Wikis Archive

Mental Floss

By Katie Wood on December 5, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Mental Floss

ISSN: Print: 1543-4702 (ceased), Online: N/A ¹

Website: http://www.mentalfloss.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Whether we’re covering history, science, pop culture, language, music, true crime, or entertainment, we help our audience feel smarter. Our New York City-based team of editors and writers—as well as our worldwide network of contributors—answers life’s big questions, uncovers fascinating facts, and finds stories so interesting that our readers absolutely must share them.”²

“Mental Floss delivers smart, fun and shareable content in an upbeat and witty environment. An encyclopedia of everything, we answer life’s big questions and uncover stories so interesting our readers absolutely must share them. We take all culture and make it pop culture.” ³

Target audience: “Curious People.” ⁴

Publisher: Minute Media. ⁵

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online. Print issues ceased in 2016. ⁶

Content: Fun and informative pieces on a wide variety of subjects with a focus on shareability.⁷

Frequency of publication: Daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/625670/how-to-pitch-mental-floss

Types of contributions accepted: “We’re always looking for new voices to write about the diverse verticals we cover, whether that’s history, science, entertainment, language, pop culture, art, or beyond.” ⁸

PITCHES WE CAN USE ⁹
Lists

Lists are an overview of a topic in digestible-nugget form. Each list will cover the who, what, when, and where of the subject, plus its significance, and pay particular attention to quirky or little-known facts about the subject. Pitches may focus on the below topics:

Subjects that have a major anniversary coming up
Historical figures and events
Movies and TV series
Music
Literature and art
Language
Food and drink
Helpful tips and life hacks
Scientific discoveries, phenomena, and figures
Pop culture fads, events, and personalities

Features

Features are reported stories that delve into a topic from a particular angle and with strong characters and storytelling. Features can be short (500 words) or longer (800-1500 words). Areas ripe for features include:

Historical events that put current events into perspective
Exploring and/or answering a big question
Science stories that explain a new field of research or highlight a scientist’s ongoing work
A deep dive into a pop culture event or phenomenon in history
True crime and unsolved mysteries
Features about odd, unique, or little-known historical events and people

PITCHES WE CAN’T USE ¹⁰
Short, timely news stories: these pieces are covered by our staff writers
Science articles based on a single study: these are also covered by staff writers
First-person articles or personal essays
Fiction, memoir, or poetry
Current politics or political opinion
Stories based solely on PR pitches

Tips provided by Mental Floss: Keep your pitch short (1-2 paragraphs) and let them know if you have a particular expertise on the subject. Include a link to your portfolio/work samples. Do not pitch or send completed articles. Take the time to brainstorm a possible headline for your story, and include that as part of the subject line, i.e. Freelance Pitch: 50 Amazing Facts About Animals. Having a headline can help us better understand the angle you plan to use with your story. ¹¹

Submission and review process: “Expect a response to your pitch within two weeks. If you do not receive a response after two weeks, you can assume it’s a pass. Due to the number of pitches we receive each day, we are unfortunately not able to respond to every pitch we receive.” ¹²

Editorial tone: Informal and conversational. Witty, humorous, and informative.

Style guide used: None stated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This would be an excellent publication for LIS authors. Librarians are knowledge and information brokers and are often referred to as Renaissance people because of their vast array of knowledge. This type of website caters to that deep storehouse of information. And this website in particular might provide a nice respite from the regular scholarly articles—a way to showcase not only your knowledge but your sense of humor.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Since its founding in a Duke University dorm room in 2001, Mental Floss has reached more than 1 billion readers with smart, quirky content presented in a witty, upbeat voice. We reach more than 19 million users per month across our site, social media accounts, and popular YouTube channel.” ¹³

According to Visitor’s Worth website, Mental Floss has approximately 58,000 daily visitors, with 154,000 daily page views. ¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: According to Visitor’s Worth website, the most traffic for the publication comes from audiences in the United States, but the website also has a following in the UK, Canada, India, and Germany. ¹⁵ The website publishes in the English language.

Reader characteristics: In general, readers want to expand their knowledge in easily digested tidbits without having to read a whole book on a subject. For example, a past issue boiled down complex theories such as chaos theory, string theory, evolution, game theory, and artificial intelligence into one-to-two-page summaries that mix facts with wit and humor. There are no particular biases in the readership of this publication, except a propensity for trivia and Jeopardy-like knowledge.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers’ LIS knowledge would vary depending on their interest and work environment. It would be safe to assume a number of librarians read and enjoy this publication, but as the focus is on providing intelligent, humorous articles, use of LIS jargon should be avoided.

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

Potential authors should keep in mind that readers already have a vast amount of information and wish to add to that knowledge in an enjoyable way. When writing articles for this publication, try to mix education with entertainment. No topic is off limits if you can approach it with new or interesting information presented in a fun way.

Last updated: December 5, 2020

References

Show 15 footnotes

GOOD

By Katie Wood on December 5, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: GOOD

ISSN: Print: 1935-1488 (Ceased), Online: N/A ¹

Website: http://www.good.is

Purpose, objective, or mission: “We are GOOD & Upworthy—a social impact company with a mass audience. We believe your purpose should be contagious. We work with brands and communities to create participatory campaigns and shareable stories that drive powerful results across business and society. Since 2006, we’ve been on a mission to help people and organizations be a force for good, together. ” ²

Target audience: People who want to make a difference in the world.

Publisher: GOOD Worldwide, LLC. ³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Website and e-Newsletter. GOOD used to print a quarterly magazine but that has ceased, no information on the print publication could be found as of November 27, 2020.

Content: Current events; national and international news; political pieces; profiles of activists, community projects and organizations; fundraising campaigns; initiatives for change; social justice; and technology updates and uses. GOOD runs many articles about libraries in various sections of the publication. Potential authors can search the site for “libraries” and find hundreds of examples.

Frequency of publication: Website updated frequently, the e-newsletter, The Daily Good, is emailed daily. ⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: As of November 27, 2020, the links to the submission guidelines are no longer active. Within the website, clicking the “FAQ” and “Newsletter” links sometimes found at the bottom yielded error messages. Performing a website and Google search yielded no results.

Types of contributions accepted: Searching the website could only locate https://goodinc.com/contact which states, “We are not hiring. But we are always on the lookout for new talent, email your resume to jobs@goodinc.com.” and “Say hello. Email us at howdy@goodinc.com” ⁶

Submission and review process: None could be located. From the main menu clicking “Submit a Tip” and “Contact Us” take the user to the contact page as described above.

Editorial tone: Smart, hip, media/tech-savvy, polished writing.

Style guide used: None referenced.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

GOOD‘s audience is one that would appreciate writing about LIS activities, projects, initiatives, technologies, etc. Examples include an article regarding crowd-sourced design initiatives in the Los Angeles Library system, and the future of public libraries.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 100 Million Monthly Audience. [ 7. “About.”]

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: GOOD has a global audience, though seventy percent of readers are based in the United States. Content is written in English. ⁷

Reader characteristics: According to the 2016 media kit, GOOD‘s audience is sixty-three percent female and thirty-seven percent male. Most readers have a four-year college degree and are under the age of thirty-five. Readers are cultured, well read, technologically savvy, and care about social and environmental issues.⁸ (*Note: As of December 5, 2020, the link to the 2016 Media Kit is no longer active)

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The group is not made of LIS professionals, but as they are social activists, community organizers, and tech savvy, they will most likely respond favorably to LIS-related articles, particularly concerning support for libraries, LIS initiatives, and technology. As is generally best with civilian publications, keep the jargon to a minimum.

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

GOOD has a built-in, excellent audience for LIS articles, opinion pieces, and profiles. Readers are people shaping the communities we live in, who would want to know how they can help or better understand what’s going on in the LIS community, and how they can be a part of the bigger picture.

Last updated: December 5, 2020

References

Show 8 footnotes

Book Riot

By Katie Wood on November 27, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Book Riot

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.bookriot.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America, and home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original content, all designed around diverse readers and across all genres.” ¹

“We’re dedicated to the idea that writing about books and reading should be just as diverse as books and readers are. We began with the goal of leading a new discussion around books, readers, and publishing. Individually and collaboratively, we do the work each day to innovate fresh content and services to our readers, amplify marginalized voices, and challenge ourselves and our community to be inclusive.” ²

Target audience: People who love books and reading about books.

Publisher: Riot New Media Group. ³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: “The content is comprised of humor, reviews, commentary, and news as well as editorials on topics related to the reading experience. Book Riot addresses new technology in the literary space and developments in the publishing industry.” ⁴

Frequency of publication: New content is posted daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://bookriot.com/write-for-book-riot

Types of contributions accepted: “If you can write something smart or funny or interesting or provocative about books in the space of about 600-800 words, we’re interested in hearing from you. Your samples should be things you think could go up on Book Riot just as they are. We recommend that one be an entry for the Our Reading Lives series, and the other on any topic of your choosing.” ⁵

DO NOT submit “traditional book reviews, interviews, or links to Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon, etc. Also, please do not submit image-heavy pieces; we want to get a feel for your voice and writing style.”⁶

DO NOT send “writing samples unrelated to books and reading. Your samples should show us that you understand how we do things here at the Riot and that you can do it too. Want to learn more about who we are? Poke around the site, and check us out on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and our content on Goodreads.” ⁷

Submission and review process: “Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to each one. We’re currently accepting applicants on a rolling basis. If you are accepted, you’ll hear back within one month of submitting your application.” ⁸

Editorial tone: Sometimes serious, sometimes silly, but never stuffy or boring.

Style guide used: None given.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If you love books and have blogging experience, this is a great place to submit writing. The pieces are fun, cover a wide range of books, and aren’t limited to just reviews: the site loves top 10 lists of all flavors, introductions to authors you’ve never read, giveaways, and posts about current events like Amazon acquiring Goodreads and how that will affect readers. The site isn’t peer reviewed and might not help you gain tenure, but it’s a wonderful community of book lovers who will most likely appreciate an LIS writer’s perspective on reading.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to the 2020 Media Kit, 3.2m+ global monthly unique visitors, 1.1M+ email subscribers, 1.5m+ Social connections. ⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Book Riot states it is the largest independent editorial book site in North America. ¹⁰

Reader characteristics: According to the 2020 Media Kit, 50% of readers are between the ages of 18-35, 16% of readers are between the ages of 35-45, 64% are female, 51% have children, 45% attended college with 26% attended grad school. Readers have “above average” household income. Reader industries include education and library, business services and retail. Reader interests include books and literature, comics and animation, cooking, and pets. ¹¹

Audience Bookish Habits: Average 80 books read per year, spend an average of $371 per year on books, 34% are currently in a book club, 46% have subscribed to a book subscription service. ¹²

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will most likely have some knowledge, but this is strictly a civilian publication that doesn’t want to be too stuffy, so keep the LIS jargon out of your submissions.

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

If you have blogging experience and a good social media presence, this would be an ideal site to pitch ideas. Think beyond mere book reviews; Book Riot is the place for more thoughtful, interesting, or just plain fun commentary around reading or books. Readers will be receptive to a librarian’s perspective and insight, and the field is wide open for LIS-related ideas that can appeal to a lay reader.

Last updated: November 27, 2020

References

Show 12 footnotes

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

By Katie Wood on November 27, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

ISSN: 1040-676X (Print) and 1943-3980 (Online)¹

Website: http://www.philanthropy.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “From deeply reported stories on the big ideas that shape the work of charities and foundations to the practical guidance in our online resource center, only the Chronicle of Philanthropy provides nonprofit professionals, foundation executives, board members, and others with the indispensable information and practical advice they need to help them change the world.” ²

“Our news and opinion pages fuel the national conversation about the role nonprofits play in society. The Chronicle’s special reports, benchmarking data, and popular webinars are essential information for nonprofit professionals. ³

Target audience: Nonprofit professionals, foundation executives, board members, etc. ⁴

Publisher: Chronicle of Higher Education, Inc. ⁵

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: News stories, opinion pieces, tips and advice, people and awards. ⁷

Frequency of publication: The print edition is published twelve times a year, while the website is updated daily.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.philanthropy.com/page/contact-us/

Types of contributions accepted: “The Chronicle of Philanthropy welcomes news pitches that pertain to nonprofit organizations and foundations.” ⁹

What Kinds of News Stories Do We Prefer?

We’re writing for a national audience, so if you have a compelling local story, it should also be relevant to nonprofit practitioners across the country.
If we’ve just written about a similar development at a different organization, we probably won’t cover it again soon.
We like: Stories about best or innovative practices in fundraising and managing organizations. Profiles of interesting (and especially effective but lesser-known) charity leaders, fundraisers, and donors. New trends in giving or fundraising. Anything that our readers can learn from and adapt to make them more effective.
We usually don’t cover: Galas. Celebrity events. Groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings. Gifts of less than $1 million unless they are out of the ordinary. ¹⁰

Submission and review process: “Send pitches to either one reporter or one editor or, if you’re not sure, copy no more than two staff members on one message. BCC’ing or sending separate emails to multiple people can lead to confusion and will likely delay our response.” ¹¹

“Use your email’s subject line to state your purpose: “Story idea about a successful billion-dollar capital campaign,” for instance. Avoid being cute (“You’ll never guess what WE did!”) or vague (“Press release from Such-and-Such Organization”). We’re eager to hear your news, but we’re pressed for time, and these types of subject lines make it more likely your pitch will be deleted without being opened.” ¹²

Editorial tone: Official and straightforward.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication provides the potential for publishing to an audience interested in fundraising techniques, strategic planning and budgeting, and community work with nonprofits. Writing to this audience could help promote the LIS field to potential investors and community partners.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Philanthropy.com has 257,000+ unique monthly visitors online, the newsletter has 160,000+ recipients each week, there are 20,000+ paying subscribers representing the most loyal audience in the nonprofit world. ¹³

Audience location: The Chronicle writes primarily for a national audience though their reach extends across the globe. All articles are written in English.

Reader characteristics: “Decision makers at four in five of the largest and most influential charitable organizations in America read the Chronicle to advance their missions.” ¹⁴

75% of the top 400 American fundraising charities and 90% of the 50 largest private foundations are premium readers. 51% of individual subscribers at fundraising nonprofits and 84% of individual subscribers at private foundations are executive leaders, 49% of individual subscribers at fundraising nonprofits work in development or fundraising.” ¹⁵

“84% of readers consider The Chronicle of Philanthropy essential to their understanding of the nonprofit sector and philanthropic world. 72% use the information in The Chronicle to make a decision.” ¹⁶

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The majority of the subject matter does not deal with LIS information. While it is better that LIS jargon is not used, the information that any LIS writer wished to share with the readers of this publication would be common between both LIS and philanthropy readers.

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

It is obvious from recently published articles that all writings presented to the editors of this publication should have a forward spin on them. Articles should focus on the needs or interests of the reader. An article on black men in nonprofit organizations—or lack thereof—not only gives numbers and explains why there are fewer in this demographic working non-profit, but also discusses solutions. Any LIS related article must look at the LIS world from the eyes of that world’s grant writers and fundraisers.

Last updated: November 27, 2020

References

Show 16 footnotes

Family Tree Magazine

By Katie Wood on November 21, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Family Tree Magazine

ISSN: 1529-0298 (Print)¹

Website: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: A how-to publication for readers interested in family history and genealogy research. “Learn how to build your family tree with beginner research tips, guides to DNA testing, family history storytelling, using genealogy records and more!” ²

Target audience: Genealogists and family history enthusiasts.

Publisher: Yankee Publishing, Inc. ³

Peer reviewed? No. ⁴

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Subscription-based print magazine with online content and research tools. ⁵

Content: Family Tree Magazine “covers genealogy, ethnic heritage, personal history, genealogy websites and software, photography and photo preservation, and other ways that families connect with their pasts.” ⁶

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly. ⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.familytreemagazine.com/frequently-asked-questions-get-involved-family-tree/

Types of contributions accepted: “Family Tree covers genealogy, ethnic heritage, personal history, genealogy websites and software, photography and photo preservation, and other ways that families connect with their pasts. Please query with a specific story idea. In general, we’re looking for articles that are right for our magazine, not for writers to assign articles to. Articles need to be broad enough in scope to appeal to a general audience, yet narrow enough to support specific, useful information.” ⁸

“We do not publish personal experience stories or the histories of specific families in our magazine. Nor do we publish generic family or parenting articles—keep in mind that our focus is how to do family history.” ⁹

Submission and review process: “We accept queries by email to FamilyTree@yankeepub.com only. If we’ve never worked with you before, please include writing samples (published clips preferred) with your query. Allow six to eight weeks for a response.” ¹⁰

“Both online content and magazine issues are planned well in advance. Though our lead time is technically about six months, we may have a plan for the November/December issue by January of that year.” ¹¹

Editorial tone: “Articles are beginner-friendly but never talk down to the audience. Readers may be experts in one area of our coverage, yet novices in another. We emphasize sidebars, tips and other reader-friendly “packaging,” and each article aims to provide the resources necessary to take the next step in the quest for one’s personal past.” ¹²

“The ideal Family Tree Magazine writer is both a writer—able to explain complex topics in clear, friendly, easy-to-read articles and sidebars—and an expert (or interested amateur) in one of our coverage areas. Your query should indicate both why you’re right for this topic and why you’re able to write it.” ¹³

Style guide used: None specified. “Our style is bright, breezy, helpful and encouraging. We’re NOT an academic journal or a genealogy-research journal.” ¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This would be a good publication for reference librarians, adult services librarians and LIS students who are knowledgeable about genealogy and history resources. The editors specifically mention wanting articles about new reference materials, and past articles have focused on organizing research materials. They are also looking for how-to articles that will help beginners start their family history projects. Librarians have a good understanding of what questions patrons generally ask about family history research; those questions can be turned into simple, informative article ideas for this magazine.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Family Tree serves the fast-growing audience of family history hobbyists, enriching their knowledge and empowering their search with tips and tools that fuel their discoveries. Family Tree Magazine in print reaches over 62,000 readers 6x annually. Each month, an average 170,000 people visit Family Tree’s website. Nearly 62,000 family historians receive Family Tree weekly alerts. Almost 168,000 fans follow us on social media.” ¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This US based publication is distributed nationwide. Family Tree Magazine is printed in English.

Reader characteristics: According to the website, 92% of readers want to learn about their ancestors’ lives, 86% want to record their tree for posterity, and 86% aim to trace their family tree back as many generations as possible. The average age of readers is 62 years old, average household income is $75,454, and 89% of readers have completed education beyond high school. “Our readers spend an average of $483 annually on genealogy.” ¹⁶

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: These readers will most likely have limited knowledge of LIS-related topics, so technical subjects as well as LIS jargon should be avoided.

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

This publication offers endless opportunities for LIS authors with background in research, genealogy, cataloging, preservation, archives, and beyond. This publication offers a whole range of possibilities for articles about researching online or how to evaluate a website. Readers who travel for their hobby will want to know about travel resource materials. The well-educated reader might want an online resource for translating family documents (like a birth certificate) that are in a foreign language. Those who are retired might be interested in historical picture books that they can read to their grandchildren to help them begin to learn about their heritage. The editorial tone of the publication is non-academic and light, opening up the potential for articles on multiple facets of LIS subject matter that help readers apply real world skills and re-affirms the usefulness and relevancy of information organizations and professionals.

Last updated: November 21, 2020

References

Show 16 footnotes

Municipal World

By Katie Wood on November 21, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Municipal World

ISSN: 0027-3589¹

Website: http://www.municipalworld.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Municipal World is a magazine “devoted to promoting effective municipal government.”². Founded in 1891, it is the oldest continuously published monthly municipal magazine in the world.³

“Each month, Municipal World examines the issues that impact communities: new federal and provincial policies and legislation; new theories about economic development and renewal; new strategies and emerging best practices from communities like yours across the nation.” ⁴

Target audience: This publication is aimed at elected and appointed officials involved in municipal government interested in providing effective service to their constituents.⁵

Publisher: Municipal World, Inc., Ontario, Canada.⁶

Peer reviewed? No.⁷

Type: Civilian publication for those involved in the municipal sector.

Medium: Print, with current issue TOC, keyword, and article search available online at their website. Digital editions of Municipal World Magazine are also available, but to subscribers only. ⁸

Content: According to their website, “articles addressing the pressing problems of the municipal sector” and regular features concerning the environment, governance, management, and procurement. Contents also include upcoming events, Canadian Municipal Code, professional directory, job board, and sources for forms and supplies.⁹

Frequency of publication: Monthly.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://municipalworld.com/magazine/editorial-guidelines/

Types of contributions accepted: “Municipal World welcomes contributed articles from individuals working in the municipal sector or aligned to the field. Submissions may be considered for our online feature articles, print/digital editions, or special themed publications.” ¹¹

“The scope of potential topics for article submissions is very wide; submissions can focus on any subject area that will be of interest to senior municipal administrators and local government elected officials and in Canada. We do have several ‘theme’ issues throughout the year, which may be relevant for something you are contemplating. Contact the Editor for more information.” ¹²

“Most articles published in Municipal World are in the range of 1,200 to 2,000 words. As a rule of thumb, 1,400-1,800 words is ideal. However, exceptions can be made at the editor’s discretion to accommodate longer or shorter articles. Our best advice: brevity enhances the prospect of publication.” ¹³

Submission and review process: “The editor ultimately decides upon the content of the publication, including your article, and reserves the right to reject any submission, or to edit your submission for length, content that may have been covered in a previous article, inappropriate information for the interest of our readership, or style.” ¹⁴

“As topics for each issue are selected on a ‘what’s hot’ basis, we cannot guarantee a definite date for publication of articles. Periodically, we schedule special feature issues. For example human resources, heritage, technology, environment, or economic development. These factors also determine our selection of articles.” ¹⁵

Editorial tone: As noted in style guide entry, publication prefers “streamlined and straightforward” writing. Authors are encouraged to “present convincing documentation to prove the point” and nothing else. ¹⁶

Style guide used: No style guide specified. This guidance provided: “Our preferred style is streamlined and straightforward, to minimize legal and technical jargon, and to spell out all acronyms on the first reference. Use the simplest word that makes the point. For example: “use” instead of “utilize”; “rain” instead of “precipitation event.” Articles should be as specific as possible, and use active voice, rather than passive voice. Articles written in the first person (e.g., using “I” or “we” throughout) are generally inappropriate…Do not include personal opinions and organizational position statements. Rather, present convincing documentation to prove the point.” ¹⁷

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This magazine, like others of its kind, offers great potential for increasing the visibility of Canadian public libraries with the government administrators who fund and support them (or not). As library leader Ken Haycock pointed out in a blog post, public librarians have much to gain by writing for such publications “to ensure that their celebrations and concerns are front and center with those who make decisions affecting their future.”¹⁸

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The website draws an audience of more than 53,000, the weekly newsletter has more than 18,000 subscribers, and the publication has more than 19,000 social media followers. ¹⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Canada. Given the geographic location, English speaking authors from outside Canada would be best served respecting the Canadian spelling of English words. While municipal governments throughout the world bear similarities, contributors should have an understanding of issues specific to Canadian municipal government.

Reader characteristics: As appointed and elected officials in Canadian government and others working in municipal government, readers would share a strong sense of service to their community and are likely proud of being a Canadian. Readers will likely possess education beyond high school, often a professional degree in law, accounting, engineering, architecture, planning, or management. Workplace likely a government agency or entity. Interest would likely be broad, any topic that effects their community and constituents including: election process, environmental concerns, provision of social services, and changes in legislation.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Knowledge of LIS subject matter will vary widely and authors should not assume any LIS background. As professor emeritus and former director at San Jose School of Library and Information Science Ken Haycock often reminded SLIS students, our LIS degree could support a number of job titles and careers beyond “librarian;” librarians, information professionals, and individuals with LIS degrees, due to the economy and the ever changing LIS field, are finding themselves in leadership positions in civil service.

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

Given that the readership of Municipal World is, by and large, an educated group committed to serving the public, they would likely have an understanding of the needs of other organizations, such as libraries, that serve the public. LIS authors could utilize this common understanding and promote the value of libraries when writing for Municipal World, as long as they also ensure the topic of their article is relevant and their authoritative voice is well grounded in experience. Authors will need to ensure they establish their link to the municipal government world, their authority on the article topic as well as the relevance to the readership of this publication.

Last updated: November 21, 2020

References

Show 19 footnotes

The Washington Post

By Bethany Baker on November 15, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Washington Post

ISSN: 0190-8286 (Print).¹

Website: https://www.washingtonpost.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “The Washington Post engages, informs and entertains the most influential minds. We shape the world through our news coverage and analysis. Our tradition of journalistic excellence and unparalleled access, paired with cutting-edge engineering, make The Washington Post the trusted source for our audience.”²

Target audience: Local Washington D.C. readers, regional readers, national readers, and global readers.

Publisher: Nash Holdings, LLC.³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: The Washington Post covers a variety of topics from politics, technology, sports, arts and entertainment, and business, to world news and more.

Frequency of publication: Daily print publication and a website with content that is updated frequently.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submission guidelines for op-eds can be found at https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/submit-an-op-ed/ and submission guidelines for letters to the editor can be found at https://helpcenter.washingtonpost.com/hc/en-us/articles/236004788-Send-a-letter-to-the-editor

Types of contributions accepted: Op-eds and letters to the editor are the accepted submission types.

Submission and review process:

Op-eds should be submitting using the op-ed submission form found on The Washington Post’s website. Information required in the submission form is as follows: author’s name, contact email address, contact phone number, the subject of the op-ed, and the op-ed text. The maximum length of the op-ed is 800 words and should be input in the text box as plain text without brackets.⁴

Letters to the editor can be sent to The Washington Post via mail, however, The Washington Post mentions that they strongly encourage authors to send their submission via email instead. Email submissions can be sent to letters [at] washpost.com (include the text of the letter in the email’s body; letters sent as email attachments will not be opened) and mailed letters can be addressed to Letters to the Editor, The Washington Post, 1301 K Street NW, Washington DC 20071.⁵

Letters should be 200 words or less, must include the writer’s name, and cannot have been published elsewhere. Additionally, “for verification purposes, they must include the writer’s home address, email address and telephone numbers, including a daytime telephone number.”⁶ Letters may be edited for length or clarity if necessary and, time permitting, editors at The Washington Post will confer with the author regarding the changes. For the best chance at getting your letter published, “Letters editor Jamie Riley looks for concise letters that offer a new perspective or add depth to the discussion of an issue.”⁷ If you haven’t heard back from editors at The Washington Post within 2 weeks, your letter most likely did not get selected for publication.

Editorial tone: A review of the current articles reflects an informal but informational tone.

Style guide used: Several articles alluded to a Washington Post style guide existing, however, it could not be located.

Conclusion: Evaluation of the publication’s potential for LIS authors

Publishing a piece in The Washington Post would be an excellent way for authors to present LIS issues and topics to a global audience and a great addition to an author’s resume or CV. Pieces can focus on LIS topics and issues on a national level, global level, or be specific to the Washington D.C. area. Examples of LIS articles published in The Washington Post are “COVID-19 took away our family’s second home: The library” and “Six ways to get to know D.C.’s beautifully renovated MLK Library — from a distance”.

For tips on how to get your piece published in The Washington Post, take a look at this guide that The Washington Post released in January of 2020.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 1.6 million print readers per week, 104 million unique monthly visitors nationwide and 38 million international unique monthly visitors.⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Washington Post has a national and global readership and is published in English.

Reader characteristics: The Washington Post divides its readers into four audience groups: Global, Leadership, Local/Washington, D.C. Market and International/Non-US.⁹

Global:

As stated by The Washington Post Media Kit, their publication is the “fastest growing news site in the world.”¹⁰.

Leadership:

The Media Kit for the Washington Post asserts that the paper is “. . . the #1 news source for reaching opinion leaders and decision makers in the beltway.”¹¹

Local/Washington, D.C. Market:

1.6 million people in the D.C. market area read the print version of The Washington Post weekly and there are 2 million unique digital visitors from the D.C. market area per month.¹²

International/Non-US:

The Washington Post sees 38 million unique international visitors per month. “This international coverage unfolds around the clock seven days a week with timely, accessible and original coverage from bureaus on every continent.”¹³

Readers’ knowledge of LIS subject matter: Authors should assume that readers do not have knowledge of, and/or are not familiar with, LIS topics, issues or jargon.

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

The Washington Post provides authors with the potential to reach a large audience with diverse viewpoints, lifestyles, and cultures. Pieces tailored to one (or more) of the four audience groups will do well, for instance, leadership in the LIS field, how COVID-19 has affected libraries in the US or library accessibility in other countries.

Last updated: November 15, 2020

Show 13 footnotes

Governing

By Katie Wood on November 8, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Governing: The Future of States and Localities

ISSN: 1930-6954 ¹

Website: http://www.governing.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Governing: The Future of States and Localities takes on the question of what state and local government looks like in a world of rapidly advancing technology. Governing is a resource for elected and appointed officials and other public leaders who are looking for smart insights and a forum to better understand and manage through this era of change. Governing’s beat is the collision of technology and society and the fallout consequences, intended and unintended, that confront public leaders and increasingly influence their policy, legislation and strategies to govern. ” ²

Target audience: Governing’s audience consists of governors, mayors, county executives, city and county council members, state legislators, state and local agency executives and those holding key professional government positions.³

Publisher: e.Republic, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: “Governing’s information platform includes a robust website, newsletters and custom content. Governing magazine ended its 32 year run as a print publication in August 2019.” ⁶

Content: “The scope of topics we cover are as broad as the challenges we face: artificial intelligence, privacy, big data, security, the future of work, urban planning, financial systems and more.” ⁷

Frequency of publication:

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Voices of the Governing Institute

Types of contributions accepted: Governing content is staff written and the publication does not typically accept unsolicited submissions for publication. However, submitted material is occasional accepted for the Voices of the Governing Institute section of the website. “Voices is curated by the Governing Institute, which seeks out practitioners and observers whose perspective and insight add to the public conversation about state and local government.”⁸

Submission and review process: “For more information or to submit an article to be considered for publication, please contact editor John Martin.”⁹

Editorial tone: Journalistic.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication offers great potential for increasing the visibility of public libraries with the government administrators who fund and support them (or not). Library leader Ken Haycock highly recommends Governing, saying that “We need to read and reflect but also contribute to these important publications.” Haycock points out that public librarians have much to gain by writing for such publications “to ensure that their celebrations and concerns are front and center with those who make decisions affecting their future.”¹⁰ (**Note, as of November 8, 2020, this resource link is inactive.**)

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Governing has 4.6million annual online visitors and over 7million annual page views, which means about 500k monthly visitors and 692k average monthly page views. There are 94k newsletter subscribers and 97k social media followers. ¹¹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Audience is American, and the text is written in English.

Reader characteristics: According to the current media kit, about 80% of Governing’s audience works in the public sector, 55% are elected and senior government officials. Of those involved in government, approximately 70% are at the state and local levels. ¹²

Reader knowledge of LIS subject matter: Knowledge of specialized LIS subject matter will be little. LIS jargon should be kept to a minimum. This is a well-educated, intelligent, and influential audience who would be interested in library issues pertaining to policy and government in local or state jurisdictions.

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

Readers of this journal represent all levels of government and hold positions in management, as elected or appointed officials, or staff. An audience of decision-makers such as these provides an excellent opportunity for an LIS author to not only further his/her/their career, but to possibly influence real change for local or state libraries.

Last updated: November 8, 2020

References

Show 12 footnotes

Monterey County Weekly

By Katie Wood on November 8, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Monterey County Weekly

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.mcweekly.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: “For years our unofficial focus has been on a triple-bottom line: people, planet and profits. Our mission is to inspire independent thinking and conscious action, etc. With a print, web, mobile, tablet and video platform, we’ve become Media for the 21st Century. ¹

“As the largest circulation newspaper in one of the most spectacular counties in America, Monterey County Weekly has long been recognized for its thoughtful, provocative and engaging coverage of news, arts and entertainment.”²

Target audience: Local residents of Monterey County and the Central Coast of California.³

Publisher: Milestone Communications, Inc. ⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: Civilian, alternative news sources.⁶

Medium: Print, website, and e-newsletter. ⁷

Content: Local news, opinion articles, entertainment and events, food, culture, and more.⁸

Frequency of publication: Print is available every Thursday at 900 locations (paid subscription includes home delivery), website and e-newsletter content updates daily ⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submission guidelines are found under the FAQ’s here, http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/site/faq.html

Types of contributions accepted: News tips, story ideas, letters and comments to the editor, ideas for local arts and entertainment, and sharing photographs and art with the community. ¹⁰

Submission and review process: Use the Tipline form to submit items for consideration.

Editorial tone: Casual, hip, alternative, informed, liberal.¹¹

Style guide used: None noted.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If you are familiar with local library news or literary events, you have a good chance of getting published. The Monterey County Weekly often seeks talented writers who can support a liberal view and investigate news carefully. Library issues are not often covered, but there is a literary scene here and it deserves coverage as related to libraries.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Monterey County Weekly (print) has over 90,640 readers per week. We are the largest circulated print publication in Monterey County; 100%-200% larger readership than any local daily. The website has over 1,000,000 page views per month, with over 320,000 unique visitors. The e-newsletter has nearly 46,000 subscribers. The mobile application has more than 250,000 visitors each month. ¹²

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Northern Monterey County to southern Monterey County, possibly into Santa Cruz.¹³ The language is primarily English, but there is a large population of Spanish speakers in this area.

Reader characteristics: According to the 2020 media kit, 76% of readers are between the ages of 25-54 with 42yrs being the median age. 76% of readers have a college education, with 10% having post graduate degrees. The median household income of readers is $92,850. ¹⁴

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Audience is generally well educated, so they may be familiar with public library processes and trends but not familiar with LIS jargon or in-depth subject matter.

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

Readers of this publication will likely be interested in library causes and library events. Opinion pieces involving local libraries and advocacy would do well. This is also a good forum to advertise library events and happenings within the community. The readers most likely support local causes and social issues. They would likely be strong supporters of libraries and freedom of speech and expression.

Last updated: November 8, 2020

References

Show 14 footnotes

The Press Democrat

By Katie Wood on November 8, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Press Democrat

ISSN: 0747-220X (Print)¹

Website: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “The North Bay’s leading daily news, sports, entertainment and information resource for more than 150 years. Includes a Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper, affiliated websites, electronic replica editions, and special magazines and other products. A member of The Associated Press and the California Newspapers Publishers Association.” ²

Target audience: California’s Sonoma County and surrounding counties, including Lake and Mendocino counties. ³

Publisher: Sonoma Media Investments, LLC.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: “Fresh local news & views, access to the latest in sports, entertainment, shopping and dining venues and other interactive tools such as local weather and real time traffic reports. The site covers Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties with continuously updated news, weather, sports, entertainment, events, blogs, photos, videos and more. It also includes real-time news from the Bay Area, the state, the nation and the world.” ⁷

Frequency of publication: Daily circulation in Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino Counties. ⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: To find information on how to submit for publication, please view the website’s FAQ page.

Types of contributions accepted: The Press Democrat accepts Opinion pieces under their “Close to Home” section. Opinion pieces should be no more than 600 words. ⁹

The Press Democrat also accepts Letters to the Editor. “Clear, brief letters on a single subject are most likely to be published. Those selected might be edited. Because of space constraints and the volume of reader mail, Letters to the Editor are limited to 200 words. ¹⁰

The Press Democrat also accepts some press releases. These should be directed to the reporter or editor covering your topic of interest.” ¹¹

Submission and review process: All submissions must be sent via email and include full name and contact information. “Please avoid blanketing editors and reporters with the same press release. Responses cannot be made to press releases because of the large number that arrive daily in the newsroom. Press releases are used based on newsworthiness and not all can be published or used for an article.” ¹²

Editorial tone: Informative.

Style guide used: None stated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

For authors in the Sonoma County and surrounding area, this may be an opportunity to connect with their community and promote their library. For example, an opinion piece concerning library use or funding. As of November 2020, performing a search of the website did not yield any articles on LIS, so this may be an untapped resource for LIS authors looking to publish their work. While The Press Democrat does publish on global news, an LIS author would most likely have a greater chance of being published if he/she/they focused on LIS programs, services, trends, and community involvement on a local level.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Today, with a readership of about a quarter million adults, The Press Democrat is the largest newspaper between San Francisco and the Oregon border.” ¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Readers likely reside in the Sonoma County and surrounding area. English language publication serving a community that includes a variety of cultures including Spanish speaking population.

Reader characteristics: 58% of readers are 18-49 years of age. 48% of readers are men, 52% are women. 72% have attended college. 69% earn 50,000+. 47% of weekday readers have Professional/Managerial careers and 56% are in Sales. ¹⁴ (*As of November 8, 2020, these statistics cannot be confirmed as the advertising section has been updated and does not include demographics)

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Little, if any, knowledge of LIS subject matter.

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

Due to readers’ common interest in news and events of their community, writers have the opportunity to promote libraries and educate readers on the opportunities available at their local library.

Last updated: November 8, 2020

References

Show 14 footnotes

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