Wiki Tags Archives: Conference papers

The Librarian Parlor

 

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: The Librarian Parlor or LibParlor

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://libparlor.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “. . . a space for conversing, sharing expertise, and asking questions about the process of developing, pursuing, and publishing library research.”1

Target audience: All library, archives, and information workers especially those new to the research community.2

Publisher: The Librarian Parlor. 

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: LIS professional or trade publication. 

Medium: Online.

Content: Any topic relevant to the LIS profession, with an emphasis on material about research in the LIS field. 

Frequency of publication: “LibParlor posts are published to the website on Tuesdays about twice a month at 1 PM EST.”3

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/ 

Types of contributions accepted: The following are the types of contributions accepted for this publication: “informative or reflective blog posts; how-tos (develop research agenda, write proposals, submit IRB, etc); quick tips list; recommended reading; how it started, how it’s going; series; and webinar.”4

Submission and review process: Authors can submit their proposals for articles through this submission form: https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/submit-an-idea/. After submitting, authors will hear back from an editor within one week. 

Editorial tone: “Posts should be written for an audience new to research, not to experts. This is an informal, conversational space, and we like the tone of our blog to reflect that. We encourage you to write in the first-person and avoid passive voice.”5

Style guide used: The Editorial Policies Guidelines can be found at  https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/editorial-guidelines/

Conclusion: Evaluation of the publication’s potential for LIS authors

LibParlor is an excellent place for LIS professionals new to research to publish their work in and to find a supportive community–professionals can seek connections with other members, find collaborators for projects, or share opportunities for editing works, participating in research, etc.6

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: As of September 2021, the LibParlor website has had more than 41,710 visitors and 378 followers. Additionally, the LibParlor Twitter account (@libparlor) has 2,793 followers.7

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Personal communication with an editor of the publication revealed that LibParlor has a worldwide readership and sees readers from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, China, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, and Germany).  The material on the site is written in English. 

Reader characteristics: Regarding their writers and their audience, the publication states “We intentionally work towards providing space for those with a variety of types of work experience such as non-tenure track librarians and library workers without the librarian title, as well as those with different lived experiences, such as people with disabilities, librarians of color, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ folks.”8

Readers’ knowledge of LIS subject matter: Due to the targeted LIS readership of this publication, readers will have more knowledge of LIS topics and jargon than the general population. However, the articles should be written so that those new to research can understand it.9

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

LibParlor provides LIS professionals, particularly those new to research in the field, with a place to gain experience in publishing as well as a place to build connections with other professionals.

Additionally, the LIS Wiki team facilitated an interview with Chelsea Heinbach, a co-founder and editor of LibParlor. Readers can learn more about the founding of LibParlor, the purpose of the publication, submission tips, career advice, and more about Chelsea in the interview blog

Last updated: September 23, 2021


References

Show 9 footnotes

  1. “About”, libparlor.com, accessed April 6, 2021, https://libparlor.com/about/
  2. “About.”
  3. “Editorial Policies Guidelines”, libparlor.com, accessed December 6, 2020, https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/editorial-guidelines/
  4. “Ways to Contribute”, libparlor.com, accessed December 6, 2020, https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/ways-to-contribute/
  5. “Editorial Policies Guidelines.”
  6. “Classifieds”, libparlor.com, accessed April 6, 2021, https://libparlor.com/classifieds/
  7. Readership and Twitter follower data were received via personal communication with an editor of LibParlor in September 2021.
  8. “About.”
  9. “Editorial Policies Guidelines.”
Continue Reading

The Chronicle of Higher Education

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: The Chronicle of Higher Education

ISSN: 0009-5982(Print) and 1931-1362 (Online)1

Website: http://chronicle.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “The Chronicle of Higher Education has the nation’s largest newsroom dedicated to covering colleges and universities. As the unrivaled leader in higher education journalism, we serve our readers with indispensable real-time news and deep insights, plus the essential tools, career opportunities, and knowledge to succeed in a rapidly changing world.” 2

“Higher-ed professionals rely on The Chronicle for unbiased, engaging content to help their students, institutions, and careers.”  3

Target audience: Higher education faculty and administration.4

Publisher: Chronicle of Higher Education, Inc.5

Peer reviewed? No. 6

Type: Civilian; though it does sometimes carry articles of interest to or authored by librarians, it is mainly for the general administration and faculty. 7

Medium: Print and online.8

Content: The website contains news, featured stories, opinion pieces, advice columns, job listings, and career-building tools such as online CV management and salary databases. The print magazine includes news, jobs, and The Chronicle Review. 9

The Chronicle Review is a weekly magazine of ideas. We publish essays, review essays, book reviews, and reporting on academic, intellectual, and cultural affairs. 10

Frequency of publication: The Chronicle updates its website daily and is available bi-weekly in print. 11

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.chronicle.com/page/contact-us

Types of contributions accepted: The Chronicle welcomes correspondence, manuscripts, and proposals for articles from our readers. Articles and letters may appear in our print edition, our website, or both. We publish essays, review essays, book reviews, and reporting on academic, intellectual, and cultural affairs. We consider unsolicited submissions; however, please read The Review before submitting your work to familiarize yourself with what we publish. 12

Commentary and Views:
“We consider articles or proposals for articles that express an opinion on issues and policies affecting higher education as well as those that explore, through the author’s personal experience, some aspect of the larger academic community. All Commentary and Views submissions should be 1,000 to 1,200 words and should contain URL links to source material for facts and figures mentioned in the essay.” 13

Advice
“We publish first-person and advice columns on topics including the job market and the hiring process in academe; the graduate-school experience, tenure and promotion, the administrative career path, and career options for Ph.D.’s; professional challenges in research, publishing, teaching, and service work; academic culture; and balancing work and family. Essays should be 1,000 to 1,500 words and written in a conversational, journalistic style.” 14

Letters
“Please make your points as concisely as possible. We will not publish letters longer than 350 words, and all letters will be edited to conform to our style.” 15

“The Chronicle welcomes news pitches that pertain to higher education, but note that in a typical week, our reporting staff receives hundreds of them. We’re writing for a national audience, so a successful pitch will not only point out a compelling local story, but will also be relevant to administrators, professors, and higher-education observers across the country.” 16

Submission and review process: The decision to accept or reject a manuscript rarely takes more than a week. All accepted essays and articles are rigorously edited and fact-checked. Authors have the opportunity to review and approve a manuscript before it’s published. The editors of The Review will decide where and when the piece is published, with some articles appearing only online.17

Editorial tone: Journalistic and conversational.

Style guide used: None specified. “While we cover the academy, we are not a scholarly journal. Essays should be written in a clear, informal style free of jargon and accessible to nonspecialists.” 18

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Because of the publication frequency and the audience that this newspaper serves, this is a good place for the new author to publish. You don’t necessarily have to work in academe, but it helps. Academic librarians, along with information professionals with an interest in education or pedagogy, would be welcomed here. This publication is an informal counterpart to academic journals, a sort of cocktail hour where academics can mull over or vent about relevant issues within and outside of their field. Interested authors will be intelligent, educated and independent thinkers with something interesting to say.

Also, the wide variety of pieces found in the The Chronicle makes it very easy to find something to write about that, if written in a clear prose style, has a decent chance of being published. Book reviews are a natural, but the longer commentary pieces on some topical tempest occurring in the academy are always a good bet. Because so many write under pen names, the odds of a new author being accepted seem high.

Because of its eclectic content, others working in academe will also find something interesting in The Chronicle of Higher Education. While this publication is definitely written for those with careers in higher education, LIS authors with an interest in teaching will find something of interest here as well.

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Our award-winning journalism is well-known at colleges and universities: More than 2 million people visit our website every month, and 1,650 organizations across the country make our journalism available to every one of their employees and students.”19

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Though The Chronicle claims to be the main source of the goings on in higher education, it does tend to concentrate on the English-speaking world of the United States and sometimes Canada and the United Kingdom.20

Reader characteristics: According to The Chronicle’s advertising materials, “86% of readers are decision makers and influencers at their institutions. 54% are in senior leadership positions at their institutions. 92% hold a master’s degree or higher. 60% have a doctorate degree. Readership includes 90% of the buying power in all of U.S. higher education and 90% of the top 300 research institutions in the U.S.” 21

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: While the readership may garnish accolades in the higher education arena, they may still lack knowledge in LIS jargon, processes, and trends/innovations.

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

The readers are well educated and very interested in their profession and the culture of academe as a whole. Writing for The Chronicle would be an excellent way to increase understanding of library issues (such as information literacy) and market the library’s relevance to other professions. Intellectual and academic freedom, new issues in purchasing and providing content such as e-journals, information literacy, and services to disadvantaged groups would be other issues that would resonate with this readership.

An LIS professional writing for this audience would not have much additional work to do, so long as he or she has something interesting and informed to write about. While this is not the place for scholarly work, readers do enjoy learning about new research or reading critiques of articles they’ve read in an entertaining format. They want to read shop talk, stay informed in their field, and feel connected to issues in the larger world.

This would be a good place to write an opinion piece about an LIS issue that touches on education, society or academe, or review a work that touches on these same issues. Todd Gilman, Librarian for Literature in English at Yale University and a Lecturer at San Jose State University, has published articles about distance education, special collections, research skills and information literacy, and other topics that connect libraries and academe in The Chronicle.

Last updated: November 7, 2020


References

Show 21 footnotes

  1.  The Chronicle of Higher Education, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed November 7, 2020, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/search/1601911248
  2. “About Us.”, www.chronicle.com, accessed November 7, 2020, https://www.chronicle.com/page/about-us/
  3. “Advertising.”, chronicle.com, accessed November 7, 2020, https://marketingsolutions.chronicle.com/
  4. “About Us.”
  5. “About Us.”
  6. “Contact Us.”, Chronicle.com, accessed November 7, 2020, https://www.chronicle.com/page/contact-us
  7. “About Us.”
  8. “About Us.”
  9. “About Us.”
  10. “Contact Us.”
  11. “About Us.”
  12. “Contact Us.”
  13. “Contact Us.”
  14. “Contact Us.”
  15. “Contact Us.”
  16. “Contact Us.”
  17. “Contact Us.”
  18. “Contact Us.”
  19. “About Us.”
  20. “About Us.”
  21. “Advertising.”
Continue Reading

Library Hi Tech News

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Library Hi Tech News

ISSN: 0741-90581

Website: http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn

Purpose, objective, or mission: “The journal reports on practical uses of IT in libraries and what’s coming next in terms of technology development for academic and public libraries.”2

Target audience: Library and information science professionals, and anyone with a reason to use LIS services/technologies in their own professional workplace. 3

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS Professional and Trade Publications.

Medium: Online.

Content: Articles of varying lengths, reporting on LIS conferences, and case studies on how tech is used in the library.6

Regular content includes technology profiles from libraries around the world; feature articles; in-depth conference reviews and reports; new and noteworthy updates for librarians; and a calendar of relevant upcoming events.7

Frequency of publication: 10 issues per year.8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/lhtn?id=lhtn#author-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Extensive list found under Article Classification9

Submission and review process: Submissions are made through ScholarOne Manuscripts, an online submission system. You need to register, create your account, and then will be able to go through the submission process to upload your article. Upload files as a Word document of 1000-3000 words. All submissions are reviewed by the Library Hi Tech News editors, who make the final decision on publication.10

Editorial tone: Informal, but informative. Speaks to readers in a knowledgeable, conversational tone that provides great information on new technologies without making the articles dull or so technical that readers are overwhelmed or tune out.11

Style guide used: Harvard style formatting.12

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The list of content submissions is vast and touches on a variety of LIS subjects. This is an excellent place to start your LIS publishing.13

Library Hi Tech News‘s editorial objectives note that “publishing your article in LHTN can be a “place to start,” analogous to a “poster session in print,” and does not preclude publishing a more fulsome piece in a peer-reviewed journal at a later date.”14 A peer-reviewed journal related to this newsletter is Library Hi Tech.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: International in scope, with the primary editors of the publication based out of U.S. colleges and universities.15 Submissions need to adhere to the Worldwide English language rights, and Emerald provides resources for making sure papers are written in grammatically correct standard English, for authors for whom English is not their first language.16

Reader characteristics: Published in the U.K., readers and writers for this publication are LIS professionals and students interested in new and emerging technologies, and new uses for established technologies. The journal is part of the Committee on Publication Ethics  (COPE), “a forum for editors and publishers of peer-reviewed journals to discuss publication ethics.”17

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong, as the publication is aimed at LIS professionals and students with an interest in LIS technologies.18

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

This is a wonderful publication for LIS new professionals and students, as readers and authors. The authors are seeking submissions covering such a variety of interesting topics, and seem to be open to submissions on anything that is even remotely related to technologies that can be used in libraries and the LIS field. All issues that most students, not just LIS, can speak to, and particularly relevant for those in LIS programs currently using and evaluating these technologies, personally, professionally, and through LIS studies. There are also more technical issues covered, like open source library management systems, global development for libraries, profiles of LIS professionals, and relevant conference updates. A great place to jump in and write for.19

 


References

Show 19 footnotes

  1.  Library Hi Tech News, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., accessed May 9, 2020, http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  2. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  3. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  4. ProQuest. (2020). Library Hi Tech News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412892197249/339661
  5. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  6. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/lhtn?id=lhtn#author-guidelines
  7. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  8. ProQuest. (2020). Library Hi Tech News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412892197249/339661
  9. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Author Guidelines. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/lhtn?id=lhtn#author-guidelines
  10. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Author Guidelines. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=lhtn
  11. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Author Guidelines. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=lhtn
  12. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Author Guidelines. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=lhtn
  13. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  14. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2016). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  15. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Editorial Team. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/editorial_team.htm?id=lhtn
  16. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Author Guidelines. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=lhtn
  17. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  18. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
  19. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. (2020). Library High Tech News Information. Emerald Group Publishing. Retrieved from http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=lhtn
Continue Reading

The Crab

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: The Crab

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=151

Purpose, objective, or mission: This is the official publication of the Maryland Library Association (MLA). 1

Target audience: The primary target audience is the association’s membership, which includes “library staff and trustees, library school students, libraries, and friends of libraries representing the full spectrum of librarianship in Maryland.”2

Publisher: Maryland Library Association.

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: LIS professional news.

Medium: Online digital publication.

Content: Coverage of the MLA annual conference; program and workshop reports; news about Maryland libraries and library people; articles on issues concerning libraries and librarianship in Maryland; reviews of books and other materials with local or state interest; letters to the editor.3

Frequency of publication: Four times per year.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=157

Types of contributions accepted: From the submission guidelines, The Crab seeks coverage of the following topics: MLA conference; MLA division, committee or interest group news; reports on programs and workshops of interest to librarians in Maryland; news about Maryland libraries and people; articles on issues concerning libraries and librarianship in Maryland; reviews of books and other materials, based on their local and state interest will be considered for publication; letters to the editor – these must be signed, although names may be withheld from publications upon request.4

Submission and review process: Submissions should be via e-mail to editor Annette Haldeman, Legislative Librarian, Maryland General Assembly Department of Legislative Services, Office of Policy Analysis: Annette.Haldeman@mlis.state.md.us.5

Editorial tone: Informal, friendly.

Style guide used: APA.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication, as indicated by their mission, focuses on local Maryland library organizations, people, and events. An author with local knowledge or connections will find it easier to place a variety of material than an out of the area author. On the other hand, there are examples of articles that address larger LIS sector trends and activities. There are publishing opportunities for an author who can write in an accessible manner with a local connection to the Maryland audience. As with any publication, reviewing the past issues will provide a solid sense of what type of article the editor and readers would find interesting.

Audience analysis


Publication circulation: The print publication is available for a subscription fee from the MLA (membership numbers not available) and is also available online for any visitor to read as well as back issues.6

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Primarily people the State of Maryland, with additional reach to members in the vendor community that is not located in Maryland.

Reader characteristics: Association members include professionals, LIS students, and a large number of non-librarian staff members. Members/readers come from the full variety of library types and the full variety of jobs in those institutions. Some LIS vendors are included. It may be assumed that most readers will be sympathetic to libraries, understand their various missions, and will view themselves as important to their organizations and the achievement of their organizations’ goals.7

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: MLA members are mostly professionals in the LIS field.8

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

Considering the diversity of background, skills, professional duties, missions, and interests of the readers, authors should consider presenting material that is practical, general in scope, accessible in tone and language, and appealing to the interests of readers in the Maryland area.


References

Show 8 footnotes

  1. Maryland Library Association. (2020). About MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=151
  2. Maryland Library Association. (2020). About MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=151
  3. Maryland Library Association. (2020). Submit MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=157
  4. Maryland Library Association. (2020). Submit MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=157
  5. Maryland Library Association. (2020). Submit MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=157
  6. Maryland Library Association. (2020). Join MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.mdlib.org/about/join.asp
  7. Maryland Library Association. (2020). About MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=137
  8. Maryland Library Association. (2020). About MLA. Maryland Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=137
Continue Reading

Tame the Web

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Tame the Web 

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://tametheweb.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: From Tame the Web‘s About page: “Tame the Web (TTW) endeavors to provide information and discussion, through blogging, on emerging technology, socio-technological trends, the evolving hyperlinked library, LIS education, and human-centered services for LIS students and information professionals in the field.”1

Target audience: LIS students and professionals.

Publisher: TTW is a WordPress site + blog created and run by Dr. Michael Stephens, an associate professor at San Jose State University’s School of Information.

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: LIS professional blog featuring guest posts by students and contributors at the invitation of Dr. Stephens.

Medium: Online.

Content: Blog posts and articles, book reviews. Category topics (dropdown menu at bottom of the site) include engaging users, gaming, libraries/web 2.0, participatory culture, and many others.2

Frequency of publication: Several new articles and posts each month.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: All submissions are by invitation only.

Types of contributions accepted: Guest blog posts.

Editorial tone: Casual, but informative.

Style guide used: Unknown.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Contributing authors of TTW are SJSU School of Information students and colleagues of Dr. Stephens.

The site is geared towards, but certainly not limited to, public librarianship. Recent guest posts include the unwritten, daily tasks of a user-centric library director and an introspective look at a librarian’s career throughout her thirties.

Wholehearted Librarianship: this Stephen Barnes quote gives readers and potential authors a good idea of the theme of TTW‘s content, “We must never forget that the human heart is at the center of the technological maze.”3

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Tame the Web‘s content is freely available on the web. If you are interested in Dr. Stephens’ published works, check out his page here.4

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Readership is primarily in the U.S. and Canada, with articles published in English.

Reader characteristics: Readers are LIS students and professionals from across the spectrum of librarianship and information science.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong, but varied. Most posts are relatively LIS jargon-free.

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

Tame the Web‘s readership is unique in that readers also interact with Dr. Stephens via webinars and presentations. Readers come to TTW for its variety of guest posts and straightforward, earnest writing. As a potential author, you will find a varied audience of LIS students and seasoned professionals from across the spectrum of librarianship.


References

Show 4 footnotes

  1. “About Tame the Web,” TameTheWeb.com, accessed May 1, 2020, https://tametheweb.com/about-tame-the-web/
  2. “Home,” TameTheWeb.com, accessed May 1, 2020, https://tametheweb.com/about-tame-the-web/
  3. “Home,” TameTheWeb.com, accessed May 1, 2020, https://tametheweb.com/about-tame-the-web/
  4. “About Michael Stephens,” TameTheWeb.com, accessed May 1, 2020, https://tametheweb.com/about-michael-stephens/
Continue Reading

Code4Lib Journal

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Code4Lib Journal 

ISSN: 1940-57581

Purpose, objective, or mission: According to the website, “the Code4Lib Journal exists to foster community and share information among those interested in the intersection of libraries, technology, and the future.”2 It “aims to help engender collective understanding and the necessary support for improving library technology and digital services.”3

Website: http://journal.code4lib.org/

Target audience: The target audience includes anyone who is involved in the “wider library community” who has an interest in libraries and technology.4

PublisherCode4Lib. Publication began in 2007.5

Peer reviewed? Yes. Journal submissions are reviewed by an editorial committee6, and the committee views its process of selecting articles as an open peer review. According to a message from the 2020 coordinating editor, “The author and the designated editor work together to improve a paper before publication. The author knows the name of the editor and other readers on the editorial committee and vice versa. We’ve found that this process works best for us and produces consistently high quality and relevant content for our audience.”7

Type: Open access with Creative Commons license. Although the editorial committee consists mainly of those involved in the academic library community, contents do not necessarily have the format of a traditional scholarly research article, and the journal does not use a traditional blind peer review. Articles can vary in formality and can include case studies and personal opinion pieces. Articles do not generally include extensive literature reviews. For these reasons, the journal is currently classed here as ‘professional news’. Articles tend to be focused on the practical application of the ideas presented.8

Medium: Code4Lib Journal is available online.9

Content: From the Call for Submissions, “the editorial committee is looking for content that is practical, demonstrates how to exploit technology to create digital library collections and services, or offers insight and forethought regarding the use of computers in any type of library setting.”10

The journal publishes articles on a multitude of subjects, as long as they support the mission statement, and is flexible with length (1,500 to 5,000 words is an approximate word count). The types of articles published in the journal include:

  • Case studies of projects (failed or successful), how they were done, and challenges faced.
  • Descriptions of projects in progress, project updates, and new project proposals.
  • Effective processes for project management.
  • Reviews/comparisons of software, frameworks, libraries, etc.
  • Analyses and case studies of using library metadata in technological application: novel applications or solutions, or unsolved challenges,
  • Thought pieces on the big problems associated with library and technology, ideas for new solutions, visions for the future.
  • Findings on user behavior and interaction with systems.
  • Best practices.11

Frequency of publication: It is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December.12

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://journal.code4lib.org/call-for-submissions

Types of contributions accepted: The types of articles the journal is looking for include:

  • Book & software reviews
  • Code snippets & algorithms
  • Conference reports
  • Opinion pieces13

Submission and review process: Submissions can be sent in the form of either an abstract or a complete draft. Submit articles using the online form, or via email to journal@code4lib.org. Once submitted the article goes through an editorial process, and not a peer review.14

Editorial tone: “Writers should aim for the middle ground between, on the one hand, blog or mailing-list posts, and, on the other hand, articles in traditional journals.”15

Style guide used: From the article guidelines: “While articles in C4LJ should be of high quality, they need not follow any formal structure or guidelines.”16 However, endnotes and references should be cited using the Council of Science Editors (CSE) Style Guide.17

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This journal provides a semiformal setting in which to discuss issues of technology in the library and information science world. The information in the journal is concentrated around technology, and its place within the library setting, so it would be a good place for anyone with an interest in this subject to find a home for one of their articles.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Since the journal is 100% online, there was no information on the exact circulation available.18

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The editorial committee is based throughout the United States, but the writers come from both within and outside the United States.19 The journal is written in English, and although the editorial committee is American, not all of the contributors are. (Article guidelines note that articles should be written in English, and that “American or British usage is accepted, but not a mixture of these.”)20  Also, due to the online nature of the journal, people from anywhere in the world would have the ability to access the articles. Because of this, it would most likely be prudent to explain the use of any language or content that was too culturally specific.

Reader characteristics: Code4Lib is a “volunteer-driven collective of hackers, designers, architects, curators, catalogers, artists and instigators from around the world, who largely work for and with libraries, archives, and museums on technology ‘stuff’.” From looking through the author’s information supplies with the articles, it appears that almost all of the contributors work in academic libraries, although their actual job titles vary quite a bit. These job titles range from web designer to information technology coordinator to systems librarian. While this information is about the writers, it goes to show that the journal is of interest to all different types of professionals involved technologies in libraries. Of course, they also all have a professional interest in the intersection of libraries and technology. Code4Lib is of interest to “technology folks in libraries, archives, and museums to informally share approaches, techniques, and code across institutional and project divides.”21 The readers of this journal are likely to have established opinions about the place of technology in libraries. A look at the mission statement shows that the readers are likely to feel that technology holds a key position in the future of libraries.22

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers of Code4Lib Journal would have a good knowledge and understanding of LIS topics and issues. They would also be familiar with library jargon. On top of that, due to the technical nature of the journal, they would also be familiar with most technical jargon.23

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

The common thread running among these readers is an interest in, and a passion for, technology and its use within a library setting. Their level of technical knowledge would be rather high, and this would be an important thing for writers to keep in mind. In fact, it would also be a necessity for the writers of a proposed article for Code4Lib Journal to have significant expertise in technology.


References

Show 23 footnotes

  1.  Code4Lib Journal, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed May 4, 2020, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521729571530/658750
  2. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Mission. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/mission
  3. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Mission. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/mission
  4. Code4Lib Journal. (2016). Mission. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/mission
  5. ProQuest. (2020). The Code4Lib Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1411489602963/658750
  6. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Process and Structure. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/process-and-structure
  7. Email from Peter Murray, coordinating editor, Code4Lib Journal, on behalf of the Code4Lib Journal editorial committee (May 21, 2020).
  8. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Issue 25, 2014-07-21. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/issues/issues/issue25
  9. ProQuest. (2020). The Code4Lib Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1411489602963/658750
  10. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Call for Submissions. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/call-for-submissions
  11. Code4Lib Journal. (2016). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  12. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Call for Submissions. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/call-for-submissions
  13. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  14. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  15. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  16. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  17. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  18. ProQuest. (2020). The Code4Lib Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1411489602963/658750
  19. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Editorial Committee. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/editorial-committee
  20. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Article Guidelines. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/article-guidelines
  21. Code4Lib. (2020). About. Code4Lib. Retrieved from http://code4lib.org/about/
  22. Code4Lib Journal. (2020). Mission. Code4Lib Journal. Retrieved from http://journal.code4lib.org/mission
  23. Code4Lib. (2020). About. Code4Lib. Retrieved from http://code4lib.org/about/
Continue Reading

Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

ISSN: 1077-66131

Website: http://associates.ucr.edu/index.html

Purpose, objective, or mission: Provides a voice for and promotes the exchange of information within the library support staff community.2

Target audience: The primary audience is support staff at all libraries including public, special, academic, and school. The journal is online and subscriptions are free.3

Publisher: University of California Riverside Library.4

Server and listservs are housed at the University of California, Riverside, and the website is powered through WordPress.5

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: Professional newsletter.7

Medium: Online.8

Content: Topics range from how-to articles, opinion pieces, conference information, resource updates, fiction, conference updates, and research articles.9

Frequency of publication: Published three times per year, in March, July, and November.10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88

Types of contributions accepted: The newsletter discusses issues and developments related to the work of library support staff. Topics might include cataloging, collection management, public relations, technology, and personnel issues. Priority consideration will be given to submissions written by library support staff. The submission guidelines provide a list of topics for feature article consideration.11

Submission and review process: Articles of any length are accepted, however, the guidelines are: no longer than 10 double-spaced typed pages for features; four double-spaced typed pages for fiction; and one double-spaced typed page for poetry. Submissions are reviewed by a member of the Editorial Board. “Significantly edited versions will be returned to the authors for discussion or approval. However, most editing is done for punctuation, grammar and for establishing clarity.”12

Items can be submitted any time prior to the publication months and should be submitted to the editor, Kevin Dudeney, at: associates@hotkey.net.au.13

Editorial tone: Items that are written from or focused on a support staff point of view are preferred.14 A review of previous issues indicated that a personal style is common.15

Style guide used: There are no specific style guidelines given, but the editors state that “all submissions must be written in a professional manner, with citations for researched material provided.”16

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Since most LIS students have worked or are working in support staff positions, this publication may be a good place to get started writing for the field. While it is not a scholarly journal, it would allow an author to demonstrate their understanding of a staff position other than a librarian.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Currently 1,700 worldwide subscribers.17 Subscription to Associates is free, and all issues are available free online which suggests they may have an audience beyond their subscribers.18

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This publication originates in the United States however they claim to have “1,700 worldwide subscribers”, indicating an international audience.19 It is an English language publication.20 Due to international audience, avoid regionalisms and any references, for example, currency or location, are clear to the reader.

Reader characteristics: Audience, as support staff in all types of libraries, most likely reflects the general public, all ages and backgrounds, with an interest in connecting with other support staff and improving their job skills. Publication values the work of support staff and aims to promote the value of library support staff.21

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: As library support staff, the readers can be expected to have the background and education to understand topics and terminology used in work accepted by this publication.22

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

Authors submitting work to this publication would benefit from reading the current and past issues to gain a clear understanding of their audience. It seems a cooperative approach, emphasizing the value of all team members in a library, would be useful.

Last updated: April 6, 2020


References

Show 22 footnotes

  1.  Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal, University of California Riverside Library, accessed April 6, 2020 http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/
  2. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  3. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  4. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559
  5. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  6. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559
  7. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559
  8. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559
  9. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  10. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  11. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88
  12. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88
  13. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88
  14. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88
  15. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Archives and Back Issues. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=4
  16. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88
  17. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  18. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  19. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  20. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  21. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
  22. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2
Continue Reading

Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals

ISSN: 1361-32001

Purpose, objective, or mission: Ariadne is published by Loughborough University Library in the U.K. for Information Professionals to stay abreast of a wide variety of LIS topics. Initially, Ariadne was made available in electronic format by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), in order “to create awareness of Internet developments in the UK higher education LIS community”. 2 Website: http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/

Target audience: The target audience for Ariadne is librarians, museum curators, archivists and associated technical staff & managers. Articles should cover topics that will be of interest to one or more of these audiences. 3

Publisher: Loughborough University Library in the U.K. 4

Peer reviewed? No. The editor makes all decisions regarding manuscript submissions.5

Type: LIS professional news. Although Ariadne does publish some research-oriented content, it is not peer reviewed and it cannot be considered “scholarly.” ISSN is 1361-3200.6

Medium: Entirely online. Ariadne is free and open access, so the full text of all issues (current and archived) is available on the website. 7

Content: Ariadne publishes a variety of articles on current trends and issues in the LIS field. A standard issue contains an editorial, a number of articles including a feature article, news, and events. Prominent topics include emerging technologies and trends, digital libraries and collections, information architecture, search engines, metadata, and conference information. 8

Frequency of publication: Undefined. The magazine was published quarterly up through 2010; as of 2013 there are two issues per year. 9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submission guidelines can be found on the Guidelines page. The publication’s website indicates to submit proposals the editor who will then correspond via email once an article proposal has been accepted. 10

Types of contributions accepted: Ariadne accepts a variety of contributions, including articles (i.e., scholarly papers, position pieces, and case studies), reviews, and reports on events, workshops, meetings, and conferences. The magazine also accepts proposals regarding organizations and work-related projects. There are no stated requirements for length.11

Submission and review process: Ariadne requires an initial proposal for all articles. Authors should submit an abstract, outline, or general description to the editor prior to submission of the completed manuscript. After an agreement is reached, a date for submission is set and the editor then sends out an explanation of the editorial process. No peer-review process is used.12

Proposals can be submitted through an email to the editor: editor@ariadne.ac.uk.13

Editorial tone: There are no stated guidelines for editorial tone. Main articles tend to have a more formal, scholarly tone, while reviews and other articles appear to be relatively informal (i.e., first person is acceptable).14

Style guide used: Ariadne does not use a formal style guide.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Ariadne has remained on the forefront of the open access movement and continues to focus its content on current and emerging LIS trends and technologies. Thus, although it is not peer reviewed, it is a credible and highly accessible source with great publishing potential for LIS practitioners, educators, and students. Contributors might consider writing about LIS conferences or workshops, workplace technologies, online learning, digital collections, social networking, Web 2.0./Library 2.0, or Web-based information seeking behavior.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Ariadne is an open access electronic publication that is available free to anyone with Internet access. As such, there is no formal subscription process and no readily available circulation data. Generally, though, freely accessible online resources do at least have the potential of a large audience base.15

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Although Ariadne maintains an international audience, the majority of readers are located in the U.S. and U.K., and content reflects this. 16

Ariadne is published solely in English, and based on geographic information, it can be assumed that the vast majority of readers are, in fact, native English speakers. However, authors should be aware of the linguistic and cultural differences that exist between the U.S. and British English. For example, submission guidelines indicate that “British English” should be used rather than “US English.” 17

Reader characteristics: Ariadne does not provide any detailed demographic information relating to the gender, age, or ethnicity of its readers. Because this is an international professional publication geared towards practicing information professionals, it is likely that the audience is relatively mature and experienced, but also demographically diverse. Although readers are likely to hold a wide variety of professional specializations, they are also very likely to share professional interests based on Ariadne‘s primary topics, which include digital libraries, technological developments, digital information management, and online learning. As a large portion of Ariadne readers work in libraries and archives, they are likely to be both interested in and sympathetic to library issues. They are also likely to share common values and beliefs about the role and importance of librarianship in an information society. It should be noted that Ariadne also features more opinion-based reader reviews, retrospectives, and reflections.18

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Ariadne readers are likely to be quite knowledgeable about LIS subject matter and jargon. As practicing information professionals, they would certainly be interested in library topics that are directly applicable to their careers. Read through the archived issues to get a sense of the current topics. 19

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

Ariadne is a professional publication with a very specific focus on practical articles that discuss sophisticated technological issues and developments in LIS. Overly general library articles, theoretical papers, or pieces that fail to directly address current trends in librarianship with a heavy focus on digital initiatives may not interest Ariadne readers. Submissions should be professional but not necessarily scholarly in tone, and they should focus on relating practical applications for LIS practitioners (see topic suggestions in the Publication Analysis above).

It is important for the author to note that although Ariadne is a British publication with a core following in the UK, the majority of readers actually reside in the U.S., and it is a global magazine. This allows for increased opportunities to effectively reach Ariadne readers.

Last Updated: March 8, 2020


References

 

Show 19 footnotes

  1.  Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals, Loughborough University Library, accessed March 8, 2020, http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/
  2. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/about/copyright
  3. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  4. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/about/copyright
  5. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  6. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines 
  7. ProQuest. (2016). Ariadne(Online). Urichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410383864655/259370
  8. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  9. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  10. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  11. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  12. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  13. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  14. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  15. ProQuest. (2016). Ariadne(Online). Urichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410383864655/259370
  16. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue
  17. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/guidelines
  18. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue
  19. Loughborough University Library. (2020) Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue
Continue Reading

Marketing Library Services

 

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Marketing Library Services

ISSN: 0896-39081

Website: www.MarketingLibraryServices.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Marketing Library Services (MLS) emerged in 1987 and is the longest-running publication that regularly delivers how-to articles and case studies for marketers in all types of libraries. They’re written by practitioners from around the world and curated by a respected expert who has 25+ years in the field. These detailed, vetted articles deliver more value than the brief ideas and advice offered via social media.2

Target audience: Information professionals in any type of library who need to learn to do better marketing, promotion, and advocacy.3

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS trade.6

Medium: Print and online.7

Content: MLS covers strategies and tactics for all marketing-related topics: advocacy, outreach, branding, segmentation, social media, funding initiatives, long-term campaigns, assessment, ROI, partnerships, promotional materials, program publicity, communications, PR, advertising, etc. Subscribers will also benefit from interviews with marketing masters, conference coverage, book reviews, and news.8

Frequency of publication: Six times a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December).9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: The editor of Marketing Library Services, Kathy Dempsey, does not accept blind submissions; instead, it is preferable to email her first (see Editor below) with an article idea, so that she can see if it fits in with upcoming issues, or whether or not something similar has already been published. In a personal correspondence she asserts that if the topic is something useful to Marketing Library Services readership, she will send the author a desired length and deadline. Writers will be sent guidelines, and all graphics (photos, charts, etc.) must be in color and high resolution.10

The site itself says very little about submissions. Editorial communications should be directed to the editor, Kathy Dempsey, at kdempsey@infotoday.com.11

Types of contributions accepted: From a correspondence with the editor: “Marketing Library Services covers a wide range of marketing-related topics, including these: advocacy, outreach, programming, fundraising, event planning, dealing with the media, getting votes for library issues, proving your value, making good promotional materials, community promotion, online promotion, winning related awards, studying demographics for target marketing, innovations, surveys and focus groups, strategic communication, etc. And, of course, true marketing (plans for full campaigns).” Also, “in addition to the case studies, Marketing Library Services carries news, reviews of books and videos, conference coverage, and links to library articles and culture.” 12

Submission and review process: Authors first should send correspondence to Kathy Dempsey stating their idea. Because Marketing Library Services is published often, timely articles are strongly recommended. Also, authors must have been directly involved in the projects they are writing about, and must write in the first person. Ms. Dempsey states that authors’ specific titles do not matter.13

Editorial tone: Marketing Library Services should not be written in third-person or academic tones. The newsletter’s tone is conversational, professional, and should inspire readers. According to the editor, “Articles should be written as if you’€™re sitting down with a colleague and explaining your project over lunch.”14

The editor will correspond with the author about this after the author’s idea has been accepted.15

Style guide used: Associated Press.16

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Marketing Library Services is a very good resource for LIS authors interested in writing on community outreach and marketing of library services. Many topics can fall under this umbrella, so it is important for potential authors to be creative and open in how they frame their content.

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Marketing Library Services has 700 subscribers. Most of these are in North America, but some are in Europe and in other English-speaking countries.17

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Because the content of the newsletter is in English and about a broad topic (marketing), the geographic location of the newsletter’s readership is assumed to reside across the United States. There are some readers from outside the United States, but because marketing can be culturally specific, those readers are likely already doing the work of cultural translation. English is used entirely throughout Marketing Library Services and, for the most part, readers are American or from Europe.18 Because of this spread, colloquialisms should be avoided (as in most professional writing).

Reader characteristics: According to Kathy Dempsey, the editor, most of the readership is comprised of librarians who market for their organization, while others are managers and directors. She also states that some are professors specializing in marketing. Because Marketing Library Services readership is comprised of professionals directly involved in marketing, it may be safely assumed that jargon specific to marketing is fine. As well, because this is a trade journal, readers will be interested in practical information. Kathy Dempsey states from a personal correspondence that, “MLS is written for a wide horizontal market that covers all types of libraries: public, academic, special (medical, gov’€™t, etc.), corporate, and to a lesser extent, K-12 school. It welcomes article queries from all of these librarians. What they all have in common is the need to promote their services. Many case studies about how one lib accomplished a goal can be used as models to doing similar things in other types of libraries. Articles on projects that have this ability to be widely replicated are especially valuable.”19

Readers of Marketing Library Services work in many types of libraries, so it may be safely assumed that they all value libraries’ continuing prosperity. That said, this does not mean that their values are identical. However, the newsletter’s tone is conversational, not argumentative. Articles written arguing strongly for one thing or another probably will not fit in Marketing Library Services.20

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

Marketing Library Services is a newsletter informing LIS professionals the best practices and valuable ideas regarding LIS marketing. Professionals reading this newsletter are looking for good ideas and solidly practical plans and instances of good marketing. Marketing Library Services is not a dry tome of theoretical research written in an hermetic tone. Nonetheless, most of the readers are deeply engaged with marketing their organization, and are working professionals whose time and attention is valuable. Writers should consider their readers as interested colleagues who are deeply interested in successful programs and campaigns, and how they may learn from writers’ experiences and implement similar strategies in their own organizations.

Last updated: June 29, 2019


References

Show 20 footnotes

  1. Proquest, “MLS: Marketing Library Services,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 29, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521418800307/153039
  2. Information Today, Inc., 2019, “Marketing Library Services,” http://www.infotoday.com/mls/
  3. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.”
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  5. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  7. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.”
  8. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.”
  9. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.”
  10. Dempsey, K., 27 June 2019, personal communication.
  11. Information Today, Inc., 2019, “Subscription & Editorial Info,” http://www.infotoday.com/mls/mls-subs.shtml
  12. Dempsey, personal communication.
  13. Dempsey, personal communication.
  14. Dempsey, personal communication.
  15. Dempsey, personal communication.
  16. Dempsey, personal communication.
  17. Dempsey, personal communication.
  18. Dempsey, personal communication.
  19. Dempsey, personal communication.
  20. Dempsey, personal communication.

    Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this newsletter have a high degree of LIS subject matter. Marketing Library Services caters to the LIS profession, so references to library specific trends, ideas, and concepts will be well received and will not require a high degree of explanation. However, because the readership is broadly based across the LIS professional spectrum some terms and knowledge specific to one group may not be appropriate for all readers.[21. Dempsey, personal communication.

Continue Reading

Knowledge Quest

 

Publication analysis


About the publication

Title: Knowledge Quest

ISSN: 1094-9046 (Print) and 2163-5234 (Online)1

Website: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Knowledge Quest supports the American Association of School Librarians’ mission to empower leaders “to transform teaching and learning.”2 The journal is devoted to offering substantive information to assist building-level school librarians, supervisors, library educators, and other decision makers concerned with the development of school libraries and school library services.3

Target audience: “Building-level school librarians, supervisors, library educators, and other decision makers concerned with the development of school library programs and services.”4

Publisher: American Library Association.5

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: LIS professional news.7

Medium: Print and online.8

Content: Per their site, “Articles address the integration of theory and practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines.”9 Emerging trends, literacy, co-teaching, leadership, and makerspaces are some encouraged topics.10

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly, September through June.11

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/write/ (Scroll down to the link to the PDF Author Guidelines.)

Types of contributions accepted: Knowledge Quest seeks “original, unpublished manuscripts that address the integration of theory and practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines.” The editors are not interested in “basic primers” on the role of school librarians or press releases and vendor news.12 Articles should be 2500 words or less.13

Submission and review process: Articles may be emailed to the editor14 or through an online submission form.15 “Unsolicited manuscripts undergo blind review by the Knowledge Quest editorial advisory board. The process takes approximately 3-4 weeks. When the review is completed, the author will be notified of the outcome.”16

Editorial tone: Professional. Through well-written articles, the journal provides information in a helpful and supportive manner.17

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.).18

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Although this publication has numerous readers, over half of its readership is comprised of elementary school, middle school, and high school librarians.19 The fact that its content does not apply to all aspects of library science limits the reader base and therefore, the scope of articles covered. Professionals working in school libraries are encouraged to submit their work for review. Knowledge Quest desires to be part of the library community and provide support for members of this community through its articles and reviews. Publishing in this journal represents the authors’ dedication to the school library community.20

 

Audience analysis


About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The publication is distributed to 7,000 members and and additional 150 readers. The online component reports over 1,200 visits per day.21

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This magazine is a publication of the American Association of School Librarians. The material provided in the magazine is designed to support the curriculum in United States public and private schools. The print version of the magazine can be shipped anywhere, but the typical readers reside and work in the United States. Readers can also access the journal via the online component KQ Web and this website can be accessed world wide over the internet.22 This magazine is presented in English and uses terminology relevant to elementary and secondary school librarians. As a publication of the AASL, the magazine has the same vision statement as the organization. This vision statement highlights the magazine’s and the association’s goal to support and embrace cultural and ethnic diversity.23

Reader characteristics: The readers of the magazine are comprised of professionals and supervisors working in library media centers. Readers can be expected to embrace and be familiar with the ethics and values present in school library programs today. By subscribing to the magazine, readers are demonstrating their stance as advocates of literacy and supporters of intellectual freedom. Media specialists are closely related to teachers as they are active members of the learning community. These individuals are well aware of the resources available to them and are always working towards learning new ways to use these resources in better and more productive ways. Most of the readers work in elementary and secondary school libraries both public and nonpublic schools, and will be interested in issues and programs such as library funding, student achievement, student internet use, literacy, intellectual freedom, and technology that effect or involve the readers. Knowledge Quest is interested in producing a quality publication that presents ideas in a friendly and inclusive manner.24

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: With 87% of readers reporting possession of a Master’s degree, it is probable that many have LIS degrees. Readers can be expected to know about school curriculum and are knowledgeable about the technologies and issues relevant to school media centers today.25

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

Since Knowledge Quest is a publication of the AASL, the readers expect that the publication will have the same guidelines and requirements characterized by an AASL publication. The readers expect the magazine to publish works which are balanced, relevant to the field, accurate, and up-to-date on issues pertinent to school libraries. 78% of readers report that Knowledge Quest is “essential professional reading,” so authors should expect to produce content that meets that description. 26

Last updated: June 21, 2019


References

Show 26 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “Knowledge Quest,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 19, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1560951075174/52980
  2. American Library Association, “About AASL,” accessed June 19, 2019, http://www.ala.org/aasl/about
  3. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ,” accessed June 19,  2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/about-kq/
  4. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner,” accessed June 19, 2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/KQ_mediakit_201920_WEB.pdf
  5. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  6. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ,” accessed June 19, 2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/write/
  7. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  8. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
  9. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.”
  10. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.”
  11. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.”
  12. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.”
  13. American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines,” accessed June 20, 2019, http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/Author%20Guidelines%20REVISED.pdf
  14. American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines.”
  15. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.”
  16. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.”
  17. American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.”
  18. American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines.”
  19. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.”
  20. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.”
  21. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.”
  22. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.”
  23. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.”
  24. American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.”
  25. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.”
  26. American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.”
Continue Reading