iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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The Formidable Genealogist @formidablegen.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The United International Indigenous Nations has issued a Statement of Solidarity and Formal Inquiry regarding the planned closure of the National Archives at Chicago and the possible relocation of its Bureau of Indian Affairs records. Please read it and share it. #genealogy #nara #nationalarchives

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Robert Loerzel @robertloerzel.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I wrote this for Chicago magazine about the U.S. government's plans to close the National Archives branch in Chicago:

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Rep. Chuy García @chuygarcia.house.gov · 30/07/2026

I oppose the closing of the National Archives facility in Chicago. The lack of transparency surrounding this decision has only deepened the loss it would represent for researchers, historians, dedicated employees, and our community. I urge the National Archives to reconsider this decision.

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The Organization of American Historians @oah.org · 21/07/2026

The OAH has written to Acting Archivist of the US Edward Forst urging NARA to reconsider its decision to close the National Archives and Federal Records Center facilities in Chicago and San Bruno. Read the full letter and contact your Congressional representatives: ow.ly/9wp650ZqMYs

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I'll be discussing the proposed NARA Chicago closure on @wbez.org tomorrow on In the Loop at 9am - tune in!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Please share, sign, and ***call your government officials***

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

this is so helpful today <3 (also, I think my partner's arrivals shirt is the one he gets the most comments on when we're out and about, so there are dozens of us! dozens!)

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The TRiiBE @thetriibe.com · 04/12/2025

NEW — Cutting less than one day of the Chicago police would cover the $4.5M needed to ensure there are no cuts to library staffing and resources, one resident writes. Read this opinion submission about protecting city libraries in the 2026 budget. thetriibe.com/2025/12/opin...

thetriibe.com

OPINION: The Chicago Public Library budget is under threat. Let’s remember what libraries do for us • The TRiiBE

Cutting less than one day of the Chicago police would cover the $4.5M needed to ensure there are no cuts to library staffing and resources.

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Puff the Magic Hater @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed disastrous cuts to our city's libraries while setting aside $5M for a ShotSpotter replacement. As library associate Sara Heymann told me, “Libraries embody everything we need to fight back against fascism.” My piece on what’s at stake and how to fight back:

organizingmythoughts.org

You Can’t Fight Fascism While Defunding Libraries

“Libraries embody everything that we need right now to fight back against fascism," says Sara Heymann.

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Sid Fiore Branca @sidbranca.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

in recent years SAIC has shown a lot of disrespect for the unique and important work that the Video Data Bank does, but this sudden removal of some of my amazing former colleagues without warning or consulting with the artists represented by the VDB, is *enraging* www.artforum.com/news/school-...

artforum.com

SAIC Guts Video Data Bank

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago cut staff at the Video Data Bank and announced major cutbacks to the contemporary video art repository.

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

I don't know anyone there, but I'm curious about the items linked on this Monmouth libguide. They seem to be fairly simple records, but consistent? guides.monmouth.edu/tarot/books

guides.monmouth.edu

LibGuides: Exploring Tarot & Oracle: Tools for Reflection and Research: Books and Decks

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Lauryn Bhavnani @wishkhh.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

www.instagram.com/p/DQ4R1MGkXS... 📜📚 Low ALT text due to low energy day

screenshot of flyer from Instagram afsmc1215

"fund the library call and craft power hour"

screenshot of flyer from Instagram afsmc1215

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Maggie Hendricks @maggiehendricks.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

For my knitting friends:

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

I'm so frustrated that this is happening, both to my former colleagues and to the Chicago public who have had access to research and archives cut off. Everyone here deserves so much better. chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/...

chicago.suntimes.com

Chicago History Museum cuts hinder research, exploration

The timing couldn't have been worse. The Trump administration has slashed museum budgets, the Smithsonian is being reviewed to align with Donald Trump's vision of America and the school year just star...

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I saw the advice somewhere to make a writeable sign to put by your bed or cabin or whatever and put some short notes on it and that has almost solved this problem for me - this save I've made it further than I ever have before (just trying to find that elusive book of mysteries)

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Fobazi M. Ettarh @fobettarh.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Fobazi is currently in the ICU and could use your support. Apologies to those I haven’t been able to reach out to yet. You can message me for more info and I will be posting updates to GoFundMe. Please share, send healing thoughts, prayers, etc. ❤️ -Elena gofund.me/c8485b58

gofund.me

Donate to Fobazi’s road to recovery: Kidney and liver transplant, organized by Ysabel Gerrard

Hello all, my name is Ysabel and I’m fundraising for my friends … Ysabel Gerrard needs your support for Fobazi’s road to recovery: Kidney and liver transplant

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

I feel like the brown "cultural site" type signs might even still be up? I know they were when I worked over there a few years ago and it was always such a bummer reminder because I wanted to go but it didn't exist anymore :(

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

As you can imagine, AI has made finding canning recipes/instructions on the internet kind of a nightmare :/. Extension offices are usually pretty trustworthy, though!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

You might already have done other canning, but if not and you're jazzed to do more after your class, I highly recommend the guide published by Ball - it is really clear about the safety parameters that you need to follow and it's recipes are pretty solid: www.ballmasonjars.com/products/ess...

ballmasonjars.com

Ball® Blue Book Guide to Preserving 38th Edition, Recipe Book | Ball

The 38th Edition Ball® Blue Book Guide to Preserving is the ultimate guide for beginners and experts alike. Learn how to safely preserve food and create signature meals with over 200 pages of canning,...

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Even though I don’t get to see this as much anymore, watching students engage with history day was one of the highlights of my career. This is horrible news.

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Workers at the Chicago History Museum have recently overwhelming voted to unionize, but leadership has unethically and illegally retaliated. Here's a letter you can send if you'd like to make your feelings on the issue known: actionnetwork.org/letters/stop...

actionnetwork.org

Stop union-busting at Chicago History Museum!

On April 1, Chicago History Museum employees voted to form their union. On April 2, CHM management retaliated with discipline and terminations. Send a message—let management know that union-busting is...

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Chicago Collections @chicollections.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

What does the IMLS mean to us and to our members? Here's one example--in 2017 member @chicagomuseum.bsky.social got an IMLS grant to hire a project cataloger to get small archival collections into the online catalog and also into the Explore Chicago Collections portal. 1/2

explore.chicagocollections.org

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Because this is one of my few niche areas of expertise I wanted to share that the illustrator is John R. Neill (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_R....). The illustrations in this book are some of my favorites!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

I use Credit Union 1, which does have a few physical locations left in Chicago, though none are super duper convenient to me. You can use 7-11 and Walgreen ATMs without charges, which is fairly easy to do. I've been happy with them!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

(not that I am recommending new or more ways to look at instagram/meta, but if you'll be doing it anyway, it helps)

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

I tend to only check ig on my browser and forgot I had an autoplay-block browser extension. I looked over my partner's shoulder while he was scrolling the app and the amount of moving image just happening at him was SO wild to me. So I highly recommend the browser extension if you don't have it!

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DJ Alderman @mareralph.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

If you are looking for a mutual aid network on the South Side of Chicago, please tap into Market Box: marketboxchi.org If you are interested in learning more about how our food distribution works, join our email list, volunteer, and consider joining our next leadership cohort.

marketboxchi.org

Market Box

Market Box is a mutual aid project that sources food from small farms and distributes it for free across the South Side of Chicago

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kyle tear down that highway lucas 🏳️‍🌈 @itskylelucas.com · 23/01/2025

If you’re feeling a sense of despair and looking for a way to take action, join us this Saturday and help us build a public archive of government-conducted transit and climate studies — starting with federal studies before they disappear. This is a great way to find community and get plugged in!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

If you're in Chicago, you can use this form: www.chipublib.org/suggest-a-pu...

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

I've become a baked oatmeal gal and even that has sort of ruined overnight oats for me (my other make-ahead/easy solution). It's so hard to have diverse but equally delicious oat options!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I wish I could use these more easily and boost the program, but as a carless Chicagoan who doesn't live on a direct line to any of these sites, I'll keep paying for pick-up compost services.

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Also I don't know what these folks' freezer situation is, but mine absolutely cannot fit a whole bag of compost. We fill up a five-gallon bucket every month, so even if I dropped off every week, I do not have 1.25 gallons of extra space in there!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Little Brownie is in my hometown and I always feel a little bad not supporting them more, but Lemonades + those French toast ones + not having digestive issues wins out! Luckily Thin Mints are vegan for both so I can get those from my local suppliers

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Easy tell is Caramel deLites - that's ABC Bakery (Samoas are Little Brownie) ((though sadly those still have dairy, but everything else besides PB Sandwich and Trefoils are vegan)

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Also much love to my Chicago-area scouts, but they seem to all use Little Brownie Bakery - if you're looking for more vegan and/or non-dairy alternatives, many scouts on this list use the ABC Bakery, which is much more friendly to those dietary preferences.

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Maybe what we would have evolved if Santa Clarita Diet wasn't abruptly canceled :(

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

If you have a stake in Downers Grove, please take note!

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

I've had good luck substituting various fruit purees (and also spices) in this recipe for baked oatmeal (www.budgetbytes.com/baked-pumpki...), or also using in overnight oats/smoothies if you're into that sort of thing. My mom gifts me a lot of persimmon puree, and those are my go-tos.

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Gretchen N @geriatricgretch.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

This is such an important equity issue - if you live or work in Chicago I urge you to send an email.

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RenewersLIS @renewerslis.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Renewers, I'm happy to share that along with Twanna Hodge and Amanda Leftwich, we'll be hosting/facilitating our ninth BIPOC in LIS Mental Health Summit. It's free, so register now. Please note that this is a BIPOC space - thanks for your support! tinyurl.com/mu5ybh4b

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Annie Pho @anniepho.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

I’ve been really impressed with the work of #critcat and folks who are seriously working towards reparative description. I have seen how inaccurate cataloging hurts marginalized folks. Offshoring cataloging to AI feels harmful & unethical, especially if the training model is insufficient or biased.

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Mike Fragassi @refrag.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

Chicago: if you're on the NW side (Logan-Albany-Irving-Humboldt Parks or nearby) there'll be a "post-election debrief" at Roosevelt High School next Saturday, November 16th. Featuring a host of our electeds discussing what they're preparing for, & what we can do. www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief

NORTHWEST SIDE PROGRESSIVE POST-ELECTION DEBRIEF

NOVEMBER 16, 10AM - 12PM

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL 3436 W WILSON AVE, CHICAGO

RSVP OR CONTACT US TO CO-SPONSOR www.bit.ly/2024nwsdebrief

JOIN WITH NEIGHBORS TO DISCUSS HOW THE ELECTION RESULTS WILL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES AND HOW WE CAN STAY CONNECTED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

THIS IS A NON-ELECTORAL COMMUNITY EVENT. ALL ARE WELCOME.

TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE | TRADUCCIÓN AL ESPAÑOL THIS IS AN ACCESSIBLE VENUE | FACE MASKS REQUIRED | CHILDCARE AVAILABLE

SPONSORS (IN FORMATION)

CONGRESSWOMAN DELIA RAMIREZ | STATE SEN. OMAR AQUINO | STATE SENATOR-ELECT GRACIELA GUZMAN | STATE REP. LILIAN JIMENEZ | STATE REP. LINDSEY LAPOINTE | COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER ANTHONY JOEL QUEZADA | ALD. CARLOS RAMIREZ ROSA | ALD. ROSSANA RODRIGUEZ SANCHEZ | ALD. RUTH CRUZ | ALD. JESSIE FUENTES | ALD. DANIEL LASPATA | UNITED NEIGHBORS OF THE 35TH WARD | 33RD WARD WORKING FAMILIES | 39TH WARD NEIGHBORS UNITED | 40TH WARD WORKERS UNITED | PEOPLE'S 32ND | UNITED NEIGHBORS OF THE 26TH WARD | UNITED NORTHWEST SIDE | IST WARD UNITED

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