Well, I'm happy to say that things are on the move again in my life! I have many "irons in the fire" right now. Most of them revolve around my decision in the Fall of 2013 to pursue my MLIS via the Library and Information School (iSchool) at Florida State University...quite a feat (time-wise) considering I hail from the Pacific Northwest and I am a full-time paraprofessional cataloging specialist! Nevertheless, it has been a very positive experience and I have learned an astounding amount. I was dubious at first because I have worked in both public and academic library settings for the last 20+ years, but I must say that this education has added multiple facets to my life and perspectives. Probably most importantly, it has given me a genuine insight into the current issues in a variety of libraries, especially as so many of my fellow students are considerably younger than me, and they bring a whole different worldview to each and every class, not to mention each interaction. It has been truly wonderful and enlightening.
Now, as to the title of this posting, the first for quite a long time. In my new whirlwind of activity I have also attempted to incorporate a number of additional educational opportunities, including my first attempt at learning PHP with Tim Spalding of LibraryThing while attending the ALA annual conference in Las Vegas. My classes have also expanded my interests, and one of my favorite projects was helping to assemble a digital library of headpieces, tailpieces, and initial letters from a rare book cataloging project I helped with a number of years ago. You can see the results, it is called the H.I.T. Digital Library. So, that gives you an idea of my "change of pace."
As for the "change of place" portion, that is why there is a question mark...and why I also mentioned "irons in the fire." I have a number of requests an very momentous undertakings in the works even as I write, and I can't wait to tell you all about them if and when they should materialize, so you'll have to check back later to see what's up...but right now, I will tell you that it's all *very* exciting.
