Wiki Tags Archives: Academic libraries

Computers in Libraries

By Erin Fussell on May 3, 2020 in

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 From How to write for Computer in Libraries: “We do not publish academic research papers or vendor-written articles.”⁶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

References

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Tame the Web

By Erin Fussell on May 1, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Tame the Web

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://tametheweb.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: From Tame the Web‘s About page: “Tame the Web (TTW) endeavors to provide information and discussion, through blogging, on emerging technology, socio-technological trends, the evolving hyperlinked library, LIS education, and human-centered services for LIS students and information professionals in the field.”¹

Target audience: LIS students and professionals.

Publisher: TTW is a WordPress site + blog created and run by Dr. Michael Stephens, an associate professor at San Jose State University’s School of Information.

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: LIS professional blog featuring guest posts by students and contributors at the invitation of Dr. Stephens.

Medium: Online.

Content: Blog posts and articles, book reviews. Category topics (dropdown menu at bottom of the site) include engaging users, gaming, libraries/web 2.0, participatory culture, and many others.²

Frequency of publication: Several new articles and posts each month.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: All submissions are by invitation only.

Types of contributions accepted: Guest blog posts.

Editorial tone: Casual, but informative.

Style guide used: Unknown.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Contributing authors of TTW are SJSU School of Information students and colleagues of Dr. Stephens.

The site is geared towards, but certainly not limited to, public librarianship. Recent guest posts include the unwritten, daily tasks of a user-centric library director and an introspective look at a librarian’s career throughout her thirties.

Wholehearted Librarianship: this Stephen Barnes quote gives readers and potential authors a good idea of the theme of TTW‘s content, “We must never forget that the human heart is at the center of the technological maze.”³

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Tame the Web‘s content is freely available on the web. If you are interested in Dr. Stephens’ published works, check out his page here.⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Readership is primarily in the U.S. and Canada, with articles published in English.

Reader characteristics: Readers are LIS students and professionals from across the spectrum of librarianship and information science.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong, but varied. Most posts are relatively LIS jargon-free.

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

Tame the Web‘s readership is unique in that readers also interact with Dr. Stephens via webinars and presentations. Readers come to TTW for its variety of guest posts and straightforward, earnest writing. As a potential author, you will find a varied audience of LIS students and seasoned professionals from across the spectrum of librarianship.

References

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Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science

By Phyllis Pistorino on April 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science / La Revue canadienne des sciences de l’information et de bibliothéconomie

ISSN: 1195-096X (Print) and 1920-7239 (Online)¹

Website: http://cais-acsi.ca/the-canadian-journal-of-information-and-library-science/

Purpose, objective, or mission: As the vehicle of the Canadian Association for Information Science (CAIS), the journal seeks to advance the study of information and library science in Canada “by serving as a forum for discussion of theory and research. The journal is concerned with research findings, understanding of issues in the field, information practices of individuals and groups, and understanding of the history, economics, and technology of information or library systems and services.”²

Target audience: Canadian LIS community³

Publisher: University of Toronto Press, Journals Division⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶

Medium: Print. It’s available online via Project MUSE⁷

Content: “The journal publishes research papers, scholarly opinion papers, reviews of research, brief communications, and reviews of books and other media” in both English and French.⁸

Frequency of publication: Quarterly⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://cais-acsi.ca/guidelines-for-submission/

Types of contributions accepted: The journal accepts submissions of “research papers, scholarly opinion papers, reviews of research, brief communications, and reviews of books and other media” in both English and French. Reviews of publications by Canadian authors are of particular interest.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Manuscripts should be submitted to the online system. A tentative title and an abstract of 50-100 words, preferably in both English and French, should be included. Submissions will be reviewed by at least two independent referees. Additional details about manuscript formatting are available on the journal website.¹¹

Editorial tone: Academic/ Scholarly¹²

Style guide used: The journal uses an in-house style that is outlined on its website.¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science provides an excellent opportunity for LIS authors looking to publish scholarly, career advancing work and establish a presence outside the United States.

This publication is abstracted and indexed in Academic Search Elite/Premier, Canadian Periodical Index, Computer and Control Abstracts, Cultures, Langues, Textes: La revue de sommaires, Current Contents: Social and Behavioural Sciences, ERIC, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, International Bibliography of Book Reviews of Scholarly Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences (IBR), International Bibliography of Periodical Literature on the Humanities and Social Science (IBZ), SCOPUS, Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA), Library Literature, Professional Development Collection, and Social Science Citation Index.¹⁴

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Exact circulation numbers are not available, but the journal is a benefit of membership in Canadian Association for Information Science / L’association canadienne des sciences de l’information (CAIS-ACIS). Membership is automatic for all attendees of the annual conference of the association.¹⁵ The journal is also available online through Project MUSE.¹⁶

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This journal, while covering LIS topics in general, is written and aimed at LIS academics, both English and French speaking, practicing in Canada.¹⁷

Reader characteristics: The audience for this journal is a mix of academics and industry and government professionals such as information scientists and archivists, librarians, computer scientists, and educators. Readership also includes those in “media studies and journalism, business, psychology, health sciences, education, law, and many other areas.”¹⁸ This indicates a variety of workplaces from universities, large corporations and government organizations.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Considering their shared interest in the mission of the CAIS-ACIS, it suggests the readers, while not all information science professionals, have considerable knowledge of LIS subject matter.¹⁹

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

Readers of this publication are interested in furthering their ability to practice in the field, to acquire information on new research that will support their work in support of libraries. The readers are also most likely residents of Canada and, while most of the papers published would easily benefit a librarian or information professional residing anywhere in the world, submissions need to be relevant to librarians practicing in Canada.

Last updated: April 28, 2020

References

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Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship

By Phyllis Pistorino on April 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship

ISSN: 2369-937X

Website: https://cjal.ca/index.php/capal

Purpose, objective, or mission: Published by the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians (CAPAL), the Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship seeks to publish articles that are relevant to the profession of academic librarianship and the discipline of library and information science.¹

Target audience: Academic librarians, both within and outside of Canada.

Publisher: The Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians (CAPAL).²

Peer reviewed? Yes.³

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.

Content: Articles can be traditional research studies, or more theoretical work that may not be suitable for other empirical LIS journals. “Submissions must present substantive analysis of a topic. Why is the article’s topic or finding significant—what is the ‘so what?’ for librarianship?”⁴

Check the journal’s calls for papers and reviews for the latest information on special issues.

Frequency of publication: “Articles and book reviews are published on a continuous basis and combined into one volume at the end of each calendar year.”⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://cjal.ca/index.php/capal/about/submissions

Types of contributions accepted: The journal welcomes submissions for book reviews and articles and review essays. Book reviews should be about 1,000 words in length, whereas articles should be 3,000 to 6,000 words, and no more than 10,000.⁶

Submission and review process: First, create a username and password for the Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship. You can register here.

Once you are ready to submit, be sure to read through the Author Guidelines to make sure you have formatted your work properly and included all necessary information.

“Submissions are reviewed first by an editor to confirm that the submission is appropriate for the Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship. This step typically occurs within two weeks of submission. This editorial review considers questions such as:

Is the submission within the Aims and Scope?
Is the submission readable and within the desired word count?
Has the submission been published elsewhere?
Has the submission document been anonymized?”

“When the editor has determined that the submission is appropriate to be considered for publication, he/she contacts potential reviewers. Editors do not also serve as reviewers. Each submission is normally reviewed by two reviewers. Reviewers are asked to submit their reviews within four weeks.”

Finally, the editor will consider any recommendations and comments made by the reviewers, and will confer with the author.⁷

Editorial tone: Professional, scholarly.

Style guide used: The most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style.⁸

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Keep in mind that publication submissions are not limited to Canadian librarians, but articles relevant to the country’s LIS field are encouraged and welcomed. Recently published articles are on topics such as using social epistemology to understand information behaviors and Indigenous research and librarianship in Canada.

The CJAL could also be a good outlet for reviews on LIS books written in the last three years. Look at the Book Review Guidelines for more information.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The journal is open access, so anyone can read current and archived issues.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: While the website and parts of the journal are displayed in both English and French, typically the journal articles are published in English only.

Reader characteristics: Readers are academic librarians who are members of the Canadian Association of Academic Librarians. Therefore, readers are likely well versed in current LIS topics, especially how they relate to the field of academic librarianship.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong.

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

Potential authors who are interested in publishing in this journal should look into CAPAL to learn more about the journal’s readership. The association’s About page states that they differ from other library associations in that CAPAL “is an advocacy group focused on the individual and the profession.”⁹

Readers are librarians who are well versed in LIS topics, particularly as they relate to academic librarianship. If you have a book review or well researched LIS article that is relevant for academic librarians (particularly in Canada), then this may be a good venue for your writing.

Last updated: April 28, 2020

References

Show 9 footnotes

The Bottom Line

By Phyllis Pistorino on April 27, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Bottom Line

ISSN: 0888-045X (Print) and 2054-1724 (Online)¹

Website: https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0888-045X

Purpose, objective, or mission: Formerly a journal on library finances subject to editor review only, The Bottom Line has “broadened its scope to become an interdisciplinary journal . . . mainly focusing on the trading of information, information economics, and the business of information.”²

Target audience: The journal is “not only for library and information researchers, but also for micro-economists and education researchers, marketers and knowledge professionals in information organisations.”³

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: Academic/ Scholarly⁶

Medium: Online and print⁷

Content: “The Bottom Line publishes research and case studies on the financial and economic aspects of information and information practice, mainly focusing on the trading of information, information economics, and the business of information. Information is widely defined including, but not limited to: Records, Documents, Files, Learning objects, Visual and sound files, Data and metadata, and User-generated content.”⁸

Frequency of publication: Quarterly⁹

Open access: Hybrid¹⁰

Submission and review process: Submissions are made online using the submission and peer review system ScholarOne Manuscripts. Emerald Group Publishing has a support center offering guidance on using the system.¹¹.

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This interdisciplinary journal has a target audience of LIS professionals as well as marketers in information organizations, the media, government employees, and health care professionals. LIS authors whose professional and research interests include the social or legal issues that arise when members of these disparate fields share information will find a venue for their work in The Bottom Line.¹³

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Circulation statistics are not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Emerald Group Publishing is located in West Yorkshire, England. Its journals are written in British English for a worldwide audience.¹⁴

Reader characteristics: Reader demographics are not available. The content is targeted at LIS professionals, micro-economists and education researchers, marketers and knowledge professionals in information organisations.¹⁵

Reader knowledge of LIS subject matter: Given the interdisciplinary nature of this journal, authors should assume a high level of education, but not necessarily in the LIS field.

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

Writers for The Bottom Line will impact a broad audience that extends beyond the LIS community to “micro-economists and education researchers, marketers and knowledge professionals in information organisations.”¹⁶ LIS authors whose work concerns information economics and how information is traded and monetized will reach a targeted audience through publication in this journal. For such authors, The Bottom Line offers an opportunity to add to the body of knowledge in the new cross-disciplinary field of information economics.

Last updated: April 27, 2020

References

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Online Searcher

By Erin Fussell on April 10, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Online Searcher: Information Discovery, Technology, Strategies

ISSN: 2324-9684¹

Website: http://www.infotoday.com/onlinesearcher/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Online Searcher is the definitive voice for information professionals in academic, corporate, government, law, medical, public library, knowledge management, web development, and freelance environments.”²

Target audience: “Online Searcher is the go-to publication for dedicated web researchers, database professionals, librarians in academic, corporate, public, and government work settings, and purchasers/licensees of information resources.”³

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional or trade publication⁶

Medium: Print and online.⁷

Content: “Online Searcher provides subscribers with the information they need to:

Effectively manage online research projects
Conduct successful internet and database searches
Determine the utility of new technologies
Build innovative services within their organizations
Assess the worth of new and changed resources
Discover trends affecting information professionals
Strategize services to boost the value of information departments and libraries”⁸

Frequency of publication: Six times per year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.infotoday.com/OnlineSearcher/Author-Guidelines.shtml

Types of contributions accepted: “Online Searcher covers the entire range of electronic information topics, including industry trends; new products and technologies; professional, business and consumer online services; the internet; enterprise-wide information management; practical search and information management techniques; information professional roles and responsibilities, electronic content; quality issues; web design from an information professional perspective; enterprise search; intranet creation and promotion; and search engines.”¹⁰

Submission and review process: Contact the editor with your proposal. “If you’d like to write for Online Searcher, please contact me (Marydee Ojala) to discuss an idea. I’d also be happy to review an outline or draft proposal. Author Guidelines are provided here. Marydee Ojala Online Searcher • P.O. 78225 • Indianapolis, IN 46278 • 317-876-8100 • Fax: 317-876-8300 marydee@xmission.com“¹¹

Editorial tone: Per the Author Guidelines, “Write in simple, straightforward English. Short, pithy, fact-filled articles are much better than long, wordy pieces. Write tersely, in popular magazine-style, not in verbose, academic prose.”¹²

Style guide used: See the Author Guidelines for specific information.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Online Searcher is widely read by library and information science professionals, guaranteeing authors a substantial amount of exposure. There are numerous publication opportunities for LIS authors, as this journal touches on a diverse assortment of topics from book/product reviews, conference coverage, and technologies such as website design and user experience. Most information professionals will be able to find an appropriate angle to pitch to this publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “The Information Today, Inc. website is now averaging more than 50,000 visitors each month.”¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This publication is printed in English out of Medford, New Jersey. There is no audience location data readily available, but it should be assumed that the majority of its readership resides in North America.¹⁴

Reader characteristics: Most of this publication’s readership consists of working information professionals. Readers of Online Searcher (along with readers of its sister publications, Information Today and Computers in Libraries) are:

› 14% Information Professionals
› 27% Academic Librarians
› 24% Special Librarians
› 10% Government Librarians
› 21% Public Librarians
› 4% Other.¹⁵

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This readership will have a solid knowledge of LIS subject matter, but as this is not a scholarly publication, academic jargon should be left out.¹²

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

Since much of the audience for this publication are information professionals, this is a great opportunity to turn practical experience and knowledge into an article that will reach an engaged and informed readership. Readers will, however, prefer concise, magazine-style writing that makes clear and fast points. As over 70% of its readers are librarians, this publication is a great opportunity to connect to one’s peers and showcase relevant information that others in the profession will benefit from.

Last updated: October 30, 2018

References

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Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

By Erin Fussell on April 6, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

ISSN: 1077-6613¹

Website: http://associates.ucr.edu/index.html

Purpose, objective, or mission: Provides a voice for and promotes the exchange of information within the library support staff community.²

Target audience: The primary audience is support staff at all libraries including public, special, academic, and school. The journal is online and subscriptions are free.³

Publisher: University of California Riverside Library.⁴

Server and listservs are housed at the University of California, Riverside, and the website is powered through WordPress.⁵

Peer reviewed? No.⁶

Type: Professional newsletter.⁷

Medium: Online.⁸

Content: Topics range from how-to articles, opinion pieces, conference information, resource updates, fiction, conference updates, and research articles.⁹

Frequency of publication: Published three times per year, in March, July, and November.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88

Types of contributions accepted: The newsletter discusses issues and developments related to the work of library support staff. Topics might include cataloging, collection management, public relations, technology, and personnel issues. Priority consideration will be given to submissions written by library support staff. The submission guidelines provide a list of topics for feature article consideration.¹¹

Submission and review process: Articles of any length are accepted, however, the guidelines are: no longer than 10 double-spaced typed pages for features; four double-spaced typed pages for fiction; and one double-spaced typed page for poetry. Submissions are reviewed by a member of the Editorial Board. “Significantly edited versions will be returned to the authors for discussion or approval. However, most editing is done for punctuation, grammar and for establishing clarity.”¹²

Items can be submitted any time prior to the publication months and should be submitted to the editor, Kevin Dudeney, at: associates@hotkey.net.au.¹³

Editorial tone: Items that are written from or focused on a support staff point of view are preferred.¹⁴ A review of previous issues indicated that a personal style is common.¹⁵

Style guide used: There are no specific style guidelines given, but the editors state that “all submissions must be written in a professional manner, with citations for researched material provided.”¹⁶

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Since most LIS students have worked or are working in support staff positions, this publication may be a good place to get started writing for the field. While it is not a scholarly journal, it would allow an author to demonstrate their understanding of a staff position other than a librarian.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Currently 1,700 worldwide subscribers.¹⁷ Subscription to Associates is free, and all issues are available free online which suggests they may have an audience beyond their subscribers.¹⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This publication originates in the United States however they claim to have “1,700 worldwide subscribers”, indicating an international audience.¹⁹ It is an English language publication.²⁰ Due to international audience, avoid regionalisms and any references, for example, currency or location, are clear to the reader.

Reader characteristics: Audience, as support staff in all types of libraries, most likely reflects the general public, all ages and backgrounds, with an interest in connecting with other support staff and improving their job skills. Publication values the work of support staff and aims to promote the value of library support staff.²¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: As library support staff, the readers can be expected to have the background and education to understand topics and terminology used in work accepted by this publication.²²

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

Authors submitting work to this publication would benefit from reading the current and past issues to gain a clear understanding of their audience. It seems a cooperative approach, emphasizing the value of all team members in a library, would be useful.

Last updated: April 6, 2020

References

Show 22 footnotes

Library Connect Newsletter

By Erin Fussell on March 16, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Library Connect Newsletter

ISSN: 1549-3733¹

Website: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “Library Connect Newsletter covers library and information science best practices, issues, technology and trends. Library Connect is a global program from Elsevier for academic, medical, corporate and government librarians. .”²

Target audience: Academic, medical, corporate and government librarians. ³

Publisher: Elsevier, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional news.⁶

Medium: Online.⁷

Content: Topics of interest to librarians, including LIS news, current issues in LIS, best practices, Elsevier news, and thoughts from leaders in the LIS field.⁸

Frequency of publication: 10 times per year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://libraryconnect.elsevier.com/submit-article-abstract

Types of contributions accepted: Interested in your experiences as an academic, corporate, medical or government librarian such as tactical or how-to articles, librarian roles, big ideas or strategies, community news, and how Elsevier products provide solutions.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Read the editorial guidelines and if your article fits, then email the editor at libraryconnect@elsevier.com with a short description for review and response.¹¹

Editorial tone: Conversational and professional¹²

Style guide used: The Library Connect Newsletter evaluates submission based on their content, not form or language, and provides editing support to authors.¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Library Connect Newsletter is a respected professional publication with a global audience. LIS practitioners, educators, and students are encouraged to submit work or story ideas here particularly for their targeted librarian groups. Editing support is available which makes it an ideal site for new writers.¹⁴

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: There are more than 50,000 subscribers in 175 countries to Library Connect webinars and the newsletter.¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Publisher based in United States, publication has international audience and a review of the past issues finds articles written by information professionals from around the world.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: Library Connect Newsletter is read around the globe by academic, special and medical librarians “interested in library and information science best practices, issues, trends and events.” Readers are likely to be professionals in the field of library issues as well as Elsevier advocates.¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are likely to be familiar with general library topics and issues. Still, the audience includes all types of librarians, so authors should avoid highly specialized topics and language.¹⁸

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

Authors are advised to submit work of a practical nature, rather than overly scholarly content, as Library Connect Newsletter serves as forum for professional news and discussion.¹⁹

Last updated: March 16, 2020

References

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ALCTS News

By Erin Fussell on March 15, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: ALCTS News

ISSN: “ALCTS News is an official publication of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association. It replaced the ALCTS Newsletter Online (ISSN 1523-018X) in September 2013; that publication replaced the ALCTS Newsletter (ISSN 1047-949X) in December 1998.”¹

Website: http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/

Purpose, objective, or mission: ALCTS Newsletter Online is the official newsletter of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. The Newsletter is, from the ACLTS’ Publications & Resources: will “deliver critical information to ALCTS members and the broader library community in areas of expertise related to selecting, obtaining, preserving, and providing access to resources required by library users, and they establish ALCTS as the leading voice in these functional areas.” There are several different publications to contribute to through ALCTS. ²

The ALCTS, according to their bylaws, “…will provide its members, other ALA divisions and members, and the library information and community” with “leadership and a program for action on the access to, and identification, acquisition, description, organization, preservation, dissemination of information resources in a dynamic, collaborative environment.”³

Target audience: ALA members and members of ALCTS.⁴

Publisher: American Library Association (ALA)⁵

Peer reviewed? No.⁶

Type: ALCTS Newsletter is a LIS professional newsletter.⁷

Medium: Online, with an archive of past issues.⁸

Content: Information and news on topics for those involved in library collections and technical services as well as events, updates, practices and developments in the field. Newsletters typically include letters from the editor, ALCTS news, ALA news, and calls for papers from related journals. There are frequent announcements for web courses and workshops at various sites and online.⁹

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about

Types of contributions accepted: Per the submission guidelines, “The primary focus…is to report the news and activities of ALCTS and its members.¹¹ The secondary focus is “reporting activities of interest to the membership relating to practice and developments in the fields of library collections and technical services.”¹²

Submission and review process: From the Author Guidelines: submit manuscripts in Word format, single spaced (double spaced between paragraphs), with no highlighting, special fonts, or text effect other than bold or italic. Do not use page numbers, headers, or footers. Submissions may be sent as email attachments to alctsnews@ala.org. Most articles and reports are about 300-500 words; longer articles will be considered on an individual basis.¹³

Editorial tone: Tone appropriate for a professional publication.¹⁴

Style guide used: The Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.)¹⁵

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

By reading previous newsletters, there is a reasonable assumption that non-members are permitted to submit written materials for publication on the newsletter although members are probably preferred. There certainly is potential for LIS writers to expand the knowledge in the areas of library collections and technical services.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: ALCTS, as of 2018, has a membership of 3209, according to ALA Membership Statistics.¹⁶ However, the newsletter is open to anyone with access to the internet.¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: ALCTS is a division of ALA, with a majority of its members located in the United States and smaller numbers in as many as 42 countries.¹⁸ ALCTS Newsletter is published in English¹⁹ and is written primarily for American librarians. It is an informal newsletter written for a more general audience of librarians with less jargon or scholarly terminology.²⁰

Reader characteristics: No specific information could be located; however, since a majority of Library Resources & Technical Services readers are members of ALCTS, their characteristics would be similar: the majority work in academic and public libraries.²¹ Most members of ALCTS are particularly interested in collections and technical services, such as acquisitions, cataloging, metadata, collection management, preservation, electronic and continuing resources.²² Readers of this newsletter will have established opinions on library issues but are generally more interested in seeking scheduling information on workshops, seminars, etc. There is not much opportunity in this newsletter for sharing opinions or biases; short essays relevant to ALCTS might provide an opportunity for sharing values and attitudes on technical services functions.²³

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This is a highly informed and educated audience of technical services and collections librarians. They will have a full knowledge of library issues relating to cataloging, collections, preservation, and all the encompassing technical jargon.²⁴

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

The readers of ALCTS Newsletter are interested in professional news. Authors would want to write short articles and reports relevant to ALCTS committee work, and other topics related to ALCTS, and have the skills necessary for writing book reviews on highly technical topics.

Last updated: March 15, 2020

References

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Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America

By Phyllis Pistorino on February 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America

ISSN: 0730-7187 (Print) and 2161-9417 (Online)¹

Website: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/journals/journal/adx.html and https://arlisna.org/publications/art-documentation

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “Art Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America is a peer-reviewed journal presenting issues of concern to librarians working within art history, art criticism, the history of architecture, archeology, and similar areas. The journal has established itself as a vital publication for art information professionals, acting as a forum for issues relating to both the documentation of art, and the practice and theory of art librarianship and visual resources curatorship.”²

Target audience: Art, architecture, and design librarians and visual resources curators.³

Publisher: University of Chicago Press⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: Art and LIS, scholarly⁶

Medium: Print and online⁷

Content: Articles and information relevant to art librarianship and visual resources curatorship in academic, special library, and museum settings.⁸

Frequency of publication: Semiannually⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Art Libraries Society of North America- Publications. Basic submission guidelines can also be found here: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/journals/adx/instruct

Types of contributions accepted: According to the contributor guidelines, “Feature articles may take the form of theoretical or scholarly submissions, revisions of conference presentations, papers emphasizing library practice, descriptions of specific libraries or collections, interviews, or articles of a historical nature. Articles must relate to art librarianship, visual resources curatorship, or the documentation of art, and the writing style should be formal.” Published articles are typically 2,500 to 5,000 words, with a maximum of 8,000 words.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Authors should contact the content editor via email to discuss topic and abstract before submitting a manuscript. Submission deadlines are March 1 for the Fall issue, and September 1 for the Spring issue.¹¹

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹²

Style guide used: The Chicago Manual of Style¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Professionals, academics, and graduate students seeking to establish themselves in the field of art librarianship will find an opportunity in this peer-reviewed publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 153 (Total circulation at the end of last published volume Fall 2019)¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is an English-language journal published in the United States, with a North American focus.¹⁵

Reader characteristics: A subscription to Art Documentation is a benefit to membership in the Art Libraries Society of North America. It is assumed that readers have a shared interest in art, developing LIS skills, and supporting fellow art librarians. Workplaces would include art libraries with an interest in mentoring, networking, and developing best practices. Readers would have a professional interest in promoting access to art and art preservation.¹⁶

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The majority of readers have an LIS degree. It is likely that many members of the ARLIS/NA also hold additional degrees in history or art.¹⁷

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

Writers need to consider the education level and very specific interest the readers share when writing for this publication. Authors are encouraged, as with any publication, to read past issues of the publication before querying the editor with a proposal.

Last updated: February 28, 2020

References

Show 17 footnotes

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