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McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/

Purpose, objective, or mission: A daily humor website, “McSweeney’s exists to champion ambitious and inspired new writing, and to challenge conventional expectations about where it’s found, how it looks, and who participates. We’re here to discover things we love, help them find their most resplendent form, and imagine new ways to bring them to you, Dennis. (If you are not Dennis, kindly ignore the aforementioned.)” 1

“McSweeney’s, however, delivers its humor in a high-brow lit mag sort of way. It’s a place where you can simultaneously experience the comic satisfaction of watching a great sitcom and the glorious smugness of reading a New Yorker think piece.” 2

Target audience: Individuals who enjoy humor/satire  in writing.

Publisher: McSweeney’s Publishing. 3

Peer reviewed? No. 4

Type: Civilian publication

Medium: Website and e-newsletter.

Content: Content is intended to be humorous/satire.  “The thing we are most proud of is that for many of our contributors, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency is the only place they’ve ever published publicly. At some point, something funny or odd occurred to them – a list, a new food review, a short imagined monologue – and they had a place to put that funny and odd thing in order to share it with the world, a private joke made public.” 5

Frequency of publication: Daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/pages/guidelines-for-web-submissions

Types of contributions accepted: All types of submissions are allowed. Lists, open letters to people who are unlikely to respond, monologues, food reviews, etc. “Submissions should be shortish. By shortish we mean an absolute maximum of 1,200 words, but in truth we veer toward pieces that are under 1,000 words, and snuggle closest to ones that are even shorter than that. Your subject line should contain some indicator of what is contained in your submission.” 6

Submission and review process: There are separate email addresses depending on the nature of your submission. The website notes DO NOT send the same submission to multiple addresses, it is unnecessary as it all goes to the same editor. Please paste the entire document into the email message. Please don’t share Google docs or links to your private blogs. Also, very important: do not send us attachments. 7

General website submissions should be sent to websubmissions@mcsweeneys.net.

Timely submissions should be sent to timelysubmissions@mcsweeneys.net. This inbox is for super topical pieces riffing on big news stories of the last 24-48 hours.

Lists submissions should be sent to lists@mcsweeneys.net.

Open Letters to People or Entities Who Are Unlikely to Respond submissions should be sent to openletters@mcsweeneys.net.

Reviews of New Food submissions should be sent to newfood@mcsweeneys.net.

“We get hundreds of submissions a week and, like we have mentioned, there’s just one editor reading them all. So, it’s only natural that this editor will be drawn to submissions with funny, eye-catching titles that cleverly reveal the premises of pieces.” 8

Editorial tone: Light and comedic/satirical

Style guide used: None Specified. “Please do not format your piece in an unusual way. Do not use colors or fun fonts.” 9

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

LIS authors may have as good a chance as anyone for getting a submission accepted in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. Their whole publication process seems to be highly informal, but the quality is certainly on par with journals that have higher subscription/circulation rates. An exploration of McSweeney’s multiple related websites is a must to see if your writing project is a match for their style. LIS authors might contribute a fiction or nonfiction piece inspired by their experience as library professionals, keeping in mind that the purpose of such pieces should ultimately be to entertain the reader, rather than function as straightforward articles on an LIS-related issue.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “The Tendency’s biggest hits have gotten millions of pageviews, and many stories do well, reaching tens of thousands.” 10 The website has a social media following of over 180,000 on Facebook, over 274,000 on Twitter, and over 48,000 followers on Instagram.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The publication first started in San Francisco, CA, but coverage geographically spans the globe. Content is published in English.

Reader characteristics: While no information regarding reader demographics is provided, a review of publication suggests readers are intelligent, open minded, literary, and comfortable thinking outside of the box, especially in a satirical way.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Limited, the same as the general public.

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

With this publications, LIS authors have an opportunity to engage with readers from a fun, satirical viewpoint, one not typically taken for LIS. While the readership may enjoy high brow humor, there is the potential to address LIS trends, barriers, ethics, and beyond as long as it comes with a comedic edge. The key is to be creative in approach. With shorter word limits, LIS authors can convey concepts in small, precise ways that do not need to meet  academic-level research and review standards.

Last updated: December 5, 2020


References

Show 10 footnotes

  1. “About Us,” McSweeneys.net, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.mcsweeneys.net/pages/about-us
  2. “McSweeney’s,” ndsmcobserver.com, accessed December 5, 2020, https://ndsmcobserver.com/2016/11/mcsweeneys-internet-tendency-dont-worry-not-bottomless-pit-procrastinatory-doom/
  3. “About Us.”
  4. “Submission Guidelines,” McSweeneys.net, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.mcsweeneys.net/pages/guidelines-for-web-submissions
  5. “Patreon,” McSweeneys.net, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.patreon.com/mcsweeneysinternettendency
  6. “Submission Guidelines.”
  7. “Submission Guidelines.”
  8. “Submission Guidelines.”
  9. “Submission Guidelines.”
  10. “McSweeney’s Meets Internet,” NiemanLab.org, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.niemanlab.org/2016/07/mcsweeneys-meets-internet-a-little-publisher-survives-holding-tight-to-its-eclectic-literary-roots/
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Los Angeles Times

**Please Excuse the Mess, Profile Update in Progress**

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Los Angeles Times (LA Times)

ISSN: 0458-3035 1

Purpose, objective, or mission:The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 138 years.”2

“Bringing truth to power through creative storytelling, original reporting and accountability journalism that impacts lives and pushes change.” 3

Website: http://www.latimes.com/

Target audience: Residents of Southern California and beyond. “Millennials, Gen X, Multicultural Influencers, Affluent Consumers, Families and Parents, Boomers.” 4

Publisher: Los Angeles Times Media Group.5

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Print and online. Archives are available online from the founding of the paper in 1881.6

Content: News reports, investigative journalism, editorials, reviews, and various columns. The website’s sections include news at the Local, Nation, World level, as well as Business, Climate & Environment, Entertainment & Arts, Food, Housing & Homeless, Lifestyle, Opinion, Politics, Science, Sports, and Travel. Several more options can be found viewing the Site Map. 7 Of interest to LIS writers, there is a special Books sub-section under Entertainment, including fiction and nonfiction book reviews and features.

Frequency of publication: Daily. 8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.latimes.com/oe-howtosubmitoped-story.html

Types of contributions accepted: Op-ed articles are welcome on any subject. Per the website, “Most articles are about 750 words in length, though some are shorter, and on Sundays we can sometimes run pieces as long as 1,200 words 9 For more information on op-ed pieces, see former editor Nicholas Goldberg’s explanation of op-ed processes and goals. 10

Letters to the Editor are another option if you wish to respond to anything already published. They are limited to 150 words. 11

Blowback, is another opportunity to publish within the Times. “Got a beef with the L.A. Times? Read something in the paper that really ticked you off, but haven’t got a place to make your opinion heard? Want to write an article about it and get it into The Times? Blowback is The Times’ forum for full-length responses to our articles, editorials and Op-Eds. It is the missing link between the 150-word letter to the editor and the Op-Ed piece, and you’re invited to participate. We’re willing to post Blowback items on both news and opinion pieces, but our focus is on opinion. The idea is to present countering opinions, not to provide a forum for pointing out errors or critiquing bias in the Times’ news coverage.12

Submission and review process:  Op-Ed articles: Email op-ed submissions to oped@latimes.com. We make every effort to read manuscripts promptly. If the article is accepted for publication, you will hear from a Times editor within five days. We regret that the volume of submissions we receive means that we cannot respond individually to each article, nor can we provide feedback to proposals or queries. 13

Letters to the Editor: Complete the form located here . “We generally do not publish more than one letter from a single person within any 60-day period. Letters become the property of The Times and may be republished in any format. They typically run 150 words or less and may be edited. You will be contacted if your letter is a candidate for publication.” 14

Blowback: Email Blowback submissions to blowback@latimes.com. 15

Editorial tone: Journalistic.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Los Angeles Times is read by a general audience (not necessarily confined to Southern California) who wants to be ahead of the local and world news. Op-ed pieces about new digital collections, expanded library services, or opening of a new library branch would benefit LIS authors. You might also consider submitting a press release or event listing regarding a library event.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The Los Angeles Times is “the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.3 million and 2 million on Sunday, more than 30 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.6 million.” 16

According to their current media kit, The Times has 46 Million unique visitors, 90 Million page views, 7 Million+ social followers, 332,000 monthly shares on Apple News, 845,000 video views, 4.4 Million weekly print + digital readers in Los Angeles, 2.9 million weekly print readers, 1.8 million Sunday print readers, and 1.2 Million daily print readers. 17

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Los Angeles Times is regional to Southern California, but it’s journalism and reporting covers content on a global scale. While printed in English, Los Angeles Times En Español is also available.

Reader characteristics: “We reach distinct, affluent and diverse audiences of multiple generations, demographics, preferences and interests.” 18

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Being a lay publication, Los Angeles Times will require LIS jargon-free contributions. While readers may be familiar with library issues, like Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) and Dewey call numbers, generally authors should avoid writing on heavily specialized library topics such as OpenURL link resolver software technology or collection management.

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

The newspaper’s readers are spread all over the world. They are everyday patrons and potential donors, suggesting they may wish to keep their submissions LIS jargon free and stay away from highly specialized topics. There is potential for publishing on a myriad of topics through the Op-Ed avenue that may be of interest to readers.

Last updated: December 5, 2020


References

Show 18 footnotes

  1. Los Angeles Times, WorldCat.org, accessed March 24, 2018, https://www.worldcat.org/title/los-angeles-times/oclc/474112039
  2. “About,” LATimes.com, accessed October 3, 2016, https://www.latimes.com/about
  3. “Media Kit,” LATimes.com, accessed December 5, 2020, https://mediakit.latimes.com/
  4. “Media Kit.”
  5. “About.”
  6. “Archives,” LATimes.com, accessed October 23, 2018, https://latimes.newspapers.com/
  7. “Site Map,” LATimes.com, accessed October 3, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/about/la-sitemap-htmlstory.html
  8. “About Us.”
  9. “Submitting an article to Op-Ed,” LATimes.com, accessed October 3, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/oe-howtosubmitoped-story.html
  10. “Op-Ed, Explained,” LATimes.com, accessed October 3, 2016, http://www.latimes.com/news/la-oe-pages23oct23-story.html
  11. “Submitting an article to Op-Ed.”
  12. “About Blowback,” LATimes.com, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-op-blowback-about-story.html
  13. “Submitting an article to Op-Ed.”
  14. “Submit a letter to the Editor,” LATimes.com, accessed December 5, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/opinion/submit-letter-to-the-editor
  15. “About Blowback.”
  16. “About.”
  17. “Media Kit.”
  18. “Media Kit.”
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International Journal of Library Science

 

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: International Journal of Library Science

ISSN: 0975-75461

Website: http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index

Purpose, objective, or mission: According to the publication website, the goal of the International Journal of Library Science “. . . is to publish refereed, well-written original research articles and studies that describe the latest research and developments in the area of library science and information.”2

Target audience: LIS professionals, instructors, and students.3

Publisher: CESER Publications.4

Peer reviewed? Yes5

Type: LIS scholarly6

Medium: Online7

Content: According to the publication’€™s website, the journal is broad-based, covering all areas of library science, technology, information, and interdisciplinary research.8

Frequency of publication: Three times a year.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Scholarly research articles covering a wide range of areas including education for librarianship, information policy, information communication technologies, equity of access, sustainability, the Children’s Internet Protection Act, censorship, information literacy, decreased funding for established libraries, intellectual property rights, intellectual freedom, the digital divide, open access publishing, the Patriot Act, public lending rights, and current digital technologies.10

Submission and review process: The journal follows a double blinded peer review process.11 Along with a manuscript submission, authors are asked to submit a cover letter including contact information, an abstract of at most 250 words, the full title and running title of the submission, and up to five keywords. Manuscripts should not exceed 6,000 words.12

Editorial tone: Scholarly13

Style guide used: No editorial style is specified, though examples of the preferred reference style are provided.14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The International Journal of Library Science provides an excellent opportunity for LIS authors desiring publication. The journal publishes in all areas of LIS, as demonstrated by its exhaustive subject list. This is particularly attractive venue for LIS authors wishing to have an international presence.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No specific circulation information is provided. The journal is available online, and expands its distribution by offering email updates on the release of new issues.15

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: As an online journal published in English, it may be assumed that the International Journal of Library Science has an international readership.16

Reader characteristics: The journal does not provide any details on reader characteristics. The authors are LIS and education instructors, students, and professionals throughout the world, so a similar readership may be assumed. The journal appears to be content neutral and objective.17

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers will likely be aware of current LIS issues, technologies, and jargon.18

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

Because the International Journal of Library Science is wholly comprised of scholarly articles, potential authors should maintain a formal tone and approach. Potential LIS authors should also be mindful that this journal truly has international circulation and avoid regional jargon or bias.

Last updated: May 13, 2017


References

Show 18 footnotes

  1.  International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed April 11, 2018, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1523477918686/687098
  2. “International Journal of Library Science,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017,  http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index
  3. “International Journal of Library Science,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index
  4. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  5. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  6. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  7. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  8. “International Journal of Library Science,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index
  9.  International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  10. “International Journal of Library Science,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=issue&op=archive
  11. “Editorial Policies,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=editorialPolicies#focusAndScope
  12. “Instructions for Authors,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=submissions#authorGuidelines
  13. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  14. “Instructions for Authors,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=submissions#authorGuidelines
  15. “Subscriptions,” CESER Publications, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=about&op=subscriptions
  16. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1405611525061/687098
  17.  International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index
  18. International Journal of Library Science, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 13, 2017, http://www.ceserp.com/cp-jour/index.php?journal=ijls&page=index
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