Wiki Tags Archives: Student authors

Cataloging & Classification Quarterly

By Phyllis Pistorino on April 28, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Cataloging & Classification Quarterly

ISSN: 0163-9374 (Print) and 1544-4554 (Online)¹

Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wccq20/current

Purpose, objective, or mission: Cataloging & Classification Quarterly is an international journal providing information and discussion on the subject of bibliographic organization. It addresses the theory and practice of cataloging and classification from a historic as well as a contemporary approach. “In a rapidly changing field, it seeks out and fosters new developments in the transition to new forms of bibliographic control and encourages the innovative and the nontraditional.”²

Target audience: “For library school faculty, it provides an outlet for research publication as well as source materials for students. For the cataloger, the journal provides both theoretical background and potential solutions to current problems. For the public services librarian, there are discussions of bibliographic records in actual use and of the importance of feedback from the user to the creator of cataloging systems. For the administrator, it explores the complex elements in the library organization.”³

Publisher: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly⁶.

Medium: Print and online.⁷

Content: Cataloging & Classification Quarterly features articles that consider “…the full spectrum of creation, content, management, and use and usability of both bibliographic records and catalogs. This includes the principles, functions, and techniques of descriptive cataloging; the wide range of methods of subject analysis and classification; provision of access for all formats of materials; and policies, planning, and issues connected to the effective use of bibliographic records in modern society.”⁸ Besides introducing innovations in bibliographic control, the journal also discusses theoretical backgrounds and analysis of bibliographic organization.

Frequency of publication: Eight issues per year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submitting your Paper

Types of contributions accepted: “Full-length research and review articles; descriptions of new programs and technology relevant to cataloging and classification, considered speculative articles on improved methods of bibliographic control for the future, and solicited book reviews.”¹⁰

Submission and review process: Authors should submit via ScholarOne Manuscripts after reviewing the submission instructions “¹¹

Editorial tone: Scholarly and professional. ¹²

Style guide used: Taylor & Francis Chicago US endnote-footnote style found here.¹³

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Cataloging & Classification Quarterly is a highly specialized publication that provides relevant news, information, and analyses of and about recent trends in cataloging and classification as well as historical perspectives of experts in the field. This journal is a very useful resource for LIS professionals who deal with bibliographic organization and technical services in their institutions. Persons who are experts in the field, archivists, or other librarians, as well as students interested in writing classification-oriented research papers may submit their work for publication. Articles involving information organization or collection management are only a small part of the breadth of literature that may be written about cataloging and classification.

This journal is abstracted in De Gruyter Saur; IBZ; Academic Search Complete; H.W. Wilson; Inspec; Library & Information Science Source; MasterFILE Complete; TOC Premier; Elsevier BV; Scopus; OCLC; ArticleFirst; Ovid; Periodica Islamica; ProQuest; Aerospace Database; Civil Engineering Abstracts; Engineering Research Database; FRANCIS; LISA: Library & Information Science Abstracts; VINITI RAN; and Clarivate Analytics’ Emerging Sources Citation Index.¹⁴

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Information for updated publication circulation was not found, but looking at article views from recent issues showed significant exposure with most above 100 or 200 downloads over the past month, and historically high numbers of views from various articles dating from the early to mid 2010s, with some reaching near 8000 views.¹⁵

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Cataloging & Classification Quarterly may be purchased online from Taylor & Francis and is available worldwide.¹⁶ This is an American English publication and its primary readers reside in the United States. However, as evidenced by the diversity of its editorial board members based in different parts of the world, articles in the journal must also accessible to a international audience.¹⁷

Reader characteristics: No individual characteristics of the journal’s readers were available. Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory, however, describes its audience as, “academic; special adult.”¹⁸ Naturally, because Cataloging & Classification Quarterly is a highly specialized journal, its readers have similar interests in LIS topics and issues, particularly in bibliographic organization. The majority of subscribers are likely cataloging professionals and technical services librarians. As LIS professionals, subscribers of this journal likely support the development of cataloging and classification and have interests in other LIS issues.¹⁹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of this specialized journal are doubtless familiar with cataloging and classification, as well as other LIS issues. ²⁰

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

Cataloging & Classification Quarterly is a highly specialized journal that is geared towards the professional cataloger but is also of interest to LIS professionals or graduate students seeking knowledge of bibliographic organization trends or breakthroughs. Authors must keep in mind that these readers are most likely LIS professionals, graduates or students that are knowledgeable about issues in the field of cataloging and librarianship. They are looking for formal and scholarly articles pertaining to topics such as records description and access or classification systems used in special libraries. Research articles on such subjects are the most appropriate for this audience. The use of subheadings is recommended to focus the reader’s attention and show the author’s intention clearly.

Last updated: April 28, 2020

References

Show 20 footnotes

Library Connect Newsletter

By Erin Fussell on March 16, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Library Connect Newsletter

ISSN: 1549-3733¹

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

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

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

Publisher: Elsevier, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional news.⁶

Medium: Online.⁷

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

Frequency of publication: 10 times per year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

Editorial tone: Conversational and professional¹²

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: March 16, 2020

References

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The ALAN Review

By Phyllis Pistorino on February 27, 2020 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The ALAN Review

ISSN: 0882-2840 (Print) and 1547-741X (Online)¹

Website: http://www.alan-ya.org/publications/the-alan-review/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The ALAN Review, sponsored by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN), a special-interest group of the National Council of Teachers of English, specializes on articles and reviews of literature for adolescents and those teaching literature to adolescents.²

Target audience: Mostly K-12 teachers who use the Review to research titles appropriate for young adults, and librarians, authors, and publishers focusing in the YA area.³

Publisher: Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English.⁴

Peer reviewed? Yes⁵

Type: LIS scholarly/professional publication focusing on news and reviews of young adult (YA)/adolescent literature. Not affiliated with a specific LIS resource, other than NCTE – but provides information to librarians on how to instruct adolescents in reading literature, and provides book reviews that librarians will find helpful in the workplace.⁶

Medium: ALAN members get a print copy of each Review with membership.⁷ Back issues through 2017 can be found on the DLA website, free of charge.⁸ (Virginia Tech’s Digital Library and Archives (DLA) project provides many scholarly journals in a digital format to get around the high cost of producing print journals.⁹)

Content: Reviews of young adult/adolescent literature, and articles on the same, as well as articles on the teaching of literature. This can consist of research papers and studies, literature surveys and critiques, author profiles, comp lit studies, and articles on ways to teach literature to YA/adolescents.¹⁰

Frequency of publication: Published three times per year: Fall, Winter, and Spring.¹¹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Submission guidelines can be found on ALAN Review’s website. They are also located in the journal itself. You can check the DLA for back issues.¹² Calls for manuscripts can be found on the ALAN Review home page.¹³

Types of contributions accepted: Author reviews and interviews, book reviews, articles on adolescent literature and teaching adolescent literature. The ALAN Review has also begun accepting vignettes from librarians and teachers focusing on their experiences and interactions presenting YA material to other teachers, students, parents, etc.¹⁴

From Vol. 38 No. 1 (Fall 2010) online: “A manuscript submitted for consideration should deal specifically with literature for adolescents and/or the teaching of that literature.”¹⁵

Submission and review process: Manuscripts should be emailed to tar@utk.edu, with “ALAN manuscript submission” in the subject line, in MS Word, APA format. Authors should submit a manuscript without reference to the author(s), a title pages with names and biographies, and a brief statement of the originality of the article.¹⁶

A blind review is done by the editor and at least three members of the editorial-review board. Authors can expect to hear the results in 8 weeks. Articles are judged on: the contribution to the field of adolescent lit; clarity and cohesiveness; and scholarly rigor.¹⁷

Editorial tone: The articles are scholarly, and present a thesis, outline the study or observation methods, and present findings, often with charts and graphs and a lots of references. However, the tone is conversational, open, and friendly. The submission guidelines specifically note that research papers and studies should be treated as articles, not formal reports.¹⁸

Style guide used: The ALAN Review prefers the use of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA).¹⁹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Anyone who has read and enjoyed a YA book will most likely think of something that would be appropriate to publish in The ALAN Review. This is a respected, peer-reviewed publication geared towards the very community that LIS students seek to work with. Authors write to their like-minded peers. They are passionate about sharing their experiences in hopes that others can learn from them. The Review is a wonderful outlet for interesting, involved, scholarly articles, reviews or interviews, or for just sharing a story about getting YA novels out to the public-a library event, book club, new way of teaching an old title, a study on readers of YA novels or focus on the reading patterns of a specific subculture (minority students, girls, boys, rural readers, LGBTQ youth)-this is the place for these types of submissions.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The Review is distributed to all members of the ALAN group, part of the NCTE.²⁰ Ulrich’s currently lists its circulation at around 2,500.²¹ In 2015, the online catalog received over 133,652 unique visitors.²²

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Review is part of the National Council of Teachers of English, out of Campbell, OH. English is the primary language; however, ALAN has members in all 50 states and internationally, and covers reviews of all sorts of books for adolescents.²³ From the submission guidelines: “Stereotyping on the basis of sex, race, age, etc., should be avoided, as should gender-specific terms such as ‘chairman.'”²⁴

Reader characteristics: Members of the ALAN are highly interested in youth and young adult literature. Most people receiving this journal through ALAN or NCTE are classroom English teachers in middle or high school, or librarians, researches, authors, publishers specializing in YA literature.²⁵

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers are not expected to be familiar with LIS terminology, although most likely they will as some subscribers are librarians and most are educators. Subscribers to the journal are primarily part of NCTE, teachers in middle and high school as this is a journal for adolescent literature.²⁶

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

This is the place to send your manuscript, article, review or story if you’re an LIS student with any interest in the YA world. The Alan Review readers are a highly specialized group of professionals teaching and providing reference services to young adults. Sharing your manuscript could potentially influence classrooms around the country—new books to read, new teaching methods, studies and conclusions – this is the place to publish to get your name and ideas out, and to connect with other teaching and library professionals.

Last updated: February 27, 2020

References

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iSchool Connext

By Blake Wandling on July 13, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: iSchool Connext

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Per their website, “iSchool Connext fosters connections between students and alumni of the SJSU iSchool program through communications, events, and programs open to all students and alumni in order to promote scholarly and professional development and achievement.”¹ In 2011, the SJSU School of Information’s alumni association and its student organization were merged into a single organization with a shared blog in order to promote “expanded collaboration and communication between current students and alumni, creating lifelong connections that enrich their scholarly and professional careers.”²

Target audience: All students and alumni of the School of Information at San José State University.³

Publisher: Student and alumni members of the iSchool Connext organization.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS professional news.⁶

Medium: Web-based publication.⁷

Content: “Information on the LIS field, career ideas, job opportunities, or any other topic that may be helpful to others.”⁸ Recent posts include event announcements, spotlight features of alumni, and recruitment announcements for leadership positions within the organization.⁹

Frequency of publication: Continuously. As of 2019, the most recent post is from January 2018.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://ischoolgroups.sjsu.edu/connext/ (Scroll to the bottom-right corner in the footer of each page.)

Types of contributions accepted: Op ed pieces, as well as announcements and discussions of events, scholarships, and resources related to students and alumni of the School of Information. “Guest posts” from recent years include opinion pieces on the importance of doing research while in school, the use of social media for networking, and interview techniques. Any insight or news relevant to any library profession or education would be welcome here.¹¹

Submission and review process: iSchool Connext members are encouraged to participate by emailing the organization through the website.¹² The Blog Correspondent and iSchool WebMaster are responsible for soliciting blog submissions from members and managing online presence,¹³ and are presumably in charge of reviewing and posting submissions, since “guest posts” are technically posted by the WebMaster.¹⁴ The most recent (2017-2018) list of officers indicates open seats for at least the WebMaster position.¹⁵

Editorial tone: Informal.¹⁶

Style guide used: None specified.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The iSchool Connext Blog provides many publication, editorial, and leadership opportunities for iSchool students and alumni at SJSU. Any student or alumni of the school could begin to develop a publication portfolio by contributing opinion or news pieces to the blog. The current lack of activity and leadership indicates a small audience, but any involvement would indicate commitment to improving and participating in communication of the school’s students and alumni. In addition to writing, members of the group could show leadership and further develop their publication skills by seeking out any of the currently open Officer positions and making the blog a more active and widely-read publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No circulation or membership information is available, but blog content makes its way to the organization’s social media pages. As of July 2019, Facebook page has 980 followers and their Twitter account has over 500.¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: San José State University is located in San José, California, yet all of its current students complete the program online. Students and alumni may live, study, or work anywhere in the world. Since members have all completed coursework through the program, they will be familiar with English and LIS jargon at least to the extent that it appears in iSchool courses. The School of Information has been around since 1954, so school alumni could have very different cultural and professional experiences than current students.¹⁸

Reader characteristics: Since we have no current data on the group’s membership or the blog’s readership, we can only assume that the reader characteristics are the characteristics of the school’s students and alumni. They could possess or be working towards a MLIS or MARA degree with a career pathway in academic libraries, special libraries, public libraries, school libraries, teacher librarianship, archives and preservation, data science, digital curation, information organization, digital services, and more. They could be in their first semesters in the program, or they could be longtime professionals in the field.¹⁹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: iSchool students and alumni have a command of LIS subject matter and jargon.

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

Because the potential membership of this group is so diverse in experience, authors can interest an audience by writing about any topic in the field or by making connections between different topics in the field. Whether reading an observational piece on teacher librarianship or an opinion piece on controversies in digital preservation, most readers will be interested in understanding what their fellow students and alumni are thinking about and experiencing. Members read this blog to keep up on the events and opinions of their classmates and former classmates, not to read the latest best practices and research articles. A focus on connecting life lessons to iSchool experiences would be especially welcome in this blog.

Last updated: July 13, 2019

References

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In the Library with the Lead Pipe

By Blake Wandling on June 30, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: In the Library with the Lead Pipe

ISSN: 1944-6195¹

Website: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: From the website’s About page: “Lead Pipe believes libraries and library workers can change the world for the better. We improve libraries, professional organizations, and their communities of practice by exploring new ideas, starting conversations, documenting our concerns, and arguing for solutions.”²

Target audience: Educators, administrators, library support staff, technologists, and community members.³

Per co-founder Brett Bonfield: “We do our best to reach beyond librarians, administrators, etc. and also engage people who care about the same things that we care about, such as publishing, reading, knowledge, intellectual freedom . . . all the intersections between librarians and other fields, professions, avocations. We do this by trying to avoid jargon and by telling good stories, and we also do it by interviewing non-librarians and by asking non-librarians to write for us or serve as peer reviewers.”⁴

Publisher: The editorial staff of In the Library with the Lead Pipe⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes,⁶ by at least one external and one internal reviewer⁷

Type: An LIS scholarly publication that crosses over into the professional and trade publication category.⁸

Medium: Online.⁹

Content: The goals of Lead Pipe are to start conversations and to propose solutions to LIS problems and concerns. The content includes essays by the editorial board and articles by guest authors, including “educators, administrators, library support staff, technologists, and community members.”¹⁰ Articles range from advice to LIS students, to notes from LIS professionals in the workplace, to favorite books and commentary on current LIS-related news items such as retaining LGBTQ staff and library use of social media.¹¹

Frequency of publication: Monthly.¹²

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/submission-guidelines/

Types of contributions accepted: Constructive criticisms and commentary from people experiencing the library from the inside as librarians, administrators, and support staff, as well as community members who interact with libraries. The goal is to provide perspective from all aspects of the library community. The editors encourage article proposals from LIS students and those new to the profession.¹³

Examples of material published include:

Original research with a discussion of its consequences and an argument for action.
Articles arguing for a particular approach, strategy or development in librarianship, with practical examples of how it might be achieved.
Transformative works with additional explanatory or interpretive content. For example, a transcription of an interview or panel discussion, with a substantial introduction explaining the importance of the subject to librarianship and a discussion of related literature.¹⁴

Submission and review process: Prospective authors are asked to submit a 200-word abstract, a link or attachment to writing samples, and a current resume or CV using the email address listed on the submissions page. Authors may also submit a completed article, from 2000-5000 words, with citations as necessary.¹⁵

A staff member will respond to submissions within three weeks to indicate whether an article is appropriate to Lead Pipe publication goals in terms of content and style.¹⁶

According to Lead Pipe author instructions, “The author does the hard work of actually writing the article. Articles may have multiple authors, but in this case one author must be designated as the primary point of contact for the Editorial Board. Authors are also responsible for identifying an external reviewer. The external reviewer should have some professional connection to or knowledge of the article’s topic, and is expected to provide expert review and constructive feedback. The external reviewer does not necessarily have to be librarian. Authors may work with someone they already know or reach out to the professional community. The Editorial Board is happy to offer guidance in identifying and contacting an appropriate reviewer if needed.”¹⁷

Per co-founder Brett Bonfield, “Our goal is to make sure the article is factually accurate, well written, well edited, and interesting.”¹⁸

The process from selection to publication takes at least six weeks, with Lead Pipe editors requesting feedback and drafts from the author as necessary. This is a highly collaborative process where editors work closely with writers to produce the most fabulous writing possible for the site. Prospective authors should consult the Guest Author Instructions, Framework for Guest Author Proposals, and Peer Review Guidelines before submitting.¹⁹

Editorial tone: Informal and engaging; informative yet relaxed. The articles are peer-reviewed, but speak to the entire community of people who work in and use the library. They are thoughtful, positive articles that pose challenging questions and educate readers on diverse aspects of the LIS world.²⁰

Style guide used: The Lead Pipe includes an in-house style guide in its submission guidelines. Authors may use any citation style, as long as it is consistently applied within an article. The editors encourage use of the first-person for many articles, and request that authors avoid use of the passive voice.²¹ See the site’s detailed Style Guide for more information.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This is an extremely LIS-student-friendly publication open to a great variety of topics within the field.²² The site has a registered ISSN number and although it has been awarded titles such as “Best General Blog” in 2012 from the Salem Press Library Blog Awards, the editors “feel that this rich peer review process sets us apart from scholarly blogs and puts us in the realm of “journal.”²³ Many writers have referenced the site through other publications.²⁴

The editors “encourage creative thinking, envelope-pushing, and constructive criticism,”²⁵ while “articles indulging in non-constructive criticism will not be accepted.”²⁶

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Not specified. According to a survey performed by Arthur Hendricks of 67 university library professionals, 3 of those 67 (4.5%) mentioned In the Library with the Lead Pipe as a blog that they regularly read.²⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Currently all members of the editorial board work in the United States,²⁸ and articles are written in American English.²⁹ However, given that Lead Pipe is an internationally recognized, well-respected, yet informal journal that was previously a popular peer-reviewed blog, a more global readership may be assumed.

The publication style guide requests that authors “. . . incorporate a global perspective in the context and arguments of articles (e.g., by considering what the broad international profession should do, not just what the American Library Association or U.S.-based librarians should do). It is acceptable for an article’s focus to be on one geographic region, but this should be made clear in the article, and avoid phrases like “across the country” without mentioning which country.”³⁰

Reader characteristics: Editors take pride in having diverse skills and interests, and bring all of that knowledge to the website, making it an interesting site to read even by those outside the profession. Lead Pipe is directed towards people involved in libraries in any capacity, from librarians to support staff and community members.³¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Strong.³²

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

The journal is one of the longer standing open source, peer-edited and -reviewed LIS sites, dating back to 2008. It is read and referenced by librarians internationally, and provides good information and topics of conversation for librarians and those interested in the LIS community. It is an informally written site but still presents scholarly articles along with editorials and opinion pieces, and would be a good platform for LIS students who wish to network and share ideas and concerns through writing articles for a community of peers.

Per editor Brett Bonfield: “We think of ourselves as a journal and we publish “articles,” not posts, and those articles are indexed by EBSCO for its library database products. We’re not aggressive about it or anything–we were delighted by the Salem Press blog award, for instance–but it’s a distinction that has meaning for us. We love a lot of LIS blogs and we love a lot of LIS journals, we just think we have a bit more in common with the journals than the blogs.”³³

Last updated: June 30, 2019

References

Show 33 footnotes

SNAP Section Blog

By Blake Wandling on June 30, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: SNAP Section Blog [Students & New Archives Professionals]

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://snaproundtable.wordpress.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The SNAP Section is a sub-group formed within the Society of American Archivists (SAA) to focus on student and new professional goals and issues.¹ The SNAP Blog provides SNAP Section members with a forum sharing information in a more public forum, in conjunction with other social media outlets.² The blog meets supports SNAP’s goals to “provide a forum to share concerns and learn from each other” and to “facilitate remote participation in the group through social media and other online resources.”³

Target audience: Entry level or student archivists, particularly those involved in the SAA: students, interns, new professionals, early-career archivists, and those still looking for their first professional job. Per the bylaws, any member or nonmember of SAA, including new and more experienced archives professionals, may participate in SNAP in accordance with the most current Guidelines for Roundtables as set forth by the SAA Council.⁴

Publisher: The Society of American Archivists (SAA).⁵

Peer reviewed? No.⁶

Type: LIS Professional and Trade Publication.⁷

Medium: Online.⁸

Content: Sharing information relevant to the student and new archive professional community, including archive-relevant blogs, regional meetings or courses, project ideas, general Q&A regarding research, professional and student issues, and the Ask An Archivist Q&A section.⁹

Frequency of publication: Updated as often as members post online. Recently the rate has been about three times per month.¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://snaproundtable.wordpress.com/about/

Types of contributions accepted: Blog reviews, accounts of regional meetings or courses, project ideas, and anything of interest to the archival community.¹¹ Special columns offer more structured writing opportunities, and can be found here.¹²

Submission and review process: Authors who want to contribute to the blog should submit a contact form with information about themselves and about the topic they plan to write about.¹³ It can be assumed that the blog team will work with authors to develop their idea and get it posted.

Editorial tone: Informal.¹⁴

Style guide used: None listed.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The SNAP Section Blog is an excellent forum for sharing archival information and concerns among a like-minded group. It should be easy for novice writers to practice publishing their thoughts, ideas, and announcements in this public forum. Posting on this blog promises networking potential, as well as the possibility of becoming a strong voice in the newest generation of archivists, who may bring to light new perspectives on issues not emphasized to more established archivists.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Currently 218 people follow the blog,¹⁵ though the number of views that blog posts receive on the site and on linked-to social media could potentially be much greater.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The audience is largely North American, as the blog concerns members of the SAA. English is the primary language. Recent blog posts demonstrate comfort with social media and current internet language.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: Since the Section focuses on students and new professionals, members are likely overall to be younger than their other SAA Section counterparts, though new archive professionals may be older individuals in the midst of a career change. Readers may also be more established archivists who want to keep up with what issues their new colleagues find important.¹⁷

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Some LIS terminology and understanding is expected; but this is not a professional-grade publication, just sharing among peers. Contributors writing about their personal experiences in the field are not necessarily expected to walk readers through each step of what their work entails.¹⁸

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

The SNAP Blog offers an excellent venue for new and student archivists to share knowledge, insights, and new ideas about their profession.¹⁹ This is a very organized, enthusiastic group of students and new professionals who are addressing the needs of those LIS professionals new to archival librarianship. Readers are hoping to learn career tips, gain insight on issues they have different perspectives on, and network with other professionals. Write from personal experience and with passion for maximized readership.

Last updated: June 30, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

American Libraries

By Blake Wandling 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

LISNews

By Blake Wandling on June 29, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: LISNews

ISSN: N/A

Website: http://www.lisnews.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “LISNews is a collaborative weblog devoted to current events and news in the world of library and information science.”¹

Target audience: LIS professionals and anyone interested in reading about library and information science news.²

Publisher: Blake Carver, MLS.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: LIS professional news and forum.⁵

Medium: Online.⁶

Content: The content on LISnews varies from day to day and includes newspaper articles from the United States and other English-speaking countries, editorials, interviews, book reviews, and original writings. Glancing at the most recent postings reveals excerpts and links from LIS-related articles in popular publications and organizations. Activity on the site has slowed down significantly in recent years, but new blog posts are added about once a week by the blog’s owner. Some articles do not speak anyone’s interest; other postings can generate heated, but civilized discussion for several days.⁷

Frequency of publication: According to the blog owner, content is updated “frequently, usually 7 days a week.”⁸ However, recent activity suggests a pattern of updating slightly more than once per week.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: There are no guidelines as this is an informal forum for open discussion. The author attempts to maintain accuracy and fairness in postings and gently hints that others do the same.¹⁰

Types of contributions accepted: Articles, editorials, original work; anything of interest to a LIS audience.¹¹

Submission and review process: Submissions can be sent to the ”submit suggestion” link on the website. Contributions remain the property of the author and can be removed from the website any time by request. There is no review process other than the publication of that which interests a majority of readers. The author does caution that anything that “causes trouble” will be deleted.¹²

Editorial tone: Informal blog that accepts any writings about LIS news. Authors are free to post and opine on the blog regarding any previously published works. The publisher does, however, “reserve the right to remove any work at any time for any reason.”¹³

Style guide used: None.

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

LISNews does not provide any scholarly writing opportunities, but does offer an almost daily opportunity for new writers to post their work and ideas on any library topic. The blog offers a nice opportunity to get one’s feet wet in the world of LIS writing but not much else. This may be good venue to find the pulse of library and information science news, to find out what others are talking about, what is of interest to other LIS professionals, and what LIS topics are making headlines in mainstream publications.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: There is no circulation information available. However, readership is not necessarily restricted to the activity on the site, as the blog is also be delivered via an email subscription list.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The publisher is in New York, and it is claimed that there is some international reach.¹⁵ American English is the standard for communication as the focus is on North American information science and news. Newspaper articles posted here are from all over the country, Canada, and the UK.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: A majority of the readers are librarians of every specialty; however, the publisher does not ask any specific information. The readers are likely to have similar types of workplaces, as the majority of most recent posts focus on public or academic librarianship.¹⁷ Readers, as librarians, tend to be open to new information, are willing to express their opinion online, and listen to what others have to say. The editor will post anything of value related to library issues but will remove anything that causes too much discord.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Since this is an audience of mostly librarians (as determined by the editor)¹⁹, there is a great deal of LIS knowledge. Information is gathered from many sources for contributions to LISNews. Some posted articles are highly technical, while others are newspaper articles free of any jargon.²⁰

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

This is a resource for librarians to contribute information on anything related to library and information science from the conventional to the bizarre.²¹ Some articles are very technical and directed toward librarians with a specialization and a knowledge of library jargon and acronyms. Other articles are of a general nature that are of interest to not only librarians, but a general audience as well. Authors are welcome to contribute on any library related topic. Since there are few productive authors relative to prior years, there is opportunity for authors to stand out and be heard by posting frequently. ²² This is an informal and engaged audience of librarians that will be interested in anything that writers have to post.

Last updated: June 29, 2019

References

Show 22 footnotes

Public Libraries

By Blake Wandling 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.
Verso 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

ProQuest, “Public Libraries,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 11, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1521399522510/23515 ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Library Association, “Write for Public Libraries Magazine,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/writeforpl ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
Proquest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/writeforpl/editorialguidelines ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Editorial Guidelines.” ↩
American Library Association, “Subscribe to Public Libraries,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/publiclibraries/subscribe ↩
American Library Association, “Advertise with PLA,” Public Library Association, accessed June 11, 2019, http://www.ala.org/pla/publications/advertise ↩
American Library Association, Subscribe to Public Libraries. ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩
American Library Association, “Public Libraries Magazine.” ↩

Journal of New Librarianship

By Maria Notarangelo on April 16, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Journal of New Librarianship

ISSN: 2471-3880

Website: http://newlibs.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: The Journal of New Librarianship editors acknowledge the “need to offer quality literature in our field in an open, independently produced journal. Beyond that, we believe that the library is meant to set an example for academia. Free and open access to information and innovation is crucial to the future of our institutions and profession. By providing an outlet that mixes both traditional and disruptive forms of scholarly and professional communication, we can change the way our profession shares and leads.”¹

Target audience: The Journal of New Librarianship aims to reach all library and information science (LIS) professionals, practitioners, scholars, teachers, and graduate students, as well as those who are interested in the LIS field.

Publisher: The journal is “independently produced.” It uses the Scholastic academic journal management system.²

Peer reviewed? Yes, blind review. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles and other content that is not peer-reviewed.³

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online, open access.

Content: The Journal of New Librarianship is a new journal, first published in 2016. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles, essays, editorials, book reviews, and columns⁴ on all topics in the field of LIS and seeks both “traditional and disruptive” forms of communication.⁵ The Columns section publishes “short pieces on topics of timely interest to information professionals covering innovations and issues for the next generation of librarians.”⁶

Frequency of publication: Articles are published on a rolling basis on the website; these are collected into two issues each year.⁷

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: For Authors.

Types of contributions accepted: “Submissions may include, but are not limited to: Solicited articles; Scholarly Articles; Essays; Experience and opinion pieces; Media (i.e., podcasts, video, etc) relevant to innovative practices in librarianship; Book reviews; Technology reviews; Letters to the Editor on topics relevant to the field; Data sets; Manifestos; Extended scholarship (Greater than 15,000 words); and Interviews.”⁸ “We want lengthy treatises on intersectionality and library practice just as much as we want data analysis and recorded interviews with people doing awesome teen programming or video projects on the transformation of a library’s physical space and the perceived impact. All aspects of librarianship – by any name – are within the intended scope of the journal.”⁹

Submission and review process: Authors are asked to submit their articles stripped of identifying information so they are ready for peer review. They ask for a cover letter that explains “the origin of the project, whether it has been presented and if so where, and affirmation of its originality, veracity, and the author’s right to include all submitted material, data, and media.” Further, the cover letter should explain if the article has time constraints, for example, if it should be published immediately or during a particular conference. Finally, during the online submission process, authors are asked to list potential peer reviewers who are appropriate or those who should be avoided, and these suggestions should be explained in the cover letter. The editors ask authors to contact them with “preliminary pitches,” and they “encourage ideas for content in any and all forms.”¹⁰

Editorial tone: The editors encourage “submissions that we have no idea how to categorize,” so the tone should be appropriate to the piece: scholarly, conversational, casual, experimental, and so on.¹¹

Style guide used: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition).¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

The Journal of New Librarianship is an interesting, high-quality, experimental journal that aims to set an example in academia for free and open access to information, scholarship, and ideas.¹³ This is a great publication for LIS authors who want to publish traditional academic scholarship or who have novel explorations in theory or practice, timely observations, or experimental pieces, including multimedia, to contribute. LIS graduate students are encouraged to submit work and to volunteer as a part of the journal’s editorial team.¹⁴ This is an exciting new journal that is breaking new ground in the discipline’s publishing practices.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Data are not available.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is an open-access journal that is produced in the United States. Editorial board members are from U.S. universities and libraries.¹⁵ The journal welcomes non-English-language content and will provide translation assistance.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: Readers are librarians in all types of libraries and institutions and LIS professionals, scholars, and students.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers’ will have both an academic and practical knowledge and understanding of LIS subject matter.

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

Readers are members of the LIS community who are looking for novel, interesting, relevant, timely, and experimental work in the LIS field. The editors, and presumably the readers, “share a steadfast commitment to recognizing and discussing intersectionality –how social categories like race, class, and gender create overlapping and situational systems of discrimination and privilege.”¹⁷ Readers of this journal look for innovative models and practices in libraries and in LIS scholarship.

Last updated: April 16, 2018

References

Show 17 footnotes

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