Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
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metageeky.bsky.social
Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
@metageeky.bsky.social
Trans autistic disabled librarian now in Philly who dabbles in comics, accessibility, education, cooking, caffeine and talks too much about her cat. #a11y #comics #medlibs #libtech #code4lib

Ready to be the first against the wall... proudly.
Pinned
My dream is to leave a legacy of accessibility such that at library conferences in the future, people warn that if someones says "Do I need the mike? Can you hear me?" that the KATE will appear from the microphone and drag you to librarian hell (which is like an Amazon bookstore
Okay #ALA2025, it begins! For those who will be fighting time zone lag, I highly recommend Nook Coffee and Bakery on 20th street between Market and Chestnut. Best coffee in town in my opinion and some of the best baked goods too.

Support a local business and say hi to Mike and Edna!
June 26, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Been meaning to ask, who will be attending #ALA this weekend in Philadelphia? Anyone want to meet up? #ALA2025
June 23, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Gmail has AI reading your email by default. If you don't like this, you can turn it off using the instructions below. Just choose Computer, Android, or IoS.
support.google.com/mail/answer/...
May 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
My little act of defiance at work. That's the door to my office at work. Just putting up a bit of trans pride in my library.
May 7, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Oh, to have the time and the musical talent to write a parody of Fiddler's "Tradition" to describe the foibles of my library's "Migration!"
May 5, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
ye olde trans rights 🏳️‍⚧️🌿
April 19, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
The dress code said “wear a tuxedo”. Photo from my collection, no documented date/info.
April 30, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
Scientific Reports will retract a controversial paper claiming to present evidence an ancient city in the Middle East was destroyed by an exploding celestial body – an event the authors suggested could have inspired the Biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Sodom comet paper to be retracted two years after editor’s note acknowledging concerns
The authors’ reconstruction of what the blast’s impact area may have been. Source Scientific Reports will retract a controversial paper claiming to present evidence an ancient city in t…
retractionwatch.com
April 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
You might not be aware, but publishers don't allow libraries to buy permanent copies of ebooks/audiobooks. They are rented to them at a much higher rate than an individual can buy them. And they're limited to a low number of rentals before being charged again.

#supportLibraries
“RAISE HELL!” ✊ Maria Bustillos (@mariabustillos.bsky.social) calls on writers & readers to defend libraries & demand ebook ownership, not rentals. Attacks on libraries are attacks on knowledge itself. 📚

Full video ➡️ youtu.be/lu8jK_27vF0

#LibraryAdvocacy #DigitalRights #InternetArchive
April 23, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
Charles Darwin is best known for his work on evolution.

But he was a prolific scientist who studied much more. Now, over 20,000 of Darwin's letters, books and publications have been recognised as a UNESCO heritage.

Find out what this means 👇
www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Darwin’s letters and books recognised as a UNESCO documentary heritage | Natural History Museum
The documents will join other important archives such as the illuminated manuscripts of Charlemagne’s court.
www.nhm.ac.uk
April 22, 2025 at 11:46 AM
[Supposed] allies:
When you defend leadership from outwardly saying that the institution will always support group X because "it's a political dance right now", realize that your argument can and does apply to all groups under threat.

Excuse disrespect for trans people now at your own peril.
April 15, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
Oh, no. No no no.

Librarians: don’t do this!!
And now I am at the library and I went to the front desk to get some help looking up a very specific list of books and she just... pulled up... ChatGPT?!!??

a) I could have done that myself if it wasn't my enemy and
b) ALL SIX BOOKS IT SUGGESTED WERE WRONG
April 11, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Hey library friends, I'm doing a for fun reference task. We're looking for the original source of the image below. It was used in a reader's digest collection from 1975 but some sleuthing suggests that it is originally from the 1950s and published by the National Park Service.
April 10, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
This article is well worth a read as both a personal story and an explanation of why trans rights matter.
We're disappointed to see Ben Barres's powerful book "The Autobiography of a Transgender Scientist" among the ~400 titles removed from the Naval Academy Library. Needless to say, we're proud to have published his book and will keep it — and his memory — alive.
The Coming Out of a Transgender Scientist
"I know that I am making the right decision because whenever I think about changing my gender role, I am flooded with feelings of relief."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
April 9, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
It’s #RightToReadDay.
NEW data from @oif.bsky.social shows that 72% of book bans in 2024 were initiated by organized groups and elected officials. We need EVERYONE to #UniteAgainstBookBans & take action against these organized attempts today: uniteagainstbookbans.org/right-to-rea... #DrawnToFreedom
April 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
"NY Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of three federal agencies that provide services and funding supporting public libraries and museums, workers, and minority-owned businesses nationwide"
Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration to Protect Libraries and Museums
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the
ag.ny.gov
April 5, 2025 at 3:21 AM
I've been using this gif of Merida head-desking way too much lately.
a cartoon character with red hair is sitting at a table with her hands on her chin .
Alt: Merida from "Brave" slamming her head down on a table in exasperation. Her red curls go flying.
media.tenor.com
April 1, 2025 at 2:22 PM
It's one thing to have the full stack as one's responsibilities but to add "above the stack" responsibilities such as contracts, CISO negotiations, etc. is... I feel like Sisyphus but with two rocks.
March 31, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Hi everyone. Today is TDOV!. I'm trans. I exist. I've always been here, lurking in the shadows, poisoning your vital fluids...

Excuse me.

(off screen) Visibility? Not Vampirism? Are you sure? Ooops.

Hi everyone. I'm trans. And I joke a lot. I swear. Any chance anyone has A- blood? Just asking...
March 31, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
Early voting is taking place for the special elections in Florida for seats in the U.S. House in the 1st and 6th Congressional Districts.

Election Day is on Tuesday, April 1st.

Get out and vote for Democratic candidates Gay Valimont and Josh Weil!
March 28, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
I'm listening to the BBC adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the part where a planet shot their useless population into space under the guise of "you're going to a brand new planet first, we'll follow" struck me as a possible solution to our Billionaire Problem.
March 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Kate "Platypus Warlock" Deibel, PhD
Ai guys have re-invented the Mechanical Turk, but the twist is it's really bad at chess.
March 21, 2025 at 8:37 AM
This has been a three apple fritter day. People who know me should be worried.
March 19, 2025 at 8:21 PM