Wiki Tags Archives: Opinion

Ilovelibraries.org

By Katie Wood on March 9, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: ilovelibraries.org

ISSN: Not applicable

Website: http://www.ilovelibraries.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Ilovelibraries.org is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA), designed to keep America informed about what’s happening in today’s libraries. Ilovelibraries.org promotes the value of libraries and librarians, explains key issues affecting libraries, and urges readers to support and take action for their libraries.”¹

“Ilovelibraries.org is a place to learn more about the health and vitality of today’s libraries, emerging trends, and current issues affecting libraries around the country, whether in public, school, academic, corporate or institutional libraries.”²

Target audience: The general public.³

Publisher: The American Library Association.⁴

Peer reviewed? No. ⁵

Type: Publication of an LIS professional organization, the American Library Association, for a lay audience, the general public.⁶

Medium: Online.

Content: The website includes feature articles on what’s happening in today’s libraries, book reviews, ways for readers to share stories about their own library experiences, and ways to advocate for libraries in their communities, including links to advocacy software that allows users to contact members of Congress. There is a blog that collects library stories from the news, a blog from Booklist magazine about running a book group, and a section titled “Real Life Stories” for readers to share what the library means to them.⁷

Frequency of publication: New content is posted frequently.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ilovelibraries.org/about/editorial

Types of contributions accepted: ilovelibraries.org seeks feature articles about local libraries and their programs, staff, or volunteers; stories about viewers’ experiences with libraries.⁹

Submission and review process: Queries must be sent to the editors at ilovelibraries@ala.org (Word or Google Doc preferred). Features should be between 400-1000 words. “We will acknowledge your article when we receive it. We make decisions to accept or reject articles as quickly as possible. On acceptance, an estimated date of publication may be provided to the author. “¹⁰

Editorial tone: Informal but informative, with a clear, simple style.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication appears to be a possible outlet for those of us who are not yet professional librarians to submit articles about what libraries have to offer us as patrons. Articles are short and informal, the site is always accepting submissions, and the editors will get back to contributors fairly quickly. It could be a good place to get one’s feet wet in the publishing experience. It is a good place for librarians to submit pieces about their their libraries, or profiles about librarians, speakers or patrons who may have interesting stories to tell.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No website traffic information available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The website can be viewed internationally, but as it is an initiative of the American Library Association, we can assume most readers are within the United States. Articles and news postings cover libraries in the U.S., and reader postings seem to be limited to the U.S. as well.¹¹

Reader characteristics: Individuals who use or work in libraries. Website users, their interests and workplaces, would likely be as diverse as the population of the United States. The publisher of this website publication represents libraries in North America and has a vested interest in presenting libraries in a positive manner.¹²

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Knowledge of LIS subject matter would be on a spectrum, but the aim of the website is to spread the love of LIS, so articles should use as little jargon as possible unless educating the public on the jargon specifically.

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

This site would be one avenue to encourage and promote libraries to the general public. Visitors to the site would most likely already have a positive image of libraries and are looking for reasons to continue on this path. This site provides a fun way to showcase library events, new trends such as makerspaces, e-readers, and digital libraries. There are sections of library quotes, book reviews, and spotlights on public libraries and librarians.

Last updated: October 12, 2018

References

Show 12 footnotes

San Diego Reader

By Bethany Baker on March 9, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: San Diego Reader

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: To cover all aspects of life in San Diego.¹

Target audience: People living in, or visiting, the San Diego region.

Publisher: James E. Holman.²

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian weekly alternative newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.³

Content: The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN) describes the content as follows: “Specializing in feature stories, the Reader covers San Diego life in general, with emphasis on politics and the arts and entertainment. The Reader publishes comprehensive listings of movies, events, theater, and music; restaurant and film reviews; and free classifieds.”⁴

Frequency of publication: Weekly.⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

Types of contributions accepted: Their website allows for online submission (requires free registration) of articles in four specific categories: CD or concert review, neighborhood news story, travel story, waterfront story, or cover story.⁶ They also accept letters to the editor.⁷ Per their website: “Woo us with actual reporting, not a cover letter written to impress your creative-writing teacher.”⁸

Submission and review process: There are online submission forms for each type of story.⁹

Editorial tone: Informal but informative.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The San Diego Reader celebrates San Diego and its diverse people. It focuses on a variety of ordinary people and places within the county. The potential for publication of San Diego LIS authors by the San Diego Reader exists for a variety of reasons. A call for the commencement of construction on the new central library, designed a decade ago, could be shaped as a letter to the editor. Other issues that librarians and the Reader feel strongly about are equal access to information and censorship. A concise reporting of banned books week events may be framed as a neighborhood story.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 90,000 as of March 2015.¹⁰

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The focus of the Reader articles is on local San Diego life, politics, and entertainment. Its reach extends beyond San Diego County, (the sixth-largest county in the United States) into under-represented Imperial County and Baja California.

Although the Reader is written in English, there is an awareness that San Diego is a culturally diverse region. The tone is informal and direct, the vocabulary concrete, and the sentence structure is not complex. The investigative articles usually feature five to ten San Diegans to show how the issue impacts different people from a variety of backgrounds. Frequently, the names of cities and communities, as well as local businesses, are used as examples, without bothering to explain a reference to readers outside the region.

Reader characteristics: Audience demographics are not available, but readers will be residents of the San Diego area. The publication is progressive; its coverage of local politics confronts issues critically. Its bias is inherent in its values. The attitude calls attention to those who exploit the average person. Some topics are intended to evoke outrage.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The level of knowledge of LIS issues will vary and it can be safely assumed that readers have the same level of LIS knowledge as the general public.

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

The Reader has a reputation for high-quality writing that the readers have come to expect, suggesting, even in the limited fashion that contributions are accepted, that quality of writing would play a role in acceptance. Living in San Diego would be important in order to convey the essence of the city and county to readers.

Last updated: September 28, 2020

References

Show 10 footnotes

Oakland Magazine

By Katie Wood on March 7, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Oakland Magazine

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.oaklandmagazine.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Oakland Magazine is to speak to Oakland and East Bay (California) residents about “the exceptional beauty, diversity, and quality of life of Oakland and the greater East Bay.”¹

Target audience: Oakland and East Bay residents.²

Publisher: Telegraph Media.³

Peer reviewed? No. ⁴

Type: Civilian, regional magazine.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: Sections include reporting; lifestyle; food and drink; and arts and culture, as they relate to the Oakland area. ⁵

Frequency of publication: Issues are published in print and online 10 times a year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.oaklandmagazine.com/Oakland-Magazine/About-Us/Jobs/

Types of contributions accepted: “Ideal contributors are based in the East Bay and know the area’s diversions, people, issues and dynamics. It’s also important to be familiar with our magazines. We’re looking for good generalists as well as contributors who want to report on and write news and politics, lifestyle issues, food and drink, and arts and culture.”⁷

Submission and review process: From the website: “Send a cover letter, resume, a writing sample, and a story idea to judy [at] alamedamgazine.com or judy [at] oaklandmagazine.com. Please write ‘Freelance Writer’ in your e-mail subject line. ⁸

“BEFORE YOU PITCH any ideas, however, it’s imperative that you familiarize yourself with our magazines, which includes general understanding of what our lifestyle-oriented magazines actually cover and our sections and departments. The editor prefers writers to pitch articles for specific sections of the magazine when possible. All queries should be well thought out and well researched yet short, to the point, and information packed. Upon receipt of a query that may interest the editor, clips and writing samples will be requested as evidence of the writer’s ability to complete the proposed assignment. Those should be sent via e-mail as attachments.”⁹

“We publish everything from 350-word shorts to 2,500-plus word in-depth features, with most articles somewhere between those extremes. In general, we run a majority of 500-word and 750-word to 1,000-word articles. Our lead-time is about three months. Pay depends on the complexity of the assignment, and Telegraph Media pays upon publication.”¹⁰

We publish everything from 350-word shorts to 2,500-plus word in-depth features, with most articles somewhere between those extremes. In general, we run a majority of 500-word and 750-word to 1,000-word articles. Our lead-time is about three months. Pay depends on the complexity of the assignment, and Telegraph Media pays upon publication.”¹¹

Editorial tone: Conversational and informal.

Style guide used: Publication requests submissions be in AP style. ¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Oakland Magazine editors are probably not thinking about libraries when they are setting up their issues. However, as the magazine’s focus is on Oakland culture, the right library-oriented story could work very well, and could be wonderful marketing for local libraries. Potential writers should make sure that their pitches are well crafted and well timed.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 20,000.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The readers of Oakland Magazine primarily live in the city of Oakland, CA, but many readers may also live in the greater Bay Area. Writers should live in the area, as the articles are very geographically specific. English language publication for affluent active adults in the Oakland area and Bay Area.¹⁴

Reader characteristics: Readers of Oakland Magazine are adults interested in making the most of their time in the Oakland area. Their media kit proudly states that they reach a demographic with plenty of buying power, suggesting a possible source for financial support for libraries.¹⁵

Oakland Magazine is not profession-specific. Nonetheless, because of the readership’s demographic, it may be safely assumed that many of the readers are active professionals. Potential writers for Oakland Magazine wishing to write LIS-related essays should avoid technical jargon, and should be general enough in their approach that people from many different professions can find interesting access points into the article. Most readers probably do not consider libraries often but would be interested in strengthening their community (especially if they could see and be seen while doing it). Thus, pieces that emphasize either community responsibility or useful free resources would probably be the most advantageous for this publication.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Scant. Writers will certainly want to avoid LIS jargon and overly in-depth articles.

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

Readers of Oakland Magazine probably have little knowledge of library-oriented challenges and concerns, but are probably interested in community events. As such, Oakland Magazine could be a good venue to promote library events and library-positive opinion pieces. Any writing regarding libraries would have to be spun in a “feel-good-about-yourself” direction, so that the readers’ interests would be held. That said, a library-related article could have a large impact on an affluent, educated group — the very people who often will support libraries and their programs with financial donations.

Last updated: October 10, 2018

References

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Stanford Social Innovation Review

By Bethany Baker on March 7, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR)

ISSN: 1542-7099 (Print)¹

Website: http://www.ssireview.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “To advance, educate, and inspire the field of social innovation by seeking out, cultivating, and disseminating the best in research- and practice-based knowledge.”² The goal is to bring together academic theory and practice to create ideas for achieving social change, and to inform and inspire new social change.

Target audience: Leaders in nonprofit organizations, foundations, or other philanthropic institutions, along with people working in business, government, academia, and other fields.³

Publisher: Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: Civilian publication.

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: The website is extensive, and includes links to past issues as well as original content: blogs, webinars, podcasts, SSIR events. The SSIR covers people and organizations whose work has an impact on business, nonprofit, and government sectors, particularly those with cross-sector ideas and solutions to global issues. Subjects include social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, and philanthropic strategies, as well as educational reform, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection.⁷

Frequency of publication: Website updated frequently; print magazine is published quarterly.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ssireview.org/about/submission_guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: External authors (anyone outside SSIR’s editorial team) can submit articles under Features, which run 4000-4500 words; 3500-4500 word Case Studies; 1500-word Viewpoint articles; 800-word Books (formerly called Reviews); or blog posts for the website, running between 600-800 words.⁹ The guidelines list specific details for each submissions category that writers should take into consideration.

Submission and review process: Submissions are sent via a brief email pitch, Word format, to SSIR editors covering the specific section you’re submitting under. Submission guidelines list the current editor of each section and how to contact them, and detail the questions to cover in the pitch.¹⁰

You’ll get acknowledgment of your proposal within 1-2 weeks. The review process takes up to two months, as each editor (including managing and academic editors, depending on the proposal) participates in the review, and then sends the proposal to the editorial committee, who makes the final decision. A list of criteria for submissions is found in the guidelines.¹¹

Additionally, SSIR editors and stable freelance journalists write articles under What Works, What Didn’t Work, What’s Next, Reviews of books, Q&A and Research. You can submit pitches for these categories as well, for a particular person, organization, trend or research. The website also details what the editors want to see for ideas for these sections.¹²

Editorial tone: Easy to read, thoughtful articles chock full of information and interesting ideas, theories, suggestions, and solutions to global challenges.

Style guide used: If the submission is accepted, SSRI editors will work closely with the author on style guides and citations.¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Submissions on LIS issues would do well in the SSIR, if approached from an innovative, thought-provoking way, such as describing grass-roots LIS efforts and their outcomes, or discussing LIS in a global setting, or how LIS practices can be used to promote social change. Writers need to make sure the topic submitted would be relevant or interesting to all the SSIR’s readers, so it should not be too LIS specific. Real-world examples described through research or firsthand experience are ideal. LIS efforts on providing information to mass populations, particularly underserved, or information technologies that bridge communities and allow information sharing would most likely do well in this publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Print magazine has a circulation of 13,000, while the website averages 165,000 unique visitors per month.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The magazine is published by Stanford University, which is located in Santa Clara County, CA, and the print magazine is sold in newsstands across the United States and Canada. English is the primary language of this Silicon Valley publication, however, in an email to the author on October 5, 2020, Eric Nee, Editor-in-Chief of SSIR indicated that the “SSIR has five partner organizations around the world–Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul, Abu Dhabi, and Monterrey, Mexico) who have a license to produce SSIR in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, and Spanish.”

Reader characteristics: Per the submission guidelines: “SSIR’s readers are highly educated, widely read, and well informed about the field of social innovation. They want to be provoked, surprised, and presented with memorable information and rigorous analysis. They don’t want long-winded arguments, insider jargon, or excessively narrow and technical writing.”

Readers are overwhelmingly CEO’s, presidents, or senior executives of their organization. Half work for nonprofits, and a small group are philanthropists or foundation leaders.¹⁵

The writing is smart and well researched, and poses interesting questions and theories to readers, assuming that everyone is at the same high level of education and that readers are interested in viewing challenges from a global perspective.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Not a publication specifically aimed at the LIS community, and, per their submission guidelines, readers don’t want “insider jargon.”¹⁶

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

Articles submitted to the SSIR should be timely, forward-thinking, and offer solutions as well as pose questions for readers, who are thought leaders and executives looking for new ways to lead their organizations and foster social change. The LIS field is ripe for this type of exploration, and SSIR readers would most likely benefit from learning about innovations in the LIS world.

Last updated: October 5, 2020

References

Show 16 footnotes

Education Libraries

By iSchool Admin on March 6, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Education Libraries

ISSN: XXXX-XXXX

Website: http://educationlibraries.mcgill.ca/index

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Education Libraries is an electronic, refereed journal of the Special Libraries Association’s (SLA) Education Division. It offers a forum for new and challenging ideas in education, and library and information science. It also explores the effect of new technologies on the library profession and library and information curriculum.”¹

Target audience: The target audience is the membership of the Special Libraries Association, which includes those employed at “a variety of venues, including special libraries and information centers, academic libraries, public libraries, and school libraries.”²

Publisher: Special Libraries Association, Education Division³

Peer reviewed? Yes⁴

Type: LIS and Education; scholarly⁵

Medium: Online, open access since 2015⁶

Content: Education Libraries publishes scholarly articles, book reviews, member profiles, and case studies.⁷ Recent feature articles include faculty-librarian collaboration, 3-D printing in education libraries, collection development, and school library advocacy.⁸

Frequency of publication: Biannually⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://educationlibraries.mcgill.ca/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Education Libraries accepts “research studies, descriptive narratives, or other thoughtful considerations of topics of interest to the education information professional. Manuscripts focusing on issues relevant to more general concerns either in the field of education or in the field of library and information science are also welcome provided they include a significant component specifically germane to education, libraries and librarianship.”¹⁰

Submission and review process: Authors submitting manuscripts are required to register using a link provided on the publication website.¹¹ All submissions will be considered for publication and are subject to the double-blind peer review process. Inquiries about particular manuscripts may be sent via email to the editor. See the publication website for details.¹²

Editorial tone: Scholarly¹³

Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) style manual, most recent edition¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Education Libraries presents an interesting opportunity for LIS writers from different types of libraries to discuss and share information that is related to education. This journal is well established, which means writers can be assured that they are submitting their work to a credible source and contributing to the scholarly conversation.

The journal is indexed in Education Libraries is indexed in ERIC, EBSCOhost’s Education Collection, and Library Literature.¹⁵

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to the SLA’s website there are more than 9,000 association members based in more than 75 countries.¹⁶ Information about exactly how many are a part of the Education Division is not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Just as members of the Special Libraries Association are located around the world, the readers of Education Libraries are also international.¹⁷ Because this is an international publication, differences in language and cultural practice should be considered.

Reader characteristics: It is safe to assume the readers of this publication are interested in academic libraries and their role in education. Due to the professional focus of this publication the readership is largely comprised of individuals already working in academic libraries with considerable experience in the field. The readers of this publication are likely to value education and research. They are likely to be interested in learning about new technologies as well as in innovative teaching methods. Recent articles demonstrate a general acceptance of new technologies and changes in librarianship.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: It is likely that, as library employees, a majority of readers are very familiar with LIS subject matter. Additionally, we can assume that the readers are familiar with new information technologies issues as well as issues surrounding the growth of digital content in library collections.¹⁹

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

The most important characteristic of the Education Libraries audience is its interest in education and technology related to instruction and learning. Authors must keep in mind the fact that this journal is scholarly, and the widest audience is those who work in higher education libraries, therefore well researched studies are particularly important. Potential contributors writing book or technology reviews as well as opinion pieces may want to relate their subject back to its value to learning in order to appeal to the audience.

Last updated: April 13, 2017

References

Show 19 footnotes

Boing Boing

By Katie Wood on February 11, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Boing Boing

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://boingboing.net/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “A Website devoted to technology and culture. We publish feature articles, links to things we find interesting online, podcasts, videos and comics created by the Boing Boing editorial team and other invited contributors. We also provide a discussion forum so you can participate in the conversation; and sell merchandise in the Boing Boing Shop.”¹ Boing Boing allows users to submit interesting, cool, newsworthy links to articles, videos, and any minutia you find interesting.

Target audience: If you’re interested in anything outside the mainstream, this would be the place to look. The website is hailed as a bastion of free speech and imagine sharing; it was founded by an editor of Make Magazine, which is dedicated to all things DIY, and the four primary editors have all written for Wired Magazine.²

Publisher: Happy Mutants, LLC.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Civilian publication / online forum.⁵

Medium: Online

Content: A blog/forum that shares member-reader links of all sorts -informational, fun, noteworthy.

Frequency of publication: Blog updated with at least several new posts per day.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Forum Rules

Types of contributions accepted: Any kinds.

Submission and review process:

“You can browse the Site without logging in. However, to participate in our Discussion Forum, you need to create an account. We use the Discourse.org forum platform and the creators CDCK host it on their servers and run it for us. To participate in the forum, you may create a new account, use an existing Discourse.org user name and password or log-in using one of your social networking user name and passwords.” ⁶

Editorial tone: As informal, but informative, as possible. Headlines and pictures are purposely titillating or attention grabbing. Example: under the “Science” category is the headline: “Anne of Green Gables Had Herpes (and you probably do, too),”an article about herpes. Or “The Librarian and the Hot Rod Shop,” a post about a mobile initiative that provides library resources to people who are unaware of the library, or can’t make it to the local branch.

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If you have any little library related tidbit to share, this is a great website on which to post it. These are non-reviewed blog posts, so it’s not a site that will help towards your tenured work or that you should cite in a scholarly article, but it’s a great source for getting and sending information to a curious, intelligent, and supportive audience. It would be a great first start for book reviews, for example, or just to write about or re-post some interesting library-related news.

Creative Commons License: non-commercial sharing, with attribution. Just make sure you say where your link/review/article originated.⁷

Of note to LIS writers: a team from the American Library Association ran a Boing Boing member interest group called Library Boing Boing from 2012 to 2014. See Library Boing Boing, and their first Boing Boing post; the full collection is tagged LIBRARYLAB. To learn more, see the LibraryLab community on the ALA Connect website.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: In an article in Fast Company, according to Quantcast data, it gets about 2.5 million unique visitors a month. The article also states that, in 2004-2005, it “had become one of the most-read and linked-to blogs in the world.”⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: According to Quantcast data, Boing Boing reaches an international audience, though 63% of its readers are in the United States.⁹ English is the primary language, but as the site also links to websites, videos, etc., as long as you explain the reason for submitting your article/website/repost, the language of the thing itself isn’t too strict. Culture is progressive and friendly, hacker-ish and non-mainstream.

Reader characteristics: Quantcast data reports that the majority of readers are white, male, and highly educated.¹⁰ Hackers, DIY-ers, those who like to stay current on news/gadgets/things, and anyone with an eye on web culture and interesting news of all kinds will gravitate towards the blog. The blog’s bias lies on the side of being, for the most part, uncensored and relishing in re-posting links that test freedom of speech and censorship in the online community. They are very much an “anything goes” site, as long as “anything” is interesting to readers.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: More civilian than professional; LIS jargon should be kept to a minimum, use layman’s terms and just get your point across in the least scholarly tone possible. The readership comprises a savvy group of people, but they are not all LIS aficionados, so use regular, everyday terms when describing your link and why you find it interesting.

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

Boing Boing would be a great place to post information relevant to the library community: its readers, while very much an online-loving group, seem to enjoy hearing about LIS-related news, particularly if it has to do with free speech, public access, or challenges to the LIS community. They are well-read, spoken, and intelligent, and, with the inclusion of the LIS-specific posting group, would appreciate links coming from the Library world. Although not scholarly in tone, the links posted can be of scholarly caliber, and the blog has garnered attention and awards, and holds a certain status in the blogosphere; posts here are likely to be reposted elsewhere and shared.

Last updated: September 1, 2020

References

Show 10 footnotes

Make:

By Katie Wood on February 2, 2013 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Make:

ISSN: Print: 1556-2336¹

Website: http://makezine.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: A hybrid magazine/book (“mook”) specializing in DIY projects, particularly fun, at-home technology in categories like Home & Garden, Art & Design, Computers & Mobile, Craft, and Desktop Manufacturing. Article examples include “Learning to Build a Bot,” “Software for Makers,” and “Code Kids” programming tips. ² ”

As the leading voice of the maker movement, Make: publishes tested projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews and inspirational stories, accessible by all ages and skill ranges”³

Target audience: The target audience is rather diverse and includes anyone who is interested in learning how to build interesting projects, or simply want to see the projects of other people. ⁴

Publisher: Make Community, LLC. ⁵

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication and website for hobbyists and professionals.

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: Tutorials, projects, reviews, and articles related to education, science, and technology.

Frequency of publication: Print Magazine publishes four times a year, online updated more often.⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://makezine.com/submissions.html

Types of contributions accepted: Make: accepts project submissions. “A project is a step-by-step set of instructions and photographs of a specific build that others can reproduce and reiterate upon, based on your documentation. The more you can document your project, the better. If that’s what you’d like to share, you can publish it on Make: Projects. If you’ve made something cool (or have come up with a cool hack or tweak for something) and want to show other people how to make one, we’d like to publish it. Note: We’re interested in hearing about things you’ve already made, not things you are just thinking about making.” ⁸

Make: also accepts other submissions. Submissions should fit into one of the following categories:

Reviews: “Reviews generally run only in print, although certain review categories are collected into Guides (check out our 3D Printer Guide, Board Guide, Drone Guide, and Holiday Gift Guide). If there’s a gadget, tool, website, newsletter, instructional video, book, magazine, instrument, or other device you already own and love, you can email your review to “Toolbox,” Make’s recommendation section, at toolbox@makezine.com, or you can submit it online. Reviews should be 50–250 words, and written in the first person. Think more “recommendation” and “experience” when you write these than “review.” We want to hear about your involvement with it. The old Whole Earth Review guidelines for reviews went like this: “Write your review. Then write us a letter explaining why we should devote space to your item. Throw away your review and send us the letter.” That’s the way to do it.”
Skill Builders: “Skill Builders are crash course introductions written by experienced makers for aspiring DIYers who have little to no experience with a given skill. You can browse Skill Builders on the site to get a better feel for what they are. If you’re an expert on something and feel we haven’t properly addressed all the intricacies and pro tips, consider sharing your knowledge in the form of a Skill Builder.”
Stories: “Stories are intentionally broad. Anything that falls under Show & Tell is acceptable (unless it’s a step-by-step of a specific build, then it should be a Project). If you’ve built a project that you want to share, but you don’t have sufficient documentation of step shots or materials lists, etc., you can showcase it as a story instead of a step-by-step project. Additionally, we want to see your stories. Your journeys. Your trials and tribulations and failures and hilarities. What’s the strangest experience you’ve had making something? If it’s surprising or funny, we’ll run it.”⁹

Submission and review process: To create a Project Submission, follow the steps at https://makeprojects.com/home?r=dvtzh For other submissions, send an email to editor@make.co

Editorial tone: The style used is informal and instructional. Make: emphasizes that the writer “is the reader’s coach,”¹⁰ indicating that writing should be conversational, as if you’re telling a friend something they don’t know.

Style guide used: There is no official style guide specified. “DO use clear and consistent language. Write with precision. Use correct terms for materials, components, and processes. What’s the pointy part of that one thingy? Please look it up. Carefully define directions and areas (top, bottom, right end, left edge, etc.), and use these terms consistently.” ¹¹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

While the subject matter of the magazine does not directly relate to any library or information science subjects, libraries are at the forefront of the maker scene. Librarians who build/run programs utilizing makerspaces, 3-D printers, technology, electronics, and a do-it-yourself spirit might have something to contribute to this magazine, be it a tutorial or a story on a maker program within the library.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The print magazine has a paid circulation of 80,000

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The subscription is only offered in U.S. dollars, which would most likely mean that its readers are all located in the United States. ¹² Of course, the magazine also has a web element, which could potentially be viewed by anyone with an internet connection. The magazine is written in English, and in a very informal manner. Although there is a possibility that your article will appear on the website and be viewed by someone outside of the United States, it seems safe to use American colloquialisms and slang. Also, since most of the readers will be very tech savvy, it would likely be appropriate to use technical language.

Reader characteristics: The website’s readers are 66% male and 100% college educated, with an average household income of $119,000. The magazine’s readers are 81% male, with an average age of 44, and mostly college educated. The audience is composed of teachers, parents, inventors, and “techy, savvy creatives.”¹³ [**Note: As of November 21, 2020, this information is no longer attached to an active link, so the details cannot be confirmed]

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The average reader would most likely have little to no knowledge of LIS topics and issues, and probably no knowledge of library jargon.

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

Since these readers would almost certainly be outside of the library world, it would be important to approach LIS subject matter in an approachable way. The use of makerspaces and other DIY, STEM-oriented programs and projects within the library would make great fodder for a contribution to this magazine. It would be important to keep your tone on a more lighthearted tone and avoid jargon as much as possible, or explain the jargon if its use is necessary.

Last updated: November 21, 2020

References

Show 13 footnotes

Yosemite Highway Herald

By Bethany Baker on August 26, 2011 in

Excuse the mess! Profile update in progress.

Per contact with the editor: both the Yosemite Highway Herald and Foothill Express were purchased by the editor and are currently being merged under the name The Yosemite Express. The creation of a website for The Yosemite Express is in progress. This wiki will continue to be updated as we receive information from the editor.

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Yosemite Highway Herald

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.yosemitehwyherald.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Yosemite Highway Herald is a free monthly newspaper featuring local news and events for Southern Tuolumne County and Northern Mariposa County in California.¹

Target audience: The community residents of the greater Yosemite area, including parts of Tuolumne and Mariposa counties.²

Publisher: Yosemite Highway Herald, LLC.³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.⁴

Content: Local community news, stories, historical news, and current events news of the greater Yosemite area to the local communities.⁵

Frequency of publication: Monthly.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: None provided.

Types of contributions accepted: Articles and letters to the editor.

Submission and review process: Email submissions to info [at] yosemitehwyherald.com.

Editorial tone: Informal and folksy.

Style guide used: None stated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This newspaper would be of interest to LIS authors who are local to the area and want to promote library services and events or discuss issues facing the library. Past issues have featured library-related articles, including one in support of the Groveland library.⁷

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: “We reach 4,000 households plus 500 extra copies are distributed in local businesses throughout the area.”⁸

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Yosemite Highway Herald is published for the local residents of the communities of Big Oak Flat, Buck Meadows, Coulterville, Greeley Hill, Groveland, La Grange, Lake Don Pedro, Moccasin, Pine Mountain Lake, and surrounding area. This publication is printed in English.⁹

Reader characteristics: The population served by the Yosemite Highway Herald include young people, families, older adults, and retired persons. Professional interests and workplaces would vary widely given the nature of the audience. This diverse audience shares an interest in the local community and an appreciation of natural beauty of the area.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The readers of this publication would not have an expert knowledge of library and information science jargon. An author would be expected to provide an introductory background to terms about information services. Also, the author would be expected to write in a manner that would encourage to show the value of library services to the local community.

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

Past issues of the Yosemite Highway Herald have featured articles on topics such as: the local blood drive, free classes and workshops, the Laverini Sawmill dedication, information on how and where to get burn permits, and local events, festivals, and concerts.. Writers would need to be very familiar with the area and contribute information directly relevant to community members.

Last updated: September 28, 2018

References

Show 9 footnotes

Spartan Daily

By Bethany Baker on August 26, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Spartan Daily

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.sjsunews.com/spartan_daily/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The student newspaper for San Jose State University, covering news, sports, arts and entertainment, tech, and opinion relating to the campus and its students.¹

Target audience: San José State University students and faculty.

Publisher: San José State University.²

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian publication; student newspaper.

Medium: Print and online.³

Content: Articles on recent campus news and issues, opinions, sports, and student life.

Frequency of publication: The print version is printed every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and the online version is updated daily.⁴

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: No submission guidelines for the Spartan Daily could be located.

Types of contributions accepted: Letters to the editor (opinion pieces) and news tips.⁵

Submission and review process: Submit a letter to the editor or a news tip by emailing spartandaily [at] gmail.com.

Editorial tone: Informal.

Style guide used: None.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Writers interested in reaching this audience can use this publication. While an opinion piece in a school paper would not increase your chances of tenure, it would increase your reputation within the university community and could be used to promote library issues or garner support for the library.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The Spartan Daily distributes 15,000 copies per week.⁶

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Published in San José, California, it is safe to assume the readers (faculty, staff, and students of SJSU) are located there too. This is an English language publication and the audience, as part of an institution that requires English language skills, likely reads and speaks English.

Reader characteristics: According to the 2019 Media Kit, there are 35,400 students enrolled at SJSU.⁷ The SJSU student population is a diverse mixture of 41.9% Asian, 28.9% Hispanic, 16.1% White, 9.2% Other, 3.3% Black, .4% Pacific Islander, and .1% American Indian.⁸ As this is the publication of an educational institution, readers are likely interested in education and improving themselves. Other than possibly sharing an interest in their school, any biases, values, and attitudes would vary widely.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Slightly better than the general public given the readers’ affiliation with the university. LIS jargon would still need to be avoided or defined if used in your writing.

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

The readership of this publication would expect writing that concerns them or their school and is written with a youthful approach.

Last updated: September 27, 2020

References

Show 8 footnotes

Writer’s Digest

By Bethany Baker on August 26, 2011 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Writer’s Digest

ISSN: 0043-9525 (Print)¹

Website: https://www.writersdigest.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “Founded in 1920, Writer’s Digest is the comprehensive, multi-platform resource for professional and aspiring writers of all media, genres and skill levels. Our mission is to help ignite writers’ creative vision and connect them with the inspiration, resources and community they need to bring it to life.

Fiction
Nonfiction
Poetry
Screenwriting

From inspiring prompts, practical techniques and insightful interviews, to lucrative markets, publishing secrets, instructional workshops and professional services—plus a robust online forum for networking with fellow writers—we help writers develop their craft and hone their business skills at every stage of their career.”²

Target audience: Writers interested in developing their craft or learning more about the business side of publishing.

Publisher: Active Interest Media.³

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: Civilian magazine for writers.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: First-person essays, interviews with bestselling authors, profiles with emerging talent, practical technique articles, and tips and exercises on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and the business-side of writing and publishing.⁴

Frequency of publication: 8 times a year.⁵

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.writersdigest.com/submission-guidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Opinion pieces, technique articles, market reports, author profiles, and more. Read the guidelines for more information.

Submission and review process: “We consider completed manuscripts on spec as well as original pitches. A query should include a thorough outline that introduces your article proposal and highlights each of the points you intend to make. Your query should discuss how the article will benefit our readers, why the topic is timely and why you’re the appropriate writer to discuss the topic. Although we welcome the work of new writers, we believe the established writer can better instruct our reader. Please include your publishing credentials related to your topic with your submission, along with a brief bio.” ⁶

Send email queries to the acquisitions editor at wdsubmissions [at] fwmedia.com. Include your name, address, daytime telephone number, and email address. Do not send attachments. Allow two to four months for a response.⁷

Editorial tone: “Our style is confident, authoritative yet conversational. Our voice is that of one publishing industry insider speaking to another—your trusted friend in the business.”⁸

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

For those who want to write better, get published, and participate in the vibrant culture of writers, this publication intends to inform, instruct, and inspire readers. Readers look to Writer’s Digest for specific ideas and tips that will help them succeed, whether success means getting into print, finding personal fulfillment through writing, or building and maintaining a thriving writing career and network.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: 56,000 paid magazine circulation and 1.56 million page views monthly. ⁹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: “We have a worldwide readership, but the majority of our readers live in the U.S. and Canada.”¹⁰ Writer’s Digest is published in English and would appeal to those who want to be better writers, and develop their skills and learn about publishing.

Reader characteristics: “The Writer’s Digest . . . community is highly educated and affluent, ranging from aspiring beginners to full-time professionals earning a living from their writing.”¹¹ Readers are 69% female, college-educated, and 31% have been writing for more than 20 years.¹² Writer’s Digest appeals to writers or those who wish to be writers. A reader would have to be interested in either becoming a writer or those working in the publishing industry.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: While writers, in general, are fans of libraries, an in-depth knowledge of LIS subject matter should not be assumed.

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

Many of the readers will have the need for research services and library materials, indicating a familiarity if not a love of libraries. This suggests articles by LIS writers would be well received and presents an opportunity to promote all things library or discuss writing and publishing from a librarian’s perspective.

Last updated: September 24, 2020

References

Show 12 footnotes

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