Wiki Categories Archives: LIS Scholarly Journals

Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research

By Blake Wandling on April 8, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research

ISSN:1911-9593

Website: http://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Partnership is the journal of The Partnership organization, which is “Canada’s national network of provincial and territorial library associations.” The journal “promotes the exchange of ideas about libraries, librarianship, and information science among practitioners across all library sectors.”¹

Target audience: Canadian librarians and library workers and LIS professionals, archivists, scholars, researchers, and students. Although the journal is published by The Partnership, a network of Canadian library associations with more than 7,000 people, it is an open-access journal, so its audience is not limited to members.²

Publisher: The Partnership: The Provincial and Territorial Library Associations of Canada (Ontario, Canada).³

Peer reviewed? Manuscripts submitted to the Theory and Research and the Innovations in Practice sections undergo double-blind peer review.⁴

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online, open access.⁵

Content: Regular sections in Partnership include Editor’s Comments, Innovations in Practice, Theory and Research, Features, Book Reviews, and News and Announcements.⁶

Frequency of publication: Twice a year.⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submissions.

Types of contributions accepted: Partnership accepts “original, unpublished manuscripts in French or English on a broad range of topics relevant to library and information science practitioners in all library sectors.” The editors “encourage submissions which consider the Canadian context, but this is not a necessary condition for acceptance to the journal.”⁸ Each section has its own editorial guidelines in terms of topic, word count, tone, and approach.⁹

Submission and review process: Manuscripts are submitted electronically to the journal’s website.¹⁰ Manuscripts for the Theory and Research and the Innovations in Practice sections undergo a double-blind peer-review process, usually within two months of submission.¹¹

Editorial tone: The tone depends on the section; it is overall scholarly but not overly formal.

Style guide used: APA (6th edition), with a modified style for online articles and documents.¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This open-access journal appears to be an excellent opportunity for Canadian LIS authors, as it is written for the Canadian LIS community. LIS authors outside of Canada are not excluded by the guidelines, but they should ensure their work meets the needs of the Canadian readers.¹³ The many sections–theory, pedagogy, practice, professional development, reviews, and library news–cover a huge variety of content and offer writers many opportunities for submitting work that ranges from scholarly to practical to reflective.¹⁴ There are a few must-read articles and editorials for authors submitting to Partnership, especially “Get Published! Straight Talk from the Editors at Partnership“¹⁵ and editorials reflecting on the journal’s past and future.¹⁶ Furthermore, the journal “provides a chance for librarians and library workers to be editors and reviewers.”¹⁷

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to a past announcement, in 2017 the journal received over 45,000 views. They have 1500 readers registered with their website.¹⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is a Canadian bilingual publication (English and French) for librarians and information professionals of Canada. Authors would need to ensure their work meets their needs and explains any cultural or language differences.

Reader characteristics: Overall, Partnership has a very broad spectrum of readers in the Canadian library and information professions: librarians, library works, scholars, researchers, practitioners, and students. It can be safely assumed the readers are interested in promoting successful libraries and acquiring knowledge to allow them to succeed in their own work. The authors and content of the publication suggests that the majority of readers are working in all types of libraries.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The journal works to connect members of the Canadian library community,¹⁹ and the journal’s sections are variously academic, reflective, and newsy. Readers probably have a range of LIS knowledge, from the practical to the academic.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Authors should first take into consider how their work is broadly or specifically related to libraries and library scholarship in Canada. Furthermore, readers come to this journal to read on a a wide range of current topics in the library profession: research, pedagogy, professional development, and current news and profiles. Readers work at every level of the Canadian library profession and in all types of libraries.

Last updated: April 8, 2019

References

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Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association (JALIA)

By Kara Trella on October 3, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association (JALIA)

ISSN: 2475-0158 (Print) 2475-0166 (Online)¹

Website: https://www.alia.org.au/jalia

Purpose, objective, or mission: “The Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association is the flagship journal of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).”². “The Journal aims to stimulate discussion and inform practice by showcasing original peer reviewed research articles and other scholarly papers about, or relevant to, the Australian and Southern Asia Pacific regions.”³

Target audience: “It is a quarterly publication for information science researchers, information professionals, related disciplines and industries.”⁴

Publisher: Routledge/Taylor and Francis⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes. “All Research and Research-in-Practice articles in JALIA have undergone double-blind peer review. Information-in-practice papers will undergo editorial screening.”⁶

Type: LIS scholarly journal

Medium: Print and Online⁷

Content: According to their website, this journal publishes, research papers; research-in-practice papers; information-in-practice papers; and book reviews.⁸ Research papers and book reviews make up the majority of the publication. Book reviews are accepted for any library related topic or resource and can range from personal digital archiving, marketing, genealogy, youth resources, and much more. If it is a topic a librarian might find useful, it has a chance of being published here. Research-in-practice and information-in-practice papers appear to be research papers that focus on practical applications. Examples can be seen by viewing the journal’s table of contents.

Frequency of publication: Quarterly⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCode=ualj21&page=instructions

Types of contributions accepted: “This journal accepts the following article types: Research papers; Research-in-practice papers; Information-in-practice papers; Book reviews.”¹⁰

Submission and review process: “Please ensure your manuscript is anonymised for peer review. A minimum of two files should be prepared for submission: 1) Title page (including title, author names and details, acknowledgements as well as funding and grant-awarding bodies) 2) Manuscript – anonymised (including title, abstract and keywords on first page; main text; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figure caption(s) (as a list). If you are including tables and/or figures in your manuscript, please submit these as additional files headed ‘Tables’ or ‘Figures’. Please include a word count for your paper. A typical peer reviewed research paper for this journal should be more than 5000 and no more than 8000 words; this limit does not include tables, references, figure captions, footnotes, endnotes. A typical peer reviewed research-in-practice paper for this journal should be more than 2500 and no more than 5000 words; this limit does not include tables, references, figure captions, footnotes, endnotes. A typical information-in-practice paper for this journal should be more than 2000 and no more than 2500 words; this limit does not include tables, references, footnotes, figure captions, endnotes. For other types of submissions, please contact the editors.”¹¹

Editorial tone: Scholarly

Style guide used: “Please refer to these quick style guidelines when preparing your paper, rather than any published articles or a sample copy. Please use British (-ise) spelling style consistently throughout your manuscript. Please use single quotation marks, except where ‘a quotation is “within” a quotation’. Please note that long quotations should be indented without quotation marks.”¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association offers a variety of publishing opportunities for LIS authors. Whether it’s original research, advancements in professional practice, or book reviews, there are many different writing avenues to explore. As this journal focuses on Australian library and information research, potential authors should tailor their writing to this geographical area and take care to submit works that will be relevant to Australia and Southern Asia Pacific regions. That said, this journal also invites contributions from around the world. For the North American LIS researcher and author, this journal provides an opportunity to showcase original research to a global community. Additionally, this publication also publishes a wealth of book reviews.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Circulation statistics are not readily available for this journal. However, as the flagship publication for the ALIA, the journal is available to 5000 institutional members of the professional organization and therefore should be assumed has a wide audience.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: A majority of readership will be information professionals from Australia, however, “ALIA welcomes anyone with an interest in libraries and information management,”¹⁴ so readership is likely diverse both in profession and location. This publication prints in English and requests British English style spellings be used.¹⁵

Reader characteristics: Readers of this publication will have a strong interests in library and information science research and many will be ALIA members. They are an educated and diverse group interested in staying on top of the latest research and resources for LIS fields.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Although some readers may not be information science professionals, the majority work in LIS fields and would therefore be very knowledgeable about LIS subjects.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association is an internationally recognized publication that holds high standards for its published works. This journal reaches a wide audience of library and information professionals who are interested in current research in the field as well as relevant issues in their workplaces. Focus on LIS topics relevant to Australian and Southern Asia Pacific regions will be prevalent but there is also opportunity for broader library science articles as well as reviews of a variety of LIS related books/resources.

Last updated: October 4, 2018

References

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Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy

By Kara Trella on September 26, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy

ISSN: 2474-7459 ¹

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy is the official journal of the American Library Associations’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF).² It seeks to be at the center of all library related discussions on intellectual freedom and privacy issues.³

Website: https://journals.ala.org/index.php/jifp/index

Target audience: The primary audience for this publication are librarians, scholars, and researchers. However, given the nature of the content, it is likely that a wider audience of professionals, for example, those who work in education, technology, or other cultural institutes, will find the topics posed in this journal to be of interest and use.

Publisher: American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611⁴

Peer reviewed? This publication welcomes both peer reviewed (research/feature) articles and non-peer reviewed (commentary) articles.⁵

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.⁶

Content: The Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy (JIFP) replaces and expands on ALA’s Newletter on Intellectual Freedom (NIF) which was published from 1952 to 2015. As a reincarnation of the newsletter, it continues to cover book banning, legal controversies, and success stories in addition to its newer content, such as refereed essays, peer reviewed articles, book reviews, and opinion pieces.⁷

Frequency of publication: Quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://journals.ala.org/index.php/jifp/about/submissions

Types of contributions accepted: “The Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy welcomes submissions related to intellectual freedom and privacy, both in libraries and in the wider world.”⁹ According to their website, submissions can include:

Research articles/Features: These are original research articles submitted for peer review. Submissions should be 4,000-8,000 words and anonymized for double-blind peer review.

In addition to research articles there are also vast options for those who want to submit non-peer reviewed material which will be reviewed by the editorial staff. These include:

Commentaries: Shorter essays, think pieces, or general commentary on topical issues, controversies and emerging questions for the field. Non-peer reviewed articles and essays discussing or describing policies, practices, projects, law, and scholarship related to intellectual freedom and privacy. Personal accounts of censorship and intellectual freedom challenges. Opinion pieces and essays on current and topical issues. Commentaries are typically 500-1000 words.

Book Reviews: Reviews of recent books or publications relevant to the field. Reviews should be 800-1000 words.

Please note, per the journals guidelines, word count must include references.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Queries can be sent to Managing Editor Deborah Caldwell-Stone (dstone@ala.org) or Editor Shannon Oltmann (shannon.oltmann@uky.edu).¹¹

Editorial tone: Peer-reviewed feature articles are expected to be scholarly, while commentaries, book reviews, and news items might take on a more conversational tone as long as their content is well researched and arguments are well supported.

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style is required for all submission formats.¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy provides much potential to LIS authors. Since this journal publishes both peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed articles, professionals with diverse backgrounds and various publishing goals will find this a suitable journal to submit to. Intellectual freedom and privacy are some of the core principles libraries are built on, therefore, librarians of all areas are likely to have much to contribute to this publication. As a fairly recent publication, The Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy is actively seeking submissions and enjoys working with new authors. This is an excellent opportunity for LIS professionals to gain publishing credentials and be published in a scholarly journal.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Circulation statistics are not available for this publication, however, as a journal of the American Library Association, it can be assumed that a large portion of its 58,000 members are potential readers.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This publication is international in scope and published in English.¹⁴

Reader characteristics: The majority of readers of this publication are likely librarians, scholars, researchers, and other LIS professionals interested in intellectual freedom, privacy, and related topics. Additionally, since intellectual freedom and privacy are topics that interest a diverse audience, readers are also likely to be professionals in other sectors such as business, technology, and education.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: As a scholarly journal of the American Library Association, strong knowledge of LIS subject matter can be assumed by readers coming from an LIS background. However, since this publication is likely to engage a wider audience, and also publishes non-research based articles, it might be best to also assume some readers will not be as familiar with library jargon and to keep it to a minimum or provide additional clarification.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

The Journal of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy’s readers will be eager and open to learning about the most recent research and concerns regarding intellectual freedom and privacy, both in libraries and around the world. Readers are educated professionals and advocates of libraries and their core principles.

Last updated: 11/14/2018

References

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Libraries: Culture, History, and Society

By Lisa Lowdermilk on July 18, 2018 in

About the publication

Title: Libraries: Culture, History, and Society

ISSN: 2473-0343 (Print) and 2473-036X (Online)¹

Website: http://www.psupress.org/Journals/jnls_LCHS.html

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Libraries: Culture, History, and Society aims to study libraries within their broader historical, humanistic, and social contexts.”²

Target audience: LHRT members and library historians (both professional historians and hobbyists)³

Publisher: The Pennsylvania State University Press⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶

Medium: Print and online⁷

Content: “In addition to Library Science, the journal welcomes contributors from History, English, Literary Studies, Sociology, Education, Gender/Women’s Studies, Race/Ethnic Studies, Political Science, Architecture, Anthropology, Philosophy, Geography, Economics, and other disciplines. The only journal in the United States devoted to library history, LCHS positions library history as its own field of scholarship, while promoting innovative cross-disciplinary research on libraries’ relationships with their unique environments.”⁸

Frequency of publication: Twice a year⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.editorialmanager.com/LCHS/account/LCHS%20Author%20Submission%20Guidelines.pdf

Types of contributions accepted: “Libraries: Culture, History, and Society welcomes submissions of research papers. Manuscripts that offer interdisciplinary perspectives are strongly encouraged, as are authors from outside library science. LCHS also publishes evaluative reviews of books that complement our journal’s mission to situate libraries within their broader historical context.”¹⁰

Submission and review process: The Submission Guidelines page has a very detailed list of requirements for submissions. As is standard, the journal only accepts unpublished articles and articles that aren’t currently under review elsewhere.¹¹ Authors are asked to create an account through Editorial Manager and submit their manuscripts there.

As for the review process, manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review after passing the initial editorial screening.¹²

Editorial tone: Scholarly but very readable¹³

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style, notes system¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Libraries: Culture, History, and Society is an excellent publication for LIS scholars interested in a wide variety of topics pertaining to LIS history. In addition to U.S. history, the journal’s third and fourth issues will cover libraries in the Jewish settlements of Argentina, 100 years of libraries and the library profession in Catalonia, and the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard a library user in Copenhagen.¹⁵ Additionally, the journal was just launched in 2017 ¹⁶, providing LIS authors with a unique opportunity to guide the journal’s formative years.

Additionally, despite the journal’s youth, it’s the official journal of the Library History Round Table, a respected organization that dates back to 1947.¹⁷

Thus, authors can take pride in the knowledge that they’re contributing to the mission of a well-established organization with a storied history.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Circulation numbers are not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The journal is written using standard American spelling,¹⁸ and the majority of its editorial board members live in the U.S.¹⁹ Despite this majority, the editors are eager to receive contributions from authors all over the globe to show the enormous diversity in libraries.²⁰

Reader characteristics: Readers are likely to be well-versed in LIS history. In keeping with the scholarly nature of this journal, readers will likely have a bachelor’s degree (at minimum). Additionally, they will be fluent in English.

Reader knowledge of LIS subject matter: Although readers should still be familiar with basic LIS terminology, Libraries: Culture, History, and Society is not as technical as, say, Journal of Library Metadata. This characteristic is largely influenced by the journal’s broad historical focus, meaning that its articles are more concerned with the broader sociological factors (e.g., fiscal crises)²¹ and how said factors shaped various libraries than the finer technical operations of libraries.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Readers will expect authors to be well-versed in LIS history and ideally, have a background in sociology, history, etc. Furthermore, readers will appreciate readable, yet well-researched articles that define unfamiliar terms where necessary and favor facts over opinion.

Last updated: August 31, 2018

References

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PNLA Quarterly

By Rachel Greggs on May 2, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: PNLA Quarterly [Pacific Northwest Library Association]

ISSN: 0030-8188

Website: http://www.pnla.org/quarterly

Purpose, objective, or mission: Pacific Northwest Library Association promotes increased communication, joint advocacy, open debate, networking and support and information sharing through its many special projects and initiatives including an annual conference, leadership institute, quarterly journal, job board, and a Young Readers Choice Award.¹

The PNLA’s journal, published since 1936, focuses on regional content, open access and discoverability.²

Target audience: PNLA members are anyone with an interest in the library and information profession primarily from Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, and Washington.³

Publisher: Pacific Northwest Library Association.⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes.⁵

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.

Content: PNLA Quarterly is “a combination of peer-reviewed and editor-reviewed articles, focused on the region and its librarianship. The Fall issue is a conference issue.⁶

Articles are 1,000 to 6,000 words.⁷

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://arc.lib.montana.edu/ojs/index.php/pnla/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: PNLA Quarterly welcomes submissions in four out of five sections: articles, peer-reviewed articles, conference program (each Fall) and announcements.⁹

Submission and review process: Authors should check the Author Guidelines to ensure correct formatting and to read through the submission preparation checklist. If submitting to a peer-reviewed section of the journal, the instructions for ensuring a blind review should be followed. Send your submissions to pqeditors@gmail.com¹⁰

Editorial tone: Professional, scholarly.

Style guide used: 6th edition of the Manual of Style of the American Psychological Association (APA).¹¹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The PNLA Quarterly provides a unique regional and multinational perspective to the issues of intellectual freedom, literacy, continuing education, and library leadership. Articles may be theoretical, research-based, or practice-focused. If your topic could be relevant beyond the Pacific Northwest, another journal to consider might include the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Science.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Though readers are focused in the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. and Canada, the journal is open access for anyone to read.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: PNLA Quarterly’s audience is primarily U.S. and Canadian. Readers will mostly be English and French speaking.

Reader characteristics: Readership is varied—according to PNLA’s Membership page, the association is open to “anyone with an interest in the library and information profession.”¹²

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong, but varied–readers are LIS professionals from all different areas of the profession.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Readers of PNLA Quarterly come from across the LIS spectrum, but are united by a regional focus and a passion for librarianship. If you have a well researched article with a scholarly bend that focuses on this region of North America, PNLA Quarterly readers will be an eager audience.

Last updated: May 2, 2018

References

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Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

By Maria Notarangelo on April 30, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

ISSN: 0161-6846 (print), 1541-1540 (online)

Website: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wplq20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Public Library Quarterly (PLQ) is addressed to leaders-directors, managers, staff, trustees, and friends who believe that change is imperative if public libraries are to fulfill their service missions in the twenty-first century.”¹

Target audience: Library and information science (LIS) “leaders-directors, managers, staff, trustees, and friends,” especially those working in public libraries.²

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Peer reviewed? Yes, all articles undergo editorial screening and peer review.³

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: PLQ focuses on how public library directors and operating officers affect change. It examines best practices and service improvement models, management case studies, library mythologies that impede development, planning and outcomes, marketing and fundraising, budget and financial management, new technology in practices, and programs for children.⁴ “Every issue of Public Library Quarterly contains informative articles written by the directors and staffs of leading public libraries, news of current public library events, and book reviews covering issues of interest to those in public library work.”⁵

Frequency of publication: Four issues per year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for authors.

Types of contributions accepted: PLQ publishes original research, scholarship, and analyses of current issues in public libraries, from theoretical and practical perspectives. The journal “addresses the major administrative challenges and opportunities that face public libraries, providing insight and assistance to all public library workers.” Furthermore, the journal publishes surveys “that can be developed and used as national benchmarks for such administrative concerns as salaries, usage standards, and budget breakdowns.”⁷

Submission and review process: Authors submit manuscripts online via Editorial Manager, a portal that manages the submission, revision, review, and publication process for authors, editors, and reviewers.⁸ Manuscripts undergo editorial screening and peer review.⁹

Editorial tone: Scholarly.

Style guide used: PLQ uses the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition).

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

PLQ is a long-standing, high-quality LIS journal that publishes scholarship on all aspects of public libraries from around the world. As such, it is a a good fit for LIS authors whose scholarship is focused on public libraries or who study these libraries’ connections with other information organizations or in the realm of public policy. The journal is both practical and scholarly; many articles are written by public library directors or staff members, but the journal also looks to publish research and surveys in this domain. There is a sense that authors are highly experienced in the realm of public libraries, but this does not necessarily exclude graduate student authors with solid scholarship and novel approaches to the field.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available, but each article’s homepage lists number of views, citations, and Altmetric score.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: PLQ is published in English for a worldwide audience. Editorial board members are from universities, libraries, and information organizations in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, and Taiwan.¹⁰ Authors should consider readers from around the globe and explain jargon or regional usages.

Reader characteristics: Readers are public library directors and managers, staff members, trustees, and friends, as well as LIS researchers, scholars, professionals, and graduate students.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Most readers will have a solid and practical understanding of LIS subject matter, but since this journal has a worldwide reach, authors should be careful to explain particular terms and practices.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

PLQ reaches a worldwide audience of public library directors, librarians, staff members, scholars, researchers, and graduate students. Readers are interested in how current events, policy, trends, and changes in the public library landscape will affect their institutions and how other libraries’ experiences and practices may inform their own practices. Readers look for evidence of positive leadership in and responses to a climate of change in the public library realm. Readers expect both theory- and practice-based articles, as well as larger scale surveys and research results.

Last updated: April 30, 2018

References

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Marketing Libraries Journal (MLJ)

By Rachel Greggs on April 24, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Marketing Libraries Journal

ISSN: 2475-8116

Website: http://journal.marketinglibraries.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: MLJ is a “peer reviewed, independently published, open access scholarly journal that focuses on innovative marketing activities libraries are engaged in.”¹

The journal’s aim is “to publish research and practical examples of library marketing campaigns, library marketing research, public relations campaigns, SWOT analysis, segmentation research, assessment of marketing activities, and tools used for marketing.”²

Target audience: LIS professionals from public, special and academic libraries who work in marketing positions.³

Publisher: MLJ is published independently.

Peer reviewed? Yes. All articles are subjected to a double blind peer review process.⁴

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.

Content: Two types of articles are published: research-driven work that provides original scholarship, and practical information focusing on best practices and advice.⁵

Frequency of publication: Twice a year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://journal.marketinglibraries.org/authorguidelines.html

Types of contributions accepted: Research articles of 20-25 pages in length and practical articles of 8-10 pages in length. Additionally, practical articles (as columns) under one of the following subjects:

Advocacy: articles that focus on developing relationships with stakeholders to help raise awareness and loyalty for library services and resources. This may relate to communicating with government, administration, and the greater community
Branding: articles that illustrate how libraries develop their visual identity for their services and resources.
From the Trenches: articles that show outcomes of a particular marketing initiative or campaign.
Marketing Campaigns: case studies of a marketing campaign and the desired outcomes and objectives sought.
Technology: software/apps and web-based technology tools that can be used as part of a marketing campaign.⁷

Submission and review process: The reviewing process for manuscripts will begin after the call for proposals deadline. Some manuscripts may require substantive revision before they are ready for publication. Once a manuscript has been formally accepted, authors are required to submit a complete electronic copy of the final version, including all figures, charts, tables, appendices, and illustrations.⁸

Editorial tone: Professional / scholarly.

Style guide used: APA, 6th edition.⁹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If you have written about LIS marketing and increasing visibility for libraries, this journal may be a viable publication. Some of the latest articles published are about creating a ‘brand’ for libraries and tips and tricks on video marketing.

Keep in mind that MLJ does not only publish traditional, scholarly articles, but also practical articles on advocacy, branding, case studies of marketing campaigns, technology tools, SWOT analyses and “from the trenches”-type material.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: MLJ is open access, and therefore available for any and all global readers, for free.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Articles are published in English. MLJ states that they are global in scope.¹⁰

Reader characteristics: Readers are likely LIS professionals or students who work in or are interested in marketing aspects of librarianship.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Considering the specificity of the journal’s content matter, LIS knowledge may be varied, but strong.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Readers of this journal are interested in a variety of articles, and are seeking out the latest research and information pertaining to LIS marketing. If you have written a scholarly article, a SWOT analysis or have researched a hot topic marketing issue, MLJ readers will be eager to learn about it.

Last updated: April 24, 2018

References

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The Political Librarian

By Maria Notarangelo on April 24, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Political Librarian

ISSN: 2471-3155

Website: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/pollib/ and http://everylibrary.org/how-we-help-libraries/political-librarian/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Political Librarian “is dedicated to expanding the discussion of, promoting research on, and helping to re-envision locally focused advocacy, policy, and funding issues for libraries.”¹

Target audience: Library and information science (LIS) professionals, scholars, practitioners, and graduate students, as well as those outside of the LIS discipline, who are interested libraries and tax and public policy.

Publisher: The Political Librarian is organized and published by EveryLibrary.² It is hosted by the Washington University in St. Louis Open Scholarship site.³

Peer reviewed? Yes. Not all articles are peer reviewed, but there is a section in most issues for those that are.

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online, open access.

Content:The Political Librarian publishes peer-reviewed articles, white papers, and editorials that focus on how funding issues, tax implications, budgeting, and broader economic policy affect libraries on the local level.⁴ Articles range from focused examinations, such as library budgeting strategies, to broader issues, such as tax reform and trickle-down economics.⁵ The journal is “at the intersection of local libraries, public policy and tax policy.”⁶

Frequency of publication: Two volumes each year.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Polices, Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines, and Editorial Team and Guidelines for The Political Librarian.

Types of contributions accepted: The Political Librarian publishes opinions/first drafts, white papers, and peer-reviewed articles. The journal seeks a variety of perspectives, new voices, and lines of inquiry, and does not limit “contributors to just those working in the field of library and information science.” The journal invites “submissions from researchers, practitioners, community members, or others dedicated to furthering the discussion, promoting research, and helping to re-envision tax policy and public policy on the extremely local level.”⁷

Submission and review process: Authors submit manuscripts though the journal’s online portal. Initial submissions do not have strict guidelines to follow.⁸ However, accepted manuscripts need to follow the Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines.⁹

Editorial tone: The tone is professional. Clear guidelines are provided by the editorial team.¹⁰

Style guide used: The journal’s reference and citation style is explained in the Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines.¹¹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Political Librarian is a new journal (first published in 2015) that has a very particular focus: it is a “dedicated space where practitioners, researchers, and users [can] publish on frontline advocacy experiences, campaign strategy and research, and/or about tax and public policies impacting libraries on the local level.” The journal is a resource for examinations of the impact of tax and public policy locally and how policy affects library services and community outcomes and for new models of library funding and resources to educate stakeholders.¹² LIS authors–professionals, practitioners, scholars, and graduate students–who write about the intersection of libraries with tax and public policy will find a good fit with this journal.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data are not available, but the number of downloads appears on each article’s title page.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Political Librarian is written in English. The audience is mostly located in the United States, as US tax and public policy are primarily discussed.

Reader characteristics: Readers are LIS professionals, practitioners, scholars, and graduate students, as well as those outside the LIS community, who are interested in how tax and public policy affects libraries.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will have a strong academic and practical understand of LIS subject matter, but there may be readers outside of the discipline for whom jargon or idiosyncratic terms should be explained.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Authors should understand that readers have a particular interest in libraries and in public and tax policy, and they look for articles that both explain how libraries can survive and thrive in the current environment and how to advocate now for positive changes in the future. Readers also look for local analyses and examinations that may have implications on a broader scale.

Last updated: April 24, 2018

Show 12 footnotes

Journal of Radical Librarianship

By Maria Notarangelo on April 20, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Journal of Radical Librarianship

ISSN: 2399-956X

Website: http://journal.radicallibrarianship.org/index.php/journal/index

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Journal of Radical Librarianship “is an open access journal publishing high quality, rigorously reviewed and innovative scholarly work in the field of radical librarianship….The scope of the journal is any work that contributes to a discourse around critical library and information theory and practice.”¹

Target audience: Librarians and library and information science (LIS) practitioners, managers, scholars, and students who are interested in “radical librarianship,” loosely defined for the purposes of the journal as “the ethical roots of librarianship.”²

Publisher: The journal is self-published by the editors.³ Its platform and workflow are supported by OJS/PKP.⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes, the journal has a policy for manuscripts to undergo either open or double-blind review.⁵

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online and open access.

Content: The Journal of Radical Librarianship publishes LIS articles on a broad range of topics but emphasizes that articles should contribute “to a discourse around critical library and information theory and practice.”⁶ Sections include Research Articles, Editorials and Commentary, and Reviews. The journal’s Announcements page issues calls for proposals and papers on specified topics; a 2018 call was for proposals offering a “structural critique of race and power in LIS.” ⁷

Frequency of publication: The Journal of Radical Librarianship is published on a continual basis: articles are published as soon as they are ready under the year’s volume number.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submissions.

Types of contributions accepted: The Journal of Radical Librarianship publishes research and scholarly articles that offer critical analyses of “the influence of neoliberal policy on the profession.”⁹ With this basis in critical LIS theory and practice, the journal covers many “traditional” topics, such as information literacy, digital rights, cataloging, and technology, but also brings nondominant discourses to the field, with topics including including politics and social justice; anti-racist theory, critical race analysis, anti-colonial studies; equity, diversity, and inclusion; gender variance, queer theory, and phenomenology; the political economy of information and knowledge; critical pedagogy; and sustainability and environmentalism.¹⁰ The editors will also consider nontextual formats.¹¹

Submission and review process: Authors submit manuscripts online and must ensure compliance with the Submission Preparation Checklist. “Prospective authors are welcome to send outlines or drafts to the editor in advance of making a formal submission. Submissions can be sent throughout the year. Revisions may be required before a decision is made to accept or reject the paper.”¹² The journal gives authors and reviewers the option of open or double-blind peer review. The authors and reviewers must all agree to an open review; if not, the manuscript undergoes double-blind review.¹³

Editorial tone: The tone is scholarly but appropriate for the topic and type of submission.

Style guide used: “Manuscripts should be prepared according to any consistent bibliographic style.”¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Journal of Radical Librarianship is a fairly new journal (first published in 2015) that is based in the UK but has an international scope and seeks contributions from “library and information workers, researchers, and academics from anywhere in the world.”¹⁵ LIS authors, including graduate students, who are writing critically about LIS theory, research, and practices, especially in ways that engage in nondominant discourses, consider a progressive point of view, and disrupt neoliberal library policy, will find encouraging and supportive editors and a high-quality, relevant journal.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Journal of Radical Librarianship is based in the UK and North America and is written in English, but the journal’s scope is international and the editors hope to find “editors and authors from beyond the English-speaking world” as the journal grows and evolves.¹⁶ Authors should consider an international audience for their articles and explain jargon or region-specific practices accordingly.

Reader characteristics: Readers are librarians and LIS professionals, scholars, researchers, and students from around the world in all types of libraries and information organizations. Further, readers may be members of the Radical Librarianship Collective, which is an organization “building solidarity for those critical of the marketization of libraries and commodification of information.”¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers have a solid academic and practical knowledge of LIS subject matter.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Authors should keep in mind that readers expect authors to approach LIS scholarship with a consideration of critical, radical, and nonhegemonic analyses. Readers will expect traditional LIS topics to be analysed and critiqued from new, radical, or nondominant points of view, and they expect writing on newer topics crucial to the profession’s progressive advancement and a disruption of its neoliberal and market-based practices.

Last updated: April 20, 2018

References

Show 17 footnotes

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA)

By Lisa Lowdermilk on April 18, 2018 in

About the publication

Title: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA)

ISSN: 1067-5027 (Print) and 1527-974X (Online)¹

Website: https://academic.oup.com/jamia

Purpose, objective, or mission: “JAMIA is AMIA’s premier peer-reviewed journal for biomedical and health informatics.”² “JAMIA articles describe innovative informatics research and systems that help to advance biomedical science and to promote health.”³

Target audience: “Physicians, informaticians, scientists, nurses and other health care professionals,” as well as academic and medical librarians are among this publication’s target audience.⁴

Publisher: Oxford University Press⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes⁶

Type: Academic / Scholarly⁷

Medium: Print and online⁸

Content: “Covering the full spectrum of activities in the field, JAMIA includes informatics articles in the areas of clinical care, clinical research, translational science, implementation science, imaging, education, consumer health, public health, and policy. JAMIA‘s articles describe innovative informatics research and systems that help to advance biomedical science and to promote health.”⁹

Frequency of publication: Monthly¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://academic.oup.com/jamia/pages/General_Instructions

Types of contributions accepted: The journal accepts research and applications, reviews, brief communications, case reports, perspectives, correspondence, and editorials and highlights.¹¹

Submission and review process: Manuscripts should be double-spaced and accompanied by a title page, abstract, references, acknowledgements, etc. Additionally, authors should submit their manuscripts in Word format to JAMIA’s submission site. As for the review process, authors must provide details of any conflicts of interests, so that the review can “be handled by ones of the other editors.”¹²

Editorial tone: Scholarly.¹³

Style guide used: The journal asks authors to use footnotes and format their references according to Medline style.¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

JAMIA is a great publication for LIS authors familiar with informatics, health sciences, etc. It explores topics LIS professionals are familiar with, including social media, the ethics of various information dissemination methods, etc.¹⁵ Health informatics professionals, as well as medical librarians with knowledge of these topics will feel right at home with this publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Although exact circulation statistics are unavailable, all members of the American Medical Informatics Association receive a subscription to JAMIA.¹⁶ AMIA has over 5,400 members,¹⁷ though JAMIA‘s readership is likely higher than this figure, since articles are freely available on JAMIA’s website and PubMed Central.¹⁸

Audience location: Because this journal is the official journal of the American Medical Informatics Association,¹⁹ it stands to reason that the majority of readers will live in the U.S. At the same time, JAMIA is published by the Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom²⁰ and features articles concerning biomedical data sharing as a whole. Thus, the journal has articles of interest to English-speaking biomedical professionals worldwide.

Reader characteristics: The majority of readers will be healthcare professionals with specialized knowledge of bioinformatics.²¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Because JAMIA is first and foremost a medical publication within the highly specialized field of bioinformatics, most readers will be more familiar with medical terminology than LIS terminology. Thus, while medical terms can—and should—be used freely, LIS terms should be used sparingly and defined where necessary.

Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

Because the majority of readers will come from highly technical backgrounds, authors should ground their articles in methodical, well-documented research. Additionally, authors should—at the very least—have taken a class in health informatics. Ideally, however, authors will be healthcare professionals (including medical librarians) with extensive knowledge of bioinformatics.

Last updated: April 18, 2018

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