Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: Technical Services Quarterly
ISSN: 0731-7131 (print), 1555-3337 (online)
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wtsq20/current
Purpose, objective, or mission: Technical Services Quarterly is “dedicated to providing a forum for the presentation of current developments and future trends concerning the technical operations of libraries and information centers.” Its purpose is to keep readers informed of developments and research and “practical implementation of systems and applications of traditional and non-traditional technical services and the public operations they influence and sustain.”1
Target audience: LIS professionals, particularly those who are involved with the technical operations of libraries and information centers.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis.2
Peer reviewed? Yes.3
Type: LIS scholarly journal.
Medium: Print and online.4
Content: Technical Services Quarterly publishes original articles on research, theory, and implementation of all aspects of technical services in library and information centers. Regular columns include Technical Services Report, Tech Services on the Web, Reviews (of software and books), and Trending Tech Services.5
Frequency of publication: Quarterly.6
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for Authors.
Types of contributions accepted: Technical Services Quarterly “accepts original research, theoretical, and implementation articles pertaining to technical services, automation, networking, document delivery, information technology, library instruction and information literacy, reference and bibliography, case studies, cost analysis, staffing, space, organizational behavior and leadership, and collection development and management.”7 The journal advises authors to include a literature review and provides a link to guidelines.8
Submission and review process: Technical Services Quarterly uses Routledge’s Submission Portal to manage manuscripts. Manuscripts “undergo editorial screening and peer review by anonymous reviewers.”9 Taylor & Francis provides an Author Services website that gives a helpful overview of the publishing process.10
Editorial tone: This is a scholarly journal dealing with technical aspects of LIS geared toward professional technical operations of a library. As such, articles are technical and scholarly in tone. LIS-specific terms are used with the underlying assumption that the reader is familiar with them. While the language and tone are technical and scholarly, articles must also be interesting and readable.
Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.11
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
Technical Services Quarterly is geared towards LIS professionals, especially those whose interests lie in the technical operations of libraries. For authors and researchers whose manuscripts are geared toward current and future trends in collection methods, technical services, OCLC, metadata, document delivery, among other subjects, this journal is ideal for submission. Articles have addressed interlibrary loan, ebook cataloging and management, low-cost textbooks, and technology-specific studies and reviews; there is a wide variety of librarian roles represented.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: Data not available.
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is a print and online journal published in the United States. Although it does have appeal for international librarians due to its technical nature, Technical Services Quarterly is geared toward American libraries and uses American English. Editorial board members are from U.S. universities and libraries.12
Reader characteristics: This journal is geared toward LIS professionals in the technical field who are interested in the latest trends.
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are most likely to be LIS professionals and, given the technical nature of this journal, will be highly knowledgeable of LIS terminology and practice.
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
Readers of Technical Services Quarterly are LIS professionals who are highly interested in the latest technical information and research. Readers are interested in cutting-edge technology and how it is being implemented in libraries and information centers. Writers who follow trends and understand how the technology of libraries is evolving would be the best bet for this journal.
Last updated: March 21, 2018
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