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Technical Services Quarterly

By on March 21, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Technical Services Quarterly

ISSN: 0731-7131 (print), 1555-3337 (online)

Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wtsq20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: Technical Services Quarterly is “dedicated to providing a forum for the presentation of current developments and future trends concerning the technical operations of libraries and information centers.” Its purpose is to keep readers informed of developments and research and “practical implementation of systems and applications of traditional and non-traditional technical services and the public operations they influence and sustain.”1

Target audience: LIS professionals, particularly those who are involved with the technical operations of libraries and information centers.

Publisher: Taylor & Francis.2

Peer reviewed? Yes.3

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.4

Content: Technical Services Quarterly publishes original articles on research, theory, and implementation of all aspects of technical services in library and information centers. Regular columns include Technical Services Report, Tech Services on the Web, Reviews (of software and books), and Trending Tech Services.5

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.6

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for Authors.

Types of contributions accepted: Technical Services Quarterly “accepts original research, theoretical, and implementation articles pertaining to technical services, automation, networking, document delivery, information technology, library instruction and information literacy, reference and bibliography, case studies, cost analysis, staffing, space, organizational behavior and leadership, and collection development and management.”7 The journal advises authors to include a literature review and provides a link to guidelines.8

Submission and review process: Technical Services Quarterly uses Routledge’s Submission Portal to manage manuscripts. Manuscripts “undergo editorial screening and peer review by anonymous reviewers.”9 Taylor & Francis provides an Author Services website that gives a helpful overview of the publishing process.10

Editorial tone: This is a scholarly journal dealing with technical aspects of LIS geared toward professional technical operations of a library. As such, articles are technical and scholarly in tone. LIS-specific terms are used with the underlying assumption that the reader is familiar with them. While the language and tone are technical and scholarly, articles must also be interesting and readable.

Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.11

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Technical Services Quarterly is geared towards LIS professionals, especially those whose interests lie in the technical operations of libraries. For authors and researchers whose manuscripts are geared toward current and future trends in collection methods, technical services, OCLC, metadata, document delivery, among other subjects, this journal is ideal for submission. Articles have addressed interlibrary loan, ebook cataloging and management, low-cost textbooks, and technology-specific studies and reviews; there is a wide variety of librarian roles represented.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is a print and online journal published in the United States. Although it does have appeal for international librarians due to its technical nature, Technical Services Quarterly is geared toward American libraries and uses American English. Editorial board members are from U.S. universities and libraries.12

Reader characteristics: This journal is geared toward LIS professionals in the technical field who are interested in the latest trends.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are most likely to be LIS professionals and, given the technical nature of this journal, will be highly knowledgeable of LIS terminology and practice.

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

Readers of Technical Services Quarterly are LIS professionals who are highly interested in the latest technical information and research. Readers are interested in cutting-edge technology and how it is being implemented in libraries and information centers. Writers who follow trends and understand how the technology of libraries is evolving would be the best bet for this journal.

Last updated: March 21, 2018

References

Show 12 footnotes

  1. “Aims and Scope,” Technical Services Quarterly, accessed March 21, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=wtsq20. ↩
  2. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  3. “Instructions for Authors,” Technical Services Quarterly, accessed March 21, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCode=wtsq20&page=instructions. ↩
  4. “Journal Information,” Technical Services Quarterly, accessed March 21, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wtsq20. ↩
  5. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  6. “Journal Information.” ↩
  7. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  8. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  9. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  10. “Author Services,” taylorandfrancis.com, accessed March 21, 2018, https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/. ↩
  11. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  12. “Editorial Board,” Technical Services Quarterly, accessed March 21, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=wtsq20. ↩
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Reference Services Review (RSR)

By on March 6, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Reference Services Review: Reference and Instructional Services for Libraries in the Digital Age (RSR)

ISSN: 0090-7324

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

Purpose, objective, or mission: Reference Services Review (RSR) “is a leading journal dedicated to the enrichment and advancement of reference knowledge and the improvement of professional practice.” Further, the journal “raises questions, explores new frameworks for user services, advances fresh analyses and research and proposes solutions to diverse operational issues facing librarians and information professionals.”1

Target audience: Librarians, information professionals, and LIS students, especially those interested in reference, instruction, and public services.

Publisher: Emerald Publishing.2

Peer reviewed? Yes, double-blind peer review.3

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.

Content: RSR articles “draw upon traditional areas of inquiry within the fields of information studies and education, as well as from newer interdisciplinary perspectives such as critical pedagogy” and relate to “all aspects of reference and library user services in a digital age.”4 RSR regularly publishes special issues, such as 2017’s two-part Transfer Students and Students in Transition.5

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Author Guidelines.

Types of contributions accepted:  RSR publishes research papers, viewpoints, technical papers, conceptual papers, case studies, literature reviews, and general reviews. The author guidelines provide a description of each article type in the Article Classification section.6 Topics are wide ranging, including user research, instruction, digital services and software, assessment, management, and any topic relevant to improving and innovating reference services.

Submission and review process: Articles are submitted to RSR using ScholarOne Manuscripts. The editor reviews the manuscripts and sends those that are appropriate for the journal to at least one independent referee for double-blind peer review.7  Reviewers are “distinguished practitioners, managers, administrators, educators, and scholars from library and information studies and higher education, as well as other fields.”8 Additional manuscript requirements and a production cycle with approximate dates and deadlines for the current volume are available on the Author Guidelines page.9

Editorial tone: Professional and academic.

Style guide used: Harvard style in-text citations and reference list. Examples are provided in the Author Guidelines.10

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

RSR is a strong choice for librarians and information professionals looking to publish scholarship and research on topics relating to reference and readers’ advisory, instruction, information literacy, and public services. It is interdisciplinary in nature, so LIS authors who write from other disciplines or perspectives (for example, critical pedagogy) will find an outlet here. Furthermore, RSR is a leading journal that “provides a quick and efficient service to first-time authors.”11

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: RSR “is available as part of an online subscription to the Emerald Library Studies eJournals Collection.”12

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: RSR is a North American English-language journal. It is widely abstracted and indexed.13 The editorial board consists of LIS professionals from North America, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada, so although the articles have an overall North American focus, the reach of the journal is international.

Reader characteristics: Readers include LIS practitioners, managers, administrators, educators, scholars, and students, with a wide range of professional interests in the area of reference services. RSR “is valued reading by the majority of North American library schools with its ‘au courant’ focus.”14

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will have a high familiarity with terminology, trends, and best practices relating to reference services; they will also be LIS graduate students familiar with but learning about these topics.

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

A typical reader of this journal will be an LIS professional or graduate student looking for innovative approaches and thoughtful analysis that is written in an accessible style.

Last updated: March 6, 2018

References

Show 14 footnotes

  1. “Aims & Scope,” Reference Services Review, accessed March 6, 2018, http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/journals.htm?id=RSR. ↩
  2. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  3.  “Author Guidelines,” Reference Services Review, accessed March 6, 2018, http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/author_guidelines.htm?id=rsr. ↩
  4. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  5. See Reference Services Review 45, no. 2 (2017), http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/rsr/45/2,  and 45, no. 3 (2017), http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/rsr/45/3. ↩
  6. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  7. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  8. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  9. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  10. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  11. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  12. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  13. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
  14. “Aims & Scope.” ↩
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Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ)

By on March 6, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ)

ISSN: 1094-9054

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

Purpose, objective, or mission: Reference & User Services Quarterly (RUSQ) “is the official journal of the Reference and User Services Association of the American Library Association. Its purpose is to disseminate information of interest to reference librarians, information specialists, and other professionals involved in user-oriented library services.”1

Target audience: Reference librarians, information specialists, students, and information professionals worldwide, as well as members of the Reference and User Services Association.

Publisher: American Library Association.2

Peer reviewed? Yes, double-blind peer review.3

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online, open access to all issues.4

Content: RUSQ disseminates information in areas of interest to librarians, including “reference services, collection development, reader’s advisory, resource sharing, technology for reference and user services, and other aspects of user services.”5 Further, “through its many columns, reports, and reviews the journal also publishes an array of useful professional information.”6 Regular columns include From the President of RUSA, For Your Enrichment, Information Literacy and Instruction, Management, Amplify Your Impact, Readers’ Advisory, The Alert Collector, and A Reference for That.

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submissions.

Types of contributions accepted: Potential authors need to read the article “Thoughts on Scholarly Writing: Suggestions for Authors Considering Publishing in RUSQ,”7 by Barry Trott, the journal’s editor. This article explains RUSQ‘s acceptance, review, and publication process. It is also a helpful resource for authors who want to publish in any scholarly journal.

RUSQ “publishes empirical (quantitative and qualitative), theoretical, and historical research and essays as peer-reviewed featured articles.”8 Manuscripts submitted to RUSQ need to be within the journal’s scope, which includes “all aspects of library services to adults in all types of libraries.”9

Submission and review process: Manuscripts are submitted in a digital format as an e-mail attachment to the editor.10 Manuscripts go through a double-blind peer-review process.11 The peer-review, acceptance, revision, and publication process is detailed in Trott’s article.12

Editorial tone: The overall tone is scholarly with clarity. Articles should be grammatically correct and written in a simple, readable style.13

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, and its companion website. The submission guidelines offer examples of the required endnote format. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, or the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary should be consulted for questions relating to spelling and word division.14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

RUSQ is the journal of the Reference and User Services Association, which is a division of the American Library Association. As such, it is a leading journal in the field of adult user services. RUSQ is an ideal place for librarians and LIS professionals in public, academic, and special libraries to publish research and scholarship that uniquely contributes to the theory and practice of reference services to adult library users and that moves the profession forward. It may be a better forum for advanced, rather than novice, LIS writers.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: RUSQ is a U.S.-based journal written in English. The journal is affiliated with the American Library Association, so readers are concerned with issues related to libraries in America, and they are aware of and seek out more global perspectives on these issues. RUSQ became an open-access journal in order to reach more readers worldwide and to benefit librarians everywhere, especially where subscription costs are prohibitive.15 

Reader characteristics:  RUSQ readers are librarians, information professionals, and students in academic, public, and special libraries who have a keen interest in developments in the field of adult reference and user services. With the open-access policy, RUSQ‘s readership is expanding outside of North America, and writers should assume a global audience of professionals and students. Trott addresses RUSQ editors’ and readers’ expectations: “Prospective authors will make their manuscripts more attractive to editors and to readers by looking for areas that have not already been widely explored. If you are examining a topic about which much has been written lately, you need to make clear what your work brings to the discussion and how it forwards that discussion in useful and perhaps provocative ways.”16

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: RUSQ readers are very familiar with LIS subject matter. However, the journal’s style emphasizes that articles be readable and clearly written. “The tone of feature articles in RUSQ should be scholarly, but scholarly writing does not need to be impenetrable and obscure. Active voice, declarative sentences, and attention to language are all important.”17

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

Readers of RUSQ are LIS professionals and students working in all types of libraries and information centers. Potential authors must take into consideration the fact that readers belong to a certain segment of the library and information science field, particularly on the service side of librarianship, and articles must be aimed at informing and advising this portion of the profession. Authors should keep in mind the journal’s international scope and its emphasis on scholarly but straightforward writing.

Last updated: March 6, 2018

References

Show 17 footnotes

  1. Home, Reference & User Services Quarterly, accessed March 5, 2018, https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq. ↩
  2. “Journal Sponsorship,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, accessed March 5, 2018, https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq/about/journalSponsorship. ↩
  3. “Editorial Policies,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, accessed March 5, 2018, https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq/about/editorialPolicies. ↩
  4. “Editorial Policies.” ↩
  5. “Submissions,” Reference & User Services Quarterly, accessed March 5, 2018, https://journals.ala.org/index.php/rusq/about/submissions#onlineSubmissions. ↩
  6. “Editorial Policies.” ↩
  7. Barry Trott, “Thoughts on Scholarly Writing: Suggestions for Authors Considering Publishing in RUSQ,” Reference & User Services 53, no. 1(2013):2-4, http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/rusq.53n1.2. ↩
  8. “Editorial Policies.” ↩
  9. “Submissions.” ↩
  10. “Submissions.” ↩
  11. “Editorial Policies.” ↩
  12. Trott, “Thoughts.” ↩
  13. “Submissions.” ↩
  14. “Submissions.” ↩
  15. Barry Trott, “RUSQ Moves to Full Open Access,”Reference & User Services Quarterly 57, no 1(2017):2-3, http://dx.doi.org/10.5860/rusq.57.1.6433. ↩
  16. Trott, “Thoughts.” ↩
  17. Trott, “Thoughts.” ↩
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Public Services Quarterly

By on March 4, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Public Services Quarterly

ISSN: 1522-8959 (print), 1522-9114 (online)

Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wpsq20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: Public Services Quarterly “covers a broad spectrum of public service issues in academic libraries, presenting practical strategies for implementing new initiatives and research-based insights into effective practices.”1 The journal was formerly known as Public & Access Services Quarterly (1995-2001).2

Target audience: Academic librarians, professors, and LIS graduate students.3

Publisher: Taylor & Francis.4

Peer reviewed? Yes, double-blind peer review.5

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: Public Services Quarterly publishes research- and practice-based articles, theoretical articles, and case studies.6 Further, the journal publishes regular columns that keep academic librarians up to date in the field of public service with reviews, essays, reports, and commentaries: Internet Resources, Professional Reading, Best of the Literature, Technology, Marketing, Future Voices in Public Services, and Special Libraries, Special Challenges.7

Frequency of publication: 4 issues per year.8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for authors.

Types of contributions accepted: Public Services Quarterly accepts “research-based and theoretical articles as well as case studies that advance the understanding of public services, including reference and research assistance, information literacy instruction, access and delivery services, and other services to patrons,” as well as those that “examine creative ways to use technology to assist students and faculty.” The journal also accepts practice-based articles, which “should be thoroughly grounded in the literature and should situate the work done in one library into the larger context of the situation.”9

Submission and review process: Public Services Quarterly uses ScholarOne Manuscripts for the submission, revision, and peer-review process. All published articles go though an anonymous double-blind peer review; thematic issues are reviewed at the discretion of the special issue editor.10 Taylor & Francis provides a guide for authors that covers the entire publication process,11 including directions for using ScholarOne Manuscripts12 and an American Psychological Association (APA) reference guide.13

Editorial tone: Published articles are scholarly in tone; the columns are academic but less formal, depending on the content.

Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed.14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Public Services Quarterly has an established reputation for quality, scholarly writing about public service issues in academic libraries. The journal values scholarship and research that is practical and applicable in academic libraries, so LIS writers should highlight these aspects in their manuscripts. Aside from scholarly research articles, LIS students could contribute to columns specifically seeking the viewpoint of LIS students or provide updates on the latest professional books, websites, and themes in the field.

The Future Voices in Public Services column provides a forum for students in graduate LIS programs “to discuss key issues they see in academic library public services, to envision what they feel librarians in public service have to offer to academia, to tell us of their visions for the profession, or to tell us of research that is going on in library schools.”15

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Public Services Quarterly is a North American English-language journal for an international audience. The editorial board includes librarians from from U.S. and Canadian colleges,16 but the publication aims to cover worldwide issues confronting academic librarians.

Reader characteristics: Public Services Quarterly primarily serves academic librarians, professors, and graduate students.17

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers’ knowledge of LIS subject matter is strong, especially as it relates to academic public services. However, the journal is also read by students who may still be developing their LIS knowledge. Further, there is a column written by LIS graduate students that offers fresh perspectives and insights to the field.

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

Readers expect high-level research and scholarship that advances the theory and practice of public service librarianship in the academic setting. They also expect to read regular columns that keep them up to date in a field that is perpetually advancing. Writers need to remember that readers are established academic librarians and graduate students from North America and around the world. The Future Voices in Public Services column is a great way for LIS graduate students to experience the publication process of a highly esteemed journal.

Last updated: March 4, 2018

References

Show 17 footnotes

  1. “Aims and Scope,” Public Services Quarterly, accessed March 4, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=wpsq20. ↩
  2. “Journal Information,” Public Services Quarterly, accessed March 4, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wpsq20. ↩
  3. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  4. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  5. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  6. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  7. See, for example, Public Services Quarterly 14, 1(2017), https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wpsq20/14/1?nav=tocList. ↩
  8. “Journal Information.” ↩
  9. “Instructions for Authors,” Public Services Quarterly, accessed March 4, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?journalCode=wpsq20&page=instructions. ↩
  10. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  11. “Author Services,” taylorandfrancis.com, accessed March 4, 2018, https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/. ↩
  12. “Making Your Submission,” taylorandfrancis.com, accessed March 4, 2018, https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/category/making-your-submission/. ↩
  13. “Taylor & Francis Standard Reference Style: APA,” tandf.co.uk, accessed March 4, 2018, http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authors/style/reference/tf_APA.pdf. ↩
  14. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  15. Nancy Dewald, “2015-16 LIS Student Publishing Opportunity,” ALA ILI-L Discussion List, September 22, 2015, http://lists.ala.org/sympa/arc/ili-l/2015-09/msg00123.html. ↩
  16. “Editorial Board,” Public Services Quarterly, accessed March 4, 2018, https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=wpsq20. ↩
  17. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
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portal: Libraries and the Academy

By on February 23, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: portal: Libraries and the Academy

ISSN:  1531-2542 (print), 1530-7131 (online)

Website: https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal-libraries-and-academy

Purpose, objective, or mission: portal is an award-winning journal that focuses “on important research about the role of academic libraries and librarianship” and “features commentary on issues in technology and publishing.” 1 The journal “publishes articles that focus on all aspects of librarianship, knowledge management, and information services and studies within higher education.”2

Target audience: portal is “intended for an audience that is interested in the broad role and impact of libraries within the academy.”3

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press.4

Peer reviewed? Yes, double-blind peer review.5

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.6

Content: Each issue of portal “includes peer-reviewed articles on subjects such as library administration, information technology, new forms of support for research and teaching, and information policy. Other articles address technological issues, research, standards, and policy and strategic planning.”7

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Author Guidelines.

Types of contributions accepted: portal accepts research and scholarship on libraries in the academy, especially work that explores the effects of technology on librarianship, the roles of libraries in meeting institutional missions, how the information revolution is challenging and changing library and information practices, and how libraries and librarians address the changing needs of the academy and academics. portal “welcomes submission of inquiries and proposals for topics that authors have under development and will provide guidance on the suitability for publication in portal.” The journal maintains a rigorous review policy, which requires scholarship to be unique in advancing knowledge in the field; needed and in demand, with intrinsic value and use; and used locally and of value to the field. For Features, authors may direct proposals to the appropriate editor.9

Submission and review process: The preferred method for submitting manuscripts to portal is via email with a Microsoft Word attachment. “All submissions to portal are subjected to the double-blind review process, and referees are explicitly asked to indicate when a manuscript is worthy but needs more detailed guidance to be fully acceptable for publication in portal.”10 Authors will usually receive the editor’s decision and the referees’ comments within four to eight weeks after submission.

Editorial tone: Scholarly.

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style.11

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

portal is a well-established, respected, award-winning journal.12 LIS authors who want to publish in it should read the 2004 article “Research and Scholarship Defined for portal: Libraries and the Academy.“13 The editors of portal encourage authors, especially new authors, to find experienced mentors to guide them through the research and publishing process. For manuscripts deemed “worthy” but in need of revision, authors are encouraged to work with an experienced mentor to incorporate the referees’ comments and to do further revision; revised manuscripts will be subject to double-blind review with different referees. Overall, portal maintains high standards of scholarship; however, the journal also values collaborative work between novice and experienced LIS writers in order to bring well-written, innovative articles to its pages.14

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data are not available; the journal is available through Project MUSE.15

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: portal is a U.S.-based journal that is published in English for an international LIS audience.16

Reader characteristics: The readers of this journal are interested in the role and impact of libraries within an academic environment. The journal’s readers are aware of the importance of a librarian’s work and of the need for careful and scholarly research in the LIS field. Readers work in academic libraries around the world and are researchers and scholars of librarianship in the academy.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are engaged academic librarians who will have considerable knowledge of LIS terms and subject matter.

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

The main audience for portal is academic librarians, faculty, library science students, information professionals, and anyone interested working in a library environment in higher education. Readers expected consistently high-quality, novel research and scholarship that helps librarians improve and innovate their practices and approaches in the academic library environment.

Last updated: February 23, 2018

References

Show 16 footnotes

  1. “Overview,” portal: Libraries and the Academy, accessed February 23, 2018, https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal-libraries-and-academy. ↩
  2. “Author Guidelines,” portal: Libraries and the Academy, accessed February 23, 2018, https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal-libraries-and-academy/author-guidelines. ↩
  3. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  4. “Overview.” ↩
  5. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  6. “Overview.” ↩
  7. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  8. “Available Issues,” Project MUSE, accessed February 23, 2018, https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/159. ↩
  9. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  10. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  11. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  12. “Awards,” portal: Libraries and the Academy, accessed February 23, 2018, https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/portal-libraries-and-academy/awards. ↩
  13. Charles B. Lowry, “Research and Scholarship Defined for portal: Libraries and the Academy,” portal: Libraries and the Academy 4, no. 4 (October 2004): 449-453, https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2004.0068. ↩
  14. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
  15. “Available Issues.” ↩
  16. “Author Guidelines.” ↩
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Medical Reference Services Quarterly

By on February 7, 2018 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Medical Reference Services Quarterly

ISSN: 0276-3869 (print), 1540-9597 (online)

Website: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wmrs20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: Medical Reference Services Quarterly “covers topics of current interest and practical value in the areas of reference in medicine and related specialties, the biomedical sciences, nursing, and allied health.” The journal publishes practice-oriented and research articles on medical reference services, with a focus on “user education, database searching, and electronic information.”1

Target audience: Medical Reference Services Quarterly is an “essential working tool for medical and health sciences librarians” aimed at “professionals who provide reference and public services to health sciences personnel in clinical, educational, or research settings” in the fields of medicine, biomedical science, nursing, allied health.2

Publisher: Taylor & Francis.3

Peer reviewed? Yes, double-blind peer review.4

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.5

Content: Medical Reference Services Quarterly publishes original practical and research articles on health sciences librarianship. Regular columns include Online Updates, Emerging Technologies, Hospital Information Services, Informatics Education, From the Literature, and Book Reviews.6 Recent topics include using the Internet for providing medical information, using biomedical databases, managing medical reference services, continuing education, marketing, user education, document delivery, patient education, ready reference, and collection management, all within the context of medical reference services.7

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for authors.

Types of contributions accepted: “Medical Reference Services Quarterly covers topics of current interest and practical value in public services librarianship in the areas of medicine and related specialties, including the biomedical sciences, nursing, and allied health. MRSQ has expanded its scope to cover most aspects of health sciences librarianship, including health informatics, information literacy, collection development, and management of health sciences libraries”9

Submission and review process: Submissions are submitted via email to the editor as Word file attachments. Manuscripts are screened for originality.10 Manuscripts are “are peer reviewed using a rigorous, double-blind process” by two reviewers assigned based on subject expertise.11

Editorial tone: Formal and scholarly.

Style guide used: Chicago Publication Manual, 16th ed.12

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Medical Reference Services Quarterly is a journal for LIS professionals who specialize in medical and health science information services in clinical, educational, or research settings, and who produce articles of practical application and original research. Authors should be aware that this is a high-level, “highly acclaimed,” professional and research journal, with an emphasis on articles that analyze and evaluate practical application in all types of medical and health science library and information settings.13

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Not provided.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Medical Reference Services Quarterly is written in English for a U.S.-based audience. The editors and editorial board members are from U.S. institutions.14

Reader characteristics: Readers are likely to be well educated (often having a science or medical degree and an LIS degree) and to expect articles they can apply to improve the services they provide to their users. Readers have a shared interest in reference services, medical information, and technology. Subscribers to this journal seem to value well-researched and well-written articles that will help them in their work.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers, given the specific nature and focus of this journal, will probably have a general knowledge of LIS subject matter with extensive, in-depth knowledge of medical reference services and research.

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

Readers and authors will likely be professionals and researchers already in the field of medical reference services. Furthermore, faculty and librarians involved with developing programs on information literacy, embedded librarianship, and library instruction directed to medical and clinical students, for example, will find practical, in-depth articles to read and a high-profile journal in which to publish.

Last updated: February 7, 2018

References

Show 14 footnotes

  1. “Aims and Scope,” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, accessed February 5, 2018, http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=wmrs20. ↩
  2. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  3. “Journal Information,” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, accessed February 5, 2018, http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wmrs20. ↩
  4. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  5. “Journal Information.” ↩
  6. Table of Contents, Medical Reference Services Quarterly 37, no. 1 (January 2018), http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wmrs20. ↩
  7. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  8. “Journal Information.” ↩
  9. “Instructions for authors,” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, accessed February 5, 2018, http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=wmrs20. ↩
  10. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  11. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  12. “Instructions for Authors.” ↩
  13. “Aims and Scope.” ↩
  14. “Editorial Board,” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, accessed February 5, 2018, http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=editorialBoard&journalCode=wmrs20. ↩
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