Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: BayViews
ISSN: unknown
Website: http://www.bayviews.org
Purpose, objective, or mission: BayViews is a publication of the Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California1, with reviews aimed at evaluating new books to identify titles appropriate for library purchase. BayView‘s goals are “to strengthen and maintain work with youth in the libraries of Northern and Central California according to the highest standards of professional librarianship by:
- Reviewing and evaluating children’s books and other materials produced for young people
- Working actively to further the cause of library work with children
- Discussing various phases and problems of this work
- Cooperating in the solution of problems of mutual concern
- Encouraging and stimulating the personal friendships of its members”2
Target audience: Members of the Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California, including both public librarians and school librarians.3
Publisher: The Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California4
Peer reviewed? No.5
Type: LIS professional news. BayViews is published by a professional organization with the prime purpose of educating its own members.6
Medium: BayViews is an electronic and print publication. Additionally, BayViews has a blog on their website which is updated frequently.7
Content: BayViews is a journal of book reviews and opinions aimed at children’s librarians.8 The members of the Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California use its pages to review new books in the field of children’s literature (including books for babies, children, and teens), as well as meeting in person to discuss the reviews. Each copy of BayViews also contains a section called “BayNews,” which keeps a calendar of upcoming events and collects news about goings-on related to children’s services at libraries within the region.9
Frequency of publication: 11 times per year.10
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: Online at http://www.bayviews.org/reviewtools
Reviews are submitted using an online form on the above page, which also includes sample reviews and a letter from the editors regarding content, voice, and other review considerations.11
Types of contributions accepted: Contributions are accepted by members only, including book reviews of children’s and young adult literature, as well as news about events and services in the Northern California library community.12
Reviewers are now able to choose their own review books at meetings.13
Submission and review process: Contributors must be members of the organization. Reviewers choose their own review books at meetings. Authors wishing to contribute to the BayNews section should contact the editor.14
Editorial tone: Reviews should be concise and critical.15
Style guide used: Not specified but read guidelines on the site16
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
This publication is a great opportunity for writers in Northern California who are interested in reviewing children’s and young adult literature. Since authors must be members of the Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California, and reviews are presented at the ACL chapter meetings, they would probably want to reside in the area to get the most out of their membership.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: The membership of ACL who receive as a membership benefit both the print (for a fee) and electronic copy (free) of the journal.17
Audience location and language or cultural views: Based in Northern and Central California, the publication is published in English with no special considerations.18
Reader characteristics: Children’s librarians with a desire to learn more about books than reviews in the LIS press offer. Readers are interested specifically in children’s and young adult books, and issues related to working in public and school libraries. Written by, and for, the membership.19
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: General LIS knowledge and expertise in their area of the field.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
As a publication for the education of the membership of ACL, authors should be well versed in the subject of children’s and young adult literature and willing to follow the membership guidelines to participate in the ACL community.20
Last updated: April 26, 2020
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