Publisher analysis
About the publisher
Name: Libraries Unlimited
Website: https://products.abc-clio.com/LibrariesUnlimited.aspx
Purpose, objective, or mission: “Libraries Unlimited is committed to supporting the life-long professional development of educators and librarians through every phase of their careers. By librarians, for librarians, Libraries Unlimited believes in cultivating a community where professionals can explore emerging directions and acquire new skills to make your library’s potential truly unlimited.” 1
Target audience: LIS students and professionals.
Owner: ABC-CLIO, LLC. 2
Are published books peer reviewed? Yes. Libraries Unlimited features an editorial team of ten award winning industry professionals.3
Types of books published: Textbooks, reference works, practical handbooks and professional guides. 4
Medium: Print and electronic.
Topics covered: Topics are wide ranging—from librarianship philosophy and values to informatics to folklore.
Number of titles published per year: 150 titles were published in 2020, and there are more than 2,000 currently available in both print and electronic formats. 5
About the publisher’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: https://www.abc-clio.com/lu-authors/
Types of submissions accepted: Textbooks, reference works, practical handbooks and professional guides.
Submission and review process:
Before sending your proposal, please email our acquisitions editors to review your ideas. Please provide the following information:
- Working title
- Purpose statement: explain the intent of the work, who it is for, and why it is needed
- Scope statement: describe the work’s specific areas of coverage
- Objectives: identify the benefits readers will derive from the work
- Methodology: explain how you will research or compose the work
- Tentative outline: show how the work will be organized
- Competition or related works: identify similar titles and how your work will differ
- Approximate length (in pages or words)
- Résumé or bio statement: describe why you are qualified to write this book
NOTE: Our sample proposal template may help you prepare your materials. Click here to download the Libraries Unlimited proposal memo template.6
Please do not send your proposal to more than one editor. You may send a proposal by email to any of the editors below:
School Library Books
Sharon Coatney, scoatney@abc-clio.com
Public and Academic Library Books
Jessica Gribble, jgribble@abc-clio.com
Digital Publishing and General Inquiries
David Paige, dpaige@abc-clio.com
Libraries Unlimited has a dedicated team of experienced editors with years in the publishing field. An exact review process is unknown, but if your proposal is approved, editors will be with you every step of the way as your proposal becomes a manuscript and, in turn, a book.7
Editorial tone: Professional.
Style guide used: Unknown.
Conclusion: Evaluation of publisher’s potential for LIS authors
Libraries Unlimited may be a good fit for potential authors who have written extensively and have been published before. LU publishes longer works, such as reference books and textbooks, so they may be a good outlet for authors with heftier projects in the works.
Audience analysis
About the publisher’s audience
Size (as measured by average number of copies per title published): Libraries Unlimited is a larger publishing house, with over 2,000 titles currently available.8
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Readers of Libraries Unlimited texts are English speakers, primarily in the United States.
Reader characteristics: Considering the company motto is “For librarians, by librarians”, it can be assumed that readers are LIS students and professionals with a working knowledge in the field. They will interested in any and all subject fields related to LIS. “Libraries Unlimited’s standing as a publisher in library and information science is unmatched. From our preeminent LIS textbook line, to cutting-edge professional development books for practitioners and classic library reference tools, our books and authors are leaders in the field.” 9
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
Readers of Libraries Unlimited texts are looking to learn about cutting edge trends and acquire new skills, so potential authors with relevant new research and book ideas may find a good fit with this publisher.
Last updated: March 1, 2021
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