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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisWe’ve normalized living with stress. We’re blind to what it’s costing us. Chronic stress can reduce cognitive performance by up to 30% (APA) But the real impact is harder to see. Stress doesn’t just drain energy. It changes how you decide. → You delay decisions you already know the answer to → You soften your opinion in rooms where it matters → You stick to work you’ve mastered instead of stepping into what’s next You’re still performing. But your decisions get smaller. You’re no longer operating at your full range. That’s how careers stall. Not from lack of capability. From a pattern of smaller, safer decisions. Here’s how to correct it: → Decide within 24-48 hours when you’re stuck → Say the thing before it’s fully comfortable → Do one visible, uncomfortable action every day Stress shrinks your range. Deliberate action expands it back. If this resonates, you don’t need more motivation. You need a system that holds under pressure. 🎯 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗢𝗙 Nervous System Protocol for Corporate Warriors The framework for protecting your edge and performing under pressure. → https://lnkd.in/e_Eba_qw ♻️ Repost if this resonated ➕ Follow Misha Rubin for strategies in the New Era of Work P.S. Small decisions are often a stress signal
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Stephen Abram reposted thisGrateful to Paula Simons for revisiting this conversation and clearly naming what Bill 28 means for access, local decision‑making, and why public libraries matter.Stephen Abram reposted thisJust in time - my January episode of Alberta Unbound, featuring Pilar Martinez, ICD.D the outgoing CEO of the Edmonton Public Library system. We talk about her childhood in the Crow’s Nest Pass, where the library was over the curling rink, and about her work on the front lines of the culture wars, dealing with book bans, social censors, AI slop, disinformation and the way librarians have been forced into the roles of de facto day shelters. #AlbertaUnbound
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisNEW: The President once again called for eliminating federal library funding in his federal budget proposal. We have been here before. And when library advocates make their voices heard, we can overcome this again. Tell your Senators to reject the proposal and #FundLibraries in next year's federal budget: ala.org/showup
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Stephen Abram shared thisHow to make a nation even stupiderStephen Abram shared thisWhite House President's Budget Proposal: "The Budget prohibits the use of Federal funds for expensive subscriptions to academic journals and prohibitively high publishing costs unless required by Federal statute or approved in advance by a Federal agency." Neither expensive nor prohibitively high are defined. Also, note this is not about % of profit/surplus. Just about cost. https://lnkd.in/gyb4fK7v
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisThe new report from Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center is out, and I am pleased to have contributed as one of the expert participants. What stands out to me most in this report is not the finer details, which only a few readers will fully immerse themselves in, but the broader message. Many of the experts involved, myself included, point to the need for a stronger and more coordinated societal response to the age of artificial intelligence, not only to manage technical risks, but also to strengthen the human and institutional capacity needed to navigate rapid change. One of the most important insights, in my view, is that the main concern is not a single dramatic AI failure or sudden rupture. It is something more gradual, and therefore easier to overlook. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life and key societal systems, there is a risk that human agency is slowly diminished, making it harder for individuals and institutions to question developments, challenge decisions, or even recognise what is quietly being lost. That kind of shift can easily be mistaken for progress. But over time, it may erode judgement, accountability, our shared sense of reality, and the social foundations on which democratic societies depend. But there is another layer to this report that could easily be missed. If change can be mistaken for progress without truly being progress, then it raises a more fundamental question: what does real progress actually look like? That is the conversation I personally hope this report will help bring forward. That said, I do not see myself as being in the prediction business, but I am grateful to have been included in such a strong group of contributors to making this massive 375-page report. Kudos to the friends and colleagues who contributed to the report: David Vivancos, vint cerf, Guido van Rossum, Marina Gorbis, John Battelle, Helen Edwards, Francisco J. Jariego, PhD., Ari Wallach, Terri Horton, EdD, MBA, MA, SHRM-CP, PHR, SWP, Aleksandra Przegalinska, Mark Schaefer, Nirit Cohen 🔮, Gerd Leonhard, Paul Saffo, Avi Bar-Zeev, Russ White, Ph.D., Alf Rehn, Tracey Follows, David Bray, PhD, R "Ray" Wang, Evelyne Tauchnitz, Devin Fidler, Roger Spitz, Gary A. Bolles, Matthew James Bailey, Mícheál Ó Foghlú, John M Smart, John C. Havens, Ray Schroeder, Alexandra Whittington, Amy Zalman, Ph.D., Jonathan Kolber, Chris Riley, and many more. Thank you to Lee Rainie and Janna Quitney Anderson for once again producing a report that helps elevate this important conversation.
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisThe No.1 skill your child needs? It's not on any school curriculum. Researchers studying how cognitive flexibility develops in children found something that comes as a shock to a lot of people I tell. The brain doesn't build this skill through repetition. It builds it through disruption. New rules. New contexts. New ways of doing things. That's the input the brain is looking for. Here's what that means in practice: 1. Pattern-breaking is brain training When a child encounters a new country, a new language, a new set of social norms, the brain has to reconfigure. It has to let go of old assumptions and build new ones. That's not stress. That's neurological growth. 2. Flexibility peaks early (but only if it's exercised) Cognitive flexibility develops rapidly in childhood and is highly sensitive to environmental input. Stimulate it and it strengthens. Leave it unchallenged and the window narrows. 3. The environment is the curriculum The research shows CF is strongly shaped by how often a child is required to switch contexts, rules and/or approaches. A classroom with fixed routines doesn't train this. A life that moves does. Yes, giving them uncertainty goes against our parental instincts. But as much as it pains us and them, they need it. The world they're growing up into will reward the ones who can adapt. ----- ♻️ Repost to inspire your network Follow Rekha Tak Magon for more on education
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisWe built all the tools you need to fight the federal book ban bill at opposehr7661.org
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisEarlier today, the Government of Alberta announced changes to the Libraries Act that will restrict access to resources in public libraries across the province. These changes affect 324 public library service points across Alberta, serving 99 per cent of Albertans. In response, the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries (CAP Libraries) has issued a statement condemning this act of censorship. CAP Libraries is reviewing the legislation and will share further information in the coming days. Learn more at www.caplibraries.ca #EplDotCA #CAPLibraries #IntellectualFreedom
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Stephen Abram reposted thisStephen Abram reposted thisWARNING: There's no saving America going on here, but the authoritarian oppression of women and society as a whole. The defining characteristics of democracy are freedom and egalitarianism--where everyone has equal worth, dignity, and rights. You can't have a flourishing society if you want to trap and subjugate half the population in marriage and ignorance. This is abuse, not nation-building.
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1mo
Why would anyone invest in a US based tech company?
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Stephen Abram reacted on thisStephen Abram reacted on thisI am deeply humbled and honored to receive the inaugural Amanda Jones Award for Intellectual Freedom from Stony Brook University. This recognition means more to me than I can fully express. Thank you to everyone who welcomed me so warmly, took the time to show me around, engaged in such thoughtful and inspiring conversations, and made me feel completely at home during my visit. Special thank you to Karim B. Boughida, Dean of Stony Brook University Libraries. Your generosity and spirit left a lasting impression. I am truly moved beyond words and hope to return next year to help present this award to its next recipient. It would be a privilege to continue being part of something so meaningful. Side note: they have an amazing special collection and they showed me their George Washington letters. They have a great online collection too if you are looking for primary source documents. https://lnkd.in/eFCZzrKe
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Stephen Abram reacted on thisStephen Abram reacted on thisBlessed to be the recipient of the National Leadership Award from Disability Rights California 🥹✨ There are not enough words to describe how meaningful the honor is, and how joyful it was to celebrate alongside the community of neighbors. This award is dedicated to giants of disability advocacy in Eric Harris, Haben Girma, and the fierce legacy and friendship of a champion in the late, great Alice Wong 🐅❤️🩹 Disabled is not a dirty word. Disability is part of human diversity. Disability is human. To our disabled library kids & library grown-ups, you are capable and worthy of being President of the United States, a librarian, a teacher, an astronaut, an athlete, a nurse, a veterinarian, a YouTuber, an engineer, a historian... you can be anything, you can go anywhere. I’m proud of you, I celebrate you 💚💛
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Stephen Abram reacted on thisStephen Abram reacted on thisIf you’ve read my graphic memoir HEY, KIDDO, you won’t be surprised to know that there was a lot about the character of Gordie Lachance that I identified with. Wil Wheaton’s performance as the haunted young writer at the center of STAND BY ME left an indelible mark on me. And last night, I had the opportunity to hand him a copy of that book and tell him that, without question, his work on that film laid the foundation for my eventual memoir. By the serendipitous nature of this world, I was invited to create the commemorative art poster for the 40th reunion tour that Wil and his castmates are currently on. Backstage, I gifted each actor with the original artwork of their respective characters. But it was all a gift for me to meet each of them and thank them for their work on the film. Sincerely. Shout out to event’s producer Ethan Ullman for welcoming my art into this moment, and to Dan Pasternack for expertly navigating those cats on stage to share their memories of filming that American cinematic classic.
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Stephen Abram liked thisStephen Abram liked thisThe new report from Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center is out, and I am pleased to have contributed as one of the expert participants. What stands out to me most in this report is not the finer details, which only a few readers will fully immerse themselves in, but the broader message. Many of the experts involved, myself included, point to the need for a stronger and more coordinated societal response to the age of artificial intelligence, not only to manage technical risks, but also to strengthen the human and institutional capacity needed to navigate rapid change. One of the most important insights, in my view, is that the main concern is not a single dramatic AI failure or sudden rupture. It is something more gradual, and therefore easier to overlook. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life and key societal systems, there is a risk that human agency is slowly diminished, making it harder for individuals and institutions to question developments, challenge decisions, or even recognise what is quietly being lost. That kind of shift can easily be mistaken for progress. But over time, it may erode judgement, accountability, our shared sense of reality, and the social foundations on which democratic societies depend. But there is another layer to this report that could easily be missed. If change can be mistaken for progress without truly being progress, then it raises a more fundamental question: what does real progress actually look like? That is the conversation I personally hope this report will help bring forward. That said, I do not see myself as being in the prediction business, but I am grateful to have been included in such a strong group of contributors to making this massive 375-page report. Kudos to the friends and colleagues who contributed to the report: David Vivancos, vint cerf, Guido van Rossum, Marina Gorbis, John Battelle, Helen Edwards, Francisco J. Jariego, PhD., Ari Wallach, Terri Horton, EdD, MBA, MA, SHRM-CP, PHR, SWP, Aleksandra Przegalinska, Mark Schaefer, Nirit Cohen 🔮, Gerd Leonhard, Paul Saffo, Avi Bar-Zeev, Russ White, Ph.D., Alf Rehn, Tracey Follows, David Bray, PhD, R "Ray" Wang, Evelyne Tauchnitz, Devin Fidler, Roger Spitz, Gary A. Bolles, Matthew James Bailey, Mícheál Ó Foghlú, John M Smart, John C. Havens, Ray Schroeder, Alexandra Whittington, Amy Zalman, Ph.D., Jonathan Kolber, Chris Riley, and many more. Thank you to Lee Rainie and Janna Quitney Anderson for once again producing a report that helps elevate this important conversation.
Experience & Education
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Lighthouse Consulting, Inc.
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Honors & Awards
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• Canadian Library Association Outstanding Librarian of the Year 2011
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University of Toronto, Faculty of Information iSchool Institute, Outstanding Teaching Award 2010
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University of Toronto, Faculty of Information Studies, Alumni Jubilee Award 2001
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• Special Libraries Association, Public Relations Achievement Award 2000
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SLA LMD Management Leadership Award
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