Toby Steiner

My @copim colleague @simonxix has a new contribution in the LSE Impact blog, and raises some excellent points:

"Our knowledge sector is built on a foundation of software that is unreliable, not liked by users or staff, bloated with untested “AI” features, and which fails to protect us from increasing numbers of cyberattacks."

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/12/02/dont-rely-on-government-to-save-the-british-library/

Don’t rely on government to save the British Library - Impact of Social Sciences

Following a catastrophic hack British Library remains in crisis. Can it recover by refocusing on the people, skills and systems that enable it to function?

Impact of Social Sciences - Maximizing the impact of academic research
Dec 2 at 6:14pmWeb
Show threadToby SteinerDec 2

@copim @simonxix Simon's conclusion is on point - imagine the possibilities:

"Using the same principles [as those guiding our work in the Copim community] of community ownership and investment in people rather than commercial providers, the UK knowledge sector could collaborate on community-owned open source technical infrastructures." ❤️ #openinfrastructures

Show threadToby SteinerDec 2
@copim @simonxix In case you haven't read it, make sure to also have a look at Simon's earlier post on the British Library hack, here https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2024/03/19/the-british-library-hack-is-a-warning-for-all-academic-libraries/
The British Library hack is a warning for all academic libraries - Impact of Social Sciences

Following the release of the British Library’s cyber incident report, Simon Bowie argues that the hack was symptomatic of an under-resourced technical team and the outsourcing of key infrastructure.

Impact of Social Sciences - Maximizing the impact of academic research
Show threadSimonDec 2
@flavoursofopen @copim Thanks Toby!