scott b. weingart
@scottbot.net
past: circus performer; historian of science; librarian; grantmaker; chief data & evaluation officer at NEH.
present: dad; resident scholar at dartmouth; chief technology officer at the library of virginia.
personal account.
https://scottbot.github.io
present: dad; resident scholar at dartmouth; chief technology officer at the library of virginia.
personal account.
https://scottbot.github.io
Reposted by scott b. weingart
With a heavy heart, I am announcing a temporary moratorium on all writing—effective immediately.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
October 2, 2026 at 7:03 AM
With a heavy heart, I am announcing a temporary moratorium on all writing—effective immediately.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
With a heavy heart, I am announcing a temporary moratorium on all writing—effective immediately.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
October 2, 2026 at 7:03 AM
With a heavy heart, I am announcing a temporary moratorium on all writing—effective immediately.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
Our strategic word reserve is running dangerously low and, until we figure out how to replenish it, we all must do what we can to conserve.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
this would be an incredible film if you started it with all the normal serial killer hunting tropes
October 2, 2026 at 2:10 AM
this would be an incredible film if you started it with all the normal serial killer hunting tropes
Startup idea: custom-designed NDAs that would be legally and/or spiritually binding in the local jurisdictions of each relevant deity, demon, or other divine representative.
“For months, Anthropic has been hosting private meetings like this one, shuttling in dozens of religious scholars from across the world, papering them with nondisclosure agreements and demanding that key aspects of many conversations remain confidential.“
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/u...
Is Claude Conscious? Inside Anthropic’s Quest to Instill Morality Into Its A.I. Models (Gift Article)
In a series of private meetings, the company consulted religious scholars to help instill morality into its A.I. models — and make the case that Claude could be conscious.
www.nytimes.com
October 2, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Startup idea: custom-designed NDAs that would be legally and/or spiritually binding in the local jurisdictions of each relevant deity, demon, or other divine representative.
Really classy to end with Dr. Hayden, and with that quote specifically.
October 2, 2026 at 1:08 AM
Really classy to end with Dr. Hayden, and with that quote specifically.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
another assortment of letter boxes
October 2, 2026 at 12:31 AM
another assortment of letter boxes
Reposted by scott b. weingart
For the morning crowd: a (unreviewed but on skim largely accurate) web-playable 16th-century game allowing you to seek an ever-higher place at court.
Ever since reading Biagioli's Galileo, Courtier in 2005, I've wanted to produce a playable recreation of the 16th-century board game he cites called "The Courtly Philosophy," in which petitioners try to climb the ladder at court.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Filosofía cortesana — the courtier’s game of 1587
An introduction to Alonso de Barros’s board game of life at the court of Philip II, and the only surviving board, engraved in Naples in 1588.
scottbot.github.io
October 1, 2026 at 10:52 AM
For the morning crowd: a (unreviewed but on skim largely accurate) web-playable 16th-century game allowing you to seek an ever-higher place at court.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
I almost don’t care if it works, the idea is so nifty
Ever since reading Biagioli's Galileo, Courtier in 2005, I've wanted to produce a playable recreation of the 16th-century board game he cites called "The Courtly Philosophy," in which petitioners try to climb the ladder at court.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Filosofía cortesana — the courtier’s game of 1587
An introduction to Alonso de Barros’s board game of life at the court of Philip II, and the only surviving board, engraved in Naples in 1588.
scottbot.github.io
October 1, 2026 at 12:46 PM
I almost don’t care if it works, the idea is so nifty
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Friends, please check out this new report on community-based archives, "Powerful But Precarious," linked from the Mellon website. A participatory action research study, it provides a rich portrait of these organizations—their aspirations, wants, and resilience. Enjoy! www.mellon.org/features/com...
Mellon Foundation
The Mellon Foundation makes grants to actively unlock the power in the arts and humanities that helps connect us all.
www.mellon.org
October 1, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Friends, please check out this new report on community-based archives, "Powerful But Precarious," linked from the Mellon website. A participatory action research study, it provides a rich portrait of these organizations—their aspirations, wants, and resilience. Enjoy! www.mellon.org/features/com...
Reposted by scott b. weingart
I love this as an example for how to end something that's sprawling, complex, and beloved. Thoughtful stewardship of the digital materials, and celebrating what this organization did with a sense of pride and accomplishment, without any shame of the "if it's not forever it's a failure" trap. 💖
Today, we announced that HASTAC is closing as an interactive social network after 25+ years of innovative, exciting, and equitable learning, scholarship, and community focusing on technology and its impact on society.
educational-cultural-institutions.hastac.hcommons.org/2026/09/29/s...
educational-cultural-institutions.hastac.hcommons.org/2026/09/29/s...
Sunsetting the HASTAC Network After 25+ Great Years: Farewell and Appreciation From HASTAC Co-Directors Cathy N. Davidson and Shelly Eversley – Educational and Cultural Institutions
educational-cultural-institutions.hastac.hcommons.org
September 30, 2026 at 10:56 PM
I love this as an example for how to end something that's sprawling, complex, and beloved. Thoughtful stewardship of the digital materials, and celebrating what this organization did with a sense of pride and accomplishment, without any shame of the "if it's not forever it's a failure" trap. 💖
Ever since reading Biagioli's Galileo, Courtier in 2005, I've wanted to produce a playable recreation of the 16th-century board game he cites called "The Courtly Philosophy," in which petitioners try to climb the ladder at court.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Filosofía cortesana — the courtier’s game of 1587
An introduction to Alonso de Barros’s board game of life at the court of Philip II, and the only surviving board, engraved in Naples in 1588.
scottbot.github.io
September 30, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Ever since reading Biagioli's Galileo, Courtier in 2005, I've wanted to produce a playable recreation of the 16th-century board game he cites called "The Courtly Philosophy," in which petitioners try to climb the ladder at court.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
Tonight I asked a chatbot to do it, and it just... did it.
but what about super duper intelligence?
September 30, 2026 at 11:03 AM
but what about super duper intelligence?
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Join my team! Help us figure out how to be as careful stewards of today's born-digital archives of state as we've been for physical archives over the last 200 years.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220 - Richmond, Virginia, United States
Title: Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220
State Role Title: Library Specialist III
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience up to $91,080
Pay Band: 5
Agency: The Library of Virginia
Locatio...
www.jobs.virginia.gov
September 22, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Join my team! Help us figure out how to be as careful stewards of today's born-digital archives of state as we've been for physical archives over the last 200 years.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
My consulting / board membership calendar opens up in February, if anyone could use my expertise (libraries / cultural heritage / critical AI / evidence-informed grantmaking / computational humanities research / govtech / etc.).
September 29, 2026 at 8:18 PM
My consulting / board membership calendar opens up in February, if anyone could use my expertise (libraries / cultural heritage / critical AI / evidence-informed grantmaking / computational humanities research / govtech / etc.).
I ordered some tealight candles and they sent me 400. Does anyone need romantic engagement mood lighting, or perhaps a li'l adorable spell circle to summon the impish spirit of nearly-accurate logistics?
September 29, 2026 at 11:44 AM
I ordered some tealight candles and they sent me 400. Does anyone need romantic engagement mood lighting, or perhaps a li'l adorable spell circle to summon the impish spirit of nearly-accurate logistics?
Reposted by scott b. weingart
*tearing my own hair out* the word satellite is older than the COLOUR PINK in the english language
September 28, 2026 at 6:56 AM
*tearing my own hair out* the word satellite is older than the COLOUR PINK in the english language
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Cooooool
September 28, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Cooooool
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Famously from Anatol Rapoport. ehudlamm.com/lifehacks.pdf
September 26, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Famously from Anatol Rapoport. ehudlamm.com/lifehacks.pdf
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Route to future recreation in the forbidden region.
September 26, 2026 at 12:26 PM
Route to future recreation in the forbidden region.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
it’s officially “sorry I can’t today I have to go eat in an intentionally badly-made tent and shake an overpriced warty lemon and a bouquet made only of leaves around“ season, girlies. Chag sameach.
September 26, 2026 at 2:24 AM
it’s officially “sorry I can’t today I have to go eat in an intentionally badly-made tent and shake an overpriced warty lemon and a bouquet made only of leaves around“ season, girlies. Chag sameach.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Tremendous opportunity
Join my team! Help us figure out how to be as careful stewards of today's born-digital archives of state as we've been for physical archives over the last 200 years.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220 - Richmond, Virginia, United States
Title: Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220
State Role Title: Library Specialist III
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience up to $91,080
Pay Band: 5
Agency: The Library of Virginia
Locatio...
www.jobs.virginia.gov
September 24, 2026 at 11:20 PM
Tremendous opportunity
We're not currently hiring developers, but keep an eye out for when next we do. I will be hiring developers who can move slow and fix things here at the Library of Virginia in Richmond.
September 25, 2026 at 12:34 AM
We're not currently hiring developers, but keep an eye out for when next we do. I will be hiring developers who can move slow and fix things here at the Library of Virginia in Richmond.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
September 24, 2026 at 10:28 AM
Join my team! Help us figure out how to be as careful stewards of today's born-digital archives of state as we've been for physical archives over the last 200 years.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220 - Richmond, Virginia, United States
Title: Born-Digital Collections Coordinator #00220
State Role Title: Library Specialist III
Hiring Range: Commensurate with experience up to $91,080
Pay Band: 5
Agency: The Library of Virginia
Locatio...
www.jobs.virginia.gov
September 22, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Join my team! Help us figure out how to be as careful stewards of today's born-digital archives of state as we've been for physical archives over the last 200 years.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Seeking experience in digital archives/collections/preservation, or related cultural heritage work.
Due 10/6. Up to $91k.
Reposted by scott b. weingart
Kākāpō numbers pass 300 for the first time in 75 years. New Zealand’s flightless, nocturnal parrot now totals 325 birds, after a record 90 chicks fledged this season, built on the Department of Conservation’s recovery programme, which started with just 51 birds in 1995. DOC buff.ly/7YIOBd9
Kākāpō population reaches new milestone
The official population of the critically endangered kākāpō has reached a recovery-era high of 325 birds.
www.doc.govt.nz
September 18, 2026 at 12:50 PM
Kākāpō numbers pass 300 for the first time in 75 years. New Zealand’s flightless, nocturnal parrot now totals 325 birds, after a record 90 chicks fledged this season, built on the Department of Conservation’s recovery programme, which started with just 51 birds in 1995. DOC buff.ly/7YIOBd9