Jen Hillyard

Photo of the large screen in lecture theatre with captions. The first line is cut in half by the video feed

I don’t know what wasn’t right, but the main plenary captions looked like this and kept skipping the final word of a line entirely. Font just too large?

I am definitely downloading this! I did not have strong enough WiFi to manage it on site this afternoon! I did try various transcription tools on my phone in desperation.

I have to say the captioning was pretty awful. The staff team were trying but blatantly not used to Zoom +how to optimise captions for the screen space and sometimes they just didn’t work at all with a 10+ minute lag.
I need to install a captioning phone app before next time!

I don’t realise how disabled I am day to day in my ordinary life because I have put in place aids to make it easier but stepping out of the box into live conference definitely brings it home!
I am also much deafer than I really realised I think… Perhaps time to pick up learning BSL again… #dcdc25

Home at the end of #dcdc25! Fab to meet several people in person who I’ve been emailing/tweeting with for years and nice to catch up with other local colleagues too. But also exhausting so now for a lie down… 🤣

Woman crouching on grass with flattened tent with toddler in rainbow connecta sling on back asleep

Yes we had a lovely time in boats on the river. I mainly remember that camping trip as the one where I had to help pack up a huge tent with Lucy in a sling on my back due to child grouchiness/clingyness. That was a challenge!

Oh cute! We camped near there with friends and had the best time exploring but didn’t make it to Mother Shipton. Next time!
I’m dying to take her to Forbidden Corner but I think she’s quite there to cope with the dark and scary bits…

A UCC Library job advertisement with a background of sunlight streaming through a forest. The University College Cork logo is in the top-right corner. Text reads: “We are hiring a Head of Special Collections & Archives. UCC Library. Permanent Whole Time Post. Closing Date 19 August 2025.

UCC Library is recruiting a Head of Special Collections & Archives.

Lead the development, digitisation, and promotion of our rare books, manuscripts & archives.

Apply by 12pm, 19 Aug: www.ucc.ie/en/hr/vacanc...

That is a VERY long journey so I’m not surprised you had to start travelling a day early. I’m very lucky to be able to do a daily commute for this one!

Who else is coming to #DCDC25 this week in Durham? Looking forward to catching up with people!

It’s so nice as a solo to get out and meet other people who “get it” even though I do feel guilty closing the reading room…

I’m the one with the purple crutches/wheelchair if you don’t know me IRL yet!

Hopes Newcastle Centre for Writing will help bridge funding gap Mayor Kim McGuinness says a funding gap exists between the North of England and London.

Centre for Writing in Newcastle will 'support forgotten north'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Can you help me spread the word?

I’m hiring:

FOUR part-time freelance roles

Across TWO jobshares, 1 x sales & marketing, 1 x admin & operations

All to support my disabled-majority intersectional UK-based social enterprise

Deadline: 5pm Friday 1 August

I’m excited to hear from you!

Full points for accessibility too - we got £8 “standing” seats with the wheelchair after I asked about options to help me sit on the floor. Very very glad I didn’t just push it and attempt to manage floor with crutches - it was packed and I would have been seriously uncomfortable by 1hr15!

Small blonde child sits in theatre style seats with screen in background reading Wildlife Jamboree

Fantastic to be CBeebies prommers this afternoon up in Gateshead @theglasshouseicm.bsky.social and lovely to see the kids enjoying the atmosphere, the music and the beautiful videos of the animals.

Why is Hartlepool always the highest in the NE? Just because the hospital there is doing more testing? It can’t be actually that much different, so is the rest of the area actually drastically underreporting?

Would it be rude to ask whether any blue badge holders were actually consulted when making the bizarre policy??

They could reserve one elsewhere on campus (further away than I can walk/wheel and no guarantee I can even open the door enough to get out of the car) but not one of the 4 I need outside the building.

Is it just me, or is a university blanket policy that they cannot reserve blue badge spaces because “they need to be accessible to BB holders” a bit insane? I’m paying £100 for an event that I can’t guarantee I can attend because they can’t reserve an appropriate parking space… #disability

What's On July:
Jul 3rd | Whisky Tasting with Angus MacRaild

July 5th | Vicky Middleton: Awakened Breath

Jul 15th-24th | Morgan Sindall Connecting Communities: Northumberland Line Photographic Journey (Free)

Jul 23rd | General Admission Day (Free)

Jul 31st | Harper Thursday & the Magic Lantern

Big thank you to all the #ALAAC2025 folks who attended Disability Is Not A Bad Word! You can find all our session resources here: tinyurl.com/DISResource-.... Feel free to reach out to @brealikecheese.bsky.social and me to chat more ✨

Behind the Scenes of the NHSN Transactions Project Heritage Researcher Rachel Anderson reflects on the process of digitising our archive of Transactions and making them freely available online for the first time ever.

Did you know that our historical Transactions are now available to read online? In this blog, heritage researcher Rachel Anderson and some of the fabulous volunteers who helped us get to this point reflect on the process of making this landmark development in NHSN's history happen: ow.ly/EiR150W9VTH

Headline Coffee and a Chat, subheader "There's no such thing as a free book - dealing with donations" on a coffee coloured background with pic of a mug. Stamp reads "NAG members exclusive. 16th July 1030 https://nag.org.uk/event/chatjul25/

NAG Members: Coffee and Chat
"There's no such thing as a free book! Dealing with Donations"
Wed 16 Jul 10:30am
Come and discuss your strategies and solutions with fellow professionals who understand and sympathise with the problem!
nag.org.uk/event/chatju...

bizarre experience today-I explained something to another mum showing her evidence on company website. She half believed me but still wanted to message company and check.
She then typed her question into google and when the AI summary at the top gave her the same info as me, she then believed it!

📚 Join the Bodleian Conservation Team as a Book Repair Technician! 📚

We’re seeking a Book Repair Technician to help preserve our collections. Working under the guidance of the Book Conservator, you’ll master the skills and techniques of modern book repair. Apply here: my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...

Woohoo! Finally had my audiology appointment to turn things up. Life is very loud right now but I’m sure it will settle. Sadly they were working from a hearing test from last year as they’re so far behind…. But still got to be an improvement so fingers crossed.

Absolutely! The NAG one isn’t a session though - it’s a collection of resources including webinar recordings etc covering range of topics useful to newbies.

Cicely Thompson head shot in rather grainy B&W photo

Cicely Thompson nuclear engineer read maths @girtoncollege.bsky.social career in power station development & design. Only woman on teams designing nuclear power stations incl Hinckley Point B & later Dungeness. Womens Eng Soc President 1963 & 1965 b. #OTD 9 Jun 1919 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicely_...

We at NAG also have “Intro to Acquisitions” if your library is a member:
nag.org.uk/introacq/

UKSG Introduction to E-Resources Online Seminar 2025 - UKSG This two-part online event has been adapted from UKSG’s successful and long-running one-day seminar and aims to present a practical introductory overview of all aspects of e-resources management, enco...

Is it the @uksg.bsky.social one you’re thinking of?

www.uksg.org/events/inert...

Library Bluesky, who or where would be a good source of information on academic publishing and resources and the buying and management of, please and thank you?