If you’re a history buff, you might not know much particle physics. But the two fields share more in common than you’d think. X-rays from a high-energy lab have revealed ancient Greek medical texts that had been stripped and covered with religious writing. READ MORE: Particle Accelerator Reveals Ancient Greek Medical Text Beneath Religious Psalms on Parchment | Gizmodo
Category Archives: Librarianship
Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read | The Atlantic #reading #memory #multimedia #books #information
The “forgetting curve,” as it’s called, is steepest during the first 24 hours after you learn something. READ: Why We Forget Most of the Books We Read | The Atlantic
Edmonton computer scientist using artificial intelligence to decipher mysterious manuscript | National Post #AI #manuscripts #analysis #software
Even the cryptographers who cracked Nazi Enigma codes couldn’t read the Voynich, but Greg Kondrack of the University of Alberta may just have. READ: Edmonton computer scientist using artificial intelligence to decipher mysterious manuscript | National Post
Shades of green: What gig economy workers can learn from the success of romance writers | The Conversation #business #publishing #authors #writers #romance #mentoring
Their three keys to success: They welcome newcomers, they share competitive information, and they ask advice from newbies. READ: Shades of green: What gig economy workers can learn from the success of romance writers | The Conversation
Is Your Librarian Racist? | CityLab #librarianship #racism #publiclibraries #research
Since racism is the topic of the day (according to Trump)…reminder core values of librarians include access, democracy, diversity, intellectual freedom, privacy and the public good…Its important to review the results and conclusions of studies like these in order to better understand our own inherent biases and prejudices.
Findings from a new study indicate that “black-sounding” names are less likely to get a reply from public service providers. READ: Is Your Librarian Racist? | CityLab
Libraries and Librarians Aren’t About to Disappear | Inside Higher Ed #libarianship #news #libraryjobs #careers #employment #analysis
Great story illustrating the importance of subject matter expertise, quality data analysis, unbiased reporting, data validity … the errors mentioned seem laughable to me but I guess it comes down to how deep the knowledge base of those performing the analysis using classification standards such as NAICS, NOC, SIC, etc.
A widely shared article declaring libraries and archives to be among the fastest-declining industries in America has been debunked. READ: Libraries and Librarians Aren’t About to Disappear | Inside Higher Ed
Scientists are X-ray scanning an ancient biblical text that’s so old, they’re afraid to open it | National Post #digitization #manuscripts #imaging #digitalarchives #religion
The leaves are the remains of a severely scorched early book, or codex, written in southern Egypt some time between AD 400 and 600. In a basement laboratory of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York, an X-ray scanner is pumping invisible beams into a clump of charred parchment leaves that looks as delicate as a long dead flower…READ MORE: Scientists are X-ray scanning an ancient biblical text that’s so old, they’re afraid to open it | National Post
A Day in the Life of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Librarian | Atlas Obscura #speciallibraries #archives #music #careers #librarianship #skills #MLIS
THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, in Cleveland, Ohio, is best known for its raucous and dramatic induction ceremonies. But it also has a quieter side: a library and archive, full of research materials, artifacts and memorabilia, and shelves and shelves of old records. Earlier this year, the Rock Hall advertised that they were looking for a new librarian, a position that, judging from the response to Atlas Obscura’s story about it, is up there on many people’s list of dream jobs.
So who got it? After a long and rigorous interview process, 34-year-old Laura Maidens started as the Rock Hall’s librarian in early September. We caught up with her about playlist inspiration, Ramones-themed prayer cards, finding secret notes from Keith Richards, and other highlights of the gig. READ MORE: A Day in the Life of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Librarian | Atlas Obscura
Website uses neural networks to enlarge small images, and the results are pretty magical | Mashable #images #digital #archives #machinelearning #AI #digitallibraries #libraries
Images archived in digital libraries are either born digital or scans/photos of hard copy originals. This technology may be useful in enhancing images of historical photos and documents that are of low quality.
You know how in CSI, the cops always try to “enhance” a shot to zoom in and read (non-existent) details in photos? It’s amusing to the rest of us, but perhaps one day won’t be all that impossible, with artificial intelligence.
Researchers have been adopting neural networks and machine learning technologies to help computers fill in missing detail in photos.
Some consumer-ready websites are already making some of this magic accessible to you and me.
READ MORE: Website uses neural networks to enlarge small images, and the results are pretty magical | Mashable
Portland’s Angriest Librarian Isn’t Mad Anymore | CityLab #librarianship #publiclibraries #society #access #activisim
After his profanity-laced tweetstorm went viral last week, Portland student librarian Alex Halpern found himself speaking up for his ̶[e̶m̶b̶a̶t̶t̶l̶e̶d̶ thriving and evolving] profession. READ MORE: Portland’s Angriest Librarian Isn’t Mad Anymore | CityLab
+ This angry librarian’s passionate defense of libraries won the Internet | Washington Post
infophile 