Wiki Categories Archives: Civilian Publications

Mother Jones

By Katie Wood on October 2, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Mother Jones

ISSN: 0362-8841 (Print) and 2169-7396 (Online)¹

Purpose, objective, or mission: America’s longest-established investigative news organization. , Mother Jones “goes deep on the biggest stories of the moment, from politics and crime and justice, to education, climate change, and food.”²

“Our mission is to deliver hard-hitting reporting that inspires change and combats ‘alternative facts’.” ³

“Mother Jones’ founders envisioned a magazine devoted to a new brand of socially conscious journalism—one that took on corporate as well as political power. Twenty-five years later, that mission remains as timely as ever.” ⁴

“Mother Jones has also remained a strong voice for social justice: Racial discrimination, women’s rights, environmental justice, and the plight of immigrant farmworkers are all issues you will find covered in the magazine from its first year of publication to the present. Another major theme over the years has been the bloated American military budget and the way the United States uses its superpower influence overseas.” ⁵

“Our bias is for the truth, for fairness and justice, for a democracy in which facts matter and all can participate. It’s not a partisan position—we believe these values are bigger than party—but it is a point of view, and we believe journalism should be transparent about its values. We also believe in investigating any story worth digging into, and in rigorously following the facts where they lead; our fact-checking and verification protocol is one of the most extensive in the industry.” ⁶

Target audience: Readers who are interested in politics, environmental issues, and social justice.

Publisher: The Foundation for National Progress.⁷

Peer reviewed? No. ⁸

Type: Civilian news magazine.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: Investigative journalism covering politics, the environment, and culture.⁹ “We’re interested in just about anything that will raise our readers’ eyebrows, but we focus especially on these areas: national politics, environmental issues, corporate wrongdoing, human rights, and political influence in all spheres.” ¹⁰

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://motherjones.com/about/writer-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: “While much of our content comes from staff writers and freelancers with whom we’ve had long-standing relationships, Mother Jones magazine and MotherJones.com will consider solidly reported, hard-hitting, groundbreaking news stories. We’re also open to thought-provoking, timely opinion and analysis pieces on important current issues.” ¹¹

“Our readership is nationwide, so please, no local issues unless they have national interest or implications. At the same time, anything that has already been covered extensively in the major national media will probably not work for us, unless you have some new unique angle. We will look at cultural essays, but not travel pieces. Save yourself and us time and effort by taking a good look at our site and/or the magazine before you send a query.”¹²

Submission and review process: Freelance writers should submit a query by email. Per their guidelines, “Tell us in no more than a few paragraphs what you plan to cover, why it’s important and interesting, and how you will report it. The query should convey your approach, tone, and style, and should answer the following: What are your specific qualifications for writing on this topic? What ins do you have with your sources? If other major stories have been done on this topic, how will yours be different—and better? Please also include a line or two about your background and two or three of your most relevant clips (links are fine).” ¹³

Web pieces are generally fewer than 1,500 words. Because we have staff reporters it is extremely rare that we will pay for a piece whose timeliness or other qualities work for the web only. Magazine pieces can range up to 5,000 words. There is at least a two-month lead time.” ¹⁴

Editorial tone: Investigative and Informative

Style guide used: No style guide is mentioned.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Although first-time authors may have a difficult time getting published with Mother Jones, the magazine has a large base of politically-conscious readers, which would provide a wonderful stage for any LIS authors who have a very specific agenda. Since the scope of the publication involves investigative and informative journalism, LIS authors could potentially write about field trends, controversies, and challenges to LIS. For example, here are some recent publications pertinent to LIS: The Library Worker Whose Bosses Blew Her Off When She Asked Questions, Books Have the Power to Rehabilitate. But Prisons Are Blocking Access to Them, and A Library Straddling the Border is Giving Immigrant Families a Safe Place to Reunite.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Mother Jones has expanded its audience reach from 600,000 to nearly 14 million readers in the past decade. This includes over 13 million unique online visitors each month and 200,000 print subscribers.” ¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Published in the United States.¹⁶ Published in English.

Reader characteristics: “Mother Jones readers are informed about key issues and are concerned about their impact on public life. Interested in many subjects, from politics and social justice to education and the environment, our readers seek news coverage that provides an accurate and nuanced view of the world around them.” ¹⁷

Per their media kit, 53% are women, 94% attended college, 80% are homeowners. “According to recent subscriber studies, Mother Jones readers say/do the following: 98% willing to pay more for high-quality items, 84% consider themselves intellectuals, 84% environmental impact is important when considering a purchase, 80% social responsibility influences how they invest, 73% advise their friends and family on books, music, movies, TV, and other media, 84% willing to pay more for organic food.” ¹⁸

“Mother Jones readers are more engaged in public life than most. 83% vote in federal, state, and municipal elections and sign petitions for various causes. 75% of readers say they were motivated to take an action in the real world as the result of a Mother Jones article.” ¹⁹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Though it is likely there are a number of LIS professionals that read this publication, the primary audience would not be informed about LIS issues.

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

Authors need to keep in mind the readers of Mother Jones are well-educated and expect straightforward, thoughtful writing that broadens their knowledge of the world. Readers care about social issues and will most likely be receptive to stories about libraries and library advocacy.

Last updated: October 2, 2020

References

Show 19 footnotes

The Christian Science Monitor

By Katie Wood on September 19, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Christian Science Monitor

ISSN: 2166-3262¹

Website: http://www.csmonitor.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: An independent international news organization, the aim of which is to “embrace the human family, shedding light with the conviction that understanding the world’s problems and possibilities moves us towards solutions.”² Though owned by the Christian Science church, the Monitor purports to be secular in its reporting save for one “clearly labeled religious article” published each weekday.³

“We want to help you to see news events as starting points for constructive conversations. We seek to cut through the froth of the political spin cycle to underlying truths and values. We want to be so focused on progress that together we can provide a credible and constructive counter-narrative to the hopelessness-, anger-, and fear-inducing brand of discourse that is so pervasive in the news.” ⁴

“We are not about promoting any specific set of policies, actions or ideologies. The founder of the Monitor was convinced that what reaches and affects thought ultimately shapes experiences and moves our world forward. News, therefore, should be thought-provoking, trustworthy, and engaging.” ⁵

Target audience: General public. “The Monitor assumes its readers are people who care, who want to care, regardless of their religious or political mindset.”⁶

Publisher: The First Church of Christ, Scientist.⁷

Peer reviewed? No.⁸

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: We deliver global news via our website and mobile site, daily edition, weekly print magazine, and free newsletters.”⁹

Content: Independent national and international news, articles, book reviews, op-eds, essays, and letters to the editor.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.csmonitor.com/About/Contributor-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: The Monitor accepts articles on national and international news, personal essays, short poems, book reviews, letters to the Editor, and articles on People Making a Difference. ¹¹

Here are some details about some of the contributions:

International News Contributor Guidelines: Departments include Europe/Baltics/Russia, Asia and Africa, Middle East, and Latin America. ¹²

“We are interested in a variety of pieces, from 500-word news stories to longer news analysis and news feature pieces for our weekly magazine. We want stories to cover the ‘who, what, when, where, why’ but we expect stories to focus on the ‘why.’ The goal here is to either explain the broader meaning of an event or to explain what’s at stake. We are particularly interested in understanding the ways of thinking or perspectives that are driving your story.” ¹³

National News Contributor Guidelines: Departments include U.S. Regional News, Justice, and Religion, US Politics, Economy, Education and Culture, and Science/Technology/Environment. ¹⁴

“We’re interested in stories of national import from all over the country. We want to stay on top of what is in the news – and in public thought – as much as possible, but there’s also an opportunity for news features with a sense of place. Regardless of the setting or situation, though, we look for history and an eye for detail that show what makes peoples and places the way they are, influencing events.” ¹⁵

The Home Forum:

“The Home Forum is looking for upbeat, personal essays from 400 to 800 words. We also welcome short poems. All material must be original and previously unpublished. For seasonal material, be aware that if you submit something that is about a particular month, holiday, event (back to school, graduation), or season, we need to receive it a minimum of six weeks ahead. We accept essays on a wide variety of subjects, and encourage timely, newsy topics. However, we don’t deal with the topics of death, aging and disease.” ¹⁶

A Christian Science Perspective:

“This is the column where the theology and practice of Christian Science are discussed in articles that respond to events in the news as well as those that address everyday issues such as companionship, comfort, home, work, relationships, the healing of physical ailments, and dealing with difficult financial times.” ¹⁷

People Making a Difference:

“We’re interested in stories about people who are making a positive difference all over the world, working on solutions to problems from hunger and education to the rights of people with disabilities. These profiles, approximately 1,200 words in length, should include an in-depth, in-person interview with the subject. We’ll also want to learn why the individual is so passionate about his or her work as well as gain an understanding of the problem he or she is trying to solve.” ¹⁸

Submission and review process: Submissions are welcomed on a continual basis. The Monitor website asks that articles be targeted to their specific departments and guidelines be followed based on the specific section’s editorial teams. Editors attempt to respond to submissions quickly but are often inundated. If your article is time sensitive please call this to the attention of the editor. ¹⁹

Editorial tone: Journalistic to conversational.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Due to the clear contributor guidelines, the volume of freelance work they consume, and the forward approach to covering the world’s news, the Monitor is a promising publication to consider when writing about libraries for the general public. They often cover issues of interest to information professionals and concerning information access. Past articles include a report on a library being created in a small village in Vietnam, the limits being placed on library e-books, Google Books, and membership libraries. The most recent article published in 2020, Pandemic pen pals: How Colombian libraries lift spirits, discusses how libraries are providing services in the wake of COVID-19.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: approximately 50,000 subscribers.²⁰

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The majority of readership is located in the US, although content covers international news so some international readership is likely.

Reader characteristics: The Monitor attracts both readers with religious affiliations and those who do not. Their audience includes, “anyone who cares about the progress of the human endeavor around the world and seeks news reported with compassion, intelligence, and an essentially constructive lens.” ²¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Range would include professionals, but your audience would most likely be individuals who do not understand LIS subject matter and field jargon.

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

The readers of the Monitor, in reviewing the articles of the publication, appear to be educated, open-minded and well-read. This is the same audience that often supports and recognizes the value of libraries, making this a potentially place to promote libraries, the work they do, and the challenges they face within communities around the world. Readers of this publication are looking for stories that tie into national and global perspectives, including social, cultural, economical, and environmental issues, all of which have context within the field of LIS.

Last updated: September 20, 2020

References

Show 21 footnotes

Bookmarks

By Katie Wood on September 8, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Bookmarks

ISSN: 1546-0657¹

Purpose, objective, or mission: The magazine offers a guide to the best in books, both new and old, by summarizing book reviews, highlighting the best works by classic authors, and polling experts on non-fiction recommendations. “Bookmarks magazine is a decidedly unstuffy, glossy magazine delivered right to your doorstep every two months. Simply put, we are the best source of ideas for your reading list: we summarize book reviews so you can make an informed decision about what to read next, highlight classic and contemporary authors, uncover readers’ everyday favorites, and much more.” ²

“Bookmarks magazine was the brainchild of Jon Phillips and Alison Nelson, who envisioned a magazine for book lovers: readers who spend countless hours combing bookshelves, clipping book reviews, and studying author biographies and reading lists. Jon and Alison searched high and low for a comprehensive source they could trust for literary advice and pictured a research team hard at work for them: summarizing book reviews, highlighting the best works of classic and contemporary authors, presenting books in different genres and on different topics, and uncovering everyday readers’ favorite books. They looked everywhere, but that team, that one source, that dream magazine, didn’t exist. So they created it, and that editorial team become a reality.” ³

Website: http://www.bookmarksmagazine.com

Target audience: Adults who are active readers; the “intelligent mainstream.”⁴

Publisher: Bookmarks Publishing LLC. ⁵

Peer reviewed? No

Type: General interest, civilian. The content is written in simple but engaging language intended for book lovers and readers with some knowledge of authors current and past. Generally the magazine is free of LIS or scholarly jargon.

Medium: Print magazine⁶ with some content, such as reading lists and guides, posted online.

Content:

“Our readers enjoy summaries of hundreds of opinions from every major newspaper and magazine for a comprehensive look at 50 new fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, all designed to give you the information you need to make the best reading choices. We highlight the books that receive a lot of attention, but we always search for that great unsung book that quietly gets just a few enthusiastic reviews.

We also present in-depth profiles on classic as well as contemporary authors, discussing their lives and major (and not so major) works. Bookmarks also covers different topics, from the best American biographies to new fiction in English translation to great mystery, fantasy, and historical fiction series.

Since the best books become known by word-of-mouth, Bookmarks publishes unique lists of our subscribers’ favorites—terrific, little-known gems. Each issue also features a different book club discussing the books its members loved … and the ones that caused the most awkward silences.” ⁷

Frequency of publication: Every 2 Months. ⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.bookmarksmagazine.com/contact-us.html

Types of contributions accepted: “The magazine is structured in its content and will rarely consider pitches that fall outside of that structure. We do not publish original reviews; rather, our mission is to summarize existing reviews from major newspapers and magazines (in our opinion, the last thing the world needs … is another opinion). Within a fairly structured format, we also publish classic and contemporary author profiles as well as specific articles on various topics (Historical Fiction About the Renaissance, Best New Crime Writing, What’s New in Europe, Feminist Fiction, Books of World War II, etc.).” ⁹

From the website ¹⁰:

Letters to the Editor
Please send letters to letters@bookmarksmagazine.com or to our editorial address: Bookmarks Magazine, 2625 Alcatraz Avenue, #362, Berkeley, CA 94705. Please indicate in your letter if you do not wish the contents of your letter to be considered for publication in the “Letters to the Editor” section of the magazine.
Book Club Submissions
Please include the following information for your book group profile: your name and contact information, the name of the book group, the group’s location, and a photo. Email your information to letters@bookmarksmagazine.com or send it to to our editorial address: Bookmarks Magazine, 2625 Alcatraz Avenue, #362, Berkeley, CA 94705.

Submission and review process: “You may submit a resume and short (fewer than 1,000 words) book- or literary-related writing sample in the text of your email message. We will NOT consider applications without a writing sample. No phone calls or email attachments, please. Address your email to service@bookmarksmagazine.com. ¹¹

Editorial tone: Casual but informed, as if you were talking in a book club, and “decidedly unstuffy.”¹²

Style guide used: None given.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Anyone who is interested in reviewing books for a book-loving audience would likely have success at Bookmarks. LIS authors would be particularly well-suited for the mining and synthesizing of information required for the consensus-oriented book reviews.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: More than 40,000.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The magazine is based in the United States and printed in English. Because Bookmarks is mostly a compilation of other media reviews, there would be little variety in cultural considerations.

Reader characteristics: The magazine’s media kit states, “Active readers are generally better educated and more affluent consumers. It has been proven they are more interested in travel, science, arts and the community.”¹⁴

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The general reader may be aware of public library terms, but not specific jargon. Many will have an interest in libraries due to the free access to books that have just been reviewed. Some could be aware of the financial struggles that libraries face and the competition from Internet entertainment.

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

The defining characteristic of the Bookmarks audience is a love of reading. For a librarian who is skilled at readers advisory or collection development, this should be an easy audience to reach and a pleasurable topic to write about. Authors with a special knowledge or interest in certain topics (non-fiction, suspense novels, etc.) could be asked to write on those, but writing brief reviews on any books would be the main desire. Readers expect reviewers to have a confidence about books they recommend (or criticize!). A general magazine about books features classic books in a genre, but also upcoming books, which is one of the main interests of voracious readers. Those who are passionate about a genre or an author want to know what is coming next. Authors and reviewers should be able to excite a reader about a book, while being entertaining but not giving away major plot surprises! Bookmarks has a witty and casual tone, and its habit of compiling reviews from other sources gives the audience “soundbites” for books, instead of in-depth analysis. Potential authors should therefore be clever and concise.

Last updated: September 8, 2020

References

Show 14 footnotes

The Conversation

By Bethany Baker on April 9, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Conversation

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://theconversation.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Begun as a project in 2014, The Conversation publishes articles written by Ph.D. candidates and university-affiliated researchers. Their aim is to promote access to high-quality information and to strive for a better understanding of current affairs and complex issues.¹

For more in-depth information, take a look at their charter.

While this wiki profile is for The Conversation‘s U.S.-based website, there are additional sites specific to audiences all around the globe.

Target audience: Members of the general public interested in reading high-quality articles based on academic research. Much of this research may not otherwise be accessible to the general public because it may be published in scholarly journals with limited circulation.

Publisher: The Conversation US, Inc.²

Peer reviewed? No. Authors work with editors, who are professional journalists, to craft their articles.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: Articles based on academic studies of varying topics—arts, culture, science, technology, medicine, and many more.

Frequency of publication: New articles published daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://theconversation.com/us/pitches

Types of contributions accepted: The Conversation focuses on three priority areas:

“Timely, evidence-based analysis of issues making the news
Articles explaining new research and its significance for a non-expert audience
Timeless, plain English ‘explainers’ of complex issues”³

Submission and review process: There are three steps to becoming published: verification of institute, educational history/qualifications and the creation of a website account.⁴. In conjunction, “to be published by The Conversation you must be currently employed as a researcher or academic with a university or research institution. Ph.D. candidates under supervision by an academic can write for us, but we don’t currently publish articles from Masters students.”⁵

Editorial tone: “Plain English” (for “a non-expert audience”) and “evidence-based.”⁶

The writing style must be professional yet accessible to general readers who are not subject matter experts. A scholarly or academic tone could be off-putting for lay readers.

Style guide used: Unknown.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

For authors who are are LIS researchers affiliated with an academic institution (MLIS students should keep in mind that they do not qualify), this could be a great outlet for translating scholarly work research for lay audiences and for providing well-informed content on current issues in libraries, online privacy, intellectual freedom, the digital divide, media literacy, and other LIS-oriented topics that would be significant to a non-expert audience. A four-minute video on the benefits of writing for The Conversation is available here.

Before proposing an article, The Conversation‘s editors ask that you do a keyword search to see what has already been published on your topic.⁷ (Of course, this is good advice for any publication you might hope to write for!) A list of articles on libraries can be found here.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: This profile is geared towards readers of the U.S.-based site, but The Conversation has websites for readers in Australia, Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Indonesia, as well as an additional “global perspectives” site.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Conversation has a global audience. Specific editions are geared toward readers in specific geographies, but all editions are accessible worldwide.

Reader characteristics: All published articles feature a comments section with lively debates among readers. Thoughtful, well-developed comments are the norm. Anyone can sign up to comment on articles, but full names are required to help maintain a transparent forum. Click here to read about The Conversation’s community standards for readers and commenters.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Varied. Authors would need to assume that readers would not be part of the LIS world and would not be familiar with LIS jargon.

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

From glancing over the reader characteristics mentioned above, you can guarantee that, if published by The Conversation, your article could very well invite a lively debate among commenters from all over the world. Authors will find a higher level of engagement with readers and will be able to see how their audience responds to their work–a feature not usually seen with publication of scholarly articles.

Last updated: September 29, 2020

References

Show 7 footnotes

Medium

By Katie Wood on April 4, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Medium

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://medium.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Our sole purpose is to help you find compelling ideas, knowledge, and perspectives. We don’t serve ads—we serve you, the curious reader who loves to learn new things. Medium is home to thousands of independent voices, and we combine humans and technology to find the best reading for you—and filter out the rest.” ¹

“Medium is a publishing platform where people can read important, insightful stories on the topics that matter most to them and share ideas with the world.”²

Target audience: Inquiring minds on the web. Medium publishes content across a vast array of topics to interest all sorts of readers.

Publisher: A Medium Corporation.

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: Articles of varying lengths.

Frequency of publication: Daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Medium’s Write a Post page has information on posting, editing, importing articles and directs authors to information on creating an account.

Types of contributions accepted: Articles on a plethora of topics, grouped into broad categories such as Technology, Culture, Entrepreneurship, Creativity and more. Anyone and everyone can post articles, granted they create an account on the website.

Submission and review process: Medium’s Curation Guidelines: everything writers need to know is a section that discusses the writing standards and rules, as well as the curation process.

“When publishing a story on Medium, you can choose to make it eligible for curator review and distribution behind Medium’s paywall.What does it mean to be curated? When a story is curated, it becomes eligible to be distributed to readers across Medium surfaces — on the homepage, on topic pages, in our app, in our Daily Digest newsletter, and in other emails — and shared via Medium’s recommendation system.” ³

“Curators are looking for thoughtful, clearly written pieces that tell a compelling story, convey an interesting idea, or share a smart point of view. Curators will not distribute misinformation, stories with clickbait headlines, stories that are primarily marketing a product or service, or stories with excessive typos and errors.” ⁴

Editorial tone: Professional, yet casual.

Style guide used: No style guide is specified, Medium’s Curation Guidelines provides the rules and standards that should be followed.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

See “Medium for Nonprofits, Explained” for suggestions. See also the SJSU iSchool’s Medium site. And you can search Medium for “libraries” and “librarians” to find lots of examples from other sources.

Given the sheer number of daily users on Medium, it could be a great place to submit writing, especially if you have never been published before. However, there are plenty of articles out there about how it can be difficult to get your work seen since there are so many postings per day, as well as how you can increase your viewer traffic.

The following articles may be helpful for those interested in posting on Medium:

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Anyone can read articles for free, but monthly subscribers get access to more content and curated collections. “Become a Medium member for $5/month or $50/year and get unlimited access to the smartest writers and biggest ideas you won’t find anywhere else.” ⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Published in English, but read worldwide. The majority of readers are in the United States.⁶

Reader characteristics: According to statistics, the majority of Medium’s readers are college educated.⁷ The sheer amount of topics covered and the breadth of articles published shows that Medium readers are curious information seekers who have many interests.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Varied. There are certainly articles written by LIS professionals, but they are often geared towards the general public. Examples: Three Lessons I’ve Learned About People from Being a Librarian and Google’s Slow Fade with librarians.

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

Medium is a unique platform for writers in many ways, but its ‘clapping’ feature allows for readers to respond to articles, and in turn directly shows authors how widely read their work is. It can be difficult to increase readership across Medium, but there are plenty of third party websites that give you tips and tricks to improve visibility.

Last updated: September 6, 2020

References

Show 7 footnotes

No Shelf Required

By Katie Wood on March 2, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: No Shelf Required

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.noshelfrequired.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: NSR started as a blog run by Sue Polanka, an academic librarian at Wright State University. For librarians from all fields, it quickly became a go-to source for new information on ebooks in libraries–a burgeoning concept at the time. Sue and the current editor, Mirela Roncevic, joined forces on all sorts of writing endeavors and the blog eventually grew into its own site with regular columnists and contributors from all over the world.¹

From NSR’s About page: “In 2016, NSR expanded its mission to inspire professionals inside the book industry to do more with ebooks and econtent and embarked on groundbreaking projects that challenge what we think is possible with ebooks.”²

Target audience: Publishers, writers, editors, LIS students and professionals.³

Publisher: Currently, NSR’s editor is Mirela Roncevic.⁴

Peer reviewed? Unknown.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: “What once was a blog ‘housed’ at Wright State University in Ohio is now and portal covering ebook and econtent views and news not just in the United States but around the world and serving as a repository of not just press releases related to the evolution of book and content in digital format but also opinion pieces by industry insiders, and promotion and celebration of global initiatives raising awareness of the benefits of ebooks and digital literacy inside and beyond the confines of institutions of learning. ⁵

Features articles on all sorts of topics–academic libraries, apps, ebook readers, piracy and many more. They have recently expanded to include reviews and opinion pieces from writers in all areas of digital content.⁶

Frequency of publication: Several new articles and posts a week.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.noshelfrequired.com/about/

Types of contributions accepted: Reviews and opinion pieces, news posts.⁷

Submission and review process: Send proposals to Editorial Director, Mirela Roncevic at mirelaronevic@gmail.com. Review process unknown.

Editorial tone: Professional, but casual.

Style guide used: Unknown.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Given the breadth of information and the scope of topics that are covered, NSR could be a great fit for all sorts of LIS authors. Published pieces are written “by industry insiders of all walks of life: writers, editors, librarians, educators, publishers, vendors, independent authors, and tech entrepreneurs, to name a few. Some creatively draw our attention to the issues, while others offer perspectives on what various statistics tell us about the state of the larger book industry.”⁸

Authors covering topics regarding ebooks and the digital or technological aspects of the LIS fields may particularly be interested in looking more into NSR.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Readers and writers are primarily in the United States, though they feature contributors from all over the world.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Though NSR began as a blog out of Wright State University in Ohio, its audience is found all over North America, with an additional global presence. Articles are published in English, but the website offers Google translation on all pages.⁹

Reader characteristics: NSR readers are students and professionals in many different areas–LIS, publishing, education and more.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Many readers of NSR may have a library science background, but given the wide range of readers and topics covered, LIS jargon should be avoided.

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

NSR strives to publish the latest news and information on the ever growing fields of ebooks and epublishing. Readers interested in these fields are advocates for improving technology and tech usage in the LIS fields and beyond. NSR has a fantastic, comprehensive list of articles and essays related to emerging trends and issues in the ebook/epublishing fields for researchers and inquiring minds. To see if their work would be a good fit, potential authors should check out Learn with NSR to read some the latest publishings.

Last updated: September 1, 2020

References

Show 9 footnotes

Slate

By Bethany Baker on March 2, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Slate

ISSN: 1091-2339 (Online)¹

Website: http://www.slate.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Founded in 1996, Slate is a “general-interest publication offering analysis and commentary about politics, news, business, technology, and culture.”²

Target audience: Internet news seekers interested in current events and contemporary topics with a unique perspective and sharp commentary.

Publisher: The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company.³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication / online magazine.

Medium: Online.

Content: Current events, political commentary, culture–all sorts of topics within the United States. Slate has a self-proclaimed liberal slant.⁴

Frequency of publication: New content published daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.slate.com/articles/briefing/slate_fare/2017/10/how_to_pitch_slate.html

Types of contributions accepted: Slate asks that you read over their website and get familiar with the types of work they accept before you send in a pitch. They’re known for making strong statements, so if your piece falls under opinion or analysis, be sure to make a compelling argument. Scroll towards the bottom of How to pitch Slate to read a successful pitch example, a particularly funny take on food featured on the Game of Thrones TV show.

Submission and review process: Send short pitches stating the general content of your article, or the argument you intend to make. Do not send complete drafts of your piece.⁵

Slate asks that you please Google the topic of your article to see what has already been written on the subject–they strive for fresh content and new perspectives. Be sure to include the section of the site in which you would like your article to be featured–Brow Beat, Health/Science, Human Interest, etc. Include a short bio on yourself. Slate asks that you please refrain from emailing multiple editors. Due to the high volume of submissions that they receive, if you do not hear back from an editor in a few days, your article was not accepted.⁶

Editorial tone: Informative yet casual.

Style guide used: Unknown.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Slate could be a great option to look into for those writing about push-button topics in the LIS field. Recently published articles regarding library and information science include “The Library of Congress Will Stop Archiving Every Tweet. Good.,” from 2017, and “Who Is in Control of Your Library’s Data?” from 2015.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to their media kit, Slate reaches 20 million unique visitors a month.⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Slate is a U.S. publication, and, as of 2015, international readers must pay to access Slate.com if they wish to read more than 5 free articles a month.⁸ slate.com, accessed September 19, 2020, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/06/slates-new-international-paywall-how-it-will-work-for-readers-abroad.html] Therefore, it is safe to assume that most of the readers are geographically located in the U.S.

Reader characteristics: According to an older article published by Slate, their general demographic is comprised of (mostly) college-educated readers between the ages of 25-54.⁹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Varied, as Slate is read by the general public.

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

With 70 million viewers a month, you can guarantee that readers of Slate have a wide range of knowledge. Recent articles on a David Lynch typing game and the dubiousness of octopus intelligence show potential authors that Slate could be a good outlet for more offbeat LIS writing. All articles feature a lively readers’ commentary section, so be prepared for (potentially) heavy debate about your content.

Last updated: September 29, 2020

References

Show 9 footnotes

Shelf Unbound

By Bethany Baker on May 5, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Shelf Unbound

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Shelf Unbound indie book review magazine features the best of small press and self-published books.”¹

Target audience: “Avid readers.”²

Publisher: Shelf Media Group.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online Magazine.⁵

Content: Book reviews and author interviews.⁶

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly.⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://useast.mymarkettoolkit.com/shelf_media_group_mymarkettoolkit_com/pdf/shelf_submission_guidelines_2010.pdf and email communication with Shelf Media’s publisher, Sarah Kloth.

Types of contributions accepted: From the submission guidelines: “At this time, we are only accepting courtesy essays and reviews for publication.”⁸

Submission and review process: Submit book reviews or essays to media [at] shelfmediagroup.com.⁹ Physical books can also be sent for review to 2234 Patrick Lane, Waukesha, WI 53188.¹⁰

Editorial tone: Informal and engaging.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Shelf Unbound publishes book reviews and author interviews in the fiction/non-fiction field. As such, this publication does not apply directly to LIS authors but it may be a fun way to gain some publication experience. This publication may appeal to those wishing to write book reviews on books that interest them, or who want to flex their readers’ advisory skills.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to the website, this online magazine is distributed to more than 125,000 readers in 70 countries.¹¹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Based in the United States but distributed globally via online subscriptions and website. American English and content appears to be geared towards a US audience.

Reader characteristics: As this site is directed towards small and indie publishers, books and authors selected will come from these publishers. Specific characteristics regarding the demographics of readers could not be located.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: None can be assumed.

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

Avid readers are always searching for the next good book and tend to read on a variety of subjects. This site appears to be a fun place in which to explore indie books on just about any topic.

Last updated: September 29, 2020

References

Show 11 footnotes

HuffPost

By Bethany Baker on April 28, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: HuffPost (formerly called Huffington Post)

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://www.huffpost.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “At HuffPost, we report with empathy and put people at the heart of every story. We take a people-first approach in everything we report—be it news and politics or lifestyle and entertainment—and we cover real stories about real life. Regardless of who you are, where you live or what you believe, you can count on HuffPost to help you navigate what’s happening in the world and how it affects you. We consider the needs, passions and curiosity of our readers in all of our journalism. If something matters to our readers, it matters to us.”¹

In 2012, HuffPost won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting on wounded veterans”.²

Target audience: A politically-engaged audience seeking the latest news in entertainment, politics, and world affairs.

Publisher: Verizon Media.³

Peer reviewed? No. Most articles posted on the site are in the form of blog posts.

Type: Civilian publication; online news site.

Medium: Online.

Content: A roundup of political, entertainment, and news from around the globe.

Of special interest to LIS writers, there’s a Books section under Entertainment, featuring articles and reviews by various bloggers, and the Libraries section featuring library-related news and articles. In 2012 a section titled Libraries in Crisis was created to examine the role of libraries in today’s society. The section’s first series was titled The Death Of The Public Library?, and it has been somewhat controversial among LIS professionals, with a Hack Library School post noting, “I understand that stories of library closures are much sexier than the latest controversies with Overdrive, but if we want to see the libraries as a national tradition continue, we need to step away from the extremism and start proving what we are capable of. Let’s see some library success stories on this page, too.”

Frequency of publication: Updated daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.huffpost.com/static/how-to-pitch-huffpost?section=us_opinion

Types of contributions accepted: “HuffPost is seeking to elevate writers from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who are BIPOC, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and writers from other underrepresented communities.”⁴

The categories for submissions are Enterprise pieces, which are “original, unique, reported stories,”⁵ Personal pieces, which are “original, authentic, compelling, and told from the first person,”⁶ and Life pieces which are pieces that serve as a “no-BS guide to modern parenting, wellness, food, money, work, relationships, and more.”⁷

Submission and review process: “Pitches should include a working headline, two or three paragraphs that outline why you think the story matters, with some indication of how you plan to report and tell the story (e.g. sources, key characters or narrative event). Also tell us a little about who you are and why you’re the right person to write this story, and please indicate whether your pitch is timely.”⁸

See “How to Pitch to HuffPost” for detailed descriptions, requirements, and tips.

Editorial tone: Informal and informational at the same time.

Style guide used: None referenced.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

HuffPost is an excellent resource for librarians to reach a wide-ranging global and local audience with news from the LIS world. The Libraries section would be a great place to discuss library efforts and updates, technological and otherwise, and news from the LIS sector, with a readership who is truly interested. HuffPost would also be a good place to suggest and write about books for review.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No circulation information provided.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Based out of the US, the site has local editions such as HuffPost San Francisco and Chicago; as well as international versions covering Canada, France, Italy, Spain and the UK.⁹ The US version is written in American English; culturally the site is considered a left-leaning publication, with special attention to U.S. political and entertainment news.

Reader characteristics: HuffPost was created in 2005 and became known as a liberal website for commentary/and alternative to more right-wing sites such as the Drudge Report & Fox News. Although founder/creator Arianna Huffington is careful to note that the site does not consciously lean in either party direction, the site has a more left-leaning feel.¹⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Although readers are educated and HuffPost has a special library section, this site is more informal information and entertainment, not really the place for LIS jargon. If submitting a query or blog for the Books/Library section, the focus is more on specific voice or activity, not the formal academic jargon commonly found in LIS publications.

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

Readers are interested in what’s going on with US libraries, and in discussing the most recent books and book news. While articles are not scholarly in tone, this site would most likely welcome posts written by LIS students as long as the topic is interesting and appealing to HuffPost readers.

Last updated: September 29, 2020

References

Show 10 footnotes

La Opinión

By Katie Wood on April 24, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: La Opinión

ISSN: 0276-590X¹

Purpose, objective, or mission: “La Opinión is the leading Spanish-language daily newspaper in the country, reaching over 20 million monthly readers in print and online. La Opinión was founded in 1926 in Los Angeles to provide daily news and information to a Hispanic population that has grown to become the nation’s largest, its audience is active, involved and engaged.“²

Website: http://www.laopinion.com/

Target audience: Spanish-language speaking and Latinx communities across the United States and beyond.

Publisher: ImpreMedia, LLC. ³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online. ⁴

Content: General information relevant to Spanish-speaking and Latinx citizens. Includes varied content such as: sports, entertainment, business, lifestyles, Latin American news, U.S. news, world news, and special sections. This newspaper further includes information at the global, national, state, and local levels.

Frequency of publication: Daily. ⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: There are no submission or author guidelines. Editors at La Opinión are responsible for accepting outside content for individual sections, for all but the Main News section, which does not generally accept guest author contributions. Sections that do accept contributions are Sports, Entertainment, and Op-Ed (which might be the sole place for LIS content in this publication).

Types of contributions accepted: Community event announcements and information relating to the specific section of the paper you’d like to contribute to.

Submission and review process: Check the website or print publication to find the name of the editor for the specific section you’d like to write for. Email addresses are usually firstname.lastname@laopinion.com. Writers are paid for their contribution, with pay determined on a case by case basis. Articles are generally submitted in Spanish; they can be submitted in English, with translation services for the final published article.

Editorial tone: Informational and informative, with focus on issues that affect Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities.

Style guide used: None found.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This newspaper lends itself to publishing local LIS related issues. LIS practitioners and students living in the covered area should consider including local library events. Library-themed articles or letters may be published in this newspaper.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: La Opinión reaches over 20 million readers monthly worldwide through its digital platform and is also the most-read print newspaper in Spanish in the United States. More than 300,000 readers are subscribed to the daily newsletter. ⁶

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: La Opinión has expanded it’s audience across the entire United States, having offices in both Los Angeles and New York. Content is offered in both Spanish and English languages.

Reader characteristics: Readership is split fairly evenly between men and women, and readers have an average household income of $59,191.⁷ Since the paper is written in Spanish and targeted toward Hispanic communities, it is safe to assume that readers are Hispanic or Latinx.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This is a civilian newspaper and a knowledge of LIS subject matter should not be assumed. Avoid technical jargon.

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

Authors must provide readers information relevant to Latinx and Hispanic communities. Articles about library programs and issues that affect these communities would be welcome in this publication.

Last updated: October 17, 2018

References

Show 7 footnotes

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