This time of year usually brings some relaxation as classes are over and I usually take the summer off from school. This year is different: due to a variety of issues which came up during the past semester I still have a class to complete by the end of the summer … and my internship with the California Digital Library continues through August (and probably later since I’m nowhere near the hours required to complete my internship).

Of course, my work at the lab continues as usual and I have two conferences planned for the summer: SLA in San Diego in a few weeks’ time, and ALA Annual in Chicago later in June. I almost don’t want to go to Chicago–it’s a lot of time and last year the weather was miserably hot. At the end of the week I’ll be super-exhausted.

Either way, this is the beginning of the end. By the end of the year (absent further health drama) I will have earned my MSLIS and will be on the market for a professional library job. This is perhaps scariest: I’ve watched the job boards since I’ve started and lately jobs that look interesting seem out-of-reach with respect to qualifications. Also, everything I hear about library hiring suggests that nothing of value will be had from my 25+ years of professional work in business and academia.

No time like the present to get this all sorted out.