Wiki Tags Archives: Opinion

The Writer Magazine

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Writer Magazine

ISSN: 0043-9517 (Print) and 21663-0046 (Online)¹

Purpose, objective, or mission: According to the online submission guidelines, “The Writer is dedicated to expanding and supporting the work of professional and aspiring writers with a straightforward presentation of industry information, writing instruction and professional and personal motivation. In the pages of our magazine, writers share experiences, expertise, struggles, advice, successes and suggestions.”²

Target audience: Professional and aspiring writers.³

Publisher: Madavor Media.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication for writers.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: Features instructive articles on how to improve writing and get work published. Also includes up-to-date market lists for aspiring and experienced writers and book reviews for newly published material in the field.

Frequency of publication: Monthly.⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.writermag.com/the-magazine/submission-guidelines/

Types of contributions accepted: “We are interested in how-to stories, reported pieces, narrative essays, and profiles of writers and others in the field.” ⁶

Submission and review process: Query first. All queries via email to tweditorial [at] madavor.com along with your name, a short bio, an outline of your story idea, estimated word count, and a brief description of your background. “We receive hundreds of pitches every week and cannot respond to all of them. If you haven’t heard from us in two weeks, please feel free to move your submission to another publication.”⁷

Editorial tone: Step-by-step how-to instructional advice, written in an easy-to-digest tone. Narrative essays should provide some take-away advice and benefits to a writing audience, but should not be self-promoting. Tone should support aspiring and experienced writers alike, although beginning writers are more likely to read the magazine.⁸

Style guide used: No style guide or preferences are stated in the submission guidelines.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

No matter the field, all writers share the same pitfalls, challenges, and successes. LIS authors can convey their experiences and even review books they found helpful to the craft of writing. One column, entitled “Breakthrough,” publishes first-person narratives as new writers “break through” to publication and all authors are eligible to submit upon publishing their first article (presumably in an LIS publication).⁹ LIS authors are also great at discovering and organizing resources for writers, which would be great for the how-to instructional features, such as helping authors do research for articles.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 32,000 print and digital readers; more than 40,000 opt-in e-newsletter subscribers; 51,000 unique monthly website visitors.¹⁰

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Published in the United States; available by subscription internationally as well.¹¹ Readers are well cultured and interested in literature and writing as an art. Literary and writing jargon can be used.

Reader characteristics: The readers of The Writer are 27% male and 72% female. The average household income is $82,000 and 64% of readers are college graduates¹² Readers of The Writer are literary in nature. Readers want informative, how-to advice and stories about how to succeed at the craft and business of writing. There is no place for negativity regarding the profession in this publication. Readers have one important thing in common, they are passionate about the craft of writing. Because writing is mostly a freelance profession, information related to managing a freelance career is also well received and well featured in the magazine. Another important thing to remember is that this publication caters to all types of writers, which does give a broad array of possible types of readers to target.

Readers of The Writer are only interested in reading articles written in a supportive and encouraging tone with the honest intention of helping other writers further their craft. Readers expect The Writer to teach them how to write all types of articles and stories. Readers are generally open to new ideas on the publication’s subject matter and believe they too can become professional writers.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this publication have limited knowledge of LIS subject matter, except as it relates to book reviews and literature. Readers can easily digest writing that dissects published works, and also can appreciate labeling materials for certain audiences. Readers will not understand technical LIS jargon, but they will appreciate information that will help them use library and research resources more efficiently.

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

The most obvious characteristic that readers of The Writer have in common is that they are all writers. While it can be assumed readers are literary to a certain degree, their level of technical knowledge when discussing LIS-related issues or services must be presented in a language that is easy for someone unfamiliar to LIS jargon to understand. Readers of this publication could benefit from research instruction, such as how to research a great book or article idea, but it must be presented in layperson terms. Potential authors should consider the level of research skills to be moderate to none among readership, and therefore mimic the publication’s simplified tone when providing advice on these or related topics. Furthermore, potential authors should keep in mind that readers expect articles to be very descriptive, with step-by-step instructions on how to achieve whatever goal the article promises. This style is what keeps readers interested and coming back issue after issue.

Last updated: September 6, 2020

References

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Tri-City Voice

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Tri-City Voice

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.tricityvoice.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: An independent newspaper serving the southeast San Francisco Bay Area.¹

Target audience: The target audience includes laypersons interested in local news and events in the Castro Valley, Fremont, Hayward, Milpitas, Newark, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Sunol, and Union City areas.²

Publisher: Tri-City Voice.³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.⁴

Content: Coverage of local news, art, culture, sport, entertainment, and events in the southeast Bay Area.⁵

Frequency of publication: Weekly.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: No submission guidelines are available online. There is an online form on the Contact page to fill out for story ideas or letters to the editor.⁷

Types of contributions accepted: The newspaper accepts letters to the editor and articles about local events and news.

Submission and review process: Submit Opinions, Letters to the Editor, or article ideas through the online form.⁸

Editorial tone: Casual and informal.

Style guide used: A specific style guide was not indicated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This is a local newspaper with an audience limited to a specific region. However, because of the sense of the small audience, information and reports about the local libraries would be of great interest to the readers of the newspaper. This would be a great venue to submit manuscripts about events in the library, programs, library news, and interviews with authors.

This newspaper does not have a wide readership within the LIS profession so articles written may not get noticed by a large audience within this community. However, Hayward Public Libraries and libraries within the Alameda and Santa Clara County library system fall within the areas covered by this newspaper. Librarians who submit articles for publication will gain recognition within their own library systems and possibly further if the article is of interest to those outside of the city or county libraries. Publishing in this newspaper will also provide readers with a closer look at library services. Those interested in fulfilling tenure requirements should not consider this publication as it is not peer reviewed and does not include research.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “Employees distribute 25,000 copies each week to thousands of locations throughout the community,” and the website receives over 1,800 visitors per day.⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The newspaper is delivered within the Northern California cities of Hayward, Fremont, Union City, Newark, Milpitas, and Sunol.¹⁰ This publication serves a diverse population. Scholarly tone should be avoided and articles should be clear for readers who claim English as a second language.

Reader characteristics: The southeast San Francisco area is highly diverse, and the newspaper is devoted to covering local issues and interests.¹¹ The audience for this newspaper may not have a general interest in libraries, but will be interested in library services, issues, and events that affect the community.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: A knowledge of LIS subject matter shouldn’t be assumed.

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

As in many cities, the audience for this newspaper is very diverse in terms of language, education, ethnicity/race, income, profession, age, and areas of interest. It is important for the author to write about topics that the readers will find of interest. They may want to consider writing articles about computer use and classes, using online and print resources available at the library, and featured authors or new books. Articles that would be of interest to English language learners are also important. However, the articles should not be filled with LIS jargon or go into depth about library topics that practitioners would be more interested in.

Based on the articles published in the newspaper, it can be assumed that the readers of this newspaper are very community-oriented, have strong family values, and are interested in different cultures. Authors should take all of this into consideration when submitting manuscripts for publication.

Last updated: Septemeber 6, 2020

References

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The Sun Magazine

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Sun Magazine

ISSN: 0744-9666¹

Website: http://thesunmagazine.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “The Sun is an independent, ad-free magazine that for more than forty years has used words and photographs to evoke the splendor and heartache of being human. Each monthly issue celebrates life, but not in a way that ignores its complexity. The personal essays, short stories, interviews, poetry, and photographs that appear in The Sun’s pages explore the challenges we face and the moments when we rise to meet them.”²

Target audience: The target audience is the general public; specifically, The Sun targets readers who are intelligent, educated, concerned about community and social issues, and enjoy reading stories, essays, and interviews that they might not find in more mainstream publications.

Publisher: The Sun Publishing Company, Inc.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian magazine.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: Essays, interviews, fiction, poetry, and black and white photography.⁵

Frequency of publication: Monthly.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://thesunmagazine.org/about/submission_guidelines/writing

Types of contributions accepted: The Sun accepts submissions of essays, interviews, fiction, poetry, and photos. There is no minimum word count, but submissions of longer than 7,000 words are rarely accepted. The Sun favors personal writing, but is also looking for “provocative pieces on political and cultural issues.”⁷ Interview pieces should focus on “innovative and provocative thinkers,” and The Sun is particularly interested in interviews with women and people of color.⁸ Submissions may also be made to magazine’s “Readers Write” series, in which readers respond to a given theme each month with a short, nonfiction piece.⁹ Black and white photos are also accepted. The Sun is not interested in photojournalism, but instead, photos that show “unique perspectives on the world around us — especially human interactions.” ¹⁰

Submission and review process: The Sun does accept submissions online via Submittable. As of September 2020, mail-in submissions are suspended due to the coronavirus. Submissions must be typed (single-spaced is acceptable for poetry, double-spaced for all other types) and sent with a self-addressed stamped envelope. The review process typically takes three to six months but may be longer. Queries are suggested prior to submitting interview pieces. Interview pieces can be lightly edited prior to submission and will be further revised upon acceptance.¹¹

Editorial tone: Personal, provocative writing preferred.¹²

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Sun offers an excellent opportunity for LIS authors to reach a more mainstream audience than an industry publication. Since it appeals to people who tend to be educated, socially active, and well-read, The Sun provides an audience who will likely be interested in issues facing libraries and their roles in society and community, including funding challenges, services to minorities, and trends in information literacy. Interestingly, The Sun provides subscriptions for free or at reduced rates to institutions such as prisons and homeless shelters (and often includes submissions from inmates and other “marginalized” members of society)¹³ Therefore, it would provide a forum for submission of pieces concerning library services to these populations.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 70,000.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Sun’s publication is read and distributed throughout the United States. At this time, The Sun is only available in English. However, it does appeal to a multicultural, multi-generational audience, often presenting viewpoints from minority and disenfranchised populations.

Reader characteristics: Reader information is unavailable. The magazine’s content would suggest that readers care about human issues and are informed about national and global politics. The Sun is available in many jails, prisons, treatment centers, and homeless shelters, so many readers are in fact currently homeless or incarcerated.¹⁵

This publication is not targeted toward any particular profession. It does attract a number of writers and other artists, as well as those who have an appreciation for good writing and photography. Many of the readers who send letters to The Sun or submit to the “Readers Write” section work in the nonprofit sector, or in various “human service” fields such as addiction treatment, counseling, health care, and services to homeless people.

The Sun is a liberal publication, with an audience that likely embraces diversity, is politically active and involved in social activism, and values creativity and artistic expression. It is likely that readers hold education, literacy, and librarianship in high esteem, but may not necessarily be well-versed in issues relating to these areas.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Since The Sun is a civilian publication that does not specialize in library and information science, audience knowledge of LIS subject matter cannot be assumed. It can be assumed that readers are supporters of libraries, and may have knowledge of library services from the patron’s point of view. While it is likely that issues facing libraries may be of interest to this publication’s readership, LIS jargon should be avoided.

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

Readers of The Sun share an interest in the arts and in creating a better world for the future. They are concerned about the environment, education, and other issues that will have a long-term impact on our world. They may be politically active, usually at the grass-roots level.

The Sun‘s audience will be interested in and responsive to articles such as those about the roles of libraries as cultural institutions; funding challenges faced by public libraries; educational opportunities offered to children through library programs; services to immigrants and other non-native English speakers; and services to populations such as homeless adults and children and inmates.

Authors who are interested in being published in The Sun will want to ensure that their submissions deal with current issues facing libraries. They will want to focus less on the technical aspects of librarianship, and more on the social and cultural implications. They may want to consider interviews with leaders in the field of library and information science who are implementing innovative programs and ideas, especially those who are working to bring library services to traditionally underserved populations.

Last updated: September 8, 2020

References

Show 15 footnotes

Slashdot

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Slashdot

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://slashdot.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Slashdot is an online forum that provides “News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters.” This “stuff” includes stories on various aspects of technology, from discussing user’s rights online to sharing ideas and news on various IT subjects. Content is submitted by readers, who can also assist editors in the selection of material by utilizing the site’s collaborative moderation system called “Firehose,” which contains RSS Feeds, story submissions, and journals that have color-coding to indicate popularity. Using the color spectrum scale, “Red is hot, violet is not,” users can tag and vote on entries, in addition to providing feedback.

Target audience: People interested in all-things tech, particularly news and opinion on tech “with discussion backed by professional insight, polls, and analysis.”¹

Publisher: Slashdot Media ²

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication. This is an online forum that publishes reader’s articles on various aspects of technology, in addition to providing an interactive networking environment. Although it is likely to appeal to techie librarians, the primary target audience is not librarians; thus, it would be considered a lay publication rather than a LIS publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: Story sections are self-explanatory, with some exceptions: “Apache” (news about the Apache web server); “Apple” (news on all things Mac); “Ask Slashdot” (ask the readership any questions about software problems, hardware, jobs, etc.); “BSD” (news about “modern UNIXes derived from Berkeley’s distribution [like Free, Open and NetBSD]”); “Developers” (news that affects any aspect of programming, such as language, licensing, or techniques); “Features,” “Games,” “Geeks in Space” (not currently open for submissions, this was an audio broadcast provided by the editors); “Interviews”; “IT;” “Linux;” “Politics;” “Polls” (submit “thought-provoking 4-6 question polls to share); “Science;” and “Your Rights Online” (news and information on spam, privacy, and other issues affecting our rights online). Archived articles, book reviews, and job listings complete the content.

Frequency of publication: Daily.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://slashdot.org/faq/submissions.shtml

Types of contributions accepted: “The closer a submission is to featuring all the “perfect” characteristics, the better the chances are that it will run. While we will sometimes tweak submitters’ grammar, spelling and punctuation, attempt to fix broken links, and even edit with brackets and ellipses (in the interest of brevity, clarity and good taste), the nicer a submission starts out, the less tempted we are to hit “delete.” Not every Slashdot post is perfect — but the better they are, the better it is for everyone.”³ “A perfect Slashdot submission is: interesting, informative, clear, snappy, presented neutrally, submitted with appropriate topics, usually based on text and still images, labeled with an understandable, concise headline, well-linked, and grammatically correct.”⁴

Submission and review process: Use the Submit link located at the top right of the website’s home page. Creation of an account is required first. This is a moderated site allowing administrators and editors to approve or remove posts.⁵

Editorial tone: Informal.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

LIS authors with a technical bent will find the latest news, stories, and feeds on technology informative. This forum is an informal way to get stories submitted without a formal publishing process and allows for feedback from the target audience. Authors can pitch ideas and ask questions⁶, perhaps opening the discussion for more library and information science issues.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 32 million monthly visitors.⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: As this publication is only available online, there is no central geographic location. It is likely that users are international. The publication is written in English and no information is provided on the possible cultural considerations of the audience. This matter could be important, as different countries may have varying technical standards that would need to be further investigated and considered, perhaps by reading further into archives and different sections to find out if any stories on international issues are submitted.

Reader characteristics: The majority of readers work in IT.⁸ The general audience of Slashdot may not seem the ideal audience for a LIS writing, as they have concerns that would not necessarily reflect the ethics, interests, or issues of LIS. However, with the future of LIS moving quickly with new technology, this audience could be a great source of objective information. The technical aspects of the profession could be introduced into this forum with a group who might have new ideas or strategies unknown to a LIS author.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: This forum does not actively promote LIS subject matter unless there is a newsworthy story to share. However, with the influx of technology influences on LIS, this would be an interesting forum to share LIS information and get feedback that might be more objective on emerging technology.

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

Writing for and participating in this website would certainly not be a project for the light-hearted “LIS techie.” LIS authors with an avid interest in technology might be able to find middle ground with this publication on issues such as privacy concerns. The ability to collaborate with an audience with general technical backgrounds might open a dialog on the various ways that technology affects libraries.

Last updated: September 13, 2020

References

Show 8 footnotes

Senses of Cinema

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Senses of Cinema

ISSN: 1443-4059 (Online)¹

Website: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Senses of Cinema describes itself as “an online journal devoted to the serious and eclectic discussion of cinema.” As an Australian-based publication, Senses is also committed to discussing Australian film and film culture.²

Target audience: “People from a wide range of backgrounds, professions, and interests but bound by a single common element: an informed, passionate and serious attitude toward cinema as an art.”³

Publisher: Senses of Cinema, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? Articles can be peer reviewed by request.⁵

Type: Civilian publication; film journal.

Medium: Online.⁶

Content: Issues typically contain editorials, articles, film festival reports, book reviews, movie reviews, film director profiles, and English-language translations of articles previously published elsewhere. “We are open to a range of critical approaches (auteurist, formalist, psychoanalytic, humanist…) and encourage contributors to experiment with different forms of writing (personal memoir, academic essay, journalistic report, poetic evocation).”⁷

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.sensesofcinema.com/about/contributors/

Types of contributions accepted: Senses of Cinema accepts article proposals; unsolicited finished articles will not be considered. Their policy is not to republish material freely available online in English. Proposals should not exceed 200 words and should state what your article will be about why it will be of interest to the journal’s readers.⁹

Submission and review process: Submit proposals via email. If they commission an article based on your proposal, publication is not guaranteed until they see the finished article. Deadline and word count will be negotiated during commissioning, but feature articles should not exceed a maximum of 5,000 words. Once your finished article is submitted, it will be edited and returned to you for final approval. Authors may opt to have their article peer reviewed, if desired.¹⁰

Editorial tone: A variety of writing forms are encouraged,¹¹ but tone should be professional and intelligent.

Style guide used: Senses of Cinema uses a house style.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Because it’s not a library and information science publication, Senses of Cinema‘s potential for LIS authors is limited. That said, the publication’s exceedingly liberal definition of its scope and the wide range of article types and writing styles that it accepts make it an intriguing possibility for LIS scholars and practitioners with a professional (media librarians, film studies librarians, etc.) or personal interest in film. Senses is friendly to first-time authors and employs forms similar to those found in LIS publications (reviews, reports, etc.)¹², so it could be a good place for a writer to cut his or her authorial teeth. Senses has a solid reputation in film circles, so it might help the career of a librarian working in a humanities or media setting. Well-written and insightful articles about “librarians in the movies” might be accepted, too.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 216,000 unique users per issue and 450,000 page views per issue.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: No specific information about audience location could be determined but writers can assume that Senses of Cinema readers are comfortable with the English language and should also be respectful of the journal’s potential international readers, for whom English may be a second language.

Reader characteristics: Senses of Cinema “attracts readers from across all age groups, with particular emphasis on the 25-34 age bracket,” and the majority of Senses readers are practicing filmmakers or are involved in film culture and have completed an undergraduate degree.¹⁴ According to the journal, the common point linking a diverse readership is “a genuine love of and curiosity about the medium.”¹⁵ LIS authors should remember that LIS subjects are of secondary interest to the readers of this publication.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: LIS authors writing for this publication cannot assume that their readers have any knowledge of LIS topics or terminology.

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

Senses of Cinema has a great deal of potential for LIS authors who wish to write about LIS topics as they relate to film. That said, LIS authors need to remember that LIS subjects will always be of secondary importance to these readers; writers should take care to avoid jargon, provide background for any discussion of LIS subjects, and firmly ground their articles in the world of cinema.

Possible topics for LIS authors to write about for this publication include subjects pertaining to library media centers and/or collections; libraries and/or librarians as represented in film or in specific films; information gathering strategies for filmmakers, film studies scholars, or movie lovers; bibliographies for film and/or film studies topics; reviews of books, films, periodicals, movie soundtracks, or other materials that the LIS author might work with as a librarian.

Last updated: September 13, 2020

References

Show 15 footnotes

San Francisco Chronicle

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: San Francisco Chronicle

ISSN: 1932-8672 (Print) ¹

Website: http://www.sfchronicle.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The San Francisco Chronicle is, “…committed to coverage of subjects that are uniquely important to our readers: local issues and those topics with national impact such as economy, politics, technology, ecology, as well as breaking news, crime, education, national and foreign news.”²

Target audience: Readers throughout the Bay Area.³

Publisher: Hearst Communications, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.⁵

Content: Local, state and national news, sports, politics, business, travel, entertainment and food. Online version also includes blogs.⁶

Frequency of publication: Daily in print; updated more frequently online.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/

Types of contributions accepted: The Chronicle accepts Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed pieces.⁷

Submission and review process: Submission is via an online form on the website and the review process depends on the type of submission. Limit on length of articles is: Op-Ed pieces (700 words), Letters to the editor (200 words).⁸ No information is provided as to acceptance rates or method of acceptance.

Editorial tone: Freewheeling. The newspaper, and especially the online edition, takes a tone of local interest that may mirror its audience. The Bay Area community is thought to be more liberal than other parts of the country.

Style guide used: None specified for the type of contributions accepted.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication’s participation in Chronicle in Education,⁹ which provides teacher lessons and information, suggests an active community involvement and would make the Chronicle a possible publication for an LIS-related article.

Chronicle readers pride themselves on being intelligent and well educated and keeping abreast of current events, especially at the local level. Publication in this newspaper offers a unique opportunity for those in the library field to inform and instruct a huge lay audience about issues facing libraries today. The Sunday edition’s Insight section “aims to provide a forum to shake up conventional wisdom and provoke fresh thinking.”¹⁰ This might be an excellent arena for librarians to bring library-related issues to the forefront of the public’s awareness.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Print version: daily circulation of 176,721; Sunday circulation of 211,774.¹¹. Online version: 3.4 million unique visitors a month and 14.5 million pageviews a month.¹²

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: San Francisco, California, United States; online features are available worldwide. English.

Reader characteristics: 57$ of the readers have a college degree, with a median household income of $127,036. The median age of readers is 50, and 77% do not have children.¹³ It is likely that the interests of the Chronicle’s readers are local issues, and those affecting middle-class families. Considering the industries of San Francisco and the Bay Area, readers are likely to work in technology and computer jobs, the arts, and tourism. San Francisco is famous for being politically, socially, and economically progressive. Overall, its constituents are antiwar, pro-equal rights (including gay marriage), and San Francisco was one of the first cities in the country to give library cards to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The newspaper does not regularly focus on LIS subject matter, but local library issues and concerns might be raised in an editorial piece.

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

The audience of the San Francisco Chronicle are educators, parents, cab drivers, in the mayor’s office; they are you and me. With this in mind, authors should avoid library jargon (e.g., MARC, CONSER, AACR2) and specialized library science themes. Topics dealing with promoting library services, such as lobbying for the public’s free and open access to information, new reading programs, and issues with banned books, would be appropriate as this newspaper is targeting the general public.

Last updated: September 13, 2020

References

Show 13 footnotes

Sacramento Bee

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Sacramento Bee

ISSN: 0890-5738 (Print)¹

Website: http://sacbee.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: “…to produce a newspaper that serves the needs of its community without becoming subservient to the whims of public opinion or the pressures of the powerful.”²

Target audience: “The Bee’s circulation area covers the Northern Sacramento Valley and surrounding areas: south to Stockton, north to Redding, east to Reno and west to the San Francisco Bay Area.”³

Publisher: The McClatchy Company.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper

Medium: Print and online.⁵

Content: Local, state, and national news, politics, community events calendar, sports, and entertainment.

Frequency of publication: Daily.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/submit-letter/article3351588.html

Types of contributions accepted: The Bee accepts letters to the editor (150 words),⁷ opinion columns and personal viewpoints of roughly 600 words.⁸

Submission and review process: Use the separate online forms for submitting a letter or opinion piece, and read the instructions for each.

Editorial tone: None identified.

Style guide used: None mentioned.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

An LIS author who resides in or has personal knowledge of the market served by the publication could write a letter to the editor about a current library funding issue, a longer article on the value of libraries specific to a population within Sacramento, or write in response to a published article in The Bee about the state of library services. There are many possibilities for an LIS author familiar with the market area.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 92,733 paid daily, 164,041 paid Sunday, average monthly online audience of 27,608,000.⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: “The Bee’s circulation area covers the Northern Sacramento Valley and surrounding areas: south to Stockton, north to Redding, east to Reno and west to the San Francisco Bay Area.”¹⁰ This is an English language publication serving a racially diverse population.

Reader characteristics: Demographic information is not available, but according to the United States Census, Sacramento County is 62.8% white and 23.6% Hispanic or Latino.¹¹ The publication supports community arts and champions environmental causes.¹²

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers of this publication are the general public and would have limited knowledge of LIS matters and terminology.

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

Since the readers of The Bee will not be familiar with LIS jargon or library issues, an author needs to keep writing for this publication general and be certain to provide convincing reasons for the reader to care about the library topic of their article.

Last updated: September 14, 2020

References

Show 12 footnotes

The Recorder

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Recorder

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://www.law.com/therecorder/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “Law.com is the premiere source for trusted and timely legal news and analysis. Subscribers to the site can access stories from across ALM’s national and regional publications, with the opportunity to view news by practice area.” Also, “ALM, an information and intelligence company, provides customers with critical news, data, analysis, marketing solutions and events to successfully manage the business of business.“¹

Target audience: Legal professionals, law librarians, and the general public.²

Publisher: ALM Media Properties, LLC.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian publication for people in the legal industry.

Medium: Online.⁵

Content: “A rich selection of articles curated by ALM’s expert editorial team from across ALM’s national and regional publications, featuring leading voices in the legal field.“⁶

Frequency of publication: Daily.⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.therecorder.com/contact

Types of contributions accepted: Although most articles are written by professional journalists, the publication does accept letters to the editor and story suggestion ideas. Contact the editor to discuss other types of contributions.

Submission and review process: There are no specific guidelines on the website, but letters to the editor should match the tone of other articles in the publication.

Editorial tone: No tone specified, but articles are written as informational news pieces.

Style guide used: None mentioned.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication is vital to a law library as a resource for the legal community and to keep law librarians updated on new laws and procedures. Law librarians may work daily with the legal professionals who read The Recorder.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: As of October 2016, The Recorder is only published online.⁸ Specific publication numbers for The Recorder could not be determined. The publisher, ALM, indicates that across their 20 publications, there are 1.58 million website visitors a month.⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Aimed at attorneys and executives in the United States and written in English.¹⁰

Reader characteristics: Considering that readership is comprised largely of attorneys and executives, most readers are college-educated professionals.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The majority of the readership are lawyers who will have knowledge of law libraries. Issues involving law libraries might be of interest to them, including articles on new publications in a specific field of law.

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

Due to the level of expertise and understanding, the readers have of the law, LIS authors also need to have a high level of legal knowledge to write for this publication.

Last updated: September 8, 2020

References

Show 10 footnotes

Press-Telegram

By Bethany Baker on April 27, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Press-Telegram

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.presstelegram.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The purpose of the Press-Telegram is to provide news and information of interest to local constituents.¹

Target audience: Residents of Long Beach and the surrounding areas.²

Publisher: MediaNews Group, Inc.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian newspaper.⁵

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: General information relevant to citizens of the Long Beach and Orange County area. Includes varied content such as: sports, entertainment, business, religion, travel, lifestyles, obituaries, and special sections. This newspaper also includes information at the global, national, state, and local levels.⁷

Frequency of publication: Daily.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.presstelegram.com/share-your-news

Types of contributions accepted: Letters to the editor are accepted on all issues of public concern. From their Share Your News section: “Letters must include the writer’s home community and a daytime phone number for confirmation. Please limit submissions to 150 words and send via email (without attachments) to speakout [at] presstelegram.com.”⁹ Guest commentaries of no more than 600 words are also considered for publication. “We look for topical commentary on public policy and social issues that are of general interest to our print and digital readership. We give preference to local, regional and California topics and writers.”¹⁰ “Email your submission to opinion [at] langnews.com with the subject line “Op-ed submission.” Include a sentence or two at the end including your position, city or community of residence, and any background relevant to your expertise in the topic.”¹¹

Editorial tone: Not specified.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This newspaper lends itself to publishing local LIS-related issues. LIS practitioners and students living in the covered area should consider submitting opinion pieces of local library issues. Topics may include: Long Beach library improvement initiative, Long Beach library special events, or a review of past public programming. Library-themed articles or letters may be published in this newspaper; however, they must be focused on local library issues and be free of library jargon in order to reach the public.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 15,000 daily; 29,000 Sunday, with 699,000 unique monthly visitors to the website.¹²

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Press-Telegram market covers the Greater Long Beach Area including the communities of the Artesia, Bell, Bellflower, Carson, Cerritos, Compton, Cypress, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Huntington Park, La Mirada, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Lynwood, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, San Pedro, Santa Fe Springs, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, South Gate, and Wilmington.¹³ Although this is a local newspaper, it does tackle state, national, and global issues. However, these issues tend to be related in some fashion to the local audience. Although this newspaper is written in English, part of its audience is the large Hispanic community residing in the marketed cities. In addition, it includes information relevant to the Cambodian community because Long Beach has the largest Cambodian population in the United States.¹⁴

Reader characteristics: Readers are 51% female and 49% male with a median age of 38 years old. 51% of readers are Hispanic and 59% have a college education. The average household income $98,370. ¹⁵ The Press-Telegram readers likely do not have established opinions about library science subjects because they are not library professionals. This publication, much like the city of Long Beach and the Greater Long Beach Area, is much more progressive in nature due to its culturally diverse demographics.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: After reviewing various articles in the Press-Telegram, it is clear that they do not specifically tackle library and information science issues, however, they will publicize events and news relevant to the local Long Beach public library or other libraries in the surrounding cities. It is very likely that the layperson will not understand library jargon, so technical terms are discouraged when attempting to publish in this newspaper.

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

The readers of this publication are culturally diverse and do not share a similar type of job. When writing for this audience it is important to keep in mind that this is a progressive audience who cares about state, national, and global issues.

Last updated: September 14, 2020

References

Show 15 footnotes

Perspectives on History

By Katie Wood on April 25, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Perspectives on History

ISSN: 1940-8048¹

Website: http://www.historians.org/perspectives/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Perspectives on History is the newsmagazine of the American Historical Association (AHA); it serves as the, “…principal source for news and information about the discipline of history.”²

Publication Tagline: “Perspectives cultivates the community of historians and promotes our work.” ³

“We strive to be a place for historians across the discipline’s broad spectrum to share their ideas and enthusiasm.” ⁴

Target audience: Members of the AHA; College and university professors, and K–12 teachers of history; historical administrators; editors; museum professionals; publishers; librarians; and students of history. ⁵

Publisher: American Historical Association.⁶

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian. While some members of the AHA might also be information professionals (and many other members will have a strong understanding of the library profession), most members will not be intimately familiar with the LIS profession.

Medium: Print. Online content is also published under Perspectives Daily.

Content: “We offer articles and commentary on research and archives, teaching, digital projects, new books of note, history in the media, public history and museum exhibitions, and more.” ⁷

Frequency of publication: “Our print edition is published monthly and online during the academic year, with online-only articles in Perspectives Daily updated regularly all year round. A print subscription is available only with AHA membership.” ⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.historians.org/perspectives/submit

Types of contributions accepted: “We do consider full manuscripts, but we prefer to receive pitches to give us a better understanding of the topic and your viewpoint as an author. Potential writers should familiarize themselves with the sort of articles we publish and the sections in which they fit. If a story is immediately relevant to discussions about current events, please flag it as a possible contribution to Perspectives Daily if you envision it being published quickly.” ⁹

Perspectives on History and Perspectives Daily welcome articles by historians from all kinds of institutions (including but not limited to colleges and universities, K–12 schools, museums, and archives), at all degree levels, and of all professional ranks. They also accept Letters to the editor, In Memoriam essays, and ‘Everything Has a History’ essays. ¹⁰

Submission and review process: “Articles for Perspectives on History should normally be about 1,500 words in length. Perspectives Daily articles are about 800–1,000 words, letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words, In Memoriam essays about 650 words, and Everything Has a History essays about 500 words. ¹¹

“While Perspectives on History does commission articles, it also accepts both completed submissions and proposals. Articles and letters are reviewed by the editorial board, and, in the case of article submissions, the board may make suggestions for revisions.” ¹²

“To ensure that no errors are inadvertently introduced into the text in the copyediting process, the copyedited version of articles accepted for publication may be sent to authors for final approval (when major revisions are suggested). Since both Perspectives on History and Perspectives Daily run on a tight schedule, the editors typically will ask authors to respond within 24 to 48 hours.” ¹³

Editorial tone: The submission guidelines state a preference for a journalistic or conversational style. In general, the articles in Perspectives on History are written with a semi-formal tone. Additionally, authors are asked to limit the number of citations in their articles.¹⁴

Style guide used: “We encourage authors of articles to supply a working title for the essay, although the final determination of headlines, captions, pull quotes, and other forms of “display type” are made by the editors. A brief autobiographical description (25-30 words) should be appended at the end of the article, indicating the author’s institutional affiliation (if any), recent major publications, interests, and so on. Spelling—especially of proper names used in drafts—and all factual information (dates, place names, statistical data, and so on) provided should be verified by the author(s) before submission.” ¹⁵

The Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.). For copy-editing, the editors also use Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) and the most recent edition of Merriam–Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. In general, the editors attempt to make an author’s prose as effective as possible, both in the author’s interest and that of our publications. The editors seek to remove redundancies and errors—if any—in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Perspectives on History and Perspectives Daily support the use of gender-neutral language in their articles, except when a change in pronoun would lead to a historical inaccuracy.” ¹⁶

Letters to the editor should be guided by the AHA’s Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct. ¹⁷

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The organization and preservation of information are central to the tasks of both the historian and the LIS professional, and so it is not uncommon for their interests to intersect. Many developments in the Information field would be of interest to historians, especially if those developments were presented specifically for that audience. Such a presentation could generate a significant amount of name recognition if received favorably.

While Perspectives on History is not, strictly speaking, a scholarly publication, it does possess enough prestige that an article printed in it would add weight to a tenure or promotion cause. However, this is not a venue for early-career publishing.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Population circulation: Nearly 15,000.¹⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: AHA members are generally based in the United States, and the magazine is published in English.¹⁹ AHA members will be familiar with many of the same research terminologies that librarians use, but they will be completely unfamiliar with much of the jargon of information science. Similarly, historians have their own jargon, and an author writing for a history publication would do well to familiarize themselves with it.

Reader characteristics: “… AHA brings together historians specializing in every period, geographic region, and topic of history. Through its scholarly and professional activities, the AHA represents the broad diversity of the historical enterprise today. More than 60 percent of the Association’s members are professors of history, with the remaining 40 percent consisting of students, teachers, administrators, and publishers in the field.” ²⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: As historians, the members of the AHA will generally have a strong understanding of research and research tools. However, they will not be familiar with aspects of LIS subjects outside those that apply to their discipline.

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

The historians who comprise the membership of the AHA are, like most faculty, very busy people. It is essential, when writing for them, to show them — in their own terms — how you can save time or make their research easier. Perspectives on History is primarily a newsletter, even though it does publish some research-based articles. A librarian writing for this publication would do well to simplify the presentation of their research, and focus primarily on the practical application of their results.

Last updated: October 19, 2020

References

Show 20 footnotes

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