Publication analysis
About the publication
Title: The Journal of Academic Librarianship
ISSN: 0099-1333 (Print) and 1879-1999 (Online)1
Website: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620207/description#description
Purpose, objective, or mission: The journal’s goal is to provide a forum for academic librarians and professionals to present their research in a scholarly environment and highlight issues and trends pertinent to college and university librarians.2
Target audience: College and university librarians, academic administrators, educators, and students enrolled in library and information science programs3
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.4
Peer reviewed? Yes5
Type: LIS scholarly6
Medium: Print and online7
Content: The journal features current practices, issues and trends occurring within the field and analyzes these trends in an intellectual manner. The journal tends to speculate about the future of academic librarianship and is committed to alerting readers to new and recently published books in the library and information science field.8
Frequency of publication: Bimonthly9
About the publication’s submission guidelines
Location of submission guidelines: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620207/authorinstructions
Types of contributions accepted: The journal accepts articles, book reviews, and full length manuscripts.10
Submission and review process: Extensive Guide for Authors provided as PDF file. Articles are submitted through the online Elsevier system. Submissions are subject to a double blind-review process to ensure they coincide with the journal scope of interest and expected quality of writing.11
Editorial tone: Academic12
Style guide used: No specific style is required, as long as references are consistent.13
Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors
This journal publishes well-researched work of scholars, professors, library practitioners, and longtime professionals in the field. The articles contained in each issue demonstrate authors’ extensive knowledge of the field. Publishing in this journal would require expertise in the field and would represent a major career booster.
Previously published authors and individuals with highly developed research and writing skills would be the most likely to be published. The author with the most potential would be one aware of the social issues attached to academic librarianship as well as the role libraries play.
Audience analysis
About the publication’s readers
Publication circulation: No information available
Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The journal is published in English14 in the United Kingdom.15 As one of the top journals in the LIS field, the editors attempt to be as respectful of cultural diversity as possible. Although no statements about cultural diversity are posted on the journal’s website, it is clear through the tone of the articles that these issues are taken into consideration.
Reader characteristics: Academic librarians are by nature supporters of the academic community. They are also researchers, managers and scholars. Academic librarians are required to publish; therefore, as readers they read with a critical eye. Academic librarians often specialize in one discipline. The readers of this journal typically have graduate degrees, attend library conferences, and are members of one or more library related associations. Readers probably subscribe to other professional journals besides The Journal of Academic Librarianship. The journal is written for an audience that expects accuracy and insightful information in each issue.16
The primary audience is those within the world of higher education. The journal’s readers are college and university librarians, academic administrators, educators, and students in LIS programs. The readers are typically university or community college librarians who are knowledgeable of the jargon and terminology associated with libraries. Librarians at the academic or scholarly level exist to support the needs of the institution and the average librarian is aware of their role on campus and in the life of the student. Academic libraries and the issues within are the main focus of the journal and although some readers may be outside this field, the journal is written to serve the academic community. The journal is written with objectivity and respect to the reader and to the profession.17
Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers have a great knowledge of LIS subject matter. Many of the readers are writers and reviewers themselves and have high expectations of the writing in academic journals. It can be assumed that the readers stay abreast of current trends and concerns pertaining to academic libraries. Often academic librarians are also library school teachers, which gives them a current understanding of LIS subject matter.18
Conclusion: Analysis of reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors
The readers of The Journal of Academic Librarianship are often highly educated and are more specialized than librarians in other fields. These readers expect the journal to have specialized articles. Articles that generically or broadly discuss library science will not satisfy the needs of the reader base. Potential authors are urged to read the past issues and make themselves aware of the specialized fields in which the journal is likely to publish articles. Authors should be aware that they are writing articles for other writers and scholars. The successful submission will be insightful, original, well researched, and well written. Published articles will have a scholarly tome and must be directly written for informed readers. Articles should represent current issues in the field and be constantly aware that the library is at the center of an academic institution and must support the goals and mission of the college or university with which it is associated.
Last updated: May 14, 2017
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