/us/pol...

Me reading a professional listserv: whoa liquor as a conservation issue tell me more! Probably everyone else reading it: an artist's signature is important provenance tell me more!