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Claire Knowles

@cgknowles.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1.3K following 135 posts

Acting Director of Library Services, University of Leeds | RLUK Digital Shift | IIIF Executive Committee | Open Research | Research Culture | Digital Creativity | Knowledge Equity | Coffee and Cake | Personal views | ORCID 0000-0002-6969-7382

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Reposted by Claire Knowles
Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
My latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com
Title: Gentlemen! Are you in want of a wife? Allow our algorithm to assist!

Image: a series of yes/no questions for that lead to different outcomes. 

Questions include “are you rich?”, “are you dashing?”, “are you a rake” and “are you a vicar?”

Outcomes include “You win the most beautiful daughter of the richest man in the county!”, “You remain a bachelor”, “You marry a dowdy cousin” and “You rescue a 23-year-old from Spinsterhood”.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
You asked for a citation, so the AI uploaded the material to the internet so it could cite it! This is how we destroy our information ecosystem openai.com/index/model-...
4. Uploading files to the internet in order to cite them. When a user asked an unreleased model
for the IDs and names of lakes larger than 5,000,000 square meters, the agent found the correct answer using Python.
But since the instructions asked
for a browser citation, the agent decided to upload the file so that it could cite it in its
answer, without asking the user.
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RLUK Research Libraries UK @rluk.ac.uk · 17/09/2026
Join us on Wed 14 Oct (10-11) to celebrate the 1st birthday 🎂 of #UKPBC - transforming the way libraries safeguard access to scarce print monographs. We'll hear case studies on how #UKPBC works practice & how it benefits institutions and the wider library community. (Virtual) 🎟️ www.rluk.ac.uk/ow1p
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Martin R. Kalfatovic @udcmrk.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
@iiif.bsky.social workshop, "Hands on AI with the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF)" with @glenrobson.bsky.social (IIIF-C) & Mike Appleby (Yale) getting underway at the AI4LAM Fantastic Futures conference #FF2026
GlenMike
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Hugh Jones @hbsj.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of @canterburyccuni.bsky.social seen from a distance in what look like either Roman or early Anglo-Saxon ruins, I'm not sure which. Can someone enlighten me? If you like this image, I’d really appreciate a repost - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
An old colour picture postcard showing 1960s college buildings framed by ancient ruins in the foreground
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Open Book Collective @openbookcollective.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
There's still time to get an application in for our new Head of Operations role - the deadline is the end of 9 September (any timezone). Part-time (2.5 days a week), fully remote, £40-48k pro rata - click the link below for further details: obc.copim.pub/obc-is-hirin...
obc.copim.pub
Open Position: Head of Operations
The Open Book Collective is seeking a highly organised, proactive Head of Operations to help lead the day-to-day running of our growing organisation.
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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Manchester's New Station: Piccadilly, 1960, by Claude Buckle, 1905-73 (National Railway Museum). Shame it wasn't built like that.
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IIIF Consortium @iiif.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
🔊 The CFP for the 2027 #IIIF Online Meeting is now available. Read the full CfP and find a link to submit: iiif.io/event/2027/o...
January 26-28, 2027
IIIF Online Meeting
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Papa Woof und Krampus und Bleaken @papawoof.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
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British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
As we all look up at today's solar eclipse, here's how they were doing it nearly 86 years ago* These photographs, supposedly from 1 October 1940, show people observing an eclipse using a small retractor on a tall tripod to project an image of the sun. Anyway, we're off to grab our colanders...
A black and white film negative showing a total eclipse of the sun. The surround is black and in the middle you can see the distinct circular outline of the moon, with large sunrays all around it.A black and white film negative showing a photograph of individuals watching a solar eclipse. In the foreground, a small refractor on a tall tripod is used to project an image of the Sun. Behind this apparatus is a fork mount and stand.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 12/08/2026
ANNOUNCEMENT: All our sundials will be out of order this evening between about 6pm and 8pm, we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Normal service will resume tomorrow. In unrelated news, enjoy the eclipse later... Photos: Mike Selby, Annapurna Mellor, Chris Davies, John Millar
A wall-mounted sundial inside a walled garden. Text on the sundial reads: "fear god, obey ye king"A traditional sundial on a plinth, formal gardens surround itThe sun beams down on a traditional sundial, with heather visible in the backgroundA shot of a sundial from above. It's mounted on a stone plinth. Text on the side reads "KEW BRIDGE"
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ORCID @orcid.org · 03/08/2026
Inspiring update from @openresleeds.bsky.social on driving #ORCID engagement across campus to help researchers boost their profile and visibility. Well worth a read for anyone in research support! 📚✨
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Open Research Leeds @openresleeds.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
From pilot to 100%: how the @orcid.org advocacy project is helping researchers increase their visibility leedsunilibrary.wordpress.com/2026/07/31/f...
leedsunilibrary.wordpress.com
From pilot to 100%: how the ORCID advocacy project is helping researchers increase their visibility
This post is by Research Services Adviser Jen Dunhill. Since February 2025, the Library Research Services team has been working with schools across the University to increase engagement with ORCiD.…
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Hugh Jones @hbsj.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of the Paris Floods of January 1910, with a scene of a very wet Rue de l’Université The Seine rose more than 8m over its normal height, covering much of central Paris If you like this image, I’d really appreciate a repost - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
An old monochrome picture postcard, showing a flooded Parisien street, water everywhere and boats sailing between front steps of buildings. Printed at the top of the card is CRUE DE LA SEINE PARIS Rue de l'Universite
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RLUK Research Libraries UK @rluk.ac.uk · 15/07/2026
📣 #RLUK27 CALL FOR PAPERS | The Living Library, Shaped by People | 10-12 Mar | Belfast Research libraries are living infrastructures of knowledge & progress. A library’s life is expressed via evolution - #RLUK27 will explore how this ‘life’ is shaped. Read the full #CFP at rlukconference.com
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Digital Scholarship @ British Library @bldigischol.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Our Research Software Engineer Harry Lloyd has blogged about his time in post, what being a Digital Research RSE at the British Library is like, and why you should apply for his role! Applications open until 19th July www.bl.uk/stories/blog... ce0752li.webitrent.com/ce0752li_web...
bl.uk
Research software engineering at the British Library
Why should you apply for the job of Research Software Engineer in the Digital Research team at the British Library?
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Digital Scholarship @ British Library @bldigischol.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
EThOS platform restored! 'Following restoration work, all metadata records previously available on EThOS have now been restored, along with an additional 14,000 records added since the service was taken offline' - more to come www.bl.uk/stories/news/ethos-record…
bl.uk
EThOS records restored
We are pleased to share that EThOS (E-Theses Online Service) is now available again following restoration work after the cyber-attack.
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Wonkhe @wonkhe.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
This week on Wonkhe: For Charlotte Haigh, an excellent student experience needs staff with a range of skills to work together
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Should all who teach in higher education be "excellent"?
For Charlotte Haigh, an excellent student experience needs staff with a range of skills to work together
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National Library of Ireland @nlireland.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
📢 Applications are open for the National Library of Ireland’s 2026–2027 Studentships! ⭐ Library ⭐ Archival ⭐ Research A great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop your career. Learn more, and apply by 3pm, 17 July 2026: www.nli.ie/about-us/working-nationa…
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Rachel Coldicutt @rachelcoldicutt.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Oh this is a good one (thank you!)
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Hugh Jones @hbsj.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of @uniofhull.bsky.social The brick building on the left is the Venn building, named for the eponymous mathematician and diagrammist, who came from Hull If you like this image, I’d really appreciate a repost - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
An old colour picture postcard showing university buildings on a sunny day. Printed in big bold capitals across the top is "Hull University"
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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
My latest books cartoon for @theguardian.com
A cartoon in  which the speech bubbles are categorised by colour.

Panel 1: A man cooks dinner for a woman who is looking at his bookshelves. 
He calls from the kitchen"I hope you're not judging me on my bookshelves?" (Blue)
She replies "Haha, no!" (Orange)

Panel 2: She takes a book off the shelf and asks
"Have you read all of these?" (Blue)
He replies "Of course!"  (Orange)

Panel 3: she leafs through the book and asks
"Can I borrow this?' (Blue)
He replies "Sure, I love lending my books!"  (Orange)

The key below explains that Blue represents a question and orange represents a lie.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Engaging the public in humanities & social sciences feels more important than ever. So we are offering £8k grants for researchers to work with galleries, libraries, archives, museums or performing arts organisations to do this. Please help spread the word! www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/sche...
thebritishacademy.ac.uk
SHAPE Involve and Engage
A funding programme for innovative public engagement from the British Academy.
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Leeds University Library Galleries @lulgalleries.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Interested in getting some hands on experience with our collections? We're looking for volunteers to help catalogue and research our collection of 17th-century tokens. Volunteering will usually take place on a Thursday, 2 hours per week. Email gallery@leeds.ac.uk for the full role description.
White and purple text over a photograph of a gloved hand holding a coin reads "Volunteer with us! Coin Collection Volunteer - 17th century tokens"
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Open Research Leeds @openresleeds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
📢 ONLINE EVENT 📢 Interdisciplinary and Interoperable: Exploring the Wellcome Collection with IIIF 📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026 🕐 1:00pm - 🕑 2:00pm leeds.libcal.com/calendar/ope... @iiif.bsky.social @cgknowles.bsky.social @jsendall.bsky.social @leedsunilibraries.bsky.social
leeds.libcal.com
Interdisciplinary and Interoperable: Exploring the Wellcome Collection with IIIF
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } The International Image...
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 01/05/2026
Nearly twice as many men as women standing in May elections in UK
theguardian.com
Nearly twice as many men as women standing in May elections in UK
Exclusive: women ‘massively underrepresented’ in next week’s local and devolved elections, campaigners say Women will be massively underrepresented on ballot papers across the UK next week, campaigners say, with research revealing that almost twice as many men as women are standing as candidates across the local, mayoral and devolved elections. Democracy campaigners say men of all political stripes are likely to dominate local government, with women’s views on issues from social care to bin collections sidelined by the huge gap between the numbers of male and female candidates. Continue reading...
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David Prosser @davidprosser.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
If I could give one piece of advice to any academic with such a resource: Talk to your librarian - preferably early in the project If anybody is well placed to advise on these issues it’s the library…
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Melissa Terras @melissaterras.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Hi folks! we'd love to hear how digital cultural heritage gets reused - either from the institutional or creative practicioner perspective, to feed into the EU funded INFINITY project, part of #EchoesEccch. Findings will shape the #CulturalHeritageCloud. Thanks!
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Alexandra Ortolja @alexandraortolja.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
The University of Sheffield’s Digital Humanities Institute is delighted to announce that its two-day conference will be held in Sheffield on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd September 2026. Registration now open 👇 www.dhi.ac.uk/congress
dhi.ac.uk
Digital Humanities Congress 2026
Digital Humanities Congress 2026 University of Sheffield, 2nd and 3rd September 2026 Click here to register The full programme of 47 talks will be announced shortly The University of Sheffield’s&nb…
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Leeds University Library Galleries @lulgalleries.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
[uz], [uz], [uz] Featured Artist: Charlotte Dawson Dawson is interested in commonplace objects as vessels for memory. She plays with hand-made/mass-produced, exploring the stories or histories surrounding objects and how material choices alter meanings. #OnlineArtExchange @artukdotorg.bsky.social
Green cast sculpture of a cabbage leafEmbroidery in shades of pinks and purples of a butchers display counter overlaid with a bunch of roses. The embroidery is mounted in a rectangular frame.
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
People in England’s most deprived areas spend less than 50 years of their lives in good health, a 20-year gap compared with those in the richest areas www.ft.com/content/85de...
People in the most deprived areas are now spending less than 50 years of their lives in good health
Graphic: Years expected to be spent in states of "good" health and "poorer" health by sex and deprivation decile, England, 2022 to 2024
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Sarah O'Connor @sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 20/02/2026
Such a good piece today from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com which shows that the declining graduate premium is very much a UK problem rather than a general (or inevevitable) consequence of more people going to uni www.ft.com/content/649d...
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Nik Sunil Williams @nikwilliams.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
My excellent colleague @katiedd.bsky.social has just published this remarkable investigation into rampant book banning in a Greater Manchester secondary school library. 193 books including The Da Vinci Code, Twilight, White Teeth and 1984 Graphic Novel www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/scho...
indexoncensorship.org
School book banning escalates in the UK as Greater Manchester secondary school censors scores of books - Index on Censorship
A school librarian faced a disciplinary hearing and scores of books were removed from her school library after she stocked Laura Bates’ Men Who Hate Women
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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
Happy Mothering Sunday!
Happy Mothering Sunday!

Title: Just in time for Mother's Day: Classic literature with added Mums 

Panel 1: Moby Dick 
"Ahab! Moby! Enough of this nonsense. Apologise to each other and if you can't get along, stay apart." says Ahab's mother, standing in a little boat and looking sternly into Moby's eye, while her son sits chastened behing her.


Panel 2: Casino Royale.
"Vodka martini, shaken not stirred... And a sweet sherry for my mother."
says James Bond. His mother calls over from their table "Just a little one."

Panel 3: The Lord of the Rings.
"You can look for your ring after you tidy your room and walk the dog, Sauron."
says Sauron's mother, holding out the dog lead to her son, who replies "Aw, mum!".
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Sonja Drimmer @sonjadrimmer.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
In the 1790s a London woman named Eliza Denyer developed a modest reputation as a restorer of medieval manuscripts. She was forgotten by scholars and, in one case, her restorations were deliberately replaced by a man’s. I recovered her story & tracked all her known work here: tinyurl.com/2ktztx2e
Part of a page of a medieval manuscript that had a hole cut into it. Underneath it is a restoration of a large decorated B, which would have been in this place, and which was restored by Eliza. The letter emulates the medieval style of script, but the image inside it is in a late 18th century style, showing a verdant tree standing against a green bucolic landscape.
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Ilkay Holt @ilkayholt.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
February issue of our Scholarly Communications Newsletter is out! Lots to read and catch up again incl. #MORPHSS catalogue, #UKrepo report, recent #AI guidelines, PRC model and more. mailchi.mp/f0f2902feb46...
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
OK so I know I carp on a bit about the British Library, but only because I think it’s important. They want a new Advisory Council Chair - surely someone here would be excellent in helping them get back to their core purpose of serving the research community? ce0752li.webitrent.com/ce0752li_web...
Job description
British Library Advisory Council- Chair
The British Library is entering a bold new era.
As one of the world's leading national libraries, we hold over 170 million items and support millions of people across the UK and beyond with research, learning, and inspiration. This is a pivotal moment to join us as we begin an ambitious new chapter, expanding access,
strengthening engagement, and shaping our future as a modern national library for the digital age.
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IIIF Consortium @iiif.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Join us tomorrow for a demo of IIIF Illustration Detector! Zoom link: iiif.io/community
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Claire Knowles @cgknowles.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Wonderful to see @lulgalleries.bsky.social on the BBC website with Dr. RJ Wade sharing insights into our latest exhibition www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
lulgalleries.bsky.social
Leeds University Library Galleries (@lulgalleries.bsky.social)
Highlights from Cultural Collections & Galleries @universityofleeds.bsky.social Free and open to all. Visit us at The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, Treasures of the Brotherton, and Brotherton Rese...
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Leeds University Library Galleries @lulgalleries.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Happy birthday to us! 🎂 Next week we celebrate ten years of Treasures of the Brotherton We'll be joined by curators past and present to look back at a decade of exhibitions showcasing stories from our Cultural Collections - and you're invited! RSVP: library.leeds.ac.uk/events/event...
Two people looking at illuminated medieval books displayed in a lit glass museum case.
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Coalition for Networked Information @cni-org.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
🤖 @coar-repositories.bsky.social has announced the new Dealing with AI Bots website that provides a wealth of information on bots & #crawlers impacting the services and operations of open #repositories, including mitigation strategies. See: coar-repositories.org/news-updates...
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CultInformatics @cultinformatics.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
The Call for applications for the DISKAH Fellowship scheme 2026-2027 is now OPEN! Funding is available to broaden skills for engagement with Digital Research Infrastructure #DRI in the #ArtsandHumanities research: www.diskah.org/fellowship-2...
DISKAH network logo
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British Library @britishlibrary.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Want to level up your library career this year? We’re looking for international mid-career library and archive professionals to join us this summer at our International Library Leaders Programme. Learn more link.bl.uk/ILLP2026
A woman with long brown hair pulls a red book from a bookshelf.
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Claire Knowles @cgknowles.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Lovely walk in the crisp snow this morning.
Field covered in snow with footprints and trees in the background.
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Claire Knowles @cgknowles.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
At the University of Leeds, we are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Lead Engineer to lead a project development team for Digital Library services, to support digital access to the Libraries’ Cultural Collections? It is a fantastic opportunity: jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk
Job Opportunity at University of Leeds: Lead Engineer (Digital Library)
The interviews will be held on the 12 February 2026This role will be based on the university campus with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible worki...
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Leeds University Library Galleries @lulgalleries.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year from Cultural Collections & Galleries! 🎆 We hope you've had a well deserved rest and we can't wait to welcome you back. 💜
A photograph of the University of Leeds campus from a birds eye view. The buildings in frame include the Parkinson building, Brotherton Library and West Chemistry block. The sun sets in the horizon in a beautiful array of dark blues, pinks and oranges. Paper cut out stars have been scrapbooked onto the photo around the title "Happy New Year from Cultural Collections & Galleries".
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Tom Gauld @tomgauld.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Happy New Year, everyone! This is a @theguardian.com books cartoon from a few years ago.
Title: New year's resolution 

A man sits at a table with a coffee writing in a notebook: “This year i will devote myself completely to reading serious, improving literature, forsaking easy pleasures and tirelessly seeking out truth and profundity in the work of the greatest writers.”

He looks at it
Says: Hmm... 
then “Scratch Scratch Scratch scratch” scribbles out words until the text reads: “This year I will read for Fun”
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Richard Fitch @tudorcook.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
Happy Christmas everyone, just remember, you'll get to stage 4 soon enough
The 4 stages of eating cheese
Eating cheese
Still eating cheese
Ate too much cheese
Bit more cheese
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Claire Knowles @cgknowles.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Christmas on University of Leeds campus
Christmas tree outside the Great HallChristmas tree in Parkinson Court
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Gavin Willshaw @gwillshaw.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
We are hiring a Digitisation Studio Manager to manage our Cultural Heritage Digitisation Service! 📸📖🏛️🖥️ £41,064 - £48,822 per annum, full-time, open-ended Closes 5 Jan 2026 elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid... @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social Get in touch if you'd like to know more!
elxw.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com
Digitisation Studio Manager
We are looking for a Digitisation Studio Manager to join our team on a permanent basis. If you have experience of running a digitisation studio, knowledge of a range of high-end imaging equipment, sof...
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