Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: Municipal World
ISSN: 0027-35891
Website: http://www.municipalworld.com
Purpose, objective, or mission: Municipal World is a magazine “devoted to promoting effective municipal government.”2. Founded in 1891, it is the oldest continuously published monthly municipal magazine in the world.3
“Each month, Municipal World examines the issues that impact communities: new federal and provincial policies and legislation; new theories about economic development and renewal; new strategies and emerging best practices from communities like yours across the nation.” 4
Target audience: This publication is aimed at elected and appointed officials involved in municipal government interested in providing effective service to their constituents.5
Publisher: Municipal World, Inc., Ontario, Canada.6
Peer reviewed? No.7
Type: Civilian publication for those involved in the municipal sector.
Medium: Print, with current issue TOC, keyword, and article search available online at their website. Digital editions of Municipal World Magazine are also available, but to subscribers only. 8
Content: According to their website, “articles addressing the pressing problems of the municipal sector” and regular features concerning the environment, governance, management, and procurement. Contents also include upcoming events, Canadian Municipal Code, professional directory, job board, and sources for forms and supplies.9
Frequency of publication: Monthly.10
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: https://municipalworld.com/magazine/editorial-guidelines/
Types of contributions accepted: “Municipal World welcomes contributed articles from individuals working in the municipal sector or aligned to the field. Submissions may be considered for our online feature articles, print/digital editions, or special themed publications.” 11
“The scope of potential topics for article submissions is very wide; submissions can focus on any subject area that will be of interest to senior municipal administrators and local government elected officials and in Canada. We do have several ‘theme’ issues throughout the year, which may be relevant for something you are contemplating. Contact the Editor for more information.” 12
“Most articles published in Municipal World are in the range of 1,200 to 2,000 words. As a rule of thumb, 1,400-1,800 words is ideal. However, exceptions can be made at the editor’s discretion to accommodate longer or shorter articles. Our best advice: brevity enhances the prospect of publication.” 13
Submission and review process: “The editor ultimately decides upon the content of the publication, including your article, and reserves the right to reject any submission, or to edit your submission for length, content that may have been covered in a previous article, inappropriate information for the interest of our readership, or style.” 14
“As topics for each issue are selected on a ‘what’s hot’ basis, we cannot guarantee a definite date for publication of articles. Periodically, we schedule special feature issues. For example human resources, heritage, technology, environment, or economic development. These factors also determine our selection of articles.” 15
Editorial tone: As noted in style guide entry, publication prefers “streamlined and straightforward” writing. Authors are encouraged to “present convincing documentation to prove the point” and nothing else. 16
Style guide used: No style guide specified. This guidance provided: “Our preferred style is streamlined and straightforward, to minimize legal and technical jargon, and to spell out all acronyms on the first reference. Use the simplest word that makes the point. For example: “use” instead of “utilize”; “rain” instead of “precipitation event.” Articles should be as specific as possible, and use active voice, rather than passive voice. Articles written in the first person (e.g., using “I” or “we” throughout) are generally inappropriate…Do not include personal opinions and organizational position statements. Rather, present convincing documentation to prove the point.” 17
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
This magazine, like others of its kind, offers great potential for increasing the visibility of Canadian public libraries with the government administrators who fund and support them (or not). As library leader Ken Haycock pointed out in a blog post, public librarians have much to gain by writing for such publications “to ensure that their celebrations and concerns are front and center with those who make decisions affecting their future.”18
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: The website draws an audience of more than 53,000, the weekly newsletter has more than 18,000 subscribers, and the publication has more than 19,000 social media followers. 19
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Canada. Given the geographic location, English speaking authors from outside Canada would be best served respecting the Canadian spelling of English words. While municipal governments throughout the world bear similarities, contributors should have an understanding of issues specific to Canadian municipal government.
Reader characteristics: As appointed and elected officials in Canadian government and others working in municipal government, readers would share a strong sense of service to their community and are likely proud of being a Canadian. Readers will likely possess education beyond high school, often a professional degree in law, accounting, engineering, architecture, planning, or management. Workplace likely a government agency or entity. Interest would likely be broad, any topic that effects their community and constituents including: election process, environmental concerns, provision of social services, and changes in legislation.
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Knowledge of LIS subject matter will vary widely and authors should not assume any LIS background. As professor emeritus and former director at San Jose School of Library and Information Science Ken Haycock often reminded SLIS students, our LIS degree could support a number of job titles and careers beyond “librarian;” librarians, information professionals, and individuals with LIS degrees, due to the economy and the ever changing LIS field, are finding themselves in leadership positions in civil service.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
Given that the readership of Municipal World is, by and large, an educated group committed to serving the public, they would likely have an understanding of the needs of other organizations, such as libraries, that serve the public. LIS authors could utilize this common understanding and promote the value of libraries when writing for Municipal World, as long as they also ensure the topic of their article is relevant and their authoritative voice is well grounded in experience. Authors will need to ensure they establish their link to the municipal government world, their authority on the article topic as well as the relevance to the readership of this publication.
Last updated: November 21, 2020
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