Jessamyn

Rural tech geek. Researcher. Librarian resistance. Moss collector. Postcard enjoyer. ✉️ box 345 05060 USA ✉️ (she/her)

Loosely anti-IOT. Keeps a hammer by the printer in case it ever makes an unexpected noise.

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Last Notes

2026-08-07 20:07:03 UTC

Friday afternoon reminder to not empty your inbox at the expense of someone else's. Summer stretches on here and I've got a weekend full of outdoor activities, many of them requiring outfits. I'm spending this afternoon in a frenzy of visible mending and I'd love to not also feel compelled to reply to your last-minute email. We'll all sweatily muddle forward.
Image credit: Provincial Archives of Alberta, on Flickr Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alberta_archives/55433208068/
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/056/026/824/101/427/original/9742b90671a80ab3.jpeg

2026-08-04 21:26:17 UTC

I rewrote my will this month because
- my old one was out of date
- I actually got some free psychic space to handle this
- I really like my lawyer and he works how I work
- I enjoy crossing things off of my clipboard
If you're someone who has been putting this off, please let this be a small nudge to do it. It may be a lot simpler than you think, depending on your jurisdiction. Nolo's got some good Getting Started stuff, as does GYST
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/wills-trusts-estates
https://getyourshittogether.org/checklists-how-tos/
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/039/328/527/590/038/original/87f485863957141a.jpeg
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/039/334/716/506/739/original/c259db8088375e6d.jpeg

2026-08-04 16:15:12 UTC

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Small update. The race track did a "pit party" where kids could come through, see the cars, etc. Andrea got book stickers made so all the kids could sign her car. Truly some of my best library outreach work.
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/038/125/194/714/943/original/d4c379f21579877f.jpg
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/038/125/228/723/121/original/76166124d9a2852d.webp

2026-07-31 22:47:03 UTC

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@nprofile…k2kz Are you looking for Occupy-specific things? I went to one (a few) like this at the WTO Protests in Seattle. Worked decently because people were mission-aligned. There are some primary source materials linked in this article. Smaller scale than Occupy, to be sure, but also an earlier incarnation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_Seattle_WTO_protests

2026-07-26 15:05:18 UTC

The Mastodon web app has subtly changed the way their advanced interface works w/r/t seeing my own replies and I am now doing my bi-yearly "Are there other interfaces I might like better?" quest. Really pining for the Tweetdeck of yore (with an option for more columns). Anyone got one that they like?
Note: not looking for iOS apps, just the web app.

2026-07-24 00:22:47 UTC

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With the help of a Mastodon pal, I think I got the domain redirecting properly. If you could let me know if http://NoToAI.org (or the https://NoToAi.org) does NOT redirect to a page on librarian.net, I'd appreciate it.

2026-07-23 19:58:43 UTC

"Stop using Media Bias/Fact Check in research" an article by some friends of mine up on Arxiv
https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.12108

2026-07-22 15:53:11 UTC

Jessamyn's Maxim of Uptime says that the likelihood that your website will be up and running is in inverse proportion to the amount of media mentions that you've gotten in the past 24 hours.
I did an interview with a person who works for an indie news outlet. I mentioned my work with Flickr Commons and my blog, librarian.net. Within 24 hours of the interview going up, both sites were down (and are both back up now.
Here's the interview. I think it came out well.
https://www.newsjunkie.net/article/jessamyn-west-interview

2026-07-17 02:10:34 UTC

Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback on how to turn off (or quiet) intrusive AI so that I can help my patrons at the public library who often come to me asking for this help. Can't promise that I'll keep this updated but for now I got a domain for it and everything (just redirects to a page on my website)
https://NoToAI.org
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/932/857/735/599/584/original/5281c3c1d0f891d2.jpg

2026-07-15 18:21:58 UTC

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@nprofile…ew3d @nprofile…84tf Yep point taken and I will happily change this title to "How to keep intrusive AI from getting in your way when you're just trying to do a thing." There's no way (that I know of) to be entirely free from AI if you use large scale tech, but the question I get at the public library in my rural town remains "How do I turn it off" and what they mean is "How do I stop various AI 'helpers' from getting in my way as I muddle through my tech environment?"

2026-07-14 16:57:51 UTC

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@nprofile…84tf Google is loaded with AI, much of which is turn-offable and mine is all turned off. It does allow for good collaboration. Once this doc feels more "final form-ish" I will self host somewhere with no AI. The irony is not lost on me, but realistically people are using what they use, they just want the AI in it to be less-intrusive.

2026-07-13 17:53:28 UTC

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I have consolidated many of these suggestions into a document with a few other links. Anything major that I am missing? This is mostly for the types of users I interact with (mainly older adults) so I did not include things like Slack and I'm not sure about things I don't use much like Outlook or Facebook. Other suggestions for links about removing AI geared towards not-very-technical people?

2026-07-10 20:44:13 UTC

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Bob has come to the library before. He wants to get Malwarebytes to stop nagging him that his subscription has expired. He does not have a subscription but I guess he was on a free trial of some of the premium features that has ended and sending him menacing notifications. We go into the Windows notification center and I ask him a few questions, he doesn't want ANY notifications from software and it's very satisfying to turn them all off.

2026-07-10 00:12:23 UTC

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Everyone I saw today, other than Keith, had a stated reason for coming to talk to me, but another thing they also wanted to talk about. Phil Agre talked about "Attending to the symbolism of the interaction." Agitation about tech is often agitation about other things: personal circumstances, control, aging, the inexorable passage of time. Being good at this job (if I may say so) means helping, if possible, with all of the parts of their problem, not just the ones that are fixable. EOM.

2026-07-10 00:12:13 UTC

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Bill is in the room I work in when I come back. He is charging his iPhone 8. He is complaining that apps he needs to use won't work with it. He's mostly not here for me just to use the electrical outlets, but maybe also to complain a little. I tell him he can get secondhand phones that will be current enough for most apps (I use a 2020 SE) for not much money but I think owning ancient tech is part of his vibe. I listen to him grouse a bit more about AT&Ts coverage and then go home.

2026-07-10 00:12:05 UTC

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Cobber is a guy just in the main part of the library who needs to print out some title transfer documents. We do not have wireless printing. The tech company our library contracts with appears to be unable to do this (I know, I know, don't @ me) so people just email their documents to our info@ email address and we print them. He doesn't have his glasses so needs help. I watch him attach a PDF to an Outlook email, then open it, then watch Adobe spin while it tries to load endless AI crap.

2026-07-10 00:11:56 UTC

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Mike, I used to work with. He's a super-lefty who owns a cool domain which has been with Network Solutions since the nineties but he has grown to LOATHE them (smart guy) and needs to extricate himself from them and it's a huge headache. His anger does get in his way, a little. He has to update some contact info so he can get a transfer code and he keeps insisting that he's DONE that. I assure him that he has not. We get the transfer started. Mike is probably still mad.

2026-07-10 00:11:49 UTC

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And ultimately have to pay $25 to get one ordered through a third-party vendor that the state contracts with. Will take 10-20 days. Lorretta "I'm not getting this before the end of the month, am I?" Me "Not likely, I'd go bug the housing agency again, this can't be the first time they've come up against this wall" Lorretta is so much more chill than I would be given the circumstances. She has no computer, just a cell phone. Many if not most tech problems are life problems that tech makes worse.

2026-07-10 00:11:39 UTC

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Next: Lorretta. She was in last week. Loretta needs housing by the end of the month but her life has been a series of small tech insults as she tries to handle this issue. Last week it was getting her an email and a Front Porch Forum (local Nextdoor) account. This week it's that she needs her Social Security card so the local housing agency can help her. Not the number, the fucking CARD. To do that she needs a birth certificate which she also doesn't have. We wrestle with NY State...

2026-07-08 17:23:05 UTC

One of the biggest questions I get at Drop-In Time at the library (besides "what is taking up all my cloud storage??) is how to disable or avoid intrusive AI that shows up where people don't want it. I'm going to make a handout that explains how to do some of the basic AI-removal or AI-avoidance things.
Would appreciate links which give simple steps to do this for the most-used (Siri, Alexa, Gemini, Copilot, Firefox's AI nonsense &c.) so I can collate and synthesize. Thanks!

2026-06-26 23:16:22 UTC

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I did not realize that was last year's car. This year's car looks AMAZING. Thanks to all who chipped in.
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/818/942/650/493/757/original/bae4903abaa3ca93.jpeg
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/818/943/105/217/256/original/937524ebe48e5e5e.jpeg

2026-06-25 17:45:08 UTC

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@nprofile…hfhx iirc there is not a cheap international book rate. I'd put it on a hotel shelf unless you have room in your luggage.

2026-06-24 00:02:11 UTC

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@nprofile…a57a Hey hey glad I could help. I love poking around newspapers.com for stuff like this. I had no idea about the car names either. Those images are excellent, 1930s was a great time for car racing.

2026-06-23 22:05:40 UTC

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@nprofile…a57a OK! That "Durst special" and "Might have been PA" narrows it down a lot. That is... likely the late 1930s. I don't know how long these cars hung around for but here's a likely mention of it.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-reporter-durst-special/200183808/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-reporter-durst-special/200183808/
Looks like Ray may be the guy who took this auto mechanics class, same time.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-ray-rakowski/200184218/
There were a lot of Riley specials
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-reporter-riley-special/200184506/

2026-06-20 01:42:56 UTC

I have a tall stump in my front yard that I left when I had to take down a dead tree. it is right on the sidewalk. It is now home to some incredible massive wasps. They look scary but are harmless to humans. I have a laminator. I made a sign. (CWed pix of wasps in next toot)
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/779/870/864/417/981/original/014008ef57870acf.jpeg

2026-06-01 17:12:33 UTC

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I have not been able to get a good photo of the car but here's one of the hood. "No Boundaries. No Limits. Know Your Library." Thanks again to all who contributed.
For those on Facebook, follow Andrea's progress here.
https://www.facebook.com/ChambersStAmourRacing
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/675/963/885/623/778/original/9e53fb91f5876c5b.png

2026-05-26 23:25:46 UTC

Today's library outreach: getting my snows off. Gave the guy at the tire shop my zip code. He said "best zip code" I asked if he lived in town. He did. I asked if he had a library card. He said no but he'll think about it. I explain the many benefits. He says both his kids are readers. Other guy in waiting room is laughing, I'm not sure why. I look, it's the former library director from two towns over. Reading Murderbot, in print (I was reading a book about the Edmund Fitzgerald, also in print).

2026-05-22 22:41:17 UTC

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"We see it as an asset, and we think the library community, which has always been thoughtful about how technology serves people rather than the other way around, is exactly the right audience to have that conversation with openly."
I feel weird about this, but mostly the optics & lack of specifics. Like ht head guy mentioned how they could use it, using that language we all know like "leaning in" how not how they ARE using it, if they are. If it's for their transcripts, it's not great!
(3/3)

2026-05-22 22:39:55 UTC

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"We're leaning into responsible AI use across the EBCE team, not uncritically and not as a shortcut, but as a genuine force multiplier. Used correctly, AI helps a small mission-driven team such as ours do work that would otherwise require significantly more resources
It helps us analyze feedback patterns, accelerate development cycles, improve documentation, and spend more of our human capacity on judgment calls that actually require it." (2/3)

2026-05-22 22:37:54 UTC

LYRASIS's Palace Project (a Libby-type book lending platform that many VT libraries use) did their Spring update. Their senior director came out with a big statement about AI and then none of the other staff giving their updates about features and feedback on the hour-long call mentioned it at all. Which, unfortunately, seems like how we're used to hearing about it. Leadership loves it, staff aren't really using it, librarians are told "You're smart, you'll like this"
https://lyrasis.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2355/collection_resources/170275/

2026-05-19 20:35:22 UTC

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LOOK AT THESE CUTIES.
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/603/149/663/175/776/original/c7fe0dae019b72b3.jpeg

2026-05-19 00:04:19 UTC

Could use info from ppl nerdier than me. A friend asked for a scanner that can make "editable PDFs'" which my experience tells me is not a thing. However I'm aware that the world moves on and it's possible this is a thing now. So, understanding that I am not talking about annotating or making a fillable PDF out of a PDF, are editable PDFs a thing? I have read this page so I think what I mean is "Are editable PDFs a thing that you can do with normal non-Adobe software?"
https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/resources/how-to-make-a-pdf-editable.html

2026-05-18 19:58:06 UTC

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The library budget has been the source of a lot of drama over the past six months with the Selectboard adjusting what the library asked for, people being Big Mad, voting the budget down in solidarity. Now they are having a special election about the new budget. It's going... rough, with some tough meetings with people pretty mad. Having library folks seem like "part of the community" (we don't always) in this way can, imo, only help us. Do what you can, there are a lot of ways to help
(3/3)

2026-05-18 19:55:46 UTC

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2. Our local newspaper does a "face to face" insert every year where they take pictures of the people who work at local businesses and they buy them as (cheap) ads. It's fun every year to see everyone in it. The library is never in it. This is probably because my director never really thought about it. I decided I'd like to do it. Surprisingly, she was not against it. The photographer (who is also the editor) came by and took everyone's photo. We'll be in the paper. Go us.
Also of note...
(2/3)

2026-05-18 19:53:54 UTC

I have been working on my community-building which involves all sorts of things that are not that hard for me but seemingly hard for others. Two examples:
1. My neighbors want to have a block party. There is paperwork and talking to cops involved in getting this process started. Despite my ACAB feelings, I can do both of these things. We now have a signed assembly permit for the block party. Other people can wrangle getting a face painting booth set up and emptying trash bins.
(1/2)

2026-05-17 15:02:27 UTC

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@nprofile…96k4 I think that's the central thesis of this Ray Nayler book, have you read it?
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808603-the-mountain-in-the-sea

2026-05-17 15:00:49 UTC

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@nprofile…v9dg I had not, that's really interesting, This was part of the reason I made sure every state library association had a Wikipedia page.

2026-05-14 00:06:02 UTC

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@nprofile…xpxu That is definitely a bird that should not be hard to ID but yellow warbler is my guess as well even though I agree the pictures really don't match.

2026-05-12 16:50:45 UTC

In anticipation of no longer being a Justice of the Peace--I am not running for re-election in 2026, 14 years is enough--I got ordained in the Universal Life Church which means that any weddings I perform after my JP term expires shall be considered "religious" ceremonies. While this feels weird, there's nothing I like more than cheap or free loopholes which help me harness the power of the state. Free Vermont weddings for anyone (who is qualified to marry)!

2026-05-08 20:00:11 UTC

Friday afternoon reminder to not empty your inbox at the expense of someone else. I carpooled with someone who had a cough (unbeknownst to me until later) and now I have the sneezes. Hoping it's just allergies. This will be a weekend of masking up, resting up, and very little typing. Schedule that message for when my sinuses have dried up and have a good weekend.
Image credit: National Library of Medicine, on Flickr Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlmhmd/49679741503/
https://glammr-us.s3.de.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/540/729/563/163/138/original/a66dfc18e83b1da0.jpeg

2026-05-01 19:14:32 UTC

Librarian.net: Oral testimony for the Vermont data privacy and online surveillance bill
I was invited to give testimony in front of this committee about S.71, An act relating to consumer data privacy and online surveillance. This is what I said
https://www.librarian.net/stax/5856/oral-testimony-for-the-vermont-data-privacy-and-online-surveillance-bill/
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/500/913/963/532/185/original/85bbe77be6472b0c.jpg

2026-05-01 18:24:03 UTC

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@nprofile…cckg Oooh, tell me more about Gmail Message Recovery Tool, I do not know what that is.

2026-04-28 03:08:52 UTC

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Book 33: Carl's Doomsday Scenario. Book two of this goofy LitRPG series. I enjoyed it a lot, maybe not quite as much as the first one because there was a lot more "WTF is going on?" in the first one. This book introduces quests and some other kind of important dungeon beings. The cat gets a pet and there's a big fight against evil clowns and knife-wielding lemurs. You'll know if you'll like this book or not by how you feel about the previous sentence. I enjoyed it.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/480/117/609/886/951/original/074c1095fb168ed6.jpg

2026-04-24 00:14:14 UTC

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I talk her through setting it up and dodging 15 different ways for Google spy on her, install more crapware. I also have a private chat about ways to make her devices more impervious to hackers (her partner doesn't seem to be the problem, but you never know) and I email her a few links to her personal email address.
Everyone goes home. I go home. I pass Bill going home in his BMW. I am whooped. I read over my partner's possible new lease so he won't have ChatGPT summarize it. Busy day. EOM

2026-04-24 00:11:08 UTC

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She begins talking about how she got hacked and her stuff "retroactively deleted" from her Chime account and how an unspecified "they" have been spying on her through her devices.
The two of them start talking to Bill, who lives off-grid and comes to the library to charge his iPhone 8. I talk to him about how to tell if it's unsupported. They all have a hearty conversation about how you can be talking about a thing and then BAM, you see an ad for it. She decides to wipe her device entirely.

2026-04-24 00:10:23 UTC

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Quinn and Paula were waiting outside. They have a new tablet which is a Lenovo Gen 3 tablet, but she says it's saying it's a Gen 2 and she wants "to update it." They have enough language to talk about tech but also a lot of misunderstandings. I ask where she saw that it was a Gen 2. There is a LOT of clicking around and "I saw it here somewhere..." I'm patient because she feels how she feels, but I also notice that the camera/microphone are covered with tape, some of her stuff doesn't add up.

2026-04-24 00:09:07 UTC

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Ed was waiting behind two other people to talk to me. He's a motorcycle mechanic and has a lot of questions but there are other people behind him so he settles for the most pressing one which is getting a copy of his business insurance to some supplier or other. He has it on his phone. He needs it on his laptop. There are other ways to do it but the one I show him is "Email it to yourself." He does. It works. He can do this himself too.

2026-04-24 00:08:54 UTC

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He accidentally set himself up with a passkey in Outlook and it's confusing and bothersome to him. We have to sign in to Microsoft approximately six times to remove this passkey which he never wanted and did not understand. Also his phone requires his six digit unlock code every time he puts it down and I ask if he wants it to not do that. Promises to love me forever if I can do that. This is actually a thing I know how to do pretty well. Maybe now Neil will remember my name.

2026-04-24 00:08:38 UTC

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Annoyingly, you can go in from the Ting home page and choose a $10/mo plan but if you go through their "activation flow" they only offer a $25/mo option. Still cheaper, but come on. We have to pop the old SIMs back IN and send him home til he can get his Verizon details. He can probably do the rest on his own, or I'll see him next week.
Neil is an old timer who always seems like he's meeting me for the first time even though I've known him for a decade...

2026-04-24 00:08:04 UTC

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Chris came in with his dumb phone and his wife's smart phone and two SIM cards and wanted to get started using Ting instead of paying ridiculous $$ to Verizon. He's an old lefty (whose partner is a yoga teacher) who I like a lot but knows very little about tech. I show him how to pop out the old SIMs and put the new ones in but their activation requires details from their Verizon account that he does not have. Also he hasn't chosen a Ting plan yet.

2026-04-24 00:07:46 UTC

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Wendy has an iPad, an iPhone, a Macbook and a gmail account and wants them all to coordinate. I assure her they DO all coordinate. She wants to know why she's seeing what she's seeing and it's because she's not on Wifi on the iPad or the Macbook sometimes so they don't update until they're online. I also explain the difference between archiving and deleting gmail and why the devices handle it differently. Wendy does not know her own cell number, I discover.

2026-04-24 00:07:36 UTC

Very busy drop-in time at the library today so I didn't get to do my one other task which was "review social media policy for library trustees." The library is in a bit of a situation, with a leaking (fancy) cupola and a town dragging its feet on a 150K grant because of preservation easement reasons. One of the trustees has been speaking AS a trustee on social media about it and even though she's generally right (imo), there probably need to be some policies. Here's who I saw today.

2026-04-21 16:25:52 UTC

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Because of rules about non-profit status in the US and ALA's nervousness about it, advocating for *workers* is done by a separate, linked, organization called ALA-APA.
This organization has been around for over two decades but ebbs and flows in its impact. It's been ebbing lately which is too bad, library work can be challenging and poorly paid, even as people are generally very supportive of libraries and their workers.
https://ala-apa.org/nlwd/

2026-04-21 16:21:30 UTC

Today is National Library Workers Day. The library where I work has a knitters group that meets on Monday. I've never been interested in learning to knit, until now.
https://ravel.me/library-card-vest
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/443/605/332/435/306/original/e5aba8351a35390e.png

2026-04-21 00:51:37 UTC

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@nprofile…kvw5 The thing I'm really concerned about as a working public librarian is that I think most librarians still treat each book challenge as if it is authentic and worthy of going through the process. And this may be true if there's a parent in the community that has a concern even if it's kind of a bullshit concern (homophobic, transphobic, "there is swearing" &c.) but it's absolutely not true if it's a coordinated national campaign.

2026-04-20 22:28:59 UTC

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@nprofile…kvw5 "Less than 3 percent of challenges originated from individual parents." It's just all pressure groups and.or the government.

2026-04-15 20:10:05 UTC

I went to Hampshire College for undergrad and now it's closing. I have the usual not-interesting-to-me thoughts about what this may portend about the country, but here's a personal reflection on how this does or does not affect me, and how Hampshire affected me.
https://www.jessamyn.com/journal/2026/04/on-hampshire
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/410/531/945/399/810/original/e63b44e5bb41bdf8.jpg

2026-04-15 01:47:12 UTC

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@nprofile…arm3 @nprofile…tdgd I was F86 which feels like forever ago. Did a linguistics degree and wrote a thesis on singular they pronouns (in the 80s!) which I just found in my files a few months ago. It holds up!

2026-04-15 01:33:49 UTC

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@nprofile…tdgd I'm one of the people who went there but isn't ready (may never be ready) to talk about it. Hampshire was formative for me in so many ways. I'm sorry other people won't be able to have that. I moved to Seattle then VT because of Hampshire, became a librarian because of Hampshire, met many friends I still have. But also my post-graduation experience was less great (non-stop aggressive appeals for money & little else) and I feel okay letting Hampshire rest. I am sorry for everyone's loss.

2026-04-14 17:18:37 UTC

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Book 32: This Book Made Me Think Of You. A woman's young husband dies and he leaves her a gift of one hand-picked book per month from the local independent bookstore. This is an engaging and basic romance novel which has at its core the idea that books can change lives. It goes pretty much exactly where you think it's going to go. It's nice, it's bookish, the characters are likable and I did not at all mind being in this world for a while, even though romances are not usually my thing.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/404/184/182/484/185/original/25253a9df70635fb.jpeg

2026-04-08 20:06:04 UTC

Walked downtown and paid for my annual subscription to the local newspaper (print and digital) with cash and then had a nice chat with the editor who is also my neighbor.
Here's a photo from the town's historical society (basically me and a few others) of the newspaper's offices--same building I was in today--with women seated at typesetting desks getting the paper ready, back in the day.
#Vermont
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/370/865/099/555/017/original/215ed290909f7cb7.png

2026-04-08 15:29:20 UTC

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Book 31: The Bear at the Bird Feeder. As someone who has had a bear at her bird feeder, I read this book with interest. The author is an outdoorsy type who talks about the various kinds of animals you might see if you live near their habitats and what, if anything, you can and should do about them. The animals she discusses range from bears to alligators to foxes to skunks to wild turkeys. It's sensible advice which acknowledges the complexity of these situations.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/369/764/673/863/859/original/b16a9b6ce06b8442.jpeg

2026-04-07 23:16:32 UTC

I don't talk about my home life too much here but me and @nprofile…qe8y celebrated our 18th anniversary of when we met this past weekend. Here's us at anniversary #1 (at Walden Pond) and a pic from a few weeks ago. 💑
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/365/939/132/855/581/original/47a1c32b67a33df0.jpg
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/365/940/460/409/840/original/256c78d283c34cdc.jpeg

2026-04-07 15:46:18 UTC

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@nprofile…v2yy Oh that was good, but I am not do audiobooks for whatever reason. My commute is two minutes and dish-doing time is taken up by podcasts, but I'll keep that suggestion for other folks who are more audiobook inclined.

2026-04-07 15:06:15 UTC

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Book 30: Dungeon Crawler Carl. I put off reading this because the cover is so dumb. I'm glad I persevered. It's a "What if an RPG was in novel form and was funny?" book with Carl who survives a weird apocalypse only to wind up in a dungeon RPG along with his ex-girlfriend's cat who gets some buffs so that she can talk. There's a complex ruleset and a lot of funny bits while there's also a lot of boss battles complete with weird monsters and a lot of gore. Part of a longer series, will read more.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/364/021/696/944/705/original/085cbffec4ab98e4.jpeg

2026-04-06 19:12:19 UTC

Librarian.net: Finally got an Apple Watch, it’s okay
Someone finally got an Apple Watch. How’s it been?
https://www.librarian.net/stax/5825/finally-got-an-apple-watch-its-okay/
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/359/347/438/808/386/original/16d4c5fdaf3342f5.jpg
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/359/347/504/242/136/original/3c37f8536c5431ff.jpg

2026-04-04 01:30:59 UTC

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@nprofile…70rn I'm pretty sure my across the street neighbor friend got the same procedure that you got. Did you heal up okay?

2026-04-04 01:27:56 UTC

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@nprofile…ycuw I both have a subscription to my local newspaper and admire your use of the interrobang.

2026-04-03 23:53:47 UTC

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@nprofile…hfhx I do like those combo units and if I ever got a fancy high-tech job I would definitely go for one of them.

2026-04-03 23:47:52 UTC

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@nprofile…hfhx I just went with the ones that my friend the landlord was getting rid of because he upgraded to high efficiency models so they're old Whirlpools that will probably last another 50 years.

2026-04-03 20:12:03 UTC

Friday afternoon reminder to not empty your inbox at the expense of someone else's. Big holiday weekend around here and I just got my laundry machines installed. I'm not sure doing laundry in my grubby basement is an improvement over doing it at the clean laundromat, but we can all learn new things, like how to not send last minute email to people just trying to get to their weekend.
Image credit: Mennonite Church USA Archives, on Flickr Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/52529054@N06/6472049199/
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/342/595/365/614/537/original/65f1847e128aa2aa.jpeg

2026-04-03 15:17:22 UTC

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@nprofile…nsfz "72% of attempts to censor books now come from pressure groups and government entities. Parents accounted for 16% of demands to censor books and 5% of challenges were brought by individual library users." I knew the trend was in that direction, but wow.

2026-04-03 03:27:17 UTC

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@nprofile…9rzs She's got a GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fsg98-help-luanne-james-in-her-time-of-need

2026-04-03 03:24:00 UTC

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@nprofile…r6lk But if you had to compare this one to the "running your own laundromat" game?

2026-04-02 00:16:14 UTC

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@nprofile…v9dg I had not. Thank you.

2026-04-02 00:15:19 UTC

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@nprofile…nw2n I read the whole thing, and boosted it, and it occurred to me I did not leave a comment that told you I thought it was very very good. It was!

2026-04-02 00:14:01 UTC

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@nprofile…6y3x Thanks David.

2026-04-01 16:54:51 UTC

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@nprofile…n00n I found a few of them. I don't know who is who though.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/330/493/165/572/217/original/80f115e2711543b1.png
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/330/493/192/287/377/original/c6a59fc4fa992b93.png
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/330/493/242/030/168/original/4762ae3b59701d93.png

2026-04-01 01:28:42 UTC

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@nprofile…8pur Barely relevant reply, but always worth another watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATMR5ettHz8

2026-03-31 23:43:45 UTC

It's #TransDayofVisibility Shoutout to The Massachusetts Trans Librarian Group, your work is important and helps us all.
https://mblc.state.ma.us/mblc_blog/2026/03/30/green-matlg/
And also to Commander Emily Schilling (pic from 2024, on Flickr Commons) who is suing the current administration over their transgender military ban. She went on to work for SPARTA Pride for transgender military advocacy. SPARTA Pride had their awards ceremony last weekend.
https://lambdalegal.org/case/shilling-v-trump/
https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/albert-cashier-transgender-military-awards
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/326/430/828/700/031/original/66b1fa7e60462952.png

2026-03-31 00:18:51 UTC

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Today I gave Andrea the money you all chipped in, here and on Bluesky. Twenty-six different people. Andrea chose from an assortment of slogans and we're going with "Burn Rubber, Not Books" which I am good with. I'll share a picture of the hood image (same as last year) when it's done.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/320/913/467/525/691/original/035f2d2a7cc83db2.jpeg

2026-03-30 16:04:21 UTC

Book 29: The Body, a Guide for Occupants. A fun book about what we know about the human body based on science. It talks about the body section by section. The book is filled with trivia including a lot of mentions of people who are not well-known by folks (including some scientists whose research was co-opted by others who took all the glory). I knew some things, I learned some things, and I thought "Oh I think that's changed" about a few things (book is from 2017). Readable and fun.
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/318/962/369/552/621/original/319a790ec9f5f8cb.jpeg

2026-03-30 01:49:01 UTC

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@nprofile…qm4e @nprofile…yrm5 It's so important to be mindful about that because if you let the machine chew you up, it very much will do it.
The purpose of a system is what it does and I believe that tech is an empathy-removing machine.
And this was the toot, I think.
https://mastodon.social/@gknauss/116302947293970382

2026-03-27 21:48:59 UTC

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@nprofile…y0y2 Amusingly I wound up in Vermont :D

2026-03-27 21:36:12 UTC

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@nprofile…6alm Not at all a sore thing, just a weird history thing.

2026-03-27 20:13:03 UTC

Friday afternoon reminder to not empty your inbox at the expense of someone else's. I have been hearing news about the coming of Spring and this weekend I intend to fully investigate. Don't be my boss emailing me at 5:05 on a Friday with something with a deadline. I'll be elsewhere. have a good weekend.
Image credit: Miami University Libraries, on Flickr Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/muohio_digital_collections/3193617949/
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/302/963/164/087/265/original/1c26c046593f3031.jpeg

2026-03-27 19:42:14 UTC

Made a short post on my blog about Tracy Kidder and the nostalgia hole I've been in over the past few days.
https://www.jessamyn.com/journal/2026/03/tracy-kidder-rip
https://glammr.us/system/media_attachments/files/116/302/840/814/487/532/original/0b1d95ff8785fdb5.png

2026-03-27 16:57:22 UTC

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We have now reached our stretch goal on this. Thank you to everyone who contributed. You can follow Andrea on FB (if you use it) or I'll try to post updates as I can.
https://www.facebook.com/ChambersStAmourRacing

2026-03-27 03:29:49 UTC

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@nprofile…dsx7 He was such a low-key legend. I was part of the community of the first book (Tom West's daughter) and I read a lot of Tracy's later books and each time I felt transported. So good.

2026-03-27 03:26:29 UTC

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@nprofile…3tsk I helped an 80+ year old woman install a wireless printer today and the step I *thought* we were going to get hung up on was her having her apple ID password to at least pretend to install software (fuck you HP) but she whipped the little piece of paper it was on out from under her desk blotter SO quickly.

2026-03-26 19:41:04 UTC

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@nprofile…jvcx It's newish but not totally new. I use it all the time because I'm a night owl and have some people I text with who have their ringers on for work reasons, so it's useful for me to be able to text them asynch.

2026-03-26 16:25:31 UTC

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@nprofile…sj4c In my world it's Mastodon for nerds and geeky things and old web folks, Bluesky for bigger reach, librarian stuff and more shitposting type of jokes. Mastodon is more people I know in person (though not all, certainly) and Bluesky is more "people from the internet"

2026-03-26 01:23:46 UTC

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@nprofile…yrm5 They were totally warnings.

2026-03-25 22:38:10 UTC

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@nprofile…wq8a Thanks. We weren't really in touch in his later years but I was always fond of him.

2026-03-25 22:37:42 UTC

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@nprofile…wj9g She's really cool. Her dad runs my town's water system and they work on her cars together and it's just great to see it. I buy space on her car every year and they always come by, to my house, in person, to say thank you and give me a little set of photos of the car in action. It's really so so nice. Thank you for your donation.

2026-03-25 22:36:36 UTC

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@nprofile…r6lk I feel a little bad for his family that the clout-chasers at the NYT decided that his Pulitzer-winning book was the one they should mention in the headline. He did so much with his writing career. The Boston Globe has a better balance. (have I mentioned I'm Tom West's daughter to you? I must have.)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/25/metro/tracy-kidder-obituary-nonfiction-writer/

2026-03-25 19:19:03 UTC

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@nprofile…mm2x The guy the hair was named after!

2026-03-25 19:16:59 UTC

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@nprofile…wj9g Stock! If you've got Facebook you can see some of her stuff here.
https://www.facebook.com/ChambersStAmourRacing

2026-03-25 18:20:59 UTC

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@nprofile…65q8 I get a lot of this when I do computer help at the library. People often want to talk about their situation a lot (which is understandable, technology gives people a lot of anxiety) but I nearly always ask them "What can I help you with?" and if they continue to just tell me the story of Their Technology Life Until then, I will sometimes start being a bit more forceful "What can *I* help you with *today*"
No surprise that life problems slop over into tech problems.

2026-03-25 17:51:10 UTC

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@nprofile…tj4e And she's such a nice person! Dental hygienist, great family person, but also a FIEND on the track.