Floral! An archive of all human history designed to survive the total apocalyptic digitisation of the real world. While a girl is usually named after one type of flower this little librarian holds records of every single one; thus the name Floral :D
September 16, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Floral! An archive of all human history designed to survive the total apocalyptic digitisation of the real world. While a girl is usually named after one type of flower this little librarian holds records of every single one; thus the name Floral :D
The clunk of the librarian's stamp as one borrowed a new book is another tiny joy that we have lost to digitisation.
February 18, 2026 at 11:55 PM
The clunk of the librarian's stamp as one borrowed a new book is another tiny joy that we have lost to digitisation.
And this of course is why digitisation must *never* be used as an excuse to dispose of or destroy actual physical artefacts in historical collections.
The rise of AI-generated photos poses a serious threat to our understanding of history. As these fake images become increasingly convincing, it's getting harder to separate fact from fiction.
I'd love for you to take a few minutes to read this:
marinaamaral.substack.com/p/ai-is-crea...
I'd love for you to take a few minutes to read this:
marinaamaral.substack.com/p/ai-is-crea...
AI is creating fake historical photos, and that's a problem
The increasing sophistication of AI-generated photos raises concerns about the reliability of visual evidence
marinaamaral.substack.com
March 20, 2024 at 9:01 AM
And this of course is why digitisation must *never* be used as an excuse to dispose of or destroy actual physical artefacts in historical collections.
This should terrify us. When the state is pushing for digitisation of its own records and the destruction of the originals to save space, THIS is the consequence.
Digitisation is incredibly important, but it cannot come at the risk of original material AND if a resource is created
Digitisation is incredibly important, but it cannot come at the risk of original material AND if a resource is created
April 7, 2025 at 6:08 AM
This should terrify us. When the state is pushing for digitisation of its own records and the destruction of the originals to save space, THIS is the consequence.
Digitisation is incredibly important, but it cannot come at the risk of original material AND if a resource is created
Digitisation is incredibly important, but it cannot come at the risk of original material AND if a resource is created
Digitisation is great, but whenever I see people being like “yeah digitise everything, then you don’t need the originals!!” I despair.
Even if you’re not interested in material culture, how *wildly* arrogant to think outcomes of digitisation are not as (if not more) vulnerable to decay and loss.
Even if you’re not interested in material culture, how *wildly* arrogant to think outcomes of digitisation are not as (if not more) vulnerable to decay and loss.
July 30, 2026 at 1:09 AM
Digitisation is great, but whenever I see people being like “yeah digitise everything, then you don’t need the originals!!” I despair.
Even if you’re not interested in material culture, how *wildly* arrogant to think outcomes of digitisation are not as (if not more) vulnerable to decay and loss.
Even if you’re not interested in material culture, how *wildly* arrogant to think outcomes of digitisation are not as (if not more) vulnerable to decay and loss.
the crime in AI companies destructively digitising books isn't the digitisation, it's that the copies aren't being made public
July 5, 2026 at 3:08 PM
the crime in AI companies destructively digitising books isn't the digitisation, it's that the copies aren't being made public
Currently doing some marking. A reminder to everyone involved in archives and collections: digitisation is not preservation. If I digitise a box of records and put the files on a USB stick I haven't preserved a thing. It's all about what you do with the files post-digitisation. #archives #digipres
November 10, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Marco Rubio tells the Polish Foreign Minister to “say thank you” for Starlink.
The Polish Digitisation Ministry pays $50 million per year for Starlink for Ukraine. It is not provided by US aid.
The Polish Digitisation Ministry pays $50 million per year for Starlink for Ukraine. It is not provided by US aid.
March 9, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Marco Rubio tells the Polish Foreign Minister to “say thank you” for Starlink.
The Polish Digitisation Ministry pays $50 million per year for Starlink for Ukraine. It is not provided by US aid.
The Polish Digitisation Ministry pays $50 million per year for Starlink for Ukraine. It is not provided by US aid.
The complete closure of Archives NZ's digitisation programme is not just going to impact researchers. NZ book publishers who might want to include images in their works have been informed digitisation on demand for these purposes will no longer be available from 24 May.
May 17, 2024 at 7:07 AM
The complete closure of Archives NZ's digitisation programme is not just going to impact researchers. NZ book publishers who might want to include images in their works have been informed digitisation on demand for these purposes will no longer be available from 24 May.
Especially relevant in NZ, where funding for the Archives NZ digitisation programme of official records was axed in 2024.
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Seems like it's worth posting this one again.
December 22, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Especially relevant in NZ, where funding for the Archives NZ digitisation programme of official records was axed in 2024.
I quite liked how the Polish digitisation minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, responded to Grok’s hate speech: “Freedom of speech belongs to humans, not to artificial intelligence."
July 9, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I quite liked how the Polish digitisation minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, responded to Grok’s hate speech: “Freedom of speech belongs to humans, not to artificial intelligence."
All this innovation / digitisation stuff here: sure this MATTERS. But the fundamental point remains - can the rail industry step up to the extent it has to face the climate crisis? I’m still not sure it can. #innotrans
September 22, 2026 at 8:22 AM
All this innovation / digitisation stuff here: sure this MATTERS. But the fundamental point remains - can the rail industry step up to the extent it has to face the climate crisis? I’m still not sure it can. #innotrans
permit me to add that digitisation, contrary to belief in some quarters, does not mean permanence by any means
Indeed, plus how much of 'the archive' will never BE digitised. We cope as a profession with constant massive "data loss" all the time and that's purely in analogue terms. Imagining that today the digital can capture the historical is utter nonsense. This is likely the case for many decades to come.
Im pretty sure they neither know nor care how much of the global historical record is not digitized
December 26, 2025 at 2:15 PM
permit me to add that digitisation, contrary to belief in some quarters, does not mean permanence by any means
Just submitted a panel proposal on 'Early Modern Documents, Digitisation, and Editing' for the @srsrensoc.bsky.social conference next year! Fingers crossed it is accepted!
GET EXCITED!
Our biennial conference is happening in THAT LONDON in 2027! It's our 💎 Diamond 💎 Jubilee, so get ready for a party.
The #Renaissance Beyond Borders
Warburg, 30 June-3 July 2027
Deadline for proposals: 25 September 2026
all info: rensoc.org.uk/cfp/12th-bie... #EarlyModern #SkyStorians
Our biennial conference is happening in THAT LONDON in 2027! It's our 💎 Diamond 💎 Jubilee, so get ready for a party.
The #Renaissance Beyond Borders
Warburg, 30 June-3 July 2027
Deadline for proposals: 25 September 2026
all info: rensoc.org.uk/cfp/12th-bie... #EarlyModern #SkyStorians
September 24, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Just submitted a panel proposal on 'Early Modern Documents, Digitisation, and Editing' for the @srsrensoc.bsky.social conference next year! Fingers crossed it is accepted!
This is right. Digitisation improves access, not preservation.
I don't think people fully understand yet just how fragile university-hosted digital resources are after external funding ends (especially if the lead academic retires or moves or is made redundant).
Does anyone know what's happened to the Irish Legislation Database? When I go to www.qub.ac.uk/ild/ I get a not found message and a search isn't yielding anything.
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubhistory.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
Panicking just a little here...
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubhistory.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
Panicking just a little here...
April 30, 2026 at 9:48 AM
This is right. Digitisation improves access, not preservation.
Feminist Digitisation practices, and how the presence of women can be added in the digitisation process, from my colleagues in the Gaelic Algorithmic Research Group at Edinburgh. blogs.ed.ac.uk/garg/2023/10...
Decoding Hidden Women: Feminist digitisation practices in the Tale Archive – Gaelic Algorithmic Re...
blogs.ed.ac.uk
October 23, 2023 at 9:04 AM
Feminist Digitisation practices, and how the presence of women can be added in the digitisation process, from my colleagues in the Gaelic Algorithmic Research Group at Edinburgh. blogs.ed.ac.uk/garg/2023/10...
I’m glad to see UNESCO taking action.
With EU support, UNESCO will allocate €2 million to help preserve Ukraine’s documentary heritage.
The programme will support archives, libraries, and other memory institutions, including in frontline regions, as well as digitisation efforts.
With EU support, UNESCO will allocate €2 million to help preserve Ukraine’s documentary heritage.
The programme will support archives, libraries, and other memory institutions, including in frontline regions, as well as digitisation efforts.
June 29, 2026 at 3:56 PM
I’m glad to see UNESCO taking action.
With EU support, UNESCO will allocate €2 million to help preserve Ukraine’s documentary heritage.
The programme will support archives, libraries, and other memory institutions, including in frontline regions, as well as digitisation efforts.
With EU support, UNESCO will allocate €2 million to help preserve Ukraine’s documentary heritage.
The programme will support archives, libraries, and other memory institutions, including in frontline regions, as well as digitisation efforts.
Some digitisation to do today, really made it awkward for myself, 4 different film holders required 🤦
Std 35mm, Pano 35mm, 6x9 and 4x5 🙄
#FP4Party
Std 35mm, Pano 35mm, 6x9 and 4x5 🙄
#FP4Party
March 31, 2026 at 10:02 AM
Some digitisation to do today, really made it awkward for myself, 4 different film holders required 🤦
Std 35mm, Pano 35mm, 6x9 and 4x5 🙄
#FP4Party
Std 35mm, Pano 35mm, 6x9 and 4x5 🙄
#FP4Party
Ukraine is also fighting for its memory.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s oldest religious and cultural sites, has received a mobile 3D digitisation unit for preserving icons, books, and other treasures during the war.
It was provided by a Czech-Ukrainian initiative.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s oldest religious and cultural sites, has received a mobile 3D digitisation unit for preserving icons, books, and other treasures during the war.
It was provided by a Czech-Ukrainian initiative.
May 26, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Ukraine is also fighting for its memory.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s oldest religious and cultural sites, has received a mobile 3D digitisation unit for preserving icons, books, and other treasures during the war.
It was provided by a Czech-Ukrainian initiative.
Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, one of Ukraine’s oldest religious and cultural sites, has received a mobile 3D digitisation unit for preserving icons, books, and other treasures during the war.
It was provided by a Czech-Ukrainian initiative.
This shit drives me up the wall.
1. Elon Musk isn't the first, tenth, or ten thousandth person to suggest digitising more government processes - and those other people threw fewer Sieg Heils per annum.
2. The reason govt. digitisation happens slowly is that it's expensive, disruptive, and hard.
1. Elon Musk isn't the first, tenth, or ten thousandth person to suggest digitising more government processes - and those other people threw fewer Sieg Heils per annum.
2. The reason govt. digitisation happens slowly is that it's expensive, disruptive, and hard.
Musk is right — US government badly needs a digital makeover
https://www.ft.com/content/f9754b26-25fc-4403-8d42-3b12e82cd20f
https://www.ft.com/content/f9754b26-25fc-4403-8d42-3b12e82cd20f
Musk is right — US government badly needs a digital makeover
If he can drive the change that’s required, future generations will thank him
www.ft.com
February 2, 2025 at 10:33 AM
This shit drives me up the wall.
1. Elon Musk isn't the first, tenth, or ten thousandth person to suggest digitising more government processes - and those other people threw fewer Sieg Heils per annum.
2. The reason govt. digitisation happens slowly is that it's expensive, disruptive, and hard.
1. Elon Musk isn't the first, tenth, or ten thousandth person to suggest digitising more government processes - and those other people threw fewer Sieg Heils per annum.
2. The reason govt. digitisation happens slowly is that it's expensive, disruptive, and hard.
May 13, 2024 at 8:17 PM
Department f�r Digitisation
December 11, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Department f�r Digitisation
‘New way of bearing witness’: one of biggest Holocaust archives goes online
‘New way of bearing witness’: one of biggest Holocaust archives goes online
Exclusive: Wiener Holocaust Library has digitised more than 150,000 items including letters, pamphlets and photos
One of the world’s largest Holocaust archives is accessible online for the first time after a three-year digitisation of much of the…
www.theguardian.com
January 27, 2025 at 6:45 AM
‘New way of bearing witness’: one of biggest Holocaust archives goes online
This is such an arrogant, devastating and frankly stupid idea - digitisation preserving records “forever”!!!
The Ministry of Justice is trying to get permission to destroy all wills older than 25 years (apart from the rich &famous, obviously). They claim it costs less & keeps records forever. The disdain for (a) ordinary people & (b) experts is too much. Consultation until 23 Feb
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Easier access to historic wills under new government plans
Genealogists, historians and amateur family archivists will be better able to access historic wills under proposals published today (15 December 2023).
www.gov.uk
December 17, 2023 at 12:33 PM
This is such an arrogant, devastating and frankly stupid idea - digitisation preserving records “forever”!!!
Saw a few talks last week about automated digitisation of pinned specimens. Would like to see how they fare with this beauty.
October 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Saw a few talks last week about automated digitisation of pinned specimens. Would like to see how they fare with this beauty.