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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

Show 19 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

Show 19 footnotes

Archival Science: International Journal on Recorded Information

By Phyllis Pistorino on February 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Archival Science: International Journal on Recorded Information (Title changed from Archives and Museum Informatics in 2001.)¹

ISSN: 1389-0166²

Purpose, objective, or mission: Promotes the development of archival science as a scientific discipline. Per their website “…this journal is the only independent, international, peer-reviewed journal on archival science, covering all aspects of theory, methodology and practice, with appropriate attention to the non-anglophone world…”³

Website: https://www.springer.com/journal/10502

Target audience: The primary audience is researchers and educators in the field of archival science; a secondary audience is other professionals interested in recorded information.⁴

Publisher: Springer Netherlands⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes⁶ However, the journal website provides no information on the review process.

Type: LIS scholarly⁷

Medium: Print and online, selected articles available open access⁸

Content: Articles cover all aspects of archival science theory, methodology, and practice; investigations of different cultures; comparisons of perspectives and practices worldwide; and the field of process-related information. The journal especially focuses on the comparison of procedures and techniques throughout the world, especially in non-English-speaking countries.⁹

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: See “Submission Guidelines” at https://www.springer.com/journal/10502/submission-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: The publication focuses on the scientific aspects of the archival field. Articles deal with the creation, preservation and retrieval of archival information; the social, cultural and historical facets of archived information; and the theory and methodology of information generation and use.¹¹

Submission and review process: Entire manuscripts are accepted through an online submission process.¹² The site offers detailed information regarding submission guidelines and also provides a series of online tutorials to help an author prepare a manuscript for publication.¹³

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹⁴

Style guide used: Publication has an in-house style guide, provided in the “Instructions for Authors” tab.¹⁵

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

A review of previously published articles indicates that the majority of authors are from the LIS academic community. Archival Science is an international publication, and the authors are international as well. Faculty at U.S. institutions such as Simmons College, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Pittsburgh were represented with recent articles. There was no indication of graduate students’ work in the publication, suggesting this journal may only be an option for experienced authors from the academic community; however, the journal does offer mentoring through their online course tutorials.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 82,140 Downloads (2018)

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is an English-language journal published in the Netherlands. Due to its international audience, prospective authors should avoid regionalisms and ensure that any references, such as cultural and geographic terms, are clear to the reader.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: Readers are academics, well-educated within their field, and interested in promoting archival science as an autonomous scientific discipline. Interests span all aspects of archival science theory, methodology, and practice. While readers work in a variety of environments, including universities, governments, and museums, the journal is aimed at academics. Readers would likely not have an interest in LIS issues beyond those related to their work as archivists. Also, writing that focuses on local issues not applicable to another location would hold little interest for the average reader.¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Archivists will most likely have a general understanding of how their work is related to the LIS field, but not all archivists will have an LIS degree. For example, archivists working for the United States federal government are not required to have an LIS degree.¹⁸

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

Authors interested in writing for this publication need to be secure in their knowledge and reputation in the archival profession, as the readers expect articles that are thought provoking and will add to their knowledge of the field.

Last updated: February 28, 2020

References

Show 18 footnotes

The American Archivist

By Phyllis Pistorino on February 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The American Archivist

ISSN: 0360-9081 (Print) and 2327-9702 (Online)¹

Website: https://americanarchivist.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The website of The American Archivist states it “seeks to reflect thinking about theoretical and practical developments in the archival profession.”² It is the journal of the Society of American Archivists, so the focus is on the cultural, social, legal, and technological developments in North America in particular.³

Target audience: Archivists and special collections librarians.⁴

Publisher: Society of American Archivists (SAA).⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes⁶

Type: LIS and History, scholarly⁷

Medium: Print and online open access; last six issues available to SAA members and subscribers only, or to the general public for a fee.⁸

Content: Includes research articles, case studies, commentaries on issues and practices of interest to the field, essays on international archival practices, annotated professional resource bibliographies, discussions of professional practice and initiatives, and letters to the editor on previously published articles and other topics of interest to the field.⁹

Frequency of publication: Semi-annual.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www2.archivists.org/american-archivist/editorialpolicy

Types of contributions accepted: Original research articles, case studies, opinion and editorial pieces, articles concerning international practices or perspectives, professional resource bibliographies, and reviews of books, archival literature, finding aids, microfilm editions, exhibits, and computer software.¹¹

Submission and review process: The preferred maximum length is 8,000 words for research articles and surveys, and 3,000 words for case studies and perspectives. These length requirements may be waived for certain articles in consultation with the editor. All articles should be accompanied by a 250-word abstract. Manuscripts are to be submitted electronically through the Submissions Manager in Microsoft Word, double-spaced and pages numbered throughout, with author’s name and address on the title page only.¹²

The American Archivist is a refereed journal. Each submission will be reviewed by two experts in the subject matter of the submission, and a final decision for publication will be based on their reviews. Final decision normally takes a minimum of three months.¹³

Acceptance for publication is usually on the condition that specified revisions be made. Once an article is accepted, author will send a short biographical statement and photo. Authors are given the opportunity to approve all editorial changes and to review page proofs for correction of printer’s errors. It usually takes a year for a submission to be seen in print.¹⁴

Editorial tone: Scholarly.¹⁵

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style, latest edition; for professional terminology refer to the definitions outlined in A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology by Richard Pearce-Moses.¹⁶

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If the author is looking for an avenue to enter the conversation of current, scholarly archival practices and the future of conserving information, this may be one of the more prestigious journals through which to pursue publication. Publishing in American Archivist is sure to have weight when interviewing for a position, or to fulfill tenure or promotion requirements for academic libraries or other scholarly institutions.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The American Archivist circulates to around 5,300 members of the Society of American Archivists, while the digital edition receives about 17,000 page views per month¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: SAA members live and work all over North America. There is no specified or dominant culture or geographic area. This journal is mainly focused on North American archivists and their practices, and all articles are in English. However, this journal expresses a definite interest in the archival practices of their international colleagues, and specifically looks for articles on this subject.¹⁸

Reader characteristics: Highly educated individuals, most of whom have at least two university degrees. Most have history and/or library science graduate degrees. There are further specializations in every area imaginable, so a variety of interests are represented here. There is no information provided on age, gender, or ethnicity of the members. This audience works in a variety of professional settings, including universities and higher education, private corporations, nonprofits, historical societies, public and special libraries, art and history museums, religious organizations, and government agencies. Some specializations include acquisition and appraisal, business archives, religious archives, academic archives, museums, description (cataloging), electronic records, government records, manuscript repositories, oral history, preservation, reference and access, and visual materials to name a few. People may work by themselves with little to no assistance, or work in immense academic or private institutions with a fleet of colleagues and assistants. The most striking characteristic of American Archivist readers is that they love and believe in what they do. They are incredibly interested in their profession, and how to continue and expand it into the future. These readers are interested in practical approaches and ideas, as they are practitioners in the real world who are usually short on money, space, and time. Theoretical discussions with no practical applications would be of little value to them.¹⁹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: With extensive knowledge specific of their branch of LIS, these readers are well versed in the history of archiving and preservation and specific technologies and practices, and are often eager to discuss and debate new technologies and future practices in the field. They are familiar with both LIS and archival terminology, concerns, issues, and theories. Archival studies includes several different models used for appraisal, weeding, preservation, etc., which are also discussed in this publication. Not all readers will possess an LIS degree as some enter the field by way of a history or museum education and background.²⁰

Conclusion: Reader characteristics and their potential impact on authors

The readers of this publication can be extremely intimidating for the new author and archival professional. Many of SAA’s members have been publishing in this journal (and others) for years, and their names are well-known and carry weight at conferences and national conventions. They have highly specialized and technical knowledge ranging over hundreds of topics, localities, and institutional settings. These readers are professional scholars and practitioners who value both theoretical and applied research in archival science. They will be looking for excellent academic writing, new ideas, or suggestive case studies with relevance to their own repositories. This is a high standard to meet. However, if an author feels he or she has something to add to the conversation of archival studies, this is the right forum. This is where the newest, most significant research, case studies, and experimental models in the field are disseminated and discussed.

Last updated: February 28, 2020

References

Show 20 footnotes

Marketing Library Services

By Blake Wandling on June 29, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Marketing Library Services

ISSN: 0896-3908¹

Website: www.MarketingLibraryServices.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Marketing Library Services (MLS) emerged in 1987 and is the longest-running publication that regularly delivers how-to articles and case studies for marketers in all types of libraries. They’re written by practitioners from around the world and curated by a respected expert who has 25+ years in the field. These detailed, vetted articles deliver more value than the brief ideas and advice offered via social media.²

Target audience: Information professionals in any type of library who need to learn to do better marketing, promotion, and advocacy.³

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS trade.⁶

Medium: Print and online.⁷

Content: MLS covers strategies and tactics for all marketing-related topics: advocacy, outreach, branding, segmentation, social media, funding initiatives, long-term campaigns, assessment, ROI, partnerships, promotional materials, program publicity, communications, PR, advertising, etc. Subscribers will also benefit from interviews with marketing masters, conference coverage, book reviews, and news.⁸

Frequency of publication: Six times a year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December).⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: The editor of Marketing Library Services, Kathy Dempsey, does not accept blind submissions; instead, it is preferable to email her first (see Editor below) with an article idea, so that she can see if it fits in with upcoming issues, or whether or not something similar has already been published. In a personal correspondence she asserts that if the topic is something useful to Marketing Library Services readership, she will send the author a desired length and deadline. Writers will be sent guidelines, and all graphics (photos, charts, etc.) must be in color and high resolution.¹⁰

The site itself says very little about submissions. Editorial communications should be directed to the editor, Kathy Dempsey, at kdempsey@infotoday.com.¹¹

Types of contributions accepted: From a correspondence with the editor: “Marketing Library Services covers a wide range of marketing-related topics, including these: advocacy, outreach, programming, fundraising, event planning, dealing with the media, getting votes for library issues, proving your value, making good promotional materials, community promotion, online promotion, winning related awards, studying demographics for target marketing, innovations, surveys and focus groups, strategic communication, etc. And, of course, true marketing (plans for full campaigns).” Also, “in addition to the case studies, Marketing Library Services carries news, reviews of books and videos, conference coverage, and links to library articles and culture.” ¹²

Submission and review process: Authors first should send correspondence to Kathy Dempsey stating their idea. Because Marketing Library Services is published often, timely articles are strongly recommended. Also, authors must have been directly involved in the projects they are writing about, and must write in the first person. Ms. Dempsey states that authors’ specific titles do not matter.¹³

Editorial tone: Marketing Library Services should not be written in third-person or academic tones. The newsletter’s tone is conversational, professional, and should inspire readers. According to the editor, “Articles should be written as if you’re sitting down with a colleague and explaining your project over lunch.”¹⁴

The editor will correspond with the author about this after the author’s idea has been accepted.¹⁵

Style guide used: Associated Press.¹⁶

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Marketing Library Services is a very good resource for LIS authors interested in writing on community outreach and marketing of library services. Many topics can fall under this umbrella, so it is important for potential authors to be creative and open in how they frame their content.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Marketing Library Services has 700 subscribers. Most of these are in North America, but some are in Europe and in other English-speaking countries.¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Because the content of the newsletter is in English and about a broad topic (marketing), the geographic location of the newsletter’s readership is assumed to reside across the United States. There are some readers from outside the United States, but because marketing can be culturally specific, those readers are likely already doing the work of cultural translation. English is used entirely throughout Marketing Library Services and, for the most part, readers are American or from Europe.¹⁸ Because of this spread, colloquialisms should be avoided (as in most professional writing).

Reader characteristics: According to Kathy Dempsey, the editor, most of the readership is comprised of librarians who market for their organization, while others are managers and directors. She also states that some are professors specializing in marketing. Because Marketing Library Services readership is comprised of professionals directly involved in marketing, it may be safely assumed that jargon specific to marketing is fine. As well, because this is a trade journal, readers will be interested in practical information. Kathy Dempsey states from a personal correspondence that, “MLS is written for a wide horizontal market that covers all types of libraries: public, academic, special (medical, gov’t, etc.), corporate, and to a lesser extent, K-12 school. It welcomes article queries from all of these librarians. What they all have in common is the need to promote their services. Many case studies about how one lib accomplished a goal can be used as models to doing similar things in other types of libraries. Articles on projects that have this ability to be widely replicated are especially valuable.”¹⁹

Readers of Marketing Library Services work in many types of libraries, so it may be safely assumed that they all value libraries’ continuing prosperity. That said, this does not mean that their values are identical. However, the newsletter’s tone is conversational, not argumentative. Articles written arguing strongly for one thing or another probably will not fit in Marketing Library Services.²⁰

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

Marketing Library Services is a newsletter informing LIS professionals the best practices and valuable ideas regarding LIS marketing. Professionals reading this newsletter are looking for good ideas and solidly practical plans and instances of good marketing. Marketing Library Services is not a dry tome of theoretical research written in an hermetic tone. Nonetheless, most of the readers are deeply engaged with marketing their organization, and are working professionals whose time and attention is valuable. Writers should consider their readers as interested colleagues who are deeply interested in successful programs and campaigns, and how they may learn from writers’ experiences and implement similar strategies in their own organizations.

Last updated: June 29, 2019

References

Show 20 footnotes

College & Research Libraries News

By Blake Wandling on June 29, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: College & Research Libraries News

ISSN: 0099-0086 (Print) and 2150-6698 (Online)¹

Website: http://crln.acrl.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: C&RL News “provides articles on the latest trends and practices affecting academic and research libraries and serves as the official newsmagazine and publication of record of the Association of College and Research Libraries.”²

Target audience: Members of the ACRL.³

Publisher: Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL).⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional news magazine.⁶

Medium: Print and online.⁷

Content: Per their website, “College & Research Libraries News (C&RL News) publishes articles, reports, and essays written by practitioners addressing philosophy and techniques of day-to-day management of academic library services and collections. C&RL News provides current information relating to issues, activities, and personalities of the higher education and academic and research library field. Information literacy, scholarly communication, technology, professional education, preservation, government actions that affect libraries, acquisitions, grants to libraries, product updates, and the business of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) are covered in C&RL News.”⁸

Frequency of publication: 11 monthly issues.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Articles, essays, and reports.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Manuscripts must be submitted to the editor via email. Only original manuscripts that have not been published will be accepted, however, exception may be given to previous items published in other institutional newsletters. Submission length depends on type: “News notes may be 150-350 words; essays for “The Way I See It” should be 750-1,000 words; feature articles (Scholarly Communication, ACRL Techconnect, and Internet Resources) should be no more than 2,000 words.” Footnotes, charts and tables should be minimal; graphics should be included with submission. The author is responsible for obtaining permission for the use of any graphics. Please provide a brief caption and credit (if needed) for all images.¹¹ Authors should consult past issues and the author guidelines for instructions on writing for specific columns.

Editorial tone: Practical, accurate, informative, and informal. Even humorous essays are welcomed.¹²

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed.¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Publishing with C&RL News provides a strong foundation for both an author’s portfolio, in addition to allowing the author to be involved in a LIS association. Authors are not required to become ACRL members to publish with C&RL News; however, ACRL offers a variety of publication tools and resources, including wikis and other forums for information sharing that is important to the professional development of librarians, and LIS authors. C&RL News provides new LIS authors the potential to build their writing portfolio within a supportive, field-specific environment.¹⁴

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The largest division of the ALA, the ACRL claims a membership of over 10,000.¹⁵ Since these members receive automatic subscriptions to the C&RL News, this would be a certain count towards the circulation. However, nonmembers can also subscribe to the publication, and the latest circulation total notes the total circulation count at 14,000. Aside from members and nonmember single subscriptions, there may also be subscriptions by other libraries or related groups (educators) that may have an interest in receiving this publication.¹⁶

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: As the ACRL is a division of the American Library Association, the publication is geared towards academic and research libraries in America. However, the subscription information provides rates specific to subscriptions to Canada, Postal Union of the Americas and Spain (PUAS) countries, and all other countries.¹⁷ The publication is printed in English and serves as the official news outlet for a US-based organization, so cultural considerations do not seem to expand beyond the U.S. However, some columns may include international websites and stories on librarianship in other countries¹⁸ which demonstrate an awareness of how library trends and practices in other countries can affect U.S. librarianship.

Reader characteristics: The audience of C&RL News is comprised of members of the ACRL, who are professional librarians, staff, administrators, directors, educators in LIS, and students. Nearly all members report affiliation with universities or colleges, with almost half belonging to large research or doctoral-granting universities. The smallest reported group of subscribers is those affiliated with two-year or technical colleges, who comprise 11% of the current membership.¹⁹ Readers are used to the publication’s inclusion of more personal insights into individual experiences and humorous anecdotes, and are therefore likely to be open to new perspectives.²⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: As the ACRL is a professional association of academic librarians and individuals with interest in academic librarianship, an advanced and specific knowledge of LIS subject matter can be assumed. Readers will not want definitions and descriptions of issues that they are familiar with; this audience expects to be informed on the current news, trends, and practices in academic and research libraries.

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

This publication’s readers are involved in their libraries, their institutions, the academic library community, and the academic community itself. Though not a scholarly publication, informal research exploring best practices and methods for improving services is a sure way to maintain readers’ attention. From archives to community college public services, any essay on a specific topic within the academic library field could offer readers the opportunity to apply the author’s findings to their own institutions. However, authors should keep in mind that readers have diverse experiences. Staff members at technical colleges may be more interested in new resources on serving local communities, whereas administrators at research universities may have a greater interest in international trends. Whatever the chosen topic, authors should be sure to write from experience and with the confidence of expertise.

Last updated: June 29, 2019.

References

Show 20 footnotes

ProQuest, “College & Research Libraries News,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 29, 2019. http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1561866753201/119300 ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “About C&RL News,” College & Research Libraries News, accessed June 29, 2019, https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/pages/view/about ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “About C&RL News.” ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “About C&RL News.” ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “About C&RL News.” ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Editorial Policies,” College & Research Libraries News, accessed June 29, 2019, https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/about/editorialPolicies#custom-0. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Submissions,” College & Research Libraries News, accessed June 29, 2019, https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/about/submissions#authorGuidelines ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Editorial Policies.” ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, Submissions. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, Submissions. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, Submissions. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “About C&RL News.” ↩
American Library Association, “About ACRL,” Association of College & Research Libraries, accessed June 29, 2019, http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl. ↩
Association of College & Research Libraries, 2018-2019 Media Planning Guide, accessed June 29, 2019, http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/ACRL_MediaKit19.pdf. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Editorial Policies.” ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Past Issues,” College & Research Libraries News, accessed June 29, 2019, https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/issue/archive. ↩
Association of College & Research Libraries, 2018-2019 Media Planning Guide. ↩
Association of College and Research Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩

CCL Outlook: Newsletter of the Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges

By Blake Wandling on June 11, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: CCL Outlook: Newsletter of the Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://cclibrarians.org/outlook/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The constitution of the Council of Chief Librarians (CCL) states that the organization’s purpose is “The purpose of the Council of Chief Librarians is to represent, promote and advance libraries in public California community college education; to provide a vehicle for communication, discussion and collaboration among libraries; to provide opportunities for professional development, training and leadership development for library leaders and other librarians; and to support data collection, analysis and dissemination for the purpose of good public policy development.”¹ The CCL Outlook supports that goal by serving as the primary means of communication between the organization and its members.

Target audience: CCL membership, which is limited to the chief librarians of each community college in California.²

Publisher: Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges.³

Peer reviewed? No. Content decisions are made by the editor.⁴

Type: LIS professional newsletter.⁵

Medium: Online.⁶

Content: The major portion of the material included in Outlook is news announcements from the organization itself. Each issue begins with “News from the President.” The items that follow frequently include discussions of the actions of the organization and its committees, announcements of relevant conferences and seminars, job postings, and administrative issues such as new officer elections. These items are almost always submitted by the officers or staff of the CCL.⁷

Additionally, some issues contain brief articles written by members or other librarians that discuss topics relevant to the membership; these have included a description of new information literacy training implemented at one college, a discussion of new teleconferencing techniques and a comparison of new OPAC software.⁸

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://cclibrarians.org/newsletter/editorial-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: News items about events and open positions should be less than 300 words. Most issues of Outlook include one or more brief articles (500-1,500 words) contributed by outside authors. These are brief summaries of topics that would be of interest to the administrators of community college libraries.¹⁰

Submission and review process: Articles may be submitted through the CCL website. The editorial team will revise for grammar, spelling, formatting, and style.¹¹

Editorial tone: Per the website, “Succinct, inviting and informative style of writing is preferred.” The tone of the newsletter is, not surprisingly, very informal. Much of the communication content in Outlook is frequently conversational; the articles do tend towards a more professional tone, but are still very relaxed.¹²

Style guide used: There is no style guide listed, but the editorial guidelines state that endnote citations should be in accordance with the current edition of The Chicago Manual of Style.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

CCL Outlook has a very small audience, and its content is limited to very brief articles; therefore publishing in this newsletter would not generate widespread name recognition, nor would it aid significantly in a tenure or promotion cause. Nevertheless, an author who is working, or hopes to work, in the field of community college libraries could gain valuable exposure in a publication that is read by their potential mangers.¹³

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Although it is available on the Internet for anyone to read, the CCL Outlook is intended for a group of librarians, library managers, and library deans, to whom it is sent electronically.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The chief librarians for whom the newsletter is written are specifically located in California. The community colleges at which they work are located throughout the state. The newsletter is written in English, and it would be safe to assume that all of the library directors are fluent. However, authors should be aware of the cultural diversity of the colleges at which these librarians work. California is home to many diverse communities, and so the community colleges will reflect that diversity. Many of the colleges are in highly populated areas and may have large minority populations, while other colleges are in smaller urban centers located in sparsely populated rural communities.¹⁵

Reader characteristics: While no information is available concerning their ages, members are all supervising librarians and it is probably safe to assume that they have a high degree of professional experience. The readers all work at community colleges as head librarians, and as such share many common interests. However, their professional environments should not be seen as completely homogeneous. The interests of the chief librarians at Los Angeles City College or Grossmont College in San Diego, who each supervise large staffs and serve over 16,000 students in high-density urban settings, are very different from the interests of the sole librarian at Barstow College, who serves less than 3000 students in a low-density farming community.¹⁶

Although some of the community colleges in California are small, most are large enough that the chief librarian is primarily an administrator, rather than a practicing reference librarian. As such, they will tend to consider issues from an organizational, rather than an individual, point of view. They will be less interested in a new approach to the reference interview than in a new resource that will help their librarians to provide more efficient reference services. Also, the readers are all likely to have years of professional experience, and will possibly be wary of highly theoretical approaches that they feel lack practical grounding.¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers are all experienced LIS professionals who will be familiar with the operations of libraries, and the practices of librarianship. Their interests will be specific to community colleges, and so authors should be familiar with the specific needs of those institutions. While readers might not be fully current with cutting-edge research in information science, they will generally be familiar with emerging trends in librarianship.¹⁸

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

When writing for the CCL Outlook, there are three important factors that an author must consider: this is a professional rather than scholarly publication, the readers will be library leadership, and the audience will be concerned with community colleges. Regarding the first two issues, the author must remember that the readers will be looking for practical approaches, and hopefully, solutions; authors must address big-picture issues, and focus on the implementation of projects, rather than the theory behind them. The recent contents of Outlook also indicate that readers are very interested in legislative issues that will have an impact on community colleges.¹⁹

The third consideration - the orientation towards community colleges - is essential. Authors should recognize that this publication is very specific to that environment. While the chief librarians are almost certainly interested in developments outside of their area, they also know that there are many other publications to which they can turn for those developments, but that Outlook is where they go for community college news.

Last updated: June 11, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Organization,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org/about-us/organization ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges. “Home,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Home.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Editorial Guidelines,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org/newsletter/editorial-guidelines ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Home.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Home.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Outlook Archive,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org/newsletter/outlook-archive ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Outlook Archive.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Home.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Mailing List Information,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org/about-us/mailing-list-information ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Directory,” accessed June 11, 2019, https://cclibrarians.org/directory ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Directory.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Organization.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Organization.” ↩
Council of Chief Librarians, California Community Colleges, “Outlook Archive.” ↩

AALL Spectrum

By Blake Wandling on March 24, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: AALL Spectrum

ISSN: 1089-8689¹

Website: https://www.aallnet.org/resources-publications/publications/aall-spectrum/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Spectrum is the professional magazine for the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) and is included in association membership. This publication “provides informative and engaging articles of interest to AALL members. The magazine informs readers about the ever-changing, multifaceted world of legal information professionals on areas including the transformation of law, career and leadership development, accessibility, education, information technology, and best practices. The magazine also keeps members apprised of Association events and activities.”²

Target audience: Members of AALL are the target audience: members are law librarians in a variety of settings, including academic law school libraries, private firms libraries, judicial and government libraries, and public law libraries for counties and states, as well as other legal information professionals.³

Publisher: American Association of Law Libraries⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional and trade publication. This is an informal publication of AALL, primarily for association news and short practical pieces that would be of interest to practicing law librarians.⁶ Though it is not a scholarly journal, it is very well respected and has a high profile in its field.

Medium: Spectrum is a print publication sent free to all AALL members.⁷ The archives are available online back to mid-1998 at the Spectrum website.⁸

Content: Spectrum includes articles on subjects of interest to law librarians, especially practical pieces on marketing the library and management tips. The scholarly journal for AALL is titled Law Library Journal; Spectrum publishes informational pieces more informally written but still of practical use to law librarians.⁹

Frequency of publication: Spectrum is published six times a year.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.aallnet.org/resources-publications/publications/aall-spectrum/editorial-policy/

Types of contributions accepted: Spectrum includes a mix of trend or feature stories, news briefs, regular columns, and opinion pieces about issues that affect legal information and law librarianship as well as Association events and activities.¹¹

Submission and review process: The publishing guidelines indicate that “Spectrum prefers a thorough, detailed proposal letter that fully outlines the article topic.”¹²

Regarding article length, they note that “Feature articles should be between 2,000 and 2,500 words. News and department articles are typically between 800 and 1,200 words. Shorter or longer articles will be considered. “¹³

After submitting a query letter, the author should submit the requested article electronically, with any graphics in a separate file. “All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and length.” “Whenever possible, the author will be contacted by either the AALL Spectrum editorial director or AALL publications manager to discuss questions of intention and interpretation.”¹⁴

Editorial tone: Reviewing the articles themselves, it appears that Spectrum attempts to include articles that will be of interest to firm, academic, and government librarians rather than focusing on just one type of library. The submission guidelines request “authoritative, well-researched articles about legal information and the profession. Articles that inform, inspire, provoke, influence, or help improve practices are welcome additions to AALL Spectrum. Each submission should be an original, educational piece.”¹⁵

Style guide used: Spectrum follows The Chicago Manual of Style Seventeenth Edition and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition for style and usage, as well as an AALL Style Guide.¹⁶

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

AALL Spectrum is the best place to engage in the informal professional conversation surrounding law librarianship. Though it is not as high profile or scholarly as Law Library Journal, it may be more widely read, and will help any law librarian make a name for him or herself. The quality of writing is very high, as are the editorial standards. However, it is not appropriate for professors seeking tenure to boost publications, as it is not a scholarly journal.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Spectrum is sent free to all AALL members. The archives for this publication are available online at the AALL website,¹⁷ and Ulrich’s Periodical Directory indicates that they are also searchable on various LIS databases (including EBSCOhost, H.W. Wilson products, and Thomson Gale databases).¹⁸ It is possible the articles will reach non-law librarian readers through these sources.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The main circulation of this magazine is within the United States, but AALL does have some international members. Unfortunately, international demographics were not available on the Spectrum site, advertising materials, AALL Salary Survey, or AALL member information.¹⁹ Spectrum is written in American English, and is primarily interested in legal librarianship relevant to the United States.²⁰ If international subjects are covered, the legal systems will require more explanation. An example of international coverage is “Beyond the Spectrum,” by Shaikh Mohamed Noordin, available for download.²¹

Reader characteristics: AALL reports over 4,000 members, roughly half of whom work in an academic or law school setting. The most populated Special Interest Sections of AALL members are Academic Law Libraries and Private Law Librarians & Information Professionals.²² All librarians in AALL are either law librarians or are interested in the organization of legal information. This publication is run by, written by, and edited by law librarians, and as such tends to reflect the dominant views of the profession. It’s analytical; fairly negative towards vendors, but strives to be fair; focuses primarily on academic and firm librarian concerns (such as training law students or new attorneys) and to a lesser extent of government librarianship.²³

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are generally professional librarians, so a high degree of specialized language and knowledge of LIS principles and information can be assumed. However, specialized information from non-law library disciplines or terms specific to certain jobs (such as cataloging or database administration) require explanation.

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

Authors interested in publishing in Spectrum are advised to list their qualifications in their cover letters, as this audience respects degrees and library experience. Though the publication is focused entirely on law librarianship, general subjects of interest to LIS professionals will overlap in this field — for instance, information on Web 2.0 is of great interest to law librarians, and recent articles have dealt with how Second Life can be used in libraries. It is best, even with general topics, to make it evident how the subject could be useful to a law librarian.²⁴

Last updated: March 24, 2019

References

Show 24 footnotes

ProQuest, “AALL Spectrum,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed March 24, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521387398626/111034 ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy,” accessed March 24, 2019, http://www.aallnet.org/main-menu/Publications/spectrum/policy-spectrum.html ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum,” accessed March 24, 2019, https://www.aallnet.org/resources-publications/publications/aall-spectrum/ ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Issues Archive,” accessed March 24, 2019, https://www.aallnet.org/spectrum_issue/ ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Issues Archive.” ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “Meet Our Members,” accessed March 24, 2019, https://www.aallnet.org/community/membership/meet-our-members/ ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
Noordin, Shaikh Mohamed, “Perspective: Beyond the Spectrum,” Spectrum 10, no. 6: 12-13, 17, https://www.aallnet.org/wp-content/uploads/_mediavault/2017/11/pub_sp0604_Persp.pdf ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “By the Numbers,” accessed March 24, 2019, https://www.aallnet.org/community/membership/by-the-numbers/ ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩
American Association of Law Libraries, “AALL Spectrum Editorial Policy.” ↩

Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

By Maria Notarangelo on April 30, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

ISSN: 0161-6846 (print), 1541-1540 (online)

Website: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wplq20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Public Library Quarterly (PLQ) is addressed to leaders-directors, managers, staff, trustees, and friends who believe that change is imperative if public libraries are to fulfill their service missions in the twenty-first century.”¹

Target audience: Library and information science (LIS) “leaders-directors, managers, staff, trustees, and friends,” especially those working in public libraries.²

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Peer reviewed? Yes, all articles undergo editorial screening and peer review.³

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: PLQ focuses on how public library directors and operating officers affect change. It examines best practices and service improvement models, management case studies, library mythologies that impede development, planning and outcomes, marketing and fundraising, budget and financial management, new technology in practices, and programs for children.⁴ “Every issue of Public Library Quarterly contains informative articles written by the directors and staffs of leading public libraries, news of current public library events, and book reviews covering issues of interest to those in public library work.”⁵

Frequency of publication: Four issues per year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for authors.

Types of contributions accepted: PLQ publishes original research, scholarship, and analyses of current issues in public libraries, from theoretical and practical perspectives. The journal “addresses the major administrative challenges and opportunities that face public libraries, providing insight and assistance to all public library workers.” Furthermore, the journal publishes surveys “that can be developed and used as national benchmarks for such administrative concerns as salaries, usage standards, and budget breakdowns.”⁷

Submission and review process: Authors submit manuscripts online via Editorial Manager, a portal that manages the submission, revision, review, and publication process for authors, editors, and reviewers.⁸ Manuscripts undergo editorial screening and peer review.⁹

Editorial tone: Scholarly.

Style guide used: PLQ uses the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition).

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

PLQ is a long-standing, high-quality LIS journal that publishes scholarship on all aspects of public libraries from around the world. As such, it is a a good fit for LIS authors whose scholarship is focused on public libraries or who study these libraries’ connections with other information organizations or in the realm of public policy. The journal is both practical and scholarly; many articles are written by public library directors or staff members, but the journal also looks to publish research and surveys in this domain. There is a sense that authors are highly experienced in the realm of public libraries, but this does not necessarily exclude graduate student authors with solid scholarship and novel approaches to the field.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data not available, but each article’s homepage lists number of views, citations, and Altmetric score.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: PLQ is published in English for a worldwide audience. Editorial board members are from universities, libraries, and information organizations in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, and Taiwan.¹⁰ Authors should consider readers from around the globe and explain jargon or regional usages.

Reader characteristics: Readers are public library directors and managers, staff members, trustees, and friends, as well as LIS researchers, scholars, professionals, and graduate students.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Most readers will have a solid and practical understanding of LIS subject matter, but since this journal has a worldwide reach, authors should be careful to explain particular terms and practices.

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

PLQ reaches a worldwide audience of public library directors, librarians, staff members, scholars, researchers, and graduate students. Readers are interested in how current events, policy, trends, and changes in the public library landscape will affect their institutions and how other libraries’ experiences and practices may inform their own practices. Readers look for evidence of positive leadership in and responses to a climate of change in the public library realm. Readers expect both theory- and practice-based articles, as well as larger scale surveys and research results.

Last updated: April 30, 2018

References

Show 10 footnotes

The Political Librarian

By Maria Notarangelo on April 24, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Political Librarian

ISSN: 2471-3155

Website: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/pollib/ and http://everylibrary.org/how-we-help-libraries/political-librarian/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Political Librarian “is dedicated to expanding the discussion of, promoting research on, and helping to re-envision locally focused advocacy, policy, and funding issues for libraries.”¹

Target audience: Library and information science (LIS) professionals, scholars, practitioners, and graduate students, as well as those outside of the LIS discipline, who are interested libraries and tax and public policy.

Publisher: The Political Librarian is organized and published by EveryLibrary.² It is hosted by the Washington University in St. Louis Open Scholarship site.³

Peer reviewed? Yes. Not all articles are peer reviewed, but there is a section in most issues for those that are.

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online, open access.

Content:The Political Librarian publishes peer-reviewed articles, white papers, and editorials that focus on how funding issues, tax implications, budgeting, and broader economic policy affect libraries on the local level.⁴ Articles range from focused examinations, such as library budgeting strategies, to broader issues, such as tax reform and trickle-down economics.⁵ The journal is “at the intersection of local libraries, public policy and tax policy.”⁶

Frequency of publication: Two volumes each year.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Polices, Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines, and Editorial Team and Guidelines for The Political Librarian.

Types of contributions accepted: The Political Librarian publishes opinions/first drafts, white papers, and peer-reviewed articles. The journal seeks a variety of perspectives, new voices, and lines of inquiry, and does not limit “contributors to just those working in the field of library and information science.” The journal invites “submissions from researchers, practitioners, community members, or others dedicated to furthering the discussion, promoting research, and helping to re-envision tax policy and public policy on the extremely local level.”⁷

Submission and review process: Authors submit manuscripts though the journal’s online portal. Initial submissions do not have strict guidelines to follow.⁸ However, accepted manuscripts need to follow the Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines.⁹

Editorial tone: The tone is professional. Clear guidelines are provided by the editorial team.¹⁰

Style guide used: The journal’s reference and citation style is explained in the Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines.¹¹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Political Librarian is a new journal (first published in 2015) that has a very particular focus: it is a “dedicated space where practitioners, researchers, and users [can] publish on frontline advocacy experiences, campaign strategy and research, and/or about tax and public policies impacting libraries on the local level.” The journal is a resource for examinations of the impact of tax and public policy locally and how policy affects library services and community outcomes and for new models of library funding and resources to educate stakeholders.¹² LIS authors–professionals, practitioners, scholars, and graduate students–who write about the intersection of libraries with tax and public policy will find a good fit with this journal.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data are not available, but the number of downloads appears on each article’s title page.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Political Librarian is written in English. The audience is mostly located in the United States, as US tax and public policy are primarily discussed.

Reader characteristics: Readers are LIS professionals, practitioners, scholars, and graduate students, as well as those outside the LIS community, who are interested in how tax and public policy affects libraries.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers will have a strong academic and practical understand of LIS subject matter, but there may be readers outside of the discipline for whom jargon or idiosyncratic terms should be explained.

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

Authors should understand that readers have a particular interest in libraries and in public and tax policy, and they look for articles that both explain how libraries can survive and thrive in the current environment and how to advocate now for positive changes in the future. Readers also look for local analyses and examinations that may have implications on a broader scale.

Last updated: April 24, 2018

Show 12 footnotes

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