Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: Judaica Librarianship
ISSN: 0739-5086 (Print, prior to the 2014, volume 18 issue) and 2330-2976 (Online)
Website: http://ajlpublishing.org/jl/
Purpose, objective, or mission: “Judaica Librarianship is the scholarly journal of the Association of Jewish Libraries, an international professional organization that fosters access to information and research, in all forms of media relating to all things Jewish. The Association promotes Jewish literacy and scholarship and provides a community for peer support and professional development.” Membership is open to librarians, libraries, and library supporters. The journal itself is a “forum for scholarship on the theory and practice of Jewish studies librarianship and information studies.”
Target audience: Members of the ALA with an interest in Jewish culture, members of the Association of Jewish Libraries, members of the American Theological Library Association, and anyone interested in Jewish library and information science.
Publisher: Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL).
Peer reviewed? Yes, using a double-blind system.
Type: LIS scholarly.
Medium: Online as of 2014, volume 18. Prior to that, the journal was in print.
Content: “Judaica Librarianship, the peer-reviewed journal of the Association of Jewish Libraries, provides a forum for scholarship on all theoretical or practical aspects of Jewish Studies librarianship and cultural stewardship in the digital age; bibliographical, bibliometric and comprehensive studies related to Jewish booklore; historical studies or current surveys of noteworthy collections; and extensive reviews of reference works and other resources, including electronic databases and informational websites.”
Additionally, the journal covers “LGBTQ issues, Linked Data in libraries, and digital humanities,”, as well as the history of bookstores, the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library of the University of Haifa’s role in promoting information literacy, and public librarians’ opinions on including controversial Holocaust denial materials in library collections.
The journal has also covered major changes in cataloging rules and classification schemes for Judaica, documented important local cataloging practices, described the earliest automation systems with Hebrew capability, and reviewed landmark Judaic reference works, as well as children’s books.
Frequency of publication: Annually.
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: http://ajlpublishing.org/jl/submission_guidelines.html
Types of contributions accepted: The journal publishes a wide range of articles related to Jewish studies librarianship and information studies. In addition to the topics below, the journal also welcomes “thoroughly revised and updated versions of papers presented at AJL Annual Conferences or chapter meetings.”
Sample article titles include “Virtual Libraries vs. Physical Libraries in Jewish Studies,” “Establishing Uniform Headings for the Sacred Scriptures,” “The Jewish Press in France: A Review of the Contemporary Scene, 1993,” and “Strongly Traditional Judaism: A Selective Guide to World Wide Web Resources in English.”
From the Focus and Scope page the journal covers the following topics:
- “Theoretical or empirical studies integrating library and information science with aspects of Jewish studies and related fields that could stimulate the scholarly discussion about Jewish libraries (history of the book, bibliometrics, literary studies, media studies, Jewish languages and linguistics, information technology, literacy studies, or social history).
- Best practices and policies for Jewish libraries of all kinds: school libraries (all levels); community center libraries; public libraries; Judaica collections in religious institutions; archival collections; museum and historical society libraries; research libraries; and special libraries.
- Innovative approaches to data curation, discovery tools, or preservation of library materials in the digital age.
- Descriptive essays and surveys of noteworthy collections.
- Digital humanities projects relevant to Jewish studies and other digitization projects.
- Historical or bibliographical studies pertaining to Hebraica and/or Judaica materials, libraries and librarians, or generally to Jewish booklore.
- Library services for users, including but not limited to reference tools and instruction guidelines for teaching Jewish literacy, cultural programming, or any other outreach programs.
- Collaborative collection development initiatives across library networks.”
The journal also sponsors a student essay contest, open to students currently enrolled in an accredited LIS program. Essays should be related to Jewish studies librarianship. The winning essay will be considered for Judaica Librarianship publication, and the winner will receive a cash prize.
Submission and review process: Judaica Librarianship has an Open Access policy with a 12-month moving wall. As is standard, the journal does not accept simultaneous submissions or previously published manuscripts.
To submit an article for consideration, authors must first create an account through the site and follow the detailed submission guidelines.
When submitting, keep in mind that the journals follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Editorial tone: Articles are extremely reader-friendly, with a professional, yet conversational tone. As such, while LIS terms and phrases are employed throughout, both LIS and non-LIS readers with an interest in Jewish library concerns can enjoy all this journal has to offer.
Style guide used: For style guidelines, please follow the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition and Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.
For academic writing guidelines, follow Christopher Hollister’s Handbook of Academic Writing for Librarians and Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style.
For romanization of non-Latin languages (Hebrew, Cyrillic, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic), consult the Library of Congress Romanization Tables; for the romanization of Yiddish, refer to the YIVO system.
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
The journal is an excellent place for new and established writers looking for a community-oriented, peer-reviewed journal devoted to Jewish LIS studies. Additionally, this publication welcomes new ideas, as well as fresh takes on established theories. Thirdly, the editorial team works closely with writers to ensure style and content are up to the journal’s standards, so unpublished and published authors alike can feel comfortable throughout the entire review process.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: Although exact circulation numbers are unavailable, the journal has over 25,000 downloads since becoming an online publication in 2014. Additionally, it is safe to say the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) comprises a large portion of the journal’s audience. AJL is an international organization, with members from “North America and beyond, including China, the Czech Republic, Holland, Israel, Italy, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.”
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The AJL is headquartered in New Jersey, and members of the journal’s editorial board are affiliated with North American universities, including Arizona State University, Stanford University, Yeshiva University, University of Washington, University of Toronto, and the (U.S.) Library of Congress.
Additionally, the AJL holds a conference each year at a different location. Typically, the conference is held in North America, but in 1971, it was held in Jerusalem. Although the bulk of the work for the journal is done through online collaboration, the AJL conferences serve as a useful forum for the editorial board to discuss their work in person.
The journal is published in English,, but—as mentioned above—it promotes Jewish literacy and LIS studies worldwide. Thus, this journal is defined by its Jewish LIS interests, rather than by a specific geographic area.
Lastly, articles often include Yiddish or Hebrew terminology, which is generally explained within the text.
Reader characteristics: Readers belong to the AJL, and, whether or not they’re information professionals, tend to be interested in Jewish LIS news. Additionally, readers likely work in libraries, museums, and other cultural or information centers. AJL’s membership includes two divisions: one containing Research Libraries, Archives, and Special Collections; the other containing Schools, Synagogues, and Centers. All members receive a subscription to Judacia Librarianship.
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Because this journal is published by the Association of Jewish Libraries, most readers will be familiar with LIS subject matter. However, because not all readers are affiliated with LIS professions, articles use specific LIS terms sparingly and explain them where necessary.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
Readers of this journal have a strong interest in news from a Jewish library perspective and are likely to welcome new studies, research, programs, or notes from the field. This publication is also an excellent choice for learning more about and becoming part of the larger AJL community. Authors should also keep in mind that the audience of this publication encompasses readers outside the LIS profession “and includes scholars researching the history of the book,” professionals affiliated with museums and bookstores, etc.
Last updated: April 9, 2018
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