Janice Liedl

The AI Takeover Is Not Inevitable: Now Is the Time to Resist "Studying history, we know that nothing is inevitable."

Over the next few weeks, the NACBS blog will feature a series of pieces on artificial intelligence. Check out the opening essay by @amywb.bsky.social and stay tuned for more!

www.nacbs.org/post/the-ai-...

I used that the last time and found it greatly engaging (even if I had to jump-start a few reluctant readers) so I'll probably rely on that for a backbone with some articles plus a microhistory choice for their project.

Progress report - hundreds of words on my book project, including comparing variant recipes for candied angelica. I'm happy to be back at the research writing!

Oh, and I also shovelled a lot of this never-ending snow with Pippin's help.

And you're right that 18th century Europe is a massive topic, especially when I start with the 1680s and finish around 1820. I've learned to admit that we're never comprehensive but I also provide links to learn more about all the topics they're discovering.

Microhistories can be a tool in the survey if not a textbook backbone. We'll read and discuss more broadly for the survey, you're right, but microhistories can feed workshop activities and projects on key themes.

How have I missed this? I always love Linda Colley's work for the beautiful prose and precise analysis.

Thank you! I've had great experiences using microhistories in other courses so I am going to pick up a half dozen and either adopt one or provide three selections for their own work.

Thank you very much! I will ensure it's on reserve in the library at the very least. I really like to have microhistories to help drive student reading and thinking. This sounds like an ideal example.

Long eighteenth century Europe in the world: is there a text you'd recommend for undergraduates? Planning on reviving a favourite survey class in the fall. #skystorians

The homepage for the Canadian letters and images project. It shows soldiers posing for a photograph and there is a search bar in the centre. In the about section below, which cannot be seen in this image, it provides this information: The Canadian Letters and Images Project, created in 2000, is an online digital archive of the Canadian war experience, both home front and battlefront, from any conflict in which Canadians have participated. The focus of the project is on the personal materials of participants, such as letters and photographs, which permit us to experience the war through their eyes and their words. These are very often the stories of ordinary Canadians, largely forgotten and overlooked. Our mission is to digitally preserve and continue to make freely accessible this important part of Canada’s heritage for this generation and future generations. The vision of the project is to continue to expand this repository of Canadian archival materials by collaborating with Canadians to preserve and share the individual and collective stories that have shaped our past Accessibility to the past is key to understanding who we are as a nation. We are committed to free access for everyone to the materials of the project.

PLEASE REPOST 🥺🙏

The Canadian Letters & Images Project is an online digital archive of Canadians’ experience during wartime at home & in battle. It contains thousands of personal letters & photos that reveal people’s experience through their own words & eyes.
www.canadianletters.ca/content/abou...

Laurentian strike over after faculty vote for contract But union says there’s ‘little to celebrate’ with new deal

Further reporting that highlights a ghost at the table: the provincial government dictating negotiations. www.sudbury.com/local-news/l...

Agreement ratified between faculty and Laurentian University | CBC News The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) said the majority of its members have voted in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement, ending a three-week strike.

The faculty strike at Laurentian has ended after three weeks on the picket line in extreme conditions. I'm happily anticipating meeting with my thesis students as the U restores our access to email, etc. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

"Although the judge noted numerous irregularities on Ice’s court documents, she ultimately sided with the agency."

Irish man has a work permit, US business, American wife, almost finished Green card application, and has paid a bond to be released. ICE, implausibly, claims he agreed to be deported.

Give it to anyone who'd like it. I'll start with friends and colleagues.

A counted cross stitch depiction of a stylized woodland scene where a duck floats on a stylized lake between marsh and hills, while flying birds are silhouetted against s setting sun.

Therapeutic stabbing paid off with another completed cross stitch from Max Pigeon's lovely book of patterns.

Opinion | The Globalization of Canadian Rage

Gift link for anyone who needs it,

www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/o...

TOMORROW: 12pm rally at MSoA and social at 4:30pm at Daventry Pub on Regent St. See you there!
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DEMAIN : rassemblement à midi au MSoA et rencontre à 16h30 au Daventry Pub, Regent St. À bientôt !

They’ve been on this for a minute. More teaching + post tenure review (and contracts) plus ai supercharged productivity surveillance tools also makes professors more vulnerable to student evals, which gives admin more power to fire you. That’s the plan.

LUFA_Q&A Created with the Heyzine flipbook maker

Learn about what's going on in our faculty strike at Laurentian University (back in mediation on day 13 of pickets!) where everyone is committed to reaching a fair deal.

Mike Johnson: when Jesus said "suffer the little children to come unto me" he meant "suffer, little children"

MORE THAN 15,000 letters have been sent to Laurentian’s Board of Governors.

Did you know there’s no limit on how many you send?

Start your day off demanding a fair deal: lufappul.ca?page_id=6858

Continuing (b/c I'm once more teaching my Austen class) my JANE AUSTEN GUIDE TO FACULTY MEETINGS
“Now and then, they were honoured with a call from her ladyship . . .She examined into their employments, looked at their work, and advised them to do it differently ” –Pride and Prejudice, ch. 30

This looks fascinating! Thanks for the example and the tutorial.

Photograph of an American bison standing beside a fence at the London Zoo in 1906.

The research guide on Environmental History that I wrote for The National Archives, UK is now live! Includes research advice and resources on colonial environments, pollution, agriculture, and animal histories.

Available here: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-yo...

#envhist #envhum

I told you all that Niall Ferguson is a tool. Turns out that I understated the matter.

A pattern book image of a stylized cross stitch pattern showing a duck on a pond in a woodland lit by a low sun. To the right, a partially completed stitch of the same.

I'm still on strike (2 weeks on Monday) & sad that I'm not working with my students or writing the next chapter in my book but, instead, getting hundreds of faculty to the pickets. In my precious free time, I practice therapeutic stabbing (i.e. counted cross stitch).

We ended week 2 with more amazing solidarity from our community - on-campus, across Sudbury and countrywide

United we win!
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Nous avons terminé la deuxième semaine avec une solidarité incroyable de la part de notre communauté sur le campus, à Sudbury et dans tout le pays

Ensemble, nous vaincrons !

Gloves hands v. hands ! Don't Handle Old Books with White Gloves On As mentioned, white gloves are unnecessary when handling old books. In fact, wearing gloves increases the chance of damaging paper. Try flipping through a 17th-century book with gloves on – it's impossible without tearing the paper. You should handle an (old) book with: Clean, dry hands: So, wash and dry your hands thoroughly before touching books. Support the spine: Never force a book open flat. Use a book stand or cushion to support the spine, especially for larger works. Where can you get such a cushion? Among other places, from GWM in Germany or PEL in the UK. Limit direct contact: Don't pull a book from the shelf by tugging at the top of the spine. Instead, grip the book across the spine by both boards to avoid damaging the spine.

"Handling rare books with gloves should be illegal."
www.blackdograrebooks.com/post/how-to-...

#library #archives #HigherEd #research #literature #academicSky #antiquarian

Careers The Principal Editor/Writer is responsible for a wide range of writing tasks for multiple platforms, producing online, digital, social media, and print content, often under tight deadlines. The candidate should be a driven storyteller with strong news judgement and experience writing and editing in a research setting. This role requires building relationships with advocates, academics, family members, and other stakeholders across the disability community to assist ICI’s research, training, and outreach programs. The Principal Editor/Writer must be creative while also possessing the ability to assess and address the needs of multiple clients. The successful candidate will need to work across communications teams (editorial, digital, and design) and be strategic in determining the concept, voice, and editorial direction of a wide range of print and digital projects. The Principal Editor/Writer will be responsible not only for developing stories and writing copy but also editing content for grammar, style, tone, branding, and appropriate language depending on the type of communication and target audience. This position will also supervise the production of at least one large-scale publication three times per year. The incumbent must be able to write for a variety of media types, including video, and have demonstrated knowledge of professional editorial practices and processes, with strong knowledge of AP Style.

WRITING JOB: Editor/Writer for Impact Magazine at the University of Minnesota's Institute on Community Integration (our University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities). Good gig, excellent benefits and pay, I am not affiliated in any way but will buy you lunch if you get it.

Never mind the jobs you had, tell me five classes you took in college:

1. Linear Algebra
2. Optical Mineralogy
3. Tolkien
4. Tudor/Stuart Britain
5. History of Canadian-American Relations