Coral

Watching folks bend over backwards on a professional listserv to get an AI "assistant" working in a way that isn't 100% contrary to library principles, and I'm. just. so. tired.

Why is it so hard for us to, just, not? Don't have the bandwidth? Don't do the thing. The thing is counter to our values? Don't do the thing.

A friend on Bluesky has pointed out, and I agree (hence my repeating it here): do not use cutesy names for death camps.

Do not diminish the pain and suffering that is planned.

Not my best title, but accurate: "Eating food in the US in 2025 while immunocompromised" https://www.sheldon-hess.org/coral/2025/05/us-food-safety/

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but AI can’t “summarize,” because summarizing something first requires understanding it, a thing that fancy numerical models are incapable of doing.

I was up by 7am, and I guess I see why all you morning people are so smug

If Sandy Berman wrote me a letter like that I would resign in disgrace.

He’s a good boy

Give me your scariest data re-identification link.

I already know about the Netflix one. Can anyone top that?

(I'm writing for a library audience, if that helps at all.)

Phoebe and Hermann (blue budgie) both pluck the cage bars musically, but it’s hard to get video. Here’s Phoebe doing it once in the play cage.

If you photograph birds, it's worth double checking to make sure you're doing it ethically. https://www.audubon.org/photography/awards/audubons-guide-ethical-bird-photography-and-videography

Hey, does anyone have a really good "course guide" template or example you'd be willing to share?

"Good," here, means it is accessible; has a limited number of pages; has no time-wasting "welcome to my guide" text; is somewhat focused/task-based; and could be used as a teaching tool (or at least a jumping-off point) in lieu of slides.

Boosts welcome. Guides that only meet part of the list also welcome. I will only have kind things to say, promise.

A couple of tips you're welcome to borrow if you're evaluating a potential library position, as an applicant (harder in the US now):
* Do DEI(A) goals show up in the strategic plan or is it just a toothless committee?
* (is there even an "A"?)
* (can you find their strategic plan at all?)
* does their front page pass a basic a11y check? WAVE, at least?
* Are they still linking to the Firstsearch version of WorldCat (yellow flag)
* from their front page? (red flag)

Hey, how many LibGuides do your librarians each have?

MPOW:
max: 240, but it's a weird special case that we're going to fix
actual max: 52 (plus they'll inherit some of those 240)
next highest: 43 (plus they'll inherit some of those 240)
min: 0
median: 12.25
q1: 1
q3: 13