This paper is now out in the world ☀️‘In a positive light? experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the promise of biosolidarity’ withShawn Bodden and ⁦Hayden Lorimer⁩ ⁦SCGeog Journal⁩. tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

Calling anything a library.
Calling libraries anything.
Calling Library Workers ‘CSA’s’.
Claiming volunteers can do library work/run libraries.
Privatisation & commercialisation.
Over-diversification.
Discretionary.
All meant to erode & undermine a statutory service.
#libraries

Really honoured to be one voice speaking for the many in this podcast dealing with the live story of how we value and protect Scotland’s public libraries.

‘They represent what a public service is… Browse, borrow, request, renew - lovely words to me. A library card in your hand is your democracy.’ 📚📖 #DearLibrary #LibrariesAreEssential Libraries South Lanarkshire youtu.be/9sC5P-K-bnA?fe…

Congrats Historic Environment Scotland on this report; it is a v. significant one. I am proud to have co-authored this. It moves things to a new understanding of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿’s past, its treasured spaces, and its familiar spots. It shows how all our history- Neolithic to industrial- are saturated in Empire

In tomorrow’s Glasgow Times I ask isn’t it time to modernise our law to protect local public libraries from closure and “co-relocation”? In recent years we’ve lost 1 in 5 libraries in Scotland. CILIPScotland The Victorians built them, why are we closing so many of them?

I'd suggest 'community support' but I admit a few of the other options look fun too. theguardian.com/books/picture/…

Public Libraries are being used to mask & hide cuts to other public services.
Re-inventing libraries as community hubs, service centres and social prescribers is harmful to Library Workers and the communities they serve.
#libraries

One week til closing date for applications to this lectureship post School of GeoSciences @ University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh
Come join us!

If you want to understand the British Establishment just read page 8 of latest Private Eye. The photo is from the 2014 Tory Carlton Club dinner. It includes Liz Truss, Lucy Frazer, former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells & current postal minister Kevin Hollinrake.

🌨️Have you heard about SAD? It can lower mood and create anxiety during the winter months.

A creative approach by researchers University of Glasgow and The University of Edinburgh offers people a chance to reframe their outlook 💡

Find out more about Wintering Well ⬇️
bit.ly/47Odu7Z

A fine midsummer conference in Copenhagen awaits session contributors…!

Perhaps the chaps who have written columns for the Spectator cheering on selling off our electricity, steel, coal, oil, gas, postal service and railways to the highest bidder are starting to feel some remorse? After all, what’s good for the goose is surely good for the gander?

For sure! No better time to think and talk seasonally than Sankthansaften!
Come join in!

Why Libraries are so important.

Please do read this.

“We should never, ever, in this country close down a library again,” he said.

Libraries Connected
The Bookseller

theguardian.com/education/2024…

Well that's Blue Monday done with for another year.
But what about today and then tomorrow?
Wintering Well ought to be a habit!
Warding off the blues means getting creative and staying social. More here...
impact.ed.ac.uk/our-shared-wor…
hester parr Alec Finlay (dailies) @alecfinlay.bsky.social School of GeoSciences @ University of Edinburgh

Blue Monday?
Whatever your view, there's a healthy conversation to be had about Winter Blues and what we can do to help one another through the darker months...info. and access to free creative resources here:
impact.ed.ac.uk/our-shared-wor…
hester parr Alec Finlay (dailies) @alecfinlay.bsky.social School of GeoSciences @ University of Edinburgh

A post up for grabs rn School of GeoSciences @ University of Edinburgh - Lecturer in Circular Economy and Sustainability Transformations. Do take a look at the job details: tinyurl.com/5n7933pa
Closing date for applications: 12th Feb. 2024

Encouraging to see Change Mental Health featuring links to the Economic and Social Research Council funded 'Wintering Well' resources for people with SAD gla.ac.uk/research/az/li…
Hayden Lorimer Alec Finlay (dailies) @alecfinlay.bsky.social LivingLifetoTheFull UofGGES 🌍

See their page here:
changemh.org/conditions/sea…