Last week, I began coursework at San Jose State University. This, of course, is for my MLIS degree, and I didn’t even need to relocate. I’m doing the program online. As I’ve never truly had the full online course experience, I am glad that they have provided much resources to facilitate being a remote commuter student, including a class on social networking. Lest you think I’m taking a course to learn about Twitter, Facebook, etc, this is more about using technologies such as ANGEL (an internet course format), Elluminate (for real time class interaction), Second Life (for the same reasons as Elluminate), and overall tech literacy.

I’m a casualty of the California economy. I’ve wanted to get off the adjunct teaching boat for a while, but budget cuts more or less pushed me off. I have found teaching to be an emotionally draining experience, especially one that was hard to turn off as a community college instructor. Being in front of students would take a lot out of me and then I’d be faced with their papers and lesson plans. I’m simultaneously relieved and worried. I’m now looking for a new job, hopefully one that doesn’t involve classrooms.

I’ve been gaining some experience ever since earlier this year, around March, with my local branch of the public library. The library is wonderful, I like the people who work there, and the librarian’s great. I’ve been looking around for a gig that pays, and one with the public library would be nice. I’ve also looked at the various websites that have jobs listed in the library field (locally) and I’m definitely networking.

Now that I don’t have any courses, I’ve been trying to de-clutter my life. Whenever I’ve taught courses, I’d be afraid to throw anything out as anything I’d get would be crucial. Student work I can put in a box for the next several years just in case someone challenges a grade. With some other things, I need to decide whether to file them away or make use of my paper shredder, or simply recycle if there’s no vital information.

I’ll be glad when this whole economic nightmare is over. I’ll be glad when I come out of my own personal recession.

I created the Shindobrarian as the blog with a specific audience: fellow MLIS students and librarians. The ShindoTV one — I’m still not clear about it except to post whatever comes to mind. I just want a blog I wouldn’t mind coming back to again and again. Of course, I post the library ones here because they may be the ones that I write when inspired, but I then cross-post them on the Shindobrarian. The general idea for the Shindobrarian is to post things I’m learning about the library profession, but also to post on thing relevant, whether it’s articles, news, humor, etc. I’ll see how it goes, especially as I get to know more and more of this students, whether in real life or the online realm. I’ll look around for sure, but if anyone knows about any good MLIS or librarian oriented blogs, send them my way.