Careers for Bookworms & Other Literary Types, Fourth Edition (Careers for You)

Careers for Bookworms & Other Literary Types, Fourth Edition (Careers for You)

Turn the page on a new career and live your passion Do you know the Dewey decimal system by heart? Do you look forward to long waits in the doctor's office so you can catch up on your magazine reading? Do you have enough books to start your own library? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your career choice has already been made. Now you need to choose an occupation. Careers for Bookworms & Other Literary Types provides all the information you need to launch a career as a: Librarian • Book editor • Television show producer • Genealogy researcher • Travel writer • Public relations representative Inside you'll find practical advice on deciding which calling is for you, along with firsthand accounts of everyday routines, information on working conditions on selected jobs, and a list of resources to help you get your foot in the door. Let Careers for Bookworms & Other Literary Types put you on the path to a dynamimc and rewarding career. McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide. McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide. McGraw-Hill's Careers for Bookworms & Other Literary Types By Marjorie Eberts Margaret Gisler The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Copyright © 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-07-154539-6 Contents Chapter One Careers for Bookworms Investigating the Opportunities In 1815, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to John Adams, "I cannot live without books." Today, bookworm bloggers are commenting online: "I've never met a bookstore that I didn't like." "I do not understand the concept of being too busy to read." "I'll read anything—even the back of a ketchup bottle." "I have more bookshelf space than floor space." They are also going online to display their book collections to fellow cybersurfers. And one of the great benefits of the Internet is the websites that let bookworms find fellow book aficionados who direct them to even more books to read. This is a golden age for bookworms. Never before have there been so many printed materials to read. In North America, you have the choice of more than 1.5 million titles in print. Plus, there are actually billions of opportunities to read online materials, from newspapers to magazines to encyclopedias to government documents to the websites themselves, with their diverse information. And many bookworms now enjoy reading e-books on a variety of new devices. While being a bookworm today might peg you as a member of a relatively small group of people, many young children are likely to join you in the future. They have recently discovered the magic of reading—in large part through the Harry Potter series. Their enthusiasm even extends at times to eschewing television for reading. It is not difficult to recognize fellow bookworms. They are the ones with their noses buried in books on buses and planes. They read while eating a solitary lunch in a cafeteria. They read at swimming pools, on park benches, and even in front of television sets. Libraries and bookstores are their second homes. Wherever there are books, there will be bookworms close by. Bookworms are entranced by great literature, captivated by mysteries, enthralled by biographies, fascinated by histories, attracted to nonfiction, and drawn to all books, from encyclopedias to bestsellers. The longer bookworms live with books, the more the magnetism of books draws them into reading more and more titles. They are the most educated people on earth. A Bookworm's Perfect Job You will be delighted to know that your love of the printed page can lead to a career in which having to read at work is a qualification for many jobs. If you see yourself reading from nine to five every day, start looking at all the ads in newspapers and magazines and on websites to find that special job that will let you do even more reading. Read the ads carefully, and you will find appealing jobs like these: JUNIOR REFERENCE LIBRARIAN—FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DUTIES • Provide information and documentation • Compile and update reading lists QUALIFICATIONS • Master's degree in library sciences or library and information sciences • Knowledge of reference sources, printed and in various electronic formats, and of official government publications • Knowledge of online searching techniques and of the major commercial database systems • Knowledge of current affairs ASSOCIATE EDITOR—TRAVEL MAGAZINE Description: Candidates should have previous magazine experience. Must be willing to travel and attend evening events. Must be able to handle multiple responsibilities simultaneo