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Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

By on April 6, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal

ISSN: 1077-66131

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

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

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

Publisher: University of California Riverside Library.4

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

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: Professional newsletter.7

Medium: Online.8

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

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

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: April 6, 2020

References

Show 22 footnotes

  1.  Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal, University of California Riverside Library, accessed April 6, 2020 http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/ ↩
  2. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  3. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  4. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559 ↩
  5. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  6. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559 ↩
  7. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559 ↩
  8. ProQuest. (2020). Associates: The Electronic Library Support Staff Journal. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1410118090286/462559 ↩
  9. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  10. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  11. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88 ↩
  12. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88 ↩
  13. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88 ↩
  14. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88 ↩
  15. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Archives and Back Issues. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=4 ↩
  16. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). Submission Guidelines. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=88 ↩
  17. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  18. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  19. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  20. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  21. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
  22. University of California Riverside Library. (2020). About Associates. Retrieved from http://associates.ucr.edu/journal/?page_id=2 ↩
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ALCTS News

By on March 15, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: ALCTS News

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

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

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

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

Target audience: ALA members and members of ALCTS.4

Publisher: American Library Association (ALA)5

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: ALCTS Newsletter is a LIS professional newsletter.7

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

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

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

Editorial tone: Tone appropriate for a professional publication.14

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: March 15, 2020

References

Show 24 footnotes

  1. “About ALCTS News,” American Library Association, accessed March 15, 2020, http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  2. American Library Association. (2017). Publications & resources. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/resources ↩
  3. American Library Association. (2017). Bylaws. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about/governance/bylaws#3 ↩
  4. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  5. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  6. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  7. American Library Association. (2014). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  8. SerialsSolutions. (2014). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  9. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  10. American Library Association. (2017). ALCTS Newsletter Online: Index of Issues. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/ano/ ↩
  11. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  12. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  13. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  14. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  15. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  16. American Library Association. (2020). ALA’s Membership Statistics by Division, 2000-Present. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/membership/membershipstats_files/divisionstats#alcts ↩
  17. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  18. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
  19. SerialsSolutions. (2017). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  20. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  21. SerialsSolutions. (2014). ALCTS News. Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Retrieved from http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1401821270907/75249 ↩
  22. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
  23. American Library Association. (2017). About ALCTS News. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alctsnews/about ↩
  24. American Library Association. (2017). About Us. Association for Library Collections & Technical Services. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/about ↩
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Advances in Library Administration and Organization

By on February 27, 2020 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Advances in Library Administration and Organization (book series)

ISSN: 0732-0671

Website: http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/books/series.htm?id=0732-0671

Purpose, objective, or mission: The series was started in order to publish “longer, quality research studies, of interest both to working library managers and scholars.1 Major interest lies in how libraries have been and should be managed.

The series:

  • “Publishes thought-provoking articles relating to both innovative and time-tested methods that can be used to organize our work.
  • Provides a publication venue for those manuscripts that are typically longer than most journal articles but shorter than most books.
  • Encourages the presentation of thoughtful pieces that integrate theory and practice.
  • Brings to light excellent scholarship that strengthens and reinforces the base of knowledge library administrators have on hand.
  • Seeks to develop a body of research literature that contributes to the base of organizational theory on which library administrators rely.
  • Seeks out people who think about how libraries and library administrators work and to bring their ideas to the public.”2

Target audience: Practitioners, library and information science graduate students, and those working in associated fields of information management.3

Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited.

Peer reviewed? Yes.4

Type: LIS Professional book series.

Medium: Print and online.

Content: “The series offers an eclectic mix of timely, thought-provoking articles, bringing together national and global studies and conveying the kind of research which current library managers and researchers need, mixing theory with a good dose of pragmatism.”5

Frequency of publication: Irregular.

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/authors/index.htm

Types of contributions accepted: The editors are interested in longer, quality research studies that may be too lengthy to publish in journals.

Submission and review process: Send any questions you have regarding publication and review times to the series editor. The publisher can answer questions regarding impact factor, where the journal is abstracted and indexed, and scope and objectives of the journal.

Feel free to send the abstract to an editor to make sure your article is of a suitable topic for the book series.

Finally, be sure to check the Author Guidelines for formatting.

Editorial tone: Professional, scholarly.

Style guide used: APA 6th edition.6

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Advances in Library Administration and Organization is a unique publisher of research in that they welcome submissions that may be too long to qualify for journal publication. If you have conducted extensive research in the fields of library administration and management, this may be an appropriate book series to consider. Topics covered are broad, ranging from mindfulness in managing emotions to how to avoid burnout.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Global, considering that the journal is readily available in ebook format.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Emerald Group is a U.K.-based company, and all articles are published in English. The ‘Key Audiences’ section of the series’ information page does not mention reader locations, but instead notes that the series is “widely read by practitioners, library and information science graduate students, and those working in associated fields of information management.” Also note that the ‘Topicality’ section of the information page states that they are interested in “national and global studies.”7

Reader characteristics: Readers of this particular series are professionals working in the field with a desire to learn the latest research pertaining to library administration, organization and management.

Reader knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong.

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

Feel free to include your LIS jargon: readers of this book series are professionals and graduate students with a broad working knowledge of librarianship. Considering how wide ranging the published topics can be (see evaluation above), authors can be sure that readers of this book series have a variety of interests and are passionate about the latest research in LIS administration.

Last updated: February 27, 2020

References

Show 7 footnotes

  1. “Advances in Library Administration and Organization Information Page,” EmeraldGroupPublishing.com, accessed February 27, 2020, http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/books/series.htm?id=0732-0671#New_titles ↩
  2. “Advances in Library Administration and Organization Information Page.” ↩
  3. “Advances in Library Administration and Organization Information Page.” ↩
  4. “For reviewers: The peer review process,” EmeraldGroupPublishing.com, accessed February 27, 2020, http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/reviewers/peer_review_process.htm ↩
  5. “Advances in Library Administration and Organization Information Page.” ↩
  6. “Author Guidelines,” EmeraldGroupPublishing.com, accessed February 27, 2020, http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/ebooks/author_guidelines.htm ↩
  7. “Advances in Library Administration and Organization Information Page.” ↩
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School Library Connection

By on July 5, 2019 in

 

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: School Library Connection 

ISSN: 2380-98411

Website: https://schoollibraryconnection.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their site, “School Library Connection (SLC) is an extensive learning resource center for school library professionals. As the combined evolution of School Library Monthly and Library Media Connection magazines, SLC maintains their commitment to providing those in the school library field with practical insights and inspiration while also advancing the scope and mission of its predecessors.”2

Target audience: LIS professionals working in school libraries and educators.3

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional news.6

Medium: Print and online.7

Content: Articles on “Organization & Management, Instructional Leadership, and Perspectives & Partners.” Reviews are also featured in a searchable database.8

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly (print); continuously (online.)9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_SubmissionGuidelines.pdf

Types of contributions accepted: Queries for proposed articles should be addressed to the appropriate editor found on their submissions page. Articles on day-to-day operations and best practices of school librarianship should be discussed with the Organization & Management editor. Articles on instructional practice should be discussed with the Instructional Leadership editor. Articles on school libraries in the broader context of education should be discussed with the Perspectives & Partners editor. Experienced and new writers are welcomed.10

Reviews are also accepted in the form of “concise descriptions and evaluations of the contents, quality, and curricular applications of books and other media available for school library purchase.”11

Submission and review process: Authors must send a query to the appropriate editor to develop their idea and article before submission. The final article must then be sent to that same editor.12 There is an editorial calendar available to guide author submissions.13 Articles are typically published four months after the article deadlines.14

All book and material reviews should be emailed to the reviews editor.15

Editorial tone: Informative and conversational.16

Style guide used: An in-house guide based on the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition.17

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Excellent opportunity for LIS professionals involved with school libraries, with the ability to convey they first hand experiences with an active voice and in a clear, conversational style. Talented first-time authors are welcomed, so this would be a great place to start building a writing portfolio for a respected and widely-read publication. While not a peer-reviewed publication that would support tenure, work in this magazine reaches a very large audience and will increase the visibility of any contributing author.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The print magazine has over 5,000 readers. The website reports an average of 4,250 visitors.18

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The publication is based in North America, with a corresponding readership.19 Readers would be familiar with LIS jargon, gained through practice or education, and the issues facing school libraries. Given the practical focus of the publication, readers most likely approach their work with a positive attitude, interested in bettering themselves and the service they provide.20

Reader characteristics: Readers will have experience with libraries, especially school libraries, and the majority work directly with students.21 The 2019 editorial calendar indicates audience interest in OER, collection development, primary resources, collaborating with other school departments, makerspaces, cultural competence, and political literacy, all within the K-12 school library context.22

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: While a reader may have obtained their LIS knowledge through an undergraduate program for media specialists or through a LIS graduate program, depending on their position, it can be assumed all will have a clear understanding of the working of the school library and the responsibilities of the LIS professionals in K-12 libraries. Acronyms and terms common in education and school librarianship would be acceptable to use.23

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

Readers of this publication expect articles that support their efforts to improve the LIS services they provide. They want information from colleagues about their successes and efforts they can replicate in their own libraries. To be successful writers will need to meet their collaborating editor’s expectations and submit articles written in an active voice, from personal experience or observation.

Last updated: July 5, 2019

References

Show 23 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “School Library Connection,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed July 5, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1562358591408/826729 ↩
  2. Libraries Unlimited, “About,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/About ↩
  3. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com. ↩
  8. Libraries Unlimited, “About.” ↩
  9. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  10. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/About/Write ↩
  11. Libraries Unlimited, “Reviews+,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/reviews?tab=5 ↩
  12. Libraries Unlimited, “Writing for School Library Connection Frequently Asked Questions,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_FAQ.pdf ↩
  13. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
  14. Libraries Unlimited, “Writing for School Library Connection Frequently Asked Questions.” ↩
  15. Libraries Unlimited, “Reviews+.” ↩
  16. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  17. Libraries Unlimited, “Article Submission Guidelines,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2o19, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/documents/SchoolLibraryConnection_SubmissionGuidelines.pdf ↩
  18. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection Media Kit 2018-2019,” School Library Connection, accessed July 5, 2019, https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/mediaserver/SLC/1981/1981090.pdf ↩
  19. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection Media Kit 2018-2019.” ↩
  20. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  21. Libraries Unlimited, “School Library Connection.” ↩
  22. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
  23. Libraries Unlimited, “Write for Us.” ↩
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American Libraries

By on June 30, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: American Libraries

ISSN: 0002-9769 (Print) and 2163-5129 (Online)1

Website: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: American Libraries is “the flagship publication of the American Library Association,” dedicated to publishing news “about all matters of import to libraries and librarians.”2 Per the Editorial Policy, part of the ALA Policy Manual section 10.2: the editor is charged with “a particular responsibility to convey to the membership and other readers full and accurate information about the activities, purposes, and goals of the Association.”3

Target audience: ALA members, the majority of whom are professional librarians in the United States.4

Publisher: American Library Association (ALA)5

Peer reviewed? No.6

Type: LIS professional news magazine.7

Medium: American Libraries is a print publication, with occasional digital supplements. American Libraries Online is the online edition.8

Content: American Libraries “features articles on professional concerns and developments, along with news of the Association, library-related legislation, and libraries around the country and the world. Expression of diverse viewpoints and critical interpretation of professional issues make the magazine the premier forum for the exchange of ideas.” 9

Frequency of publication: The print edition is published 6 times per year, with a digital-only July/August issue and occasional digital supplements.10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/submissions/

Types of contributions accepted: American Libraries solicits contributions of 600-1,500-word articles, including book reviews, features and opinion pieces on topics of general interest to members of the American Library Association. Letters to the editor are also accepted.11

Submission and review process: Manuscripts should be submitted via email to americanlibraries@ala.org. Hard copies may be mailed to American Libraries, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. After submission, there may be “editorial revisions, deletions, or additions that in their opinion support the article’s focus. Editors will make every possible effort to review copy with the author prior to publication, especially regarding any proposed substantive changes.” Authors should hear back about their manuscripts within 4-8 weeks.12

Editorial tone: “Informal, but informative. Factual articles must be inviting and readable, with all statements backed by responsible research and interviews with several expert sources.” The editor encourages the “expression of diverse viewpoints and critical interpretation of professional issues.”13

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.).14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This 100+-year-old magazine is a well-respected publication with a wide audience. It would not be scholarly enough in tone to carry much weight for someone building up publications for tenure, but it is a credible, professional publication that provides a forum for practical information sharing among members of the LIS community. American Libraries publishes feature stories and opinion pieces as well as letters to the editor, and occasionally opportunities for columnists arise. Strong writers with appropriate story ideas should be encouraged to submit work here, whether they are LIS practitioners, educators, or students.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Over 62,000 member organizations, individual members, and paid subscribers.15

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: A geographic breakdown could not be found, though American Libraries does offer rates for the US, Canada, and International subscriptions.16 It is probably safe to assume that the majority of ALA members reside and work in the United States. American Libraries is published in English, and readers are likely to be completely comfortable communicating in English. However, overuse of regionalisms should be avoided to appeal to the diverse and widespread American audience.17

Reader characteristics: Because readers are usually members of the ALA, the vast majority work in a variety of libraries and have a high level of education.18 As librarians, these readers are likely to be interested in library topics and sympathetic to library issues. However, it is not safe to assume that readers are homogeneous in terms of how they believe problems should be solved. Letters to the editor and point-of-view pieces indicate that readers can be highly opinionated. The editorial policy states that the “expression of diverse viewpoints and critical interpretation of professional issues make the magazine the premier forum for the exchange of ideas.”19

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are likely to know a lot about general library topics and issues. Still, the audience includes all types of librarians, so authors would want to avoid highly specialized topics and language. For example, public librarians may not be familiar with (or interested in) the particular jargon and issues of military librarians, and technology specialists may not be familiar with the jargon of catalogers.[19. American Libraries, “About.”

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

Because this is a professional rather than a scholarly publication, appropriate submissions would be practical rather than theoretical. Possibilities might include current topics in librarianship, or unique twists on topics of general interest to the broad LIS community such as management, advocacy, and general-interest technologies. American Libraries readers have in common a professional or personal interest in libraries, but the audience is large, and readers’ specialized interests will be quite diverse. For this magazine, general library topics would be appropriate — articles on things like library technology, marketing, or management, the kinds of topics that would be relevant to all librarians, no matter what kinds of libraries they worked in.

Authors could assume that American Libraries readers would understand general library language and that basic terms would not need to be explained (the editors of American Libraries, for example, assume that readers will understand ALA’s common acronyms, such as ACRL). However, authors should try to avoid the kinds of topics or jargon that might be related to a specific library environment or aspect of librarianship, such as academic libraries or cataloging. Articles on highly specific topics or for particular ALA subgroups would be better directed toward the publications of the related ALA divisions, such as College and Research Libraries News or Children and Libraries.

Last updated: June 30, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “American Libraries,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 30, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1561931025099/41722 ↩
  2. American Library Association, “About,” accessed June 30, 2019, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/about/ ↩
  3. American Libraries, “About.” ↩
  4. American Libraries, “Advertising,” accessed June 30, 2019, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/advertising-2/ ↩
  5. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  8. American Libraries, “About.” ↩
  9. American Libraries, “Submissions,” accessed June 30, 2019, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/submissions/  ↩
  10. American Libraries, “About.” ↩
  11. American Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
  12. American Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
  13. American Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
  14. American Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
  15. American Libraries, “Advertising.” ↩
  16. American Libraries, “Subscriptions,” accessed June 30, 2019, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/subscriptions/ ↩
  17. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  18. American Libraries, “About.” ↩
  19. American Libraries, “Submissions.” ↩
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Marketing Library Services

By on June 29, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Marketing Library Services

ISSN: 0896-39081

Website: www.MarketingLibraryServices.com

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

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

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS trade.6

Medium: Print and online.7

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

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

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

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

Style guide used: Associated Press.16

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: June 29, 2019

References

Show 20 footnotes

  1. Proquest, “MLS: Marketing Library Services,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 29, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521418800307/153039 ↩
  2. Information Today, Inc., 2019, “Marketing Library Services,” http://www.infotoday.com/mls/ ↩
  3. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.” ↩
  8. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.” ↩
  9. Information Today, Inc., “Marketing Library Services.” ↩
  10. Dempsey, K., 27 June 2019, personal communication. ↩
  11. Information Today, Inc., 2019, “Subscription & Editorial Info,” http://www.infotoday.com/mls/mls-subs.shtml ↩
  12. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  13. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  14. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  15. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  16. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  17. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  18. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  19. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩
  20. Dempsey, personal communication.

    Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this newsletter have a high degree of LIS subject matter. Marketing Library Services caters to the LIS profession, so references to library specific trends, ideas, and concepts will be well received and will not require a high degree of explanation. However, because the readership is broadly based across the LIS professional spectrum some terms and knowledge specific to one group may not be appropriate for all readers.[21. Dempsey, personal communication. ↩

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Library Journal

By on June 29, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Library Journal (LJ)

ISSN: 0363-02771

Website: http://www.libraryjournal.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: This journal is produced as a trade publication with the intent to provide library news and related information. Although the emphasis of the journal is on public libraries, the journal contains information pertinent to a wide variety of professionals in the library world. Library Journal also provides reviews of books, ebooks, audiobooks, DVDs/videos, and other media annual to assist library professionals in purchasing for their institution. The mission of the journal is to provide feature articles and news stories which inform library professionals about current issues in a readable style.2

Target audience: The target audience is composed of librarians in public, academic, and special libraries, as well as library administrators, staff, and directors.3

Publisher:  Media Source, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: LIS professional news. Library Journal is a non-research-oriented LIS professional news journal that includes advertising, bibliographies, illustrations, and book reviews.6

Medium: Library Journal is a print publication with free online content. Online archives are free, though they do not necessarily contain everything that is in the print edition.7 You can also subscribe to LJ’s RSS feeds and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.8 The online version of Library Journal also includes blogs, podcasts and message boards, links to affiliated newsletters, and tools to assist in collection development and other areas of library administration.9

Content: Library Journal content includes news, reviews, LJ bestsellers, commentary, departments, info-tech, special reports, letters to the editor, upcoming events, classified ads, and photos.10 Library Journal evaluates over 8,000 books annually and also provides reviews of library-related equipment and materials.11

Frequency of publication: The print publication is issued 12 times a year.12 Online content is updated continuously.13 Reviews are also welcomed, though review contributors are expected to regularly write, rather than simply submitting one review.14

Submission and review process: Submissions to the Features and Columns sections should be 2 to 4 pages in a magazine, or 1800 to 2700 words. Finalized drafts can be sent as an attachment along with a query describing the coverage and approach of the article as well as the writer’€™s connection to the subject and his or her expertise. The query can be a paragraph or several paragraphs in length. Response to queries may take between 4 to 6 weeks. LJ also accepts opinion pieces and rants about topics and concerns in the library profession for its “BackTalk” . Pieces should be in the range of 900 words. Be sure to email the appropriate editor for the type of content being submitted.15

Book reviewer guidelines for contracted and unpaid review writers can be found here.16

Editorial tone: As this publication is aimed at the general librarian population, the tone of articles should be objective as well as thought-provoking while providing topical and useful information. Articles should be written in an “accessible and readable style.”17

Style guide used: No particular style guide is indicated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

A trusted and respected publication for the library community, Library Journal certainly has the potential for an LIS author to reach a wide audience. Since the journal reaches out to public, academic, and special libraries, there are a multitude of articles that could possibly be written for this publication.

Library Journal is open to ideas for articles and columns, and also encourages “opinion pieces and rants.”18 Library Journal prefers an approach that is widely accessible by its readers.19 There is therefore great potential for newer writers who are not necessarily comfortable with a more scholarly voice. There is also a market here for librarians to offer insight and advice on practical issues facing contemporary libraries. This is a wonderful opportunity for librarians (including those who may not consider themselves to be professional authors) to share their real-world experience with others.

Library Journal Reviews+ is a popular selection tool used in public and academic libraries, and an ongoing opportunity exists here to publish reviews in a wide range of disciplines. Reviewers are not required to have previously published reviews.20 This would be an excellent opportunity for library students with graduate degrees in other areas to review books in their specialty and begin to publish in the LIS field.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Library Journal is distributed to 43,000 print subscribers, and its online equivalent registers over 91,000 monthly visits. The publication is also popular on social media, with over half a million followers across various social media platforms, on which journal content is shared.21

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: LJ is printed in English, and most articles focus on topics affecting libraries in the United States. A scan of recent article titles reveals an editorial comfort with acronyms specific to the American context, such as CIA, ALA, and NYPL.22 However, authors should remain sensitive to the possibility of diverse readership, since cultural diversity and international issues are embraced by the publication, as demonstrated by recent articles on Indigenous Academic Libraries, Spanish-language collection development, and inclusion in scholarly publishing.23

Reader characteristics: Because the audience largely consists of librarians and library staff, readers are likely to be both interested in and sympathetic to library issues. They are also likely to share common values and beliefs about the role and importance of librarianship.24 The readership is large,25 however, and likely diverse in their particular perspectives on library issues.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter:  Library Journal is read by people all across the library profession, so a working knowledge of library terms can be assumed, but authors should be aware that members of their audience may not have MLIS degrees.26

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

Readers of Library Journal include library directors, administrators, and staff in all types of libraries. An article written for this publication has the potential to reach and influence people across the library field, nationally and even internationally. Authors should remain aware that their readers are familiar with both the current highest standards of librarianship, yet also the practical difficulties that come with working in the field. It is recommended to aim for a broad reach, even when writing about an issue specific to one kind of library, so that readers from all types of libraries can gather ideas or inspiration from each article.

Last updated: June 29, 2019

References

Show 26 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “Library Journal,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 29, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521665093762/48829 ↩
  2. Library Journal, “About Us,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=About-Us. ↩
  3. Library Journals, “About Us.” ↩
  4. Media Source, Inc., “Media Source Inc.,” accessed June 29, 2019, http://mediasourceinc.com/ ↩
  5. Library Journal, “Submissions,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=submit-features-news. ↩
  6. Library Journal, “Library Journal,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com ↩
  7. Library Journal, “Reviews+,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?subpage=Reviews%2B ↩
  8. Library Journal, “Library Journal.” ↩
  9. Library Journal, “Library Journal.” ↩
  10. Library Journal, “Library Journal.” ↩
  11. Media Source, Inc., “Library Journal,” accessed June 29, 2019, http://media.libraryjournal.com/library-journal/. ↩
  12. Library Journal, “Subscribe to Library Journal, accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=subscribe. ↩
  13. Library Journal, “Library Journal.”

    About the publication’s submission guidelines

    Location of submission guidelines: For articles: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=submit-features-news. For reviews: https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=Review-for-LJ

    Types of contributions accepted: Feature articles that are broad in scope and/or offer useful information and ideas. The journal also accepts news pieces, announcements, photos of library-related news and events, letters to the editor, and opinion pieces.[14. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩

  14. Library Journal, “Review for LJ,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?page=Review-for-LJ. ↩
  15. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩
  16. Library Journal, “Review for LJ.” ↩
  17. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩
  18. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩
  19. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩
  20. Library Journal, “Review for LJ.” ↩
  21. Media Source, Inc., “Library Journal.” ↩
  22. Library Journal, “News,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.libraryjournal.com/?subpage=News ↩
  23. Library Journal, “News.” ↩
  24. Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
  25. Media Source, Inc., “Library Journal.” ↩
  26. Library Journal, “Submissions.” ↩
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School Library Journal

By on June 26, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: School Library Journal (SLJ)

ISSN: 0362-89301

Website: https://www.slj.com

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “School Library Journal is the premiere publication for librarians and information specialists who work with children and teens. A source of quality journalism and reviews for more than 60 years, SLJ produces award-winning features and news coverage on: literacy, best practices, technology, education policy and other issues of interest to the school library and greater educator community.”2

Target audience: Any librarians and information professionals working with children and teens, including librarians in K-12 schools as well as those in public libraries.3

Publisher: Media Source, Inc.4

Peer reviewed? No.5

Type: Professional.6

Medium: Print and online.7

Content: Claims to be one of the most authoritative reviewers of children’s and young adult materials. It mainly focuses on books, but also includes reviews on audio and video items. The journal also contains columns, news, and feature articles.8

Frequency of publication: Monthly.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.slj.com/?page=Submissions

Types of contributions accepted: Items of interest to librarians and educators who work with children: feature articles, news articles, and specialty columns.10 Articles from the last few years include topics such as rural public libraries, fundraising, app reviews, bloggers, LGBTQ+ Pride, diversity, and tips for school librarians preparing for the first day of school.11

Submission and review process: Send brief article proposals to the appropriate editor before submitting any complete articles. Feature articles are generally less than 2,500 words, while opinion pieces are around 600-700 words. News articles can vary in length, depending on the topic.12

Editorial tone: Informative, but not academic.13

Style guide used: None indicated.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This is a successful and popular publication that, while encouraging of submissions, may be difficult to break into as a writer. A thorough study of the publication with attention to the authors published in their pages will give a writer a better idea if this is a good match for them.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: School Library Journal has a circulation of 23,000 in the print edition with an estimated reach of 92,000 readers.14

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: There is no specific breakdown on the nationality of the readers available, but the history of the journal reveals that it is entirely geared toward schools in the United States and Canada.15 Most of the readers of this journal would be those who work with youth in libraries in the United States, so there should not be any problems with cultural references, LIS jargon, or terminology particular to education.16

Reader characteristics: Readers of this journal would be those who work with K-12 students, either in schools or public libraries. They have a shared interest in promoting literacy and welcome resources that inspire student achievement.17 Articles openly and positively discuss diversity and inclusivity in library services, with article topics ranging from combating systematic racism in schools to selecting LGBTQ+ books for pre-teen collections. More articles and reviews touching on these topics would be welcome.18

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this journal would not be limited to those with teaching credentials or MLS degrees. Some may be library media technicians who may not have an advanced degree, but would have enough education or professional training in order to understand the subject matter.19

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

Readers of School Library Journal have a common interest in children’€™s literature and issues regarding school libraries. Many of the readers are library technicians, so some articles are geared toward encouraging collaboration with teachers and librarians. Authors should recognize that there is an education gap as well as a wage gap between the professionals and the paraprofessionals and should refrain from using an excess of technical terms in their articles. Readers of SLJ maintain a great interest in information literacy and how this can be integrated into the curriculum, as well as increasing the technology available to the students. Introducing ideas that are on the cutting edge of technology yet are not restricted by financial or time constraints would be a way of effectively reaching the intended audience.

Last updated: June 26, 2019.

References

Show 19 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “School Library Journal,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 29, 2019. http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521399134773/52981 ↩
  2. School Library Journal, “About Us,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.slj.com/?page=About-Us ↩
  3. School Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory ↩
  7. School Library Journal, “School Library Journal content submission guidelines,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://www.slj.com/?page=Submissions. ↩
  8. School Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
  9. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  10. School Library Journal, “School Library Journal content submission guidelines.” ↩
  11. School Library Journal, “News & Features,” accessed June 29, 2019. https://www.slj.com/?subpage=News%20%26%20Features ↩
  12. School Library Journal, “School Library Journal content submission guidelines.” ↩
  13. School Library Journal, “School Library Journal content submission guidelines.” ↩
  14. Library Journals, LLC., “Print,” accessed June 29, 2019, https://media.libraryjournal.com/print/#schoollibraryjournalmag. ↩
  15. School Library Journal, “News & Features.” ↩
  16. School Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
  17. School Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
  18. School Library Journal, “News & Articles.” ↩
  19. School Library Journal, “About Us.” ↩
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Library Leadership and Management

By on June 12, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Library Leadership and Management (formerly Library Administration and Management)

ISSN: 1945-8851 (Print) and 1945-886X (Online)1

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their site, “Library Leadership & Management (LL&M) is the official journal of the Library Leadership and Management Association. LL&M focuses on assisting library administrators and managers at all levels as they deal with day-to-day challenges. In-depth articles address a wide variety of management issues and highlight examples of successful management methods used in libraries. Features include interviews with prominent practitioners in libraries and related fields, and columns with practical advice on managing libraries.”2

Website: http://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm

Target audience: The publication is directed toward library administrators and managers in all sectors, including public, special and academic libraries.3

Publisher: American Library Association.4

Peer reviewed? Hybrid journal: “LL&M offers both formal peer review and editorial review options depending on the author’s preference.”5

Type: LIS professional news.6

Medium: Online.7

Content: Research-based articles, interviews, new developments and success stories related to managing libraries. Specific topics relate to management, leadership, and administration.8

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.9

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

Types of contributions accepted: Per guidelines, “Recognizing the LLAMA is a diverse organization, Library Leadership & Management (LL&M) welcomes articles that correspond to the interests of the membership. This includes manuscripts that relate to leadership, management, and administration, as well as manuscripts that mirror the topical interests of the sections and discussion groups.”10

“The journal accepts both longer, in-depth manuscripts of 4,000 to 6,000 words and briefer practice-based articles of 1,000 to 2,500 words. Manuscripts longer than 6,000 words should be discussed with the Editor(s) prior to submission as there may be interest in converting it into a series of articles.”11

Submission and review process: Article submission is through their online portal. Review process depends on author’s preference: editorial or peer review.12

Editorial tone: Informative.13

Style guide used: The Chicago Manual of Style and Random House Webster’s College Dictionary are listed as resources for writers.14

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Authors able to write on the topics associated with library administration and management would be a good fit for this publication. Recent articles focused on job satisfaction and employee turnover, diversity, innovative space planning, award winners, and customer satisfaction.15 The editors will consider articles presented at conferences, making this publication a possibility for LIS graduate students.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: This is an online publication with Open Access Policy providing unrestricted access to published content indicating a larger audience beyond the LLAMA membership.16

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Although headquartered in Chicago as part of the American Library Association,17 LLAMA and its membership is national in scope. The articles are domestic in nature, and the LLAMA Board of Directors all are from U.S. institutions.18 The publication is printed in English.19 Despite the fact that many LLAMA members manage libraries in ethnically diverse communities, the articles in the journal focus on general management issues that all administrators face, such as strategic planning, fundraising, library boards, and internet ethics, not community-specific issues.20

Reader characteristics: The commonality of LLAMA members is that they are at a managerial level within a library organization. It can be assumed that the majority of LLAMA members have been in the library business for a number of years, however no demographics are available. Unless they are a one-person operation (which could be the case for a school librarian), they hold supervisory roles within their organizations. Their interests are based on financial, human resource, building, and legal and ethical issues as they affect the success of their particular organizations. They are concerned with strategic planning, disaster planning, and facility planning.21 In looking over the editorials from recent issues, the overall value that can be attached to this journal would be one of empowerment. The content seeks to provide library managers with the tools needed to develop successful organizations out of preparedness rather than reactionary responses to a crisis.22

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Despite the fact that these are library managers, they may or may not have MLIS degrees, as some library managers followed business, not library, career tracks.23 Recent articles did not contain overly technical topics or LIS jargon, veering more toward business concepts.24

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

The audience is more specific than €™American Libraries€™, which is directed toward all library personnel. In contrast, LL&M is designed for library managers and administrators. This could be an opportunity or a challenge for a writer. Things such as negotiating with a vendor, ergonomic work stations, and staff development are matters of concern to nearly any organization manager. Topics such as working with a library board, dealing with book challenges, and internet filters are problems that are specific to library management. But both categories have a place in this publication and therefore open up a host of possibilities for articles. However, these readers, as organization managers, most likely have very limited time to pursue professional reading. Authors for the journal need to be on top of the issues at the forefront of the managers’€™ daily lives in order to offer something new to say that is of value.

Last updated: June 12, 2019

References

Show 24 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “Library Leadership and Management,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 12, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1560362802779/67509 ↩
  2. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Library Leadership & Management,” accessed June 12, 2019, https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm ↩
  3. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Library Leadership & Management.” ↩
  4. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Library Leadership & Management.” ↩
  5. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Information for Authors,” accessed June 12, 2019, https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/information/authors ↩
  6. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  7. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  8. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Information for Authors.” ↩
  9. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  10. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Submissions,” accessed June 12, 2019 https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/about/submissions#authorGuidelines ↩
  11. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Submissions.” ↩
  12. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Submissions.” ↩
  13. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Submissions.” ↩
  14. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Submissions.” ↩
  15. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Archives,” accessed June 12, 2019, https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/issue/archive ↩
  16. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Archives.” ↩
  17. Library Leadership and Management Association, Library Leadership & Management. ↩
  18. Library Leadership and Management Association, “About LLAMA,” accessed June 12, 2019, http://www.ala.org/llama/about ↩
  19. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  20. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Archives.” ↩
  21. Library Leadership and Management Association, “About LLAMA.” ↩
  22. American Library Association, “Archives.” ↩
  23. Library Leadership and Management Association, “About LLAMA.” ↩
  24. Library Leadership and Management Association, “Archives.” ↩
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Public Libraries

By on June 11, 2019 in

 

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Public Libraries

ISSN: 0163-55061

Website: Public Libraries magazine: http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries; Public Libraries Online: http://publiclibrariesonline.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Public Libraries is the official trade publication of the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of American Library Association (ALA), and thus reflects its standards. The magazine seeks to provide public librarians with the news and information they need to be as successful in their careers as possible.2

Target audience: LIS professionals working in public libraries.3

Publisher: Public Library Association.4

Peer reviewed? Yes.5

Type: LIS professional news. This publication focuses on the public library workplace rather than on scholarly research.6

Medium: Print.7 Public Libraries Online, a complement to the printed journal, is available online.8

Content: Quality articles and information germane to all aspects of public libraries.9

Frequency of publication: Bi-monthly10

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/writeforpl

Types of contributions accepted: The following types of contributions are considered for publication:

  • Feature articles. Manuscripts should be 3,000-6,000 words.
  • €œVerso€ pieces, of no more than 1,500 words.
  • Vendor announcements. (Contact Kathleen Hughes, khughes@ala.org.)
  • Reviews of professional literature. (Contact Kathleen Hughes, khughes@ala.org.)11

Submission and review process: Public Libraries has a specific style guide that authors should adhere to before submitting manuscripts to the editor. Manuscripts are evaluated by the Feature Editor and persons knowledgeable about the topic of the work.12 All submissions are reviewed in a double-blind process to ensure that published papers are of high quality.13

Articles are accepted on a rolling basis and the evaluation process generally takes eight to twelve weeks. Articles are typically scheduled for publication in the order in which they are received.14

All submissions must be submitted through the online Public Libraries Editorial Manager. First-time authors will need to register. You may then submit your manuscript and track its progress through the system.15

Editorial tone: From the website: “Write in a clear, simple style. Use the active voice whenever possible. Avoid overly long sentences.”16

Style guide used: Consult the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed. and the Random House Webster’€™s College Dictionary for questions about grammar, usage, or spelling.17

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This is an excellent publication for public librarians, LIS professionals or student authors interested in sharing unique knowledge or experiences germane to public libraries. This is a credible resource since it is published by the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association. Potential topics this publication may address include: career development, serving diverse populations in public libraries, and improving public programming.

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Subscription accompanies membership in the Public Library Association (PLA),18 meaning that each issue of Public Libraries circulates to nearly 10,000 PLA members and subscribers throughout the entire United States and Canada.19

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: PLA is a division of the American Library Association, indicating that readers of this publication are primarily located throughout the United States.20 The information in this publication is printed in the English language.21 It is culturally focused on the U.S. and on library and information science issues relevant to American librarians working in the public library realm.22

Reader characteristics: Expect readers to be familiar with current library technologies and policies. Readers are likely working in a public library, and are knowledgeable of procedures and technologies related to their field. By subscribing the magazine, the readers are displaying a personal interest in bettering themselves and their knowledge of their chosen field. The majority of this publication’€™s readers include reference, children, youth, special collections, and technical librarians working in public libraries. Although most of the audience has an MLIS education, there are professionals who have worked in libraries for an extensive amount of time and may have gotten involved when a graduate degree was not required. Furthermore, this publication is appealing to LIS graduate students interested in learning more about issues in the public library realm. This publication is progressive insofar as it is concerned with ensuring that the general public, including the disadvantaged, has access to information, services and programs.23

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Considering that this is a professional publication, most readers are already familiar with issues relevant to the library and information science profession. They will also be familiar with LIS jargon, specifically that used in public libraries.24

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

Public Library‘s readers are professionally affiliated with both the American Library Association and the Public Library Association. Collectively, readers are very likely to be public library employees. Most read this publication to learn about national public library news, to build camaraderie within the field, and to gain insight about how they might approach issues within their own libraries. Considering this publication’s national audience, it is important to link unique experiences to national issues. For instance, an article about lending e-readers in one library would make connections to copyright or cost issues relevant to other libraries.

Last updated: June 11, 2019

References

Show 24 footnotes

  1. ProQuest, “Public Libraries,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 11, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521399522510/23515 ↩
  2. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries ↩
  3. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  4. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  5. American Library Association, “Write for Public Libraries Magazine,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/writeforpl ↩
  6. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  7. Proquest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  8. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  9. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  10. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  11. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/writeforpl/editorialguidelines ↩
  12. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
  13. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  14. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
  15. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
  16. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
  17. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
  18. American Library Association, “Subscribe to Public Libraries,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/subscribe ↩
  19. American Library Association, “Advertise with PLA,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/advertise ↩
  20. American Library Association, Subscribe to Public Libraries. ↩
  21. ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
  22. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  23. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
  24. American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
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