Open Book Internship
August - December, 2013
About
Us
Fresh
& Local. Open
Book showcases the outstanding range and quality of contemporary Canadian
writing, and celebrates Toronto’s and Ontario’s nonstop literary scene.
Open
Book uses a broad range of communications to promote Canadian authors, books
and publishers. We maintain an ever-growing online presence which combines our
vibrant websites (www.openbooktoronto.com and www.openbookontario.com)
with active audience development (through social networking, newsletters,
contests, publicity, cross-marketing and advertising). We also promote Canadian
authors, books and publishers through innovative partnerships and our Education
Outreach program.
Open
Book was developed by the Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario (OBPO; www.obpo.ca)
to increase public and bookseller awareness about Canadian writers, books,
publishers and events—with a special focus on the books and authors published
by their member publishers (Canadian-owned, Ontario-based publishers). We are
currently funded by the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Department
of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. Open Book reports to
these funders as well as our “parent organization,” the OBPO.
Open
Book staff include Clelia Scala (Editorial Director), Caitlin Smith
(Fundraising Director), Erin Knight (Contributing Editor for Open Book: Ontario)
and Grace O’Connell (Contributing Editor for Open Book: Toronto), and we also
work closely with a web developer, a web designer, regular contributors,
photographers, videographers and of course, Canadian authors and publishers.
Internship
Description/Overview
Open
Book is looking for two energetic online interns to work on the literary
websites www.openbooktoronto.com and www.openbookontario.com.
We are seeking interns who are interested in Canadian authors and Canadian
publishing, who love books and who can write. We look forward to working with
interns who can take on responsibility, bring fresh ideas and contribute to our
websites through writing and content management. The internship is four months
long and it runs from August
12 to December 12, 2013.
The Open
Book team works in a “virtual office” set-up—we do not share an office space
but instead work together closely through our websites, and through email and
Skype and phone meetings. The Open Book Interns will join this virtual office
environment, from their home office (or other online access point of their
choice).
The Open
Book Interns will work closely with the Open Book staff to assist in the
day-to-day operations and content creation for OpenBookToronto.com or
OpenBookOntario.com, as well as work on our Education Outreach program and
partnerships as needed.
Responsibilities
include:
• Assisting in editing and posting
our interview series. Includes: formatting the interview and contacting authors
and/or publicists when the interview is online. Erin or Grace will provide the
Intern with the interview schedule, interviews and accompanying images.
• Creating content for
OpenBookToronto.com or OpenBookOntario.com as needed. This will include
author/publisher/publishing-related profiles assigned by Clelia (with
interviews done by email or phone), profiles suggested by the Intern for Open
Book, news items and more.
• Managing the Events page, adding
listings that are sent and contacting publicists and event organizers.
• Promoting Open Book content via
social media.
• Assisting the Open Book staff
with other projects as they arise.
Timelines/Payment
We ask
that Open Book Interns work at least 25 hours a week on the project. In
addition to valuable work experience, Open Book offers an honorarium of $1500
for a four-month internship.
Additional
Notes
• Open Book Interns needs to be
comfortable working in a “virtual office” environment, working on their own computer
and with their own online access for the duration of the internship.
• Knowledge of, or willingness to
learn, HTML is necessary.
• The Open Book Intern should bill
Open Book for any phone charges related to their work on the project (monthly
or at the end of their internship, whatever works best for the Intern).
• The Intern will be set up with a NAME@openbooktoronto.com or NAME@openbookontario.com email
for the duration of their internship with Open Book.
To
Apply
Please
send a cover letter with your résumé to Open Book’s Editorial Director, Clelia
Scala, at clelia@openbooktoronto.com. The application deadline is
June 21, 2013.
