Day four of Susan Shillinglaw's new job as interim executive director of the Steinbeck Center.

John Steinbeck scholar and San Jose State University professor Susan Shillinglaw has served as a presenter at the Steinbeck Festival for 25 years and has been involved in Salinas' National Steinbeck Center for 28 years. (She's also served as director of San Jose State's Steinbeck Center—yes, they have one too—for 18 years.)

But she's only been on the job as the interim executive director at the National Steinbeck Center for four days.

So when we reached out to her to talk about her new post at the institution with which she's had a long history, and she was still figuring out the email system, allowances were duly made.

She knows she's coming in at a time of transition, as the board of the National Steinbeck Center seeks relief from a debt burden of about $490,000 to complete a pending sale to CSU Monterey. But she doesn't like the term "limbo." It implies inactivity, and she say's that's not what's happening.

"[The center] will be open for First Friday [June 5]," she says. "We have programming lined up. Some things that were pending before the [CSUMB deal], betwixt and between one thing and another. The young writers program, Doc Ricketts' Lab on Cannery Row, outreach to schools. We're working on the website. Not all websites fit on mobile devices so we have to redesign it."

The Pop Cinema series is underway. She would like to see the center have more involvement with the California Rodeo Salinas. (Steinbeck was an afficionado of the rodeo.) A mariachi festival at the end of August pays homage to Steinbeck's love of the Mexican music.

"He made three films in Mexico—The Forgotten Village, Viva Zapata and The Pearl," Shillinglaw says. "The music doesn't match what's happening in the scenes, but he so loved it so he kept inserting it into films."

She wants to join the forces of the San Jose State and Salinas Steinbeck Centers next year in a synergistic partnership to share programming, attendance and advertising.

But the reduced Steinbeck staff is also doing busy work: taking stock of inventory, exhibits, the bookstore. The pace seems more sparse. Shillinglaw greeted visitors on her first day, including some people from Colorado, where she grew up. Later that day, they emailed her about their experience.

"We enjoyed speaking with you this morning," one of them wrote. "We had no idea of the depth and extent of Steinbeck's work and were were impressed with the way the Center walked us through his journey."

The price may be out of proportion to what visitors can expect, though. Regular admission used to be $10.95 for adults and $6.95 for county residents a few years ago. Now it's $14.95 and $10.95. And that's with three exhibition spaces dark now. 

The center was recently bequeathed a trove of Steinbeck correspondence regarding a musical of Sweet Thursday. The musical bombed, but Shillilnglaw has savored reading those letters. She read half of them until her new duties diverted her time and attention elsewhere. She says that it's too early to say if she would accept the post permanently if offered. 

"We're not trying to be coy," she says. "My mandate is to shepherd the future, whatever that will be."

Asked what the contingency plan is if the sale to CSUMB doesn't go through, she says, "I don't like to go to negative places, so I'm hoping not to. I try not to dwell on what happens if. I'm not trying to be Pollyanna. I'm a person who can adapt."