Hannah Purtymun

"I got my PhD by writing prompts instead of doing research, I'm winning"

got some bad news, there still no jobs and now you also know nothing

An Army Corps project could wipe out one of Florida’s last thriving coral reefs The fate of one of the last thriving coral reefs in Florida may be imperiled by plans to widen the shipping channel leading into Port Everglades.

The US army corps of engineers is considering, right now, what would be the largest destruction of coral reefs in US history. To make a port slightly bigger.

People know this, right?

www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

🧪🦑🌎

I remember when trying to forgive student loans was massive overreach of Presidential power.

Nope.

I work in an academic library where patrons can chat with a human librarian 24/7. We use a co-op so librarians across the world help each other when your specific staff are off duty. This is a pretty common service, and it generally provides better info than AI for reference questions. Jusy FYI 🤷🏻‍♀️

I just want to live in a country where the leader can’t enrich themselves with our tax dollars, the government does what the people want, and the wealthy have to follow the laws.

You know, like a democracy.

Bless her heart. She's never checked out a book from a library, has she?

Today we have a very special guest on the podcast, Gigi Berardi, acclaimed writer, Fulbright Scholar, and Western Washington University Professor who will be talking with us about her new book, Bianca’s Cure.

If you have any questions about Dr. Berardi's work or Bianca's Cure check out her blog.

Very excited for this week’s Medieval Murder Podcast episode that will feature a very special guest talking about a new book! 👀 #medievalsky

Has anyone studied how researchers and academics use library catalogues? I'm struggling to find any literature on researcher (not student) information needs and information seeking behavior. Any leads?

My focus is rare books/archives/special collections, but I'm looking broadly right now.

Flower on stone wall with abbey windows in background

Medieval stone cloister hallway

Stone doorway looking into abbey courtyard

There is nothing as aesthetically pleasing as a medieval abbey ruin. #medievalsky

So Long to Cheap Books You Could Fit in Your Pocket

A eulogy for the mass market paperback, "one of the most brilliant technologies in the history of the world."

A picture of Orion’s Belt

If anyone needs a moment of peace, look to the stars.

Does anyone else have trouble focusing on one research project at a time and then feeling like your not making progress on anything? #medievalsky

I realize that "hustle culture" is all the rage, but what about "sit in front of a cracking fire in a Scottish Highlands cottage whilst reading, sipping tea, and eating scones" culture?

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you’re under absolutely no obligation to justify yourself to anyone if you choose to spend the entire weekend drinking tea, reading books, and eating a scandalous amount of croissants.

It's Not Just Laws About Books Breaking Libraries. It's Also New Tax Reforms. Two states have passed property tax cuts that are directly impacting public libraries. Expect to see this happen more.

It's not just laws about books that are breaking libraries. Several states have passed property tax reforms–or are in the process of passing them–that are dismantling, destroying, and defunding these public institutions of democracy.

buttondown.com/wellsourced/...

The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.

Eighteenth century print, not colored, of soldiers on the right shooting toward a crowd, one man already on the ground. A version of Paul Revere's famous "Boston Massacre" print from the collections of the John Carter Brown Library that is offset so you see some images multiple times.

Almost 256 years ago, when British soldiers were occupying a city that was restless in their presence but still firmly part of the empire, a confrontation ended in the shooting death of five people, with 6 more wounded. This offset image of the Boston Massacre is so evocative. 1/

the unbearable psychic damage of being alive in America and having a conscience

This line graph illustrates the percentage change in agency staff levels from the previous year for nine major U.S. federal scientific and health organizations between the fiscal years 2016 and 2025. The agencies tracked include the CDC, Department of Energy, EPA, FDA, NASA, NIH, NIST, NOAA, and NSF. For the majority of the timeline between 2016 and 2023, the agencies show relatively stable fluctuations, generally staying within a range of +5% to -5% change per year. However, there is a dramatic and uniform plummet starting in the 2024–25 period. Every agency depicted shows a sharp downward trajectory, with staffing losses ranging from approximately -15% to over -25%. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the most significant decline, dropping to roughly -26%, while the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows the least severe but still substantial drop at approximately -15%.

This is the most astonishing graph of what the Trump regime has done to US science. They have destroyed the federal science workforce across the board. The negative impacts on Americans will be felt for generations, and the US might never be the same again.

www.nature.com/immersive/d4...

I just finished a book that has left me perplexed but in such a good way. I highly recommend Anne Eekhout’s Mary; or the Birth of Frankenstein.

Feeling the need to be back in Scotland to take a break from the world for a bit.

In Scientific Publishing, Who Should Foot the Bill? Publishers often charge authors to publish their publicly-funded research. Will a federal crackdown make a difference?

'And according to @eschares.bsky.social, data suggest that APCs bear almost no relation to publishing expenses. “So that tells me that APCs are not set on really what it costs to produce an article there,” he said. “It’s more prestige.”'

Undark piece on who should pay for scientific publishing.

If you have time to doom scroll, you have time to read books!

Finding a lot of fun facts about early modern treason.

Maybe today’s the day I get through more than one article on my latest research project.

Beginnings of a mushroom themed embroidery

2026: less phone time, more learning new skills and reading.

My New Year’s resolution is to read more books, eat more scones, and use more Oxford commas.

The book Anne Boleyn Traitor by Phillips Gregory held up in front of a Christmas Tree

Finished all the books half done, now to start a new one.