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Wiki Categories Archives: LIS Professional and Trade Publications

Jinfo

By on April 26, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Jinfo (formerly FreePint)

ISSN: 1460-72391

Website: https://www.jinfo.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Jinfo helps “information professionals turn evolution in information sources and technology into practical actions.”2 Through regular free newsletters and updates, and subscription-based articles and reports, Jinfo provides support on a variety of issues important to information professionals and workers.

Target audience: Workers in the information industry including librarians, consultants, freelancers, writers, technology experts, and commercial companies. The site was started in 1997 as a free email newsletter named FreePint and recently changed the name to Jinfo to be more memorable.3

Publisher: Free Pint Limited. Jinfo notes that only the official name has changed, nothing more. ProQuest still lists the publication as FreePint with no update to name.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional newsletter.6

Medium: Online.7

Content: Jinfo helps “information professionals turn evolution in information sources and technology into practical actions.” They “provide research on the role of source expertise in data analytics” and offer guidance on contemporary issues in the information profession.8

Frequency of publication: Twice monthly free newsletter, with content uploaded daily to members with a paid subscription.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://web.jinfo.com/go/about/contribute/

Types of contributions accepted: Jinfo articles are based on real-world experience, and writers are encouraged to share their knowledge with peers. 10

Submission and review process: Send a query to catherine.dhanjal@jinfo.com11

Editorial tone: Informative. Jinfo‘s “editorial processes help you state your ideas as clearly and cogently as possible.”12

Style guide used: UK Guardian style and UK spellings.13

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication has welcomed a variety of submissions and is known for working with authors. Jinfo allows an author to gain visibility within the wider LIS community.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: As of 2012, Jinfo serves more than 80,000 readers across the globe through the newsletter email and the publication’s website and has a global audience of over 100,000 information professionals throughout the entire network.14

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Jinfo is a UK-based company and reaches English-speaking readers. The newsletter is written in English and uses British spelling, punctuation, and word usage. Because Jinfo is a global publication, regional and cultural references should be kept to a minimum and explained where needed.15

Reader characteristics: Working information professionals with knowledge in their fields.16

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will have extensive knowledge of information issues, but these issues may or may not be related to libraries. Many readers work in information environments but not necessarily library environments and library jargon should be kept to a minimum. General information jargon can be used, but where it denotes cultural or regional references, jargon should be fully explained.17

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

Given the diverse readership, both in career and local, this publication offers an opportunity to inform a global audience of readers interested in information and knowledge management. Even if you just submit one article that gets published to the site, you’ll be added to the list of Jinfo‘s “practicing professionals’ contributors,”18where more people can find out about you and your LIS writing.

Last updated: April 26, 2020

References

Show 18 footnotes

  1.  FreePint, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed April 26, 2020, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521688073081/266909 ↩
  2. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  3. Jinfo Blog (2020) Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/blog/73340 ↩
  4. ProQuest. (2020). FreePint. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412022762749/266909 ↩
  5. ProQuest. (2020). FreePint. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412022762749/266909 ↩
  6. ProQuest. (2020). FreePint. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412022762749/266909 ↩
  7. ProQuest. (2020). FreePint. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412022762749/266909 ↩
  8. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  9. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  10. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  11. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/contribute ↩
  12. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/contribute ↩
  13. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  14. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  15. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  16. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/contribute ↩
  17. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/ ↩
  18. Jinfo (2020). About Jinfo. Jinfo. Retrieved from https://web.jinfo.com/go/about/people ↩
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Library 2.0

By on April 10, 2020 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

 Title: Library 2.0

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://library20.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: This network is for librarians and others interested in web 2.0 as it applies to libraries.1

Target audience: Librarians and others interested in web 2.0.2

Publisher: Steve Hargadon.3

Peer reviewed? No.4

Type: LIS Professional and Trade Publication.5

Medium: Online.6

Content: Articles, announcements and forums, all things web 2.0.7

Frequency of publication: Irregular, determined by contributors.8

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: None.

Types of contributions accepted: Comments and links provided by members.9

Submission and review process: Users join, are approved and then are able to join forums and contribute to discussions.10

Editorial tone: Informative.11

Style guide used: Informative.12

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Authors interested in Web 2.0 technology will be able to find a lot of information in this forum and possibly establish beneficial contacts for collaboration. The discussion boards feature many testimonials from library professionals discussing their successes and obstacles with Web 2.0 matters.13

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Readership 60,000 people from 175 countries.(2020).14

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Not specified, but this is an international community as members are from 175 countries. Predominately written in the English language; however, this is an international community and events from around the world are discussed.15

Reader characteristics: Librarian staff and LIS students interested in Web 2.0. The discussions involve all types of libraries, with an emphasis on how libraries are using Web 2.0 technologies. The community seems to be very pro-Web 2.0, with very little criticism represented.16

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers likely have a better than average understanding of LIS issues.17

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

Writers well versed in web 2.0 and technology in general will be comfortable posting at this forum.

Last updated: April 10, 2020

References

Show 17 footnotes

  1. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  2. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  3. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  4. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  5. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  6. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  7. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  8. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  9. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  10. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  11. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  12. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  13. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  14. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/page/about ↩
  15. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/page/about ↩
  16. Hargadon, S. (2020). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
  17. Hargadon, S. (2016). Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.library20.com/ ↩
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Online Searcher

By on April 10, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Online Searcher: Information Discovery, Technology, Strategies  

ISSN: 2324-96841

Website: http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Online Searcher is the definitive voice for information professionals in academic, corporate, government, law, medical, public library, knowledge management, web development, and freelance environments.”2

Target audience: “Online Searcher is the go-to publication for dedicated web researchers, database professionals, librarians in academic, corporate, public, and government work settings, and purchasers/licensees of information resources.”3

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional or trade publication6

Medium: Print and online.7

Content: “Online Searcher provides subscribers with the information they need to:

  • Effectively manage online research projects
  • Conduct successful internet and database searches
  • Determine the utility of new technologies
  • Build innovative services within their organizations
  • Assess the worth of new and changed resources
  • Discover trends affecting information professionals
  • Strategize services to boost the value of information departments and libraries”8

Frequency of publication: Six times per year.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml

Types of contributions accepted: “Online Searcher covers the entire range of electronic information topics, including industry trends; new products and technologies; professional, business and consumer online services; the internet; enterprise-wide information management; practical search and information management techniques; information professional roles and responsibilities, electronic content; quality issues; web design from an information professional perspective; enterprise search; intranet creation and promotion; and search engines.”10

Submission and review process: Contact the editor with your proposal. “If you’d like to write for Online Searcher, please contact me (Marydee Ojala) to discuss an idea. I’d also be happy to review an outline or draft proposal. Author Guidelines are provided here. Marydee Ojala Online Searcher • P.O. 78225 • Indianapolis, IN 46278 • 317-876-8100 • Fax: 317-876-8300 marydee@xmission.com“11

Editorial tone: Per the Author Guidelines, “Write in simple, straightforward English. Short, pithy, fact-filled articles are much better than long, wordy pieces. Write tersely, in popular magazine-style, not in verbose, academic prose.”12

Style guide used: See the Author Guidelines for specific information.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Online Searcher is widely read by library and information science professionals, guaranteeing authors a substantial amount of exposure. There are numerous publication opportunities for LIS authors, as this journal touches on a diverse assortment of topics from book/product reviews, conference coverage, and technologies such as website design and user experience. Most information professionals will be able to find an appropriate angle to pitch to this publication.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “The Information Today, Inc. website is now averaging more than 50,000 visitors each month.”13

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This publication is printed in English out of Medford, New Jersey. There is no audience location data readily available, but it should be assumed that the majority of its readership resides in North America.14

Reader characteristics: Most of this publication’s readership consists of working information professionals. Readers of Online Searcher (along with readers of its sister publications, Information Today and Computers in Libraries) are:

› 14% Information Professionals
› 27% Academic Librarians
› 24% Special Librarians
› 10% Government Librarians
› 21% Public Librarians
› 4% Other.15

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This readership will have a solid knowledge of LIS subject matter, but as this is not a scholarly publication, academic jargon should be left out.12

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

Since much of the audience for this publication are information professionals, this is a great opportunity to turn practical experience and knowledge into an article that will reach an engaged and informed readership. Readers will, however, prefer concise, magazine-style writing that makes clear and fast points. As over 70% of its readers are librarians, this publication is a great opportunity to connect to one’s peers and showcase relevant information that others in the profession will benefit from.

Last updated: October 30, 2018

References

Show 16 footnotes

  1. “Online Searcher,” OCLC WorldCat, accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.worldcat.org/title/online-searcher/oclc/812038505 ↩
  2. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  3. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  4. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  5. “Author Guidelines,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml ↩
  6. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  7. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  8. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  9. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  10. “Author Guidelines,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml ↩
  11. “Author Guidelines,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml ↩
  12. “Author Guidelines,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml ↩
  13. “Media Kit,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/advert/2019/2019-ITI-Combined-Media-Kit.pdf ↩
  14. “Online Searcher,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/ ↩
  15. “Media Kit,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/advert/2019/2019-ITI-Combined-Media-Kit.pdf ↩
  16. “Author Guidelines,” Information Today, Inc., accessed April 10, 2020, http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml ↩
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Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

By on April 6, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

ISSN: 1077-66131

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

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

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

Publisher: University of California Riverside Library.4

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

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: Professional newsletter.7

Medium: Online.8

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

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

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: April 6, 2020

References

Show 22 footnotes

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

By on March 16, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Library Connect Newsletter

ISSN: 1549-37331

Website: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “Library Connect Newsletter covers library and information science best practices, issues, technology and trends. Library Connect is a global program from Elsevier for academic, medical, corporate and government librarians. .”2

Target audience: Academic, medical, corporate and government librarians. 3

Publisher: Elsevier, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional news.6

Medium: Online.7

Content: Topics of interest to librarians, including LIS news, current issues in LIS, best practices, Elsevier news, and thoughts from leaders in the LIS field.8

Frequency of publication: 10 times per year.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/submit-article-abstract

Types of contributions accepted: Interested in your experiences as an academic, corporate, medical or government librarian such as tactical or how-to articles, librarian roles, big ideas or strategies, community news, and how Elsevier products provide solutions.10

Submission and review process: Read the editorial guidelines and if your article fits, then email the editor at libraryconnect@elsevier.com with a short description for review and response.11

Editorial tone: Conversational and professional12

Style guide used: The Library Connect Newsletter evaluates submission based on their content, not form or language, and provides editing support to authors.13

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Library Connect Newsletter is a respected professional publication with a global audience. LIS practitioners, educators, and students are encouraged to submit work or story ideas here particularly for their targeted librarian groups. Editing support is available which makes it an ideal site for new writers.14

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: There are more than 50,000 subscribers in 175 countries to Library Connect webinars and the newsletter.15

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Publisher based in United States, publication has international audience and a review of the past issues finds articles written by information professionals from around the world.16

Reader characteristics: Library Connect Newsletter is read around the globe by academic, special and medical librarians “interested in library and information science best practices, issues, trends and events.” Readers are likely to be professionals in the field of library issues as well as Elsevier advocates.17

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are likely to be familiar with general library topics and issues. Still, the audience includes all types of librarians, so authors should avoid highly specialized topics and language.18

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

Authors are advised to submit work of a practical nature, rather than overly scholarly content, as Library Connect Newsletter serves as forum for professional news and discussion.19

Last updated: March 16, 2020

References

Show 19 footnotes

  1.  Library Connect Newsletter, Elsevier, Inc., accessed March 16, 2020, https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/ ↩
  2. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  3. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  4. ProQuest. (2020). Library Connect. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412889236236/538496 ↩
  5. Elsevier Inc. (2020). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/submit-article-abstract ↩
  6. Elsevier Inc. (2020). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  7. ProQuest. (2020). Library Connect. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412889236236/538496 ↩
  8. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  9. ProQuest. (2020). Library Connect. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1412889236236/538496 ↩
  10. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/editorial-guidelines ↩
  11. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/editorial-guidelines ↩
  12. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Library Connect Newsletter – Print Archive. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/newsletters ↩
  13. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/editorial-guidelines ↩
  14. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/editorial-guidelines ↩
  15. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  16. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Library Connect Newsletter – Print Archive. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/newsletters ↩
  17. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  18. Elsevier Inc. (2018). About Library Connect. Library Connect. Retrieved from http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/about-library-connect ↩
  19. Elsevier Inc. (2018). Editorial Guide. Library Connect. Retrieved from https://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/editorial-guidelines ↩
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ALCTS News

By on March 15, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: ALCTS News

ISSN: “ALCTS News is an official publication of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association. It replaced the ALCTS Newsletter Online (ISSN 1523-018X) in September 2013; that publication replaced the ALCTS Newsletter (ISSN 1047-949X) in December 1998.”1

 Website: http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/

Purpose, objective, or mission: ALCTS Newsletter Online is the official newsletter of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. The Newsletter is, from the ACLTS’ Publications & Resources: will “deliver critical information to ALCTS members and the broader library community in areas of expertise related to selecting, obtaining, preserving, and providing access to resources required by library users, and they establish ALCTS as the leading voice in these functional areas.” There are several different publications to contribute to through ALCTS. 2

The ALCTS, according to their bylaws, “…will provide its members, other ALA divisions and members, and the library information and community” with “leadership and a program for action on the access to, and identification, acquisition, description, organization, preservation, dissemination of information resources in a dynamic, collaborative environment.”3

Target audience: ALA members and members of ALCTS.4

Publisher: American Library Association (ALA)5

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: ALCTS Newsletter is a LIS professional newsletter.7

Medium: Online, with an archive of past issues.8

Content: Information and news on topics for those involved in library collections and technical services as well as events, updates, practices and developments in the field. Newsletters typically include letters from the editor, ALCTS news, ALA news, and calls for papers from related journals. There are frequent announcements for web courses and workshops at various sites and online.9

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about

Types of contributions accepted: Per the submission guidelines, “The primary focus…is to report the news and activities of ALCTS and its members.11 The secondary focus is “reporting activities of interest to the membership relating to practice and developments in the fields of library collections and technical services.”12

Submission and review process: From the Author Guidelines: submit manuscripts in Word format, single spaced (double spaced between paragraphs), with no highlighting, special fonts, or text effect other than bold or italic. Do not use page numbers, headers, or footers. Submissions may be sent as email attachments to alctsnews@ala.org. Most articles and reports are about 300-500 words; longer articles will be considered on an individual basis.13

Editorial tone: Tone appropriate for a professional publication.14

Style guide used: The Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.)15

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

By reading previous newsletters, there is a reasonable assumption that non-members are permitted to submit written materials for publication on the newsletter although members are probably preferred. There certainly is potential for LIS writers to expand the knowledge in the areas of library collections and technical services.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: ALCTS, as of 2018, has a membership of 3209, according to ALA Membership Statistics.16 However, the newsletter is open to anyone with access to the internet.17

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: ALCTS is a division of ALA, with a majority of its members located in the United States and smaller numbers in as many as 42 countries.18 ALCTS Newsletter is published in English19 and is written primarily for American librarians. It is an informal newsletter written for a more general audience of librarians with less jargon or scholarly terminology.20

Reader characteristics: No specific information could be located; however, since a majority of Library Resources & Technical Services readers are members of ALCTS, their characteristics would be similar: the majority work in academic and public libraries.21 Most members of ALCTS are particularly interested in collections and technical services, such as acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, collection management, preservation, electronic and continuing resources.22 Readers of this newsletter will have established opinions on library issues but are generally more interested in seeking scheduling information on workshops, seminars, etc. There is not much opportunity in this newsletter for sharing opinions or biases; short essays relevant to ALCTS might provide an opportunity for sharing values and attitudes on technical services functions.23

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This is a highly informed and educated audience of technical services and collections librarians. They will have a full knowledge of library issues relating to cataloging, collections, preservation, and all the encompassing technical jargon.24

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

The readers of ALCTS Newsletter are interested in professional news. Authors would want to write short articles and reports relevant to ALCTS committee work, and other topics related to ALCTS, and have the skills necessary for writing book reviews on highly technical topics.

Last updated: March 15, 2020

References

Show 24 footnotes

  1. “About ALCTS News,” American Library Association, accessed March 15, 2020, http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  2. American Library Association. (2017). Publications & resources. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/resources ↩
  3. American Library Association. (2017). Bylaws. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about/governance/bylaws#3 ↩
  4. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  5. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  6. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  7. American Library Association. (2014). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  8. SerialsSolutions. (2014). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  9. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  10. American Library Association. (2017). ALCTS Newsletter Online: Index of Issues. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/ano/ ↩
  11. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  12. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  13. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  14. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  15. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  16. American Library Association. (2020). ALA’s Membership Statistics by Division, 2000-Present. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/membership/membershipstats_files/divisionstats#alcts ↩
  17. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  18. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
  19. SerialsSolutions. (2017). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  20. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  21. SerialsSolutions. (2014). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  22. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
  23. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  24. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
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Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals

By on March 8, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Ariadne: Web Magazine for Information Professionals

ISSN: 1361-32001

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last Updated: March 8, 2020

References

 

Show 19 footnotes

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

By on July 13, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: iSchool Connext

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “iSchool Connext fosters connections between students and alumni of the SJSU iSchool program through communications, events, and programs open to all students and alumni in order to promote scholarly and professional development and achievement.”1 In 2011, the SJSU School of Information’s alumni association and its student organization were merged into a single organization with a shared blog in order to promote “expanded collaboration and communication between current students and alumni, creating lifelong connections that enrich their scholarly and professional careers.”2

Target audience: All students and alumni of the School of Information at San José State University.3

Publisher: Student and alumni members of the iSchool Connext organization.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional news.6

Medium: Web-based publication.7

Content: “Information on the LIS field, career ideas, job opportunities, or any other topic that may be helpful to others.”8 Recent posts include event announcements, spotlight features of alumni, and recruitment announcements for leadership positions within the organization.9

Frequency of publication: Continuously. As of 2019, the most recent post is from January 2018.10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/ (Scroll to the bottom-right corner in the footer of each page.)

Types of contributions accepted: Op ed pieces, as well as announcements and discussions of events, scholarships, and resources related to students and alumni of the School of Information. “Guest posts” from recent years include opinion pieces on the importance of doing research while in school, the use of social media for networking, and interview techniques. Any insight or news relevant to any library profession or education would be welcome here.11

Submission and review process: iSchool Connext members are encouraged to participate by emailing the organization through the website.12 The Blog Correspondent and iSchool WebMaster are responsible for soliciting blog submissions from members and managing online presence,13 and are presumably in charge of reviewing and posting submissions, since “guest posts” are technically posted by the WebMaster.14 The most recent (2017-2018) list of officers indicates open seats for at least the WebMaster position.15

Editorial tone: Informal.16

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The iSchool Connext Blog provides many publication, editorial, and leadership opportunities for iSchool students and alumni at SJSU. Any student or alumni of the school could begin to develop a publication portfolio by contributing opinion or news pieces to the blog. The current lack of activity and leadership indicates a small audience, but any involvement would indicate commitment to improving and participating in communication of the school’s students and alumni. In addition to writing, members of the group could show leadership and further develop their publication skills by seeking out any of the currently open Officer positions and making the blog a more active and widely-read publication.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No circulation or membership information is available, but blog content makes its way to the organization’s social media pages. As of July 2019, Facebook page has 980 followers and their Twitter account has over 500.17

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: San José State University is located in San José, California, yet all of its current students complete the program online. Students and alumni may live, study, or work anywhere in the world. Since members have all completed coursework through the program, they will be familiar with English and LIS jargon at least to the extent that it appears in iSchool courses. The School of Information has been around since 1954, so school alumni could have very different cultural and professional experiences than current students.18

Reader characteristics: Since we have no current data on the group’s membership or the blog’s readership, we can only assume that the reader characteristics are the characteristics of the school’s students and alumni. They could possess or be working towards a MLIS or MARA degree with a career pathway in academic libraries, special libraries, public libraries, school libraries, teacher librarianship, archives and preservation, data science, digital curation, information organization, digital services, and more. They could be in their first semesters in the program, or they could be longtime professionals in the field.19

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: iSchool students and alumni have a command of LIS subject matter and jargon.

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

Because the potential membership of this group is so diverse in experience, authors can interest an audience by writing about any topic in the field or by making connections between different topics in the field. Whether reading an observational piece on teacher librarianship or an opinion piece on controversies in digital preservation, most readers will be interested in understanding what their fellow students and alumni are thinking about and experiencing. Members read this blog to keep up on the events and opinions of their classmates and former classmates, not to read the latest best practices and research articles. A focus on connecting life lessons to iSchool experiences would be especially welcome in this blog.

Last updated: July 13, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

  1. iSchool Connext, “Mission Statement,” accessed July 13, 2019, http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/?page_id=67 ↩
  2. SJSU School of Information, “iSchool Connext,” accessed July 13, 2019, https://ischool.sjsu.edu/node/3204. ↩
  3. SJSU School of Information, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  4. iSchool Connext, “Mission Statement.” ↩
  5.  iSchool Connext, “Mission Statement.” ↩
  6. iSchool Connext, “Mission Statement.” ↩
  7. SJSU School of Information, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  8. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext,” accessed July 13, 2019, http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/ ↩
  9. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  10. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  11. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  12. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  13. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext By-Laws,” accessed July 13, 2019, http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/?page_id=1919 ↩
  14. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  15. iSchool Connext, “Leadership,” accessed July 13, 2019, http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/?page_id=49 ↩
  16. iSchool Connext, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  17. SJSU School of Information, “iSchool Connext.” ↩
  18. SJSU School of Information, “History and Accreditation,” accessed July 13, 2019, https://ischool.sjsu.edu/history-and-accreditation ↩
  19. SJSU School of Information, “MLIS Career Pathways,” accessed July 13, 2019, https://ischool.sjsu.edu/mlis-career-pathways ↩
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Booklist

By on July 5, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Booklist

ISSN: 0006-73851

Purpose, objective, or mission: The core mission of Booklist is to “assist public and school librarians in selecting new works.” In support of this mission, they publish 8,000 reviews and related features each year. An American Library Association (ALA) publication, Booklist has been considered an authoritative and reliable resource in the field for over 100 years.2

Website: https://www.booklistonline.com

Target audience: School and public libraries (specifically collection-development and readers’-advisory staff), library patrons, and book lovers.3

Publisher: American Library Association.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional publication.6

Medium: Print magazine with electronic supplement. Booklist Online access is available free to all Booklist print magazine subscribers. Reviews and articles posted to the homepage are free, as are searches to see what’€™s been reviewed. To view full text of reviews & features, you need to be a subscriber or sign up for a free trial. However, Booklist Online makes numerous features available for free, without subscription and without login.7

Content: Book reviews, author columns, interviews, top-ten lists, recommendations for adult and children readers as well as LIS-related media and reference books and tools, blogs.8

Frequency of publication: The print magazine is printed 22 times per year. Website content is updated frequently.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.booklistonline.com/writing-for-booklist

Types of contributions accepted: Book reviews of less than 175 words under the following sections: Adult Books, Books for Youth, Graphic Novels and Audio. Freelance reviews are assigned by editors; unsolicited reviews and articles are not accepted.10

Submission and review process: From their site, “Contact only the specific editor for whom you wish to work and provide relevant samples of your writing.”11 Once reviews are submitted to the editor, “All contributions will be edited for length, style, and considerations unique to our audience. Editors communicate significant changes to contributors when possible; however, due to tight and frequent deadlines, we reserve the right to edit and publish commissioned work without consulting the author.”12

Editorial tone: Informational. Reviews must be written in a “lively and engaging fashion.”13

Style guide used: There is no specific style guide indicated, but detailed writing guidelines can be found on the “Writing for Booklist” page under the “Booklist Reviewing Guidelines” sub-heading.14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Booklist holds strong potential for developing a portfolio that demonstrates skilled, concise writing under strict guidelines. Regular contributors may become known and trusted reviewers in both LIS professional circles as well as among lay readers. Browsing the reviewers’ brief biographies finds that reviewers come from a wide range of backgrounds that suggest LIS students and authors who are not librarians would be welcome here.15 This would be an especially great place to start writing for someone hoping to work more in book reviewing.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Per the 2019 media kit, Booklist has a circulation of 11,000 with a pass-along circulation of 77,000. Information was not available for the online equivalent.16

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Though produced in United States, Booklist is available worldwide online.17 Content is presented in American English.18

Reader characteristics: The audience is comprised of engaged and dedicated regular Booklist readers who are always looking for inspiration for collection development and readers’ advisory decisions. According to the 2019 media kit, over half of readers work in K-12 school libraries, while another 20% work in public libraries.19

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Though most readers work in libraries, LIS knowledge and jargon will be largely irrelevant here. Readers want to know context, content, and recommendations about reviewed materials; it would be appropriate for authors to indicate what demographic audience a book would be popular with or what kinds of collections a book would help to develop.20

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

While readers of this publication may vary considerably in education and experience, they will consistently know their subject matter quite well and may already have some idea of what kinds of materials they are looking for. Authors should review material only that they are very familiar with, and should therefore carefully select the subject editor with whom they wish to work. The fact that books, not LIS theories, remain the audience’s focus should allow new LIS professionals and LIS students the freedom to practice developing their professional writing without the pressure of writing from professional or educational expertise.

Last updated: July 5, 2019

References

Show 20 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “Booklist,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed July 5, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521733244441/42872 ↩
  2. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions,” Booklist Online, accessed July 5, 2019, https://www.booklistonline.com/faq ↩
  3. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  8. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  9. American Library Association, “Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  10. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist,” Booklist Online, accessed July 5, 2019, https://www.booklistonline.com/writing-for-booklist ↩
  11. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist.” ↩
  12. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist.” ↩
  13. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist.” ↩
  14. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist.” ↩
  15. American Library Association, “Reviewers,” Booklist Online, accessed July 5, 2019, https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=66#reviewing ↩
  16. American Library Association, 2019, “Advertise,” Booklist Online, accessed July 5, 2019, https://www.booklistonline.com/advertise ↩
  17. American Library Association, “Advertise.” ↩
  18. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  19. American Library Association, “Advertise.” ↩
  20. American Library Association, “Writing for Booklist.” ↩
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School Library Connection

By on July 5, 2019 in

 

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: School Library Connection 

ISSN: 2380-98411

Website: https://schoollibraryconnection.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their site, “School Library Connection (SLC) is an extensive learning resource center for school library professionals. As the combined evolution of School Library Monthly and Library Media Connection magazines, SLC maintains their commitment to providing those in the school library field with practical insights and inspiration while also advancing the scope and mission of its predecessors.”2

Target audience: LIS professionals working in school libraries and educators.3

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional news.6

Medium: Print and online.7

Content: Articles on “Organization & Management, Instructional Leadership, and Perspectives & Partners.” Reviews are also featured in a searchable database.8

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly (print); continuously (online.)9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_SubmissionGuidelines.pdf

Types of contributions accepted: Queries for proposed articles should be addressed to the appropriate editor found on their submissions page. Articles on day-to-day operations and best practices of school librarianship should be discussed with the Organization & Management editor. Articles on instructional practice should be discussed with the Instructional Leadership editor. Articles on school libraries in the broader context of education should be discussed with the Perspectives & Partners editor. Experienced and new writers are welcomed.10

Reviews are also accepted in the form of “concise descriptions and evaluations of the contents, quality, and curricular applications of books and other media available for school library purchase.”11

Submission and review process: Authors must send a query to the appropriate editor to develop their idea and article before submission. The final article must then be sent to that same editor.12 There is an editorial calendar available to guide author submissions.13 Articles are typically published four months after the article deadlines.14

All book and material reviews should be emailed to the reviews editor.15

Editorial tone: Informative and conversational.16

Style guide used: An in-house guide based on the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition.17

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Excellent opportunity for LIS professionals involved with school libraries, with the ability to convey they first hand experiences with an active voice and in a clear, conversational style. Talented first-time authors are welcomed, so this would be a great place to start building a writing portfolio for a respected and widely-read publication. While not a peer-reviewed publication that would support tenure, work in this magazine reaches a very large audience and will increase the visibility of any contributing author.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The print magazine has over 5,000 readers. The website reports an average of 4,250 visitors.18

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The publication is based in North America, with a corresponding readership.19 Readers would be familiar with LIS jargon, gained through practice or education, and the issues facing school libraries. Given the practical focus of the publication, readers most likely approach their work with a positive attitude, interested in bettering themselves and the service they provide.20

Reader characteristics: Readers will have experience with libraries, especially school libraries, and the majority work directly with students.21 The 2019 editorial calendar indicates audience interest in OER, collection development, primary resources, collaborating with other school departments, makerspaces, cultural competence, and political literacy, all within the K-12 school library context.22

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: While a reader may have obtained their LIS knowledge through an undergraduate program for media specialists or through a LIS graduate program, depending on their position, it can be assumed all will have a clear understanding of the working of the school library and the responsibilities of the LIS professionals in K-12 libraries. Acronyms and terms common in education and school librarianship would be acceptable to use.23

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

Readers of this publication expect articles that support their efforts to improve the LIS services they provide. They want information from colleagues about their successes and efforts they can replicate in their own libraries. To be successful writers will need to meet their collaborating editor’s expectations and submit articles written in an active voice, from personal experience or observation.

Last updated: July 5, 2019

References

Show 23 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “School Library Connection,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed July 5, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1562358591408/826729 ↩
  2. Libraries Unlimited, “About,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/About ↩
  3. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com. ↩
  8. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  9. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  10. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/About/Write ↩
  11. Libraries Unlimited, “Reviews+,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/reviews?tab=5 ↩
  12. Libraries Unlimited, “Writing for School Library Connection Frequently Asked Questions,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_FAQ.pdf ↩
  13. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
  14. Libraries Unlimited, “Writing for School Library Connection Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  15. Libraries Unlimited, “Reviews+.” ↩
  16. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  17. Libraries Unlimited, “Article Submission Guidelines,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2o19, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_SubmissionGuidelines.pdf ↩
  18. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection Media Kit 2018-2019,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/mediaserver/SLC/1981/1981090.pdf ↩
  19. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection Media Kit 2018-2019.” ↩
  20. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  21. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  22. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
  23. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
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