I’m adding another microjob to all the microjobs I have. Starting next week I will be the super-part-time IT lady at the vocational high school that I work at. This means that I’ll be the triage lady between the IT troubles at the school and the expensive tech consultants that do the networking and account management and mail server for the school. This is good news for me. I’ll even, sort of, have a classroom because there’s an empty one. I’m going to dial back my adult ed teaching in the evenings for a semester so that I can be around at night. So, for anyone curious or keeping track at home, here is my “what I do for work” list at the moment.
- I run MetaFilter – I am one of two full-time moderators. In addition to the guy who owns the site and the coder who builts a lot of it, we’re it. Running Ask MetaFilter has taught me a lot about how people look for information and how they do or do not find it.
- I give talks – as other people have observed, public speaking opportunities seem to be dropping off somewhat. I was turning down offers last year because I was overbooked, now I’m doing maybe one a month? Works out well for me, but it’s hardly a reliable income stream.
- I am still automating the Tunbridge Library using Koha. It’s slow going. Some of that slowness is me, some is not. I work a few hours a week on it. We’re at the point where everything’s got a sticker and now we’re linking records to items. Exciting.
- I’m writing a book for Libraries Unlimited about teaching people to use computers over on this side of the digital divide. Due in March and I’m doing my own index. Wish me luck!
- I’m still doing drop-in time at the local vocational high school which is a different job from the IT job though also just a few hours a week.
- I got a royalties check from Mcfarland for about $20 so I guess that’s sort of like a job.
I’m sure there are other things I’m forgetting. As usual, librarian.net is just a hobby blog and not something that brings in any money which is AOK by me. This is post #3001 after 10+ years of doing this.
Thanks for doing this for free! I’ve been reading your site off and on for years now (I’m only 22) but it’s really inspired my interest in thinking differently about information, libraries, and the digital divide. I’m not quite the radical queer librarian I hope to someday be, but my work as a community technology center coordinator is certainly in line with this arena of work, and hey, I’m now a volunteer librarian at a homeless shelter once a week so maybe that is the direction I’m going :)
Just wanted to say thank you for keeping up with this blog for so long, and I hope notes likes these suffice in lieu of no actual paycheck.
Scott R
San Francisco
sounds awesome. can imagine you would be a great fit for high schoolers actually. please please send tunbridge updates too, really interested in the project there.
Jessamyn – The high school gig sounds like a good one. You will be such a help to the staff (and the technology). I spent the last year writing a book for LU and it is exciting and exhausting. It comes out at the end of September and I can’t believe the project has come to completion! Anyway, your jobs sound interesting – it’s great to have variety. I really enjoy your blog PS… I love New England!
I am a 50-year-old library student who reads your blog, and I am so impressed by all you do. You inspire me, so thank you.
Hey Jessamyn – I’m glad you’ll be helping out at RTCC. I still want to get over to Tunbridge sometime when you are there and peed at KOHA. Thanks for all your hard work – Rhonda
Jessamyn – I’m a now retired 57 year old librarian whose been reading your posts since the 1990’s. This particular post seemed to be a good sticking place to let you know I appreciate your information/knowledge, sharing and boldness on behalf of us all. Keep it up!! Rah! Rah!