Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: Computers in Libraries
ISSN: 1041-79151
Website: http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/
Purpose, objective, or mission: Computers in Libraries (CIL) Mission Statement: “CIL’s mission is to provide librarians and other information professionals with useful and insightful articles about the technology that affects them, their institutions, and their patrons. We aim to publish interesting stories, case studies, and opinions that are of professional value to people working with technology in public, academic, special, and corporate libraries, as well as archives and museums. CIL is written by librarians for librarians, and it’s about technology all the time.”2
Target audience: Librarians and information professionals in academic, public, school, corporate and special libraries.3
Publisher: Information Today Inc.4
Peer reviewed? No.5
Type: LIS trade publication. From How to write for Computer in Libraries: “We do not publish academic research papers or vendor-written articles.”6
Medium: Online.7
Content: Computers in Libraries, per their site, “provides complete coverage of the news and issues in the rapidly evolving field of library information technology. Focusing on the practical application of technology in community, school, academic, and special libraries, CIL includes discussions of the impact of emerging computer technologies on library systems and services, and on the library community itself.”8
Frequency of publication: Monthly. 9
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/contrib.shtml
Types of contributions accepted: Per How to Write for Computers in Libraries, “Interesting articles, written as case studies or how-we-did-it pieces. These general technical articles should be practical and helpful for the average librarian in any sort of environment — academic, public, K-12, or corporate libraries. CIL aims to publish articles that are interesting to read and appealing to people in many aspects of the field.”10
How to Write for Computers in Libraries lists an editorial calendar with author deadlines and the detailed focus of each issue.11
CIL does not publish reviews of books or software, or general computing news.12
Submission and review process: Queries must be submitted via the online Query Form.13 Computers in Libraries stresses that manuscripts are not accepted. Allow up to a month after the query deadline for a response. “After considering all ideas received, CIL will respond to each person who queried. If the article idea is accepted, then we will send you writers’ guidelines and discuss the article with you to ensure that your feature will fit Computers in Libraries’ needs and style. CIL does pay small honorariums for feature articles.”14
Editorial tone: Informal, “friendly and personal.”15
Style guide used: Computers in Libraries has specific writers’ guidelines, which are sent out to authors after the proposal is accepted. Other than that, there is no style guide specified.16
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
It doesn’t matter whether you are experienced or a new author but they are “by librarians and for librarians”. Computers in Libraries is looking for interesting articles and how-to pieces. A well-written query on a relevant subject matter (written from experience) can open doors for LIS authors at this publication. The Media Kit notes that “Computers in Libraries is the library professionals only venue for sharing and learning practical information about today’s library technologies,” and “CIL’s columnists are well-known, well-respected opinion leaders in their fields.”17 As the publication accepts submissions from working librarians regarding their technology projects, this would be an ideal place for LIS students to submit queries.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: Online magazine with potential for broad readership as the parent website, Information Today Inc., averages more than 50,000 visitors per month.18
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Computers in Libraries is published in English. Based in the U.K. but available and accessed worldwide online.19
Reader characteristics: General readers are average librarians in any sort of setting—academic, public, school, or special. They are not only savvy with technologybut also library managers and system, reference, collection, and acquisitions librarians who are making purchasing decisions about recent library tools.20
95% of Computers in Libraries readers are involved in some way in the purchasing process, including three in five who either authorize purchases or select the products. The readers “buy, lease and use products and services such as large scale integrated library systems, tools for RFID and ERM, online services, networking hardware and software, peripheral products, security tools, books, and reference tools.”21
Computers in Libraries do not publish academic pieces nor does it accept articles by vendors and publishers. 22
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of Computers in Libraries are well-informed about LIS topics and issues. They are library directors, knowledge managers, webmasters, and acquisitions librarians. Computers in Libraries do not publish articles about salaries or association trends and news; instead, it devotes itself entirely to technology topics.23
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
Prospective authors may wish to keep in mind that Computers in Libraries aims to publish articles that are interesting to read and appealing to people in many aspects of the computer-related library field. CIL does not include reviews of books or software and does not cover general computing news. The publication stresses several times throughout the mission statement and FAQ, that they “do not publish academic research papers or vendor-written articles.”24 There is a month-by-month table showing publication themes for the year, which include topics like managing electronic resources, open source software, technology for check-in and checkout, etc.25 This is a publication where readers will understand the use of LIS jargon, as it is “by librarians, for librarians.” However, technical writing should be geared toward a general audience and be practical and helpful for the average librarian.26
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