Chris Ruotolo

The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved

New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...

Fired Scholars and Big Grants to Favored Projects: Inside Trump’s N.E.H.

When I think about how exquisitely careful NEH staff were to be fair, impartial, and rigorous, and how much work people put into grants so small they’re pocket change…I just want to scream.

Former UVA president Jim Ryan, who resigned over the summer due to pressure from the Trump Administration, just shared this 12-page letter with the Faculty Senate, detailing his experience with the Board of Visitors and DOJ.

It's a surreal--and troubling--read.

drive.google.com/file/d/1Is6x...

Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger Calls On UVA Board of Visitors to Pause Presidential Selection Good to see this from Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger: Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger Calls On UVA Board of Visitors to Pause Presidential Selection RICHMOND, Va. — Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger ...

Gov.-Elect Spanberger Calls On UVA Board of Visitors to Pause Presidential Selection; "As it will be a priority of my administration to stabilize & normalize the leadership of our public colleges & universities, I will make appointments soon after my inauguration." bluevirginia.us/2025/11/gove...

Text reading 'ZINES NOW!' in bold black letters overlaying a background featuring various faded gray symbols including '@' and '#.'"

A person wearing a printer’s apron inspects wooden printing materials in a workshop environment, with various tools and another person visible in the background.

Three zines titled Miscellany of Emotions; Zine of Miscellany, and Things I Learned About Surviving C-PTSD; alongside a pencil, displayed on a wooden table near a window.

“Using your hands and your imagination stretches the brain!”
Zines offer a creative, low-barrier way to express, connect, & advocate. Read about the year-long Zines Now project happening now! #ZinesNow #Zines
library.virginia.edu/news/2025/zi...
@scholarslab.bsky.social @literaturegeek.bsky.social

Hey, can we talk about JOY?

Join your local progressive groups, y'all!

Working with neighbors to help us all can be one of the most joyful things in everyday life. Every time I join anything, I see these kinds of smiles.

Here's a 🧵 of photos to inspire you.

blacksky.community/profile/did:...

Job alert: the University of Illinois Library is hiring a Humanities Librarian to serve as liaison to African-American Studies and English Literatures. I’m sure someone here would be a great fit for this job—& we’ve got a pretty phenomenal community here

Please share!

I've watched my kids play it and while I love the visuals the gameplay seems ... masochistic.

alas, only NYC and London. hope you get good tix though!

brb racing off to Google "sugar reunion tour"

This is gonna be good

BREAKING: UVA rejects the Trump Administration's Compact.

Two individuals are viewing a case titled "Clemons's Correspondence" and holding numerous letters and photos, in an exhibition gallery. One is pointing at a display panel while the other looks on attentively. Other display cases and individuals can be seen in the background.

From "Artist's Books" and "Borges" to "Yearbooks" and "Zines" — the ABCs of the UVA Library is on display now! A host of entries are in Special Collections, with outposts at other libraries.
library.virginia.edu/news/2025/le...
@rareuva.bsky.social

for any UVA folks that follow me you should circulate this among your networks balkin.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...

Response to the ‘Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education’ | Office of the President

Dartmouth response to the Trump Administration Compact

president.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/10...

It's often overlooked, but PhilPapers is a hugely important project in the history of open humanities research. Its a really comprehensive archive with loads of open access materials, working papers, preprints, etc.

Crit Lib AI Book - Call for Proposals CALL FOR PROPOSALS

#CFP: Critical Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence in Librarianship

sites.google.com/view/critlib...

#libraries #librarians #ai

They are up on a high shelf! And strategically cropped in this photo.

Poor Jane’s head keeps popping off 😢

I also inherited these guys from a colleague!

Just gave. Please consider helping if you can. Right now is an incredibly important time. Right now.

UPDATE: Thanks to @clancyny.bsky.social I am now able to read the ruling, which you too can read here. It's worth it because of how it details the consequences of NEH chair Michael McDonald's cruel and probably illegal actions.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

!!!

I've been Wowee Zoweeing hard lately as well

I've seen some talk about how we are witnessing the end of the professoriate as we know it and this may be true, but I think it's bigger: it's the decimation of the mission-oriented profession.

Want to make a middle-class living serving the public good? Capitalism doesn't want that for you.

Stop asking billionaires questions, recording their answers and sharing their uninformed and/or racist and/or otherwise bigoted and nonsense ideas as journalism. It’s ridiculous. They are the most boring people. Oh wah I am a white man who has more money than I can spend and I’m so mad about it!

Sign the Letter: Stand with UVA and Support President Ryan’s Leadership Join thousands of alumni, students, parents, and friends in supporting UVA’s progress and leadership. Sign the letter to defend the University against misinformation and celebrate its achievements und...

www.wahoos4uva.com/letter

*sigh* It's too soon, but on the day of his retirement from public service, I think that it's important to recognize the contributions of Brett Bobley to the work of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the field. #ThanksBrett for your leadership, your good cheer & your home-baked goods.

This is really the perfect use of generative AI: to create a report whose purpose is solely to exist as A Report, which no one is supposed to read because no one involved in its creation even pretends to have the slightest genuine interest in the actual facts at issue.

The American Library Association praises servic of Dr. Carla Hayden, decries 'unjust dismissal' of Librarian of Congress. [Image of Dr. Carla Hayden standing in the stacks in a library]

NEW: ALA salutes Dr Carla Hayden for her exceptional service to the nation as the Librarian of Congress. We are deeply disappointed in Dr Hayden's abrupt & unjust dismissal last night, an insult to the scope & breadth of her work.

Read ALA Pres. Cindy Hohl's statement: www.ala.org/news/2025/05...