Wiki Tags Archives: Technology

School Library Journal

By Blake Wandling on June 26, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: School Library Journal (SLJ)

ISSN: 0362-8930¹

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

Southern California Association of Law Libraries Newsletter

By Blake Wandling on June 24, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Southern California Association of Law Libraries Newsletter (SCALL Newsletter)

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://scallnet.org/newsletter/

Purpose, objective, or mission: The SCALL Newsletter is the official association newsletter of the Southern California Association of Law Libraries, which aims to keep members up-to-date with goings on in the society.¹

Target audience: Law librarians and other information professionals working in the legal industry in the Southern California area, especially those who are members of SCALL.²

Publisher: Southern California Association of Law Libraries, a division of the greater organization, American Association of Law Libraries (AALL).³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: Professional LIS newsletter.⁵

Medium: Online.⁶

Content: SCALL Newsletter contains many reviews and discussions of programs and conferences, both those sponsored by SCALL and others of interest in the community. It also publishes articles about new technologies or issues in the legal profession.⁷

Frequency of publication: Five times per year. The issues are September/October, November/December, January/February, March/April, and May/June.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://scallnet.org/newsletter/

Types of contributions accepted: The publication is interested in a broad range of articles and submissions, as long as they are of interest to the law library community.⁹

Submission and review process: Articles should be submitted to the newsletter editor via email. Deadlines for submission are published on the website and are also included in each issue along with current editor’s contact information.¹⁰

Editorial tone: Though not specifically stated, the tone seems to be informal. Many of the articles are divided into shorter sections, so the reader can quickly and easily decipher the most important points or see an outline of the ideas presented in a conference.¹¹

Style guide used: There is no mention of a specific style guide requirement however, none of the articles in recently archived issues contained bibliographies or footnotes.¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication is useful for information professionals in the legal industry, especially those who are based in Southern California. It provides up-to-date information on events held by the SCALL as well as discussions of other local law conferences and programs. Also, this newsletter is very effective in keeping the members of SCALL informed as to what is taking place within the association, especially with regards to its officers and upcoming events.

This publication seems to be very receptive to author contributions. Most likely those who are members of the association would be especially welcomed to contribute. It seems that it would be a promising publication for an information professional who may not yet be comfortable writing academic research papers, but who is interested in discussing a presentation or conference he or she attended.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: This newsletter is a benefit of SCALL membership and according to their call for advertisers, there are over 400 SCALL members.¹³

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The readers of this publication are primarily in the Southern California area. Many of the events discussed in the newsletter are specific to this locale.¹⁴ However, there is a separate division, San Diego Area Law Libraries, or SANDALL, for the San Diego area members of AALL, so SCALL may be said to include only Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Because this is not an international publication, authors do not have to be concerned with language or cultural discrepancies. As the readers are concentrated in a limited area and work in a specific field, it is likely that they will have a similar understanding of library issues and the words used to describe them.¹⁵

Reader characteristics: Individual characteristics of SCALL members are not available, but members of SCALL work in academic, professional, private, state, and county law libraries.¹⁶ It can be assumed that the statistics for SCALL readers are close to those of the wider association, American Association of Law Libraries (AALL). According to the AALL 2018-2019 Media Kit, the most common workplaces for members are private or corporate law libraries (35%). A smaller, but still significant portion, 13.9 percent, work in government or other types of law libraries. The highest percentage of members (36%) are still in law school. ¹⁷ Information professionals who are likely to read SCALL Newsletter are interested in the legal field, and judging by the scope of the articles, they seem to have an interest in technology as well.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: It can be assumed that readers of the SCALL newsletter are very familiar with LIS related subjects. According to the information about AALL, which all SCALL members are a part of, 38% of readers work in positions that involve high-level decision making and direction of law library services.¹⁹

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

The most important characteristic of this audience is their common interest in the legal profession. Because this is not a scholarly publication and it is intended to spread news and share information, potential authors should keep in mind that their pieces can be more casual in nature but should still be informative and thought-provoking in their viewpoints. Writers should remember that readers of this publication are interested in law libraries and the specific technological issues and advancements that affect their work. While many readers have years of experience working with legal materials, electronic resources are being introduced frequently which change the way many SCALL members are doing their jobs. These changes in the field present opportunities for authors to explain new developments, discuss up-and-coming technologies, and educate the readers.

Last updated: June 24, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

Knowledge Quest

By Blake Wandling on June 21, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Knowledge Quest

ISSN: 1094-9046 (Print) and 2163-5234 (Online)¹

Website: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: Knowledge Quest supports the American Association of School Librarians’ mission to empower leaders “to transform teaching and learning.”² The journal is devoted to offering substantive information to assist building-level school librarians, supervisors, library educators, and other decision makers concerned with the development of school libraries and school library services.³

Target audience: “Building-level school librarians, supervisors, library educators, and other decision makers concerned with the development of school library programs and services.”⁴

Publisher: American Library Association.⁵

Peer reviewed? No.⁶

Type: LIS professional news.⁷

Medium: Print and online.⁸

Content: Per their site, “Articles address the integration of theory and practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines.”⁹ Emerging trends, literacy, co-teaching, leadership, and makerspaces are some encouraged topics.¹⁰

Frequency of publication: Bimonthly, September through June.¹¹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/write/ (Scroll down to the link to the PDF Author Guidelines.)

Types of contributions accepted: Knowledge Quest seeks “original, unpublished manuscripts that address the integration of theory and practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines.” The editors are not interested in “basic primers” on the role of school librarians or press releases and vendor news.¹² Articles should be 2500 words or less.¹³

Submission and review process: Articles may be emailed to the editor¹⁴ or through an online submission form.¹⁵ “Unsolicited manuscripts undergo blind review by the Knowledge Quest editorial advisory board. The process takes approximately 3-4 weeks. When the review is completed, the author will be notified of the outcome.”¹⁶

Editorial tone: Professional. Through well-written articles, the journal provides information in a helpful and supportive manner.¹⁷

Style guide used: Chicago Manual of Style (16th ed.).¹⁸

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Although this publication has numerous readers, over half of its readership is comprised of elementary school, middle school, and high school librarians.¹⁹ The fact that its content does not apply to all aspects of library science limits the reader base and therefore, the scope of articles covered. Professionals working in school libraries are encouraged to submit their work for review. Knowledge Quest desires to be part of the library community and provide support for members of this community through its articles and reviews. Publishing in this journal represents the authors’ dedication to the school library community.²⁰

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: The publication is distributed to 7,000 members and and additional 150 readers. The online component reports over 1,200 visits per day.²¹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This magazine is a publication of the American Association of School Librarians. The material provided in the magazine is designed to support the curriculum in United States public and private schools. The print version of the magazine can be shipped anywhere, but the typical readers reside and work in the United States. Readers can also access the journal via the online component KQ Web and this website can be accessed world wide over the internet.²² This magazine is presented in English and uses terminology relevant to elementary and secondary school librarians. As a publication of the AASL, the magazine has the same vision statement as the organization. This vision statement highlights the magazine’s and the association’s goal to support and embrace cultural and ethnic diversity.²³

Reader characteristics: The readers of the magazine are comprised of professionals and supervisors working in library media centers. Readers can be expected to embrace and be familiar with the ethics and values present in school library programs today. By subscribing to the magazine, readers are demonstrating their stance as advocates of literacy and supporters of intellectual freedom. Media specialists are closely related to teachers as they are active members of the learning community. These individuals are well aware of the resources available to them and are always working towards learning new ways to use these resources in better and more productive ways. Most of the readers work in elementary and secondary school libraries both public and nonpublic schools, and will be interested in issues and programs such as library funding, student achievement, student internet use, literacy, intellectual freedom, and technology that effect or involve the readers. Knowledge Quest is interested in producing a quality publication that presents ideas in a friendly and inclusive manner.²⁴

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: With 87% of readers reporting possession of a Master’s degree, it is probable that many have LIS degrees. Readers can be expected to know about school curriculum and are knowledgeable about the technologies and issues relevant to school media centers today.²⁵

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

Since Knowledge Quest is a publication of the AASL, the readers expect that the publication will have the same guidelines and requirements characterized by an AASL publication. The readers expect the magazine to publish works which are balanced, relevant to the field, accurate, and up-to-date on issues pertinent to school libraries. 78% of readers report that Knowledge Quest is “essential professional reading,” so authors should expect to produce content that meets that description. ²⁶

Last updated: June 21, 2019

References

Show 26 footnotes

ProQuest, “Knowledge Quest,” Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory, accessed June 19, 2019, http://ulrichsweb.serialssolutions.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/title/1560951075174/52980 ↩
American Library Association, “About AASL,” accessed June 19, 2019, http://www.ala.org/aasl/about ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ,” accessed June 19, 2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/about-kq/ ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner,” accessed June 19, 2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/KQ_mediakit_201920_WEB.pdf ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ,” accessed June 19, 2019, https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/write/ ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
ProQuest, Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.” ↩
American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines,” accessed June 20, 2019, http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/Author%20Guidelines%20REVISED.pdf ↩
American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “Write for KQ.” ↩
American Library Association, “Knowledge Quest Author Guidelines.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “About KQ.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.” ↩
American Association of School Librarians, “2019-2020 Media Planner.” ↩

EContent

By Blake Wandling on June 11, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: EContent

ISSN: 1525-2531¹

Website: http://www.econtentmag.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: From their site, “By covering the latest tools, strategies, and thought-leaders in the digital content ecosystem, EContent magazine and EContentmag.com keep professionals ahead of the curve in order to maximize their investment in digital content strategies while building sustainable, profitable business models.”²

Target audience: Per their site, “decision-makers in the media, publishing, technology, and mobile sectors.”³

Publisher: Information Today, Inc.⁴

Peer reviewed? No.⁵

Type: LIS trade magazine.⁶

Medium: Print and online.⁷

Content: EContent delivers essential research, reporting, news, and analysis of content related issues. According to the “Writing for EContent” guidelines, “Each issue of EContent offers: news and analysis of what’s happening in the content industry, feature articles covering the latest trends and issues, and regular columns and departments written by industry experts.”⁸

Frequency of publication: 6 times a year.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://www.econtentmag.com/About_Us (See Writing for EContent for Author Guidelines download)¹⁰

Types of contributions accepted: Articles are accepted in the following categories: current news stories; reviews of new products; and features (narratives, art, or company profiles). See “Content” entry above for general types of articles that appear in each issue. The Editorial calendar, outlining the focus for each issue, is located in the publication’s media kit.¹¹

Submission and review process: Authors must first send a brief query, links to samples of your work, and a brief bio to the editor. “When submitting, be sure to include particular areas of interest and expertise. If you have a specific idea for an article, submit the idea accompanied by a brief outline of the topics you expect to cover. Unacceptable unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned.”¹² Check submissions thoroughly for grammatical and spelling errors. Supporting materials are required for all sources mentioned.¹³

Editorial tone: Editors expect authors to deliver a well written, thoroughly researched, factually correct, and on-time manuscript. Features are nonacademic in tone and must be written in a narrative style, with a beginning, middle, and an end. New product reviews should be written for a lay audience, not strictly for information professionals, as many business leaders use the magazine for exposure to new products in digital content management.¹⁴

Style guide used: No style guide is mentioned, but specific style guidelines are provided in Author Guidelines.¹⁵

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

EContent provides numerous opportunities for authors to publish on a variety of topics related to managing digital content. To the author’s benefit, editorial calendars are posted with specific topics to be featured in upcoming articles, along with deadlines for submission. This allows authors to either find the correct issue for a topic they are writing, or write an original article according to the publication’s editorial needs. Within each topic, the editors are looking for current news stories, new product reviews, and features that give narratives, showcase art, or profile a company.¹⁶

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Purpose circulation: Per their media kit, they have more than 27,000 readers. ¹⁷

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: United States.¹⁸ Readers are primarily located in the United States, therefore American colloquialisms can be used. Culturally, EContent readers are very technologically savvy, so a high level of exposure to this aspect of American culture can be assumed.¹⁹

Reader characteristics: The most important thing to remember about EContent readers is that they are not IT professionals. Most readers hold executive-level positions, so a larger amount of responsibility can be assumed as far as decisions regarding content management solutions. According to the Author Guidelines, readers are “executives and professionals involved in content creation, acquisition, organization, and distribution in B2B or B2C environments or within their own organizations.” A survey of EContent readers revealed that they work in over 20 different industries, from the entertainment industry to the military, so avoid information or jargon specific to a certain industry. What is important to remember about EContent readers is their similarities: they are all in a position to make decisions over an organization’s digital content management systems. Readers are all familiar with the technical terms and jargon related to digital content and asset management, so in this area authors can use common terminology, yet remember not to provide overly technical information. EContent does convey a progressive stance in the sense that it tries to review the latest products and provide advice on cutting-edge resources for professionals in the position to making decisions regarding content management.²⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: In a limited sense, EContent readers are familiar with one aspect of library and information science, content management. Their media kit notes, “EContent readers are executives and managers who direct the digital content strategies for their organizations. Subscribers include content executives, content managers, content creators, publishers, content marketers, and anyone who deals with digital content in order to further business objectives. They’re buyers of content and technology solutions and have the power to make purchasing decisions.”²¹ While this description easily includes information professionals, it also include many other professionals not familiar with LIS jargon or issues.

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

Readers of EContent are very diverse. What brings them together is their shared influence over digital content strategies, whether for a business or an information center. It is important to remember that although content management is a technical field, this publication is not geared toward IT professionals, but rather toward executives who make decisions regarding content management systems. The purpose of this publication is to offer resources and advice aimed at successful content management, and to provide information on products in order to help readers make informed decisions. EContent‘s readers do not want to know how digital content management products work, they want to know which ones are best for their needs, and how to best use them.²²

Last updated: June 11, 2019

References

Show 22 footnotes

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

By Blake Wandling on June 11, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

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

ISSN: N/A

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

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

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

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

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

Type: LIS professional newsletter.⁵

Medium: Online.⁶

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

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

Frequency of publication: Quarterly.⁹

About the publication’s submission guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: June 11, 2019

References

Show 19 footnotes

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

Information Outlook

By Blake Wandling on June 9, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Information Outlook

ISSN: 1091-0808 (Print) and 1938-3819 (Online)¹

Website: https://www.sla.org/access-membership-3/io/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Information Outlook is the official publication of the Special Libraries Association (SLA). The SLA “promotes and strengthens its members through learning, networking, and community building initiatives.”²

Target audience: Information Outlook is targeted towards their membership of information professionals, specifically those working in special libraries.

Publisher: Special Libraries Association (SLA).³

Peer reviewed? No⁴

Type: LIS professional news.⁵

Medium: Print and online.⁶

Content: Per their website, the publication contains “articles on timely topics such as data curation, digital asset management, bibliometrics, and value co-creation; columns about technology, copyright law, and other issues of perpetual interest; and interviews with SLA members, offering a close-up look at information professionals in different disciplines, work environments, and countries.”⁷

Frequency of publication: Bi-monthly.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.sla.org/shop/information-outlook/write-for-i/

Types of contributions accepted: From the “Write for IO,” “Although written primarily by SLA members, articles in Information Outlook also are contributed by futurists, attorneys, academicians, technology professionals, human resources specialists, communications experts–anyone with knowledge or ideas about how information professionals can better serve their clients.”⁹

Submission and review process: Interested authors should send a query email to the current editor with an outline of your topic along with your qualifications. The editor will forward your query to the advisory council for review. The guidelines encourage illustrated article of approximately 2,000 words in length.¹⁰

Editorial tone: Written in an active voice following the SLA style guide provided in the submission guidelines.¹¹

Style guide used: Current edition of Chicago Manual of Style.¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Information Outlook is an excellent forum for LIS authors writing on topics of interest to special libraries. Since there is such a wide variety of special library types, there are a number of topics that can be addressed. Despite differences among particular types of special libraries, many experiences and situations can be generalized and made applicable to all of Information Outlook readers.¹³

Although this is not a scholarly journal, Information Outlook is a highly respected journal, and LIS authors would benefit from having their work published by the SLA.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Over 4,000.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: The Special Libraries Association has 49 regional chapters. The majority are located in the United States, but there are also chapters in Canada, Africa, the Arabian Gulf, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. In addition to the regional chapters, SLA boasts members in 75 countries.¹⁵ Information Outlook is published in English, but circulates to members in other countries as well (as listed above). Issues pertaining to special librarians will be of general interest to all readers, but there may be some regional/cultural specifics that might not be applicable to readers in different countries.¹⁶

Reader characteristics: The readers of Information Outlook are individuals who typically hold a library degree. Many have master’s degrees in subject specialties as well. There is gender diversity in the audience, and they range in age, typically from late 20s upwards. They may be brand new to the profession or they may be upper management with many years of experience. All readers of Information Outlook are special librarians, and therefore they have a common mission and values, and much in common within the profession. However, they work in settings that are incredibly varied, both in size and type. Readers might work alone or in large organizations, and might specialize in institutions such as government, medical, legal, and academic libraries.¹⁷ The readers of Information Outlook care specifically about issues pertaining to special libraries. According to the publication’s website, its readers are interested in articles about “administration, organization, marketing, and operations.” They value information that will help their organizations stay successful and stay informed of the latest developments and technologies.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Readers of Information Outlook are extremely knowledgeable about issues relating to library and information science. They will be at different stages of their careers, of course, with some readers having more experience and expertise than others, but writers can assume a basic level of knowledge and can expect readers to understand LIS jargon.¹⁹

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

Information Outlook‘s readers are hungry for the latest information about issues that impact special libraries. They want to read articles that have practical application in their day-to-day lives and careers. As stated on SLA’s website, “readers want to read articles about new techniques, new ideas, new trends…They’re interested in growing their organizations and in planning their careers…They want to know how to confront problems and how to avoid them.” The profession is comprised of individuals who “strategically use information…to advance the mission of the organization…through the development, deployment, and management of information resources and services.”²⁰

Potential authors can reach this audience effectively by providing case studies and real-world examples, and by focusing on what is new and innovative in the field. Most special librarians are technologically savvy and interested in cutting-edge applications that will help them accomplish their professional goals and serve their patrons. They will also likely have limited time to devote to professional reading, and will only devote that time to articles and reviews that are relevant and timely. Therefore, authors will be best served by submitting writing that is direct and to the point.

Last updated: June 9, 2019

References

Show 20 footnotes

Interactions

By Blake Wandling on February 16, 2019 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Interactions

ISSN: 1072-5520 (Print) and 1558-3449 (Online)¹

Website: http://interactions.acm.org/

Purpose, objective, or mission: Interactions is a trade magazine that is interested in the specific locus of culture, communication, and technology. While the magazine is not librarian specific, most of its content is relevant. From the website: “It is a multiplicity of conversations, collaborations, relationships, and new discoveries focusing on how and why we interact with the designed world of technologies.”²

Target audience: Professionals interested in best practices and methodologies regarding communicative interactions. “Each issue reaches thousands of designers, managers, researchers, and product specialists who wield great influence within their own companies and institutions and throughout the computing industries.”³

Publisher: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Peer reviewed? No. Submissions to Interactions are reviewed by an internal review board, and then may be returned for edits and changes before final acceptance.⁴

Type: Information professional and interface design trade magazine.⁵

Medium: Electronic and print.⁶

Content: Practical essays on design, computing, research methods, best practices, etc. as they relate to technology, and more importantly, the interaction between people and technology. “Interactions has a special voice that lies between practice and research with an emphasis on making engaging human-computer interaction research accessible to practitioners and on making practitioners voices heard by researchers.”⁷

Frequency of publication: Six times a year.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines:

Interactions guidelines: http://interactions.acm.org/submissions

ACM guidelines: http://www.acm.org/publications/authors/submissions

Types of contributions accepted: From the site:

“Word document (minimally formatted text and graphics) that includes a short, crisp working title or headline, and a standard byline: author name, affiliation, email address.”⁹

“All articles should contain no more than six endnotes/references.”¹⁰

“Brief author biography (50-word maximum) for each author listed in the byline. A bio generally includes the author’s current affiliation and his/her research interests.”¹¹

The submission page also states specific formatting guidelines for images, and asks that writers have permission to use any third-party material in their submission.¹²

Submission and review process: From the website: “Articles go through several rounds of editing: first with the magazines editors-in-chief and forum editors for relevance, clarity, and groundedness and then with ACM’s managing editor and copy editor for grammar, punctuation, and length. ACM staff will send authors the copyedited version for their review. Once they have approved the copyedited version, authors will not review the copy again. Authors may be asked to review any redrawn figures.”¹³

Editorial tone: The publication’s tone is direct, inclusive, and conversational. Authors should avoid jargon, academic language, and references.¹⁴

Style guide used: The ACM uses a citation style that is detailed here: https://www.acm.org/publications/authors/reference-formatting

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Interactions has great potential for LIS professionals. Looking through the archives, one can see such essay topics as “Bridging the gap between accessibility and usability,” “Digital government information services: the Bureau of Labor statistics case,” “Web 2.0 and beyond,” and “Designing useful and usable questionnaires: you can’t just ‘throw a questionnaire together’.” While the magazine is not specific to librarians and does seem to focus on user interface design, its primary stated theme is the interaction of humans and technology. LIS professionals, whether they are reference librarians, information architects, or database administrators, all have direct experience and knowledge in this subject that can inspire meaningful written work.¹⁵

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: No numbers given. According to the section “For Advertisers”: “Each issue reaches thousands of designers, managers, researchers, and product specialists who wield great influence within their own companies and institutions and throughout the computing industries.”¹⁶

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: International. The members of the Interactions advisory and editorial boards are located throughout the United States and as far as Korea.¹⁷ English is the dominant language of Interactions, but because it is both print and electronic the readership is dispersed geographically. As such, area-specific language should be avoided — especially since the specific focus of Interactions is the practices that increase better communication.¹⁸

Reader characteristics: Judging from the articles in Interactions archives, the average reader is most likely a professional working in field that utilizes technology as an interface with other patrons, clients, and customers. A quote from the history page and attributed to John Rheinfrank and Bill Hefley states that, “Today a widely distributed diverse community of working professionals is inventing a reality where the use of computing resources will have a profound impact on the quality of everyday life. And so we are practicing in a field where the gradient of change is staggering, the boundaries fuzzy, and the component parts only loosely aggregated.”¹⁹ This description very much includes LIS professionals, and as such the language used can be technical, but should not be library-specific.

Judging from the portions of the articles available without a subscription, and correlating this to the magazine’s readership, potential authors can be assured of at least one thing regarding their readership: an interest in innovative ideas relating to the intersections of culture, technology, and interaction. The magazine is certainly not just for LIS professionals, but if a librarian had a piece that was fresh, innovative, and surprising, the piece could easily find a home in Interactions.²⁰

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: The average reader will probably not have both a clear and broad knowledge of LIS subject matter; however, the average reader will probably have a very good understanding of human/technology interactions (user interfaces, information architecture, web 2.0, content management systems). Thus, those LIS professionals interested in writing about this aspect of the profession should have a easy time understanding for whom they are writing.²¹

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

After perusing the site, I can easily imagine both upper level managers in software companies looking for potential market edges and 30-something punk-rock designers interested in community development and technology reading this magazine. The two most important elements for potential writers to keep in mind are to display some degree of “lateral thinking” and/or to write on unique and, above all, useful perspectives regarding interaction and technology; these could be reports, analyses, experiments, or original research.

Interactions is a multidisciplinary magazine that overlaps with many topics in which many librarians are interested. Some technical jargon is to be expected, and readers will be well acquainted with terms relating to user-interfaces, web design and aesthetics. Because this publication is published by the Association for Computing Machinery, terminology relating to computers and software is likely to be well understood by the journal’s readership.

Authors should not, however, assume that any piece they have written relating to computers or interfaces will be appropriate for the journal. Interactions is very specifically interested in communication and technology.²² Thus a piece written on the research and production of a clever piece of code would not be appropriate to the journal. A piece talking about how some clever coding affected users’ interactivity with the interface or each other would be, however, perfect.

Last updated: June 11, 2019

References

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Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

By Maria Notarangelo on April 30, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Public Library Quarterly (PLQ)

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

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

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

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

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

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

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Print and online.

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

Frequency of publication: Four issues per year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: Instructions for authors.

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

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

Editorial tone: Scholarly.

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

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

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

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last updated: April 30, 2018

References

Show 10 footnotes

Marketing Libraries Journal (MLJ)

By Rachel Greggs on April 24, 2018 in

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: Marketing Libraries Journal

ISSN: 2475-8116

Website: http://journal.marketinglibraries.org

Purpose, objective, or mission: MLJ is a “peer reviewed, independently published, open access scholarly journal that focuses on innovative marketing activities libraries are engaged in.”¹

The journal’s aim is “to publish research and practical examples of library marketing campaigns, library marketing research, public relations campaigns, SWOT analysis, segmentation research, assessment of marketing activities, and tools used for marketing.”²

Target audience: LIS professionals from public, special and academic libraries who work in marketing positions.³

Publisher: MLJ is published independently.

Peer reviewed? Yes. All articles are subjected to a double blind peer review process.⁴

Type: LIS scholarly journal.

Medium: Online.

Content: Two types of articles are published: research-driven work that provides original scholarship, and practical information focusing on best practices and advice.⁵

Frequency of publication: Twice a year.⁶

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: http://journal.marketinglibraries.org/authorguidelines.html

Types of contributions accepted: Research articles of 20-25 pages in length and practical articles of 8-10 pages in length. Additionally, practical articles (as columns) under one of the following subjects:

Advocacy: articles that focus on developing relationships with stakeholders to help raise awareness and loyalty for library services and resources. This may relate to communicating with government, administration, and the greater community
Branding: articles that illustrate how libraries develop their visual identity for their services and resources.
From the Trenches: articles that show outcomes of a particular marketing initiative or campaign.
Marketing Campaigns: case studies of a marketing campaign and the desired outcomes and objectives sought.
Technology: software/apps and web-based technology tools that can be used as part of a marketing campaign.⁷

Submission and review process: The reviewing process for manuscripts will begin after the call for proposals deadline. Some manuscripts may require substantive revision before they are ready for publication. Once a manuscript has been formally accepted, authors are required to submit a complete electronic copy of the final version, including all figures, charts, tables, appendices, and illustrations.⁸

Editorial tone: Professional / scholarly.

Style guide used: APA, 6th edition.⁹

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

If you have written about LIS marketing and increasing visibility for libraries, this journal may be a viable publication. Some of the latest articles published are about creating a ‘brand’ for libraries and tips and tricks on video marketing.

Keep in mind that MLJ does not only publish traditional, scholarly articles, but also practical articles on advocacy, branding, case studies of marketing campaigns, technology tools, SWOT analyses and “from the trenches”-type material.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: MLJ is open access, and therefore available for any and all global readers, for free.

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Articles are published in English. MLJ states that they are global in scope.¹⁰

Reader characteristics: Readers are likely LIS professionals or students who work in or are interested in marketing aspects of librarianship.

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Considering the specificity of the journal’s content matter, LIS knowledge may be varied, but strong.

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

Readers of this journal are interested in a variety of articles, and are seeking out the latest research and information pertaining to LIS marketing. If you have written a scholarly article, a SWOT analysis or have researched a hot topic marketing issue, MLJ readers will be eager to learn about it.

Last updated: April 24, 2018

References

Show 10 footnotes

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA)

By Lisa Lowdermilk on April 18, 2018 in

About the publication

Title: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA)

ISSN: 1067-5027 (Print) and 1527-974X (Online)¹

Website: https://academic.oup.com/jamia

Purpose, objective, or mission: “JAMIA is AMIA’s premier peer-reviewed journal for biomedical and health informatics.”² “JAMIA articles describe innovative informatics research and systems that help to advance biomedical science and to promote health.”³

Target audience: “Physicians, informaticians, scientists, nurses and other health care professionals,” as well as academic and medical librarians are among this publication’s target audience.⁴

Publisher: Oxford University Press⁵

Peer reviewed? Yes⁶

Type: Academic / Scholarly⁷

Medium: Print and online⁸

Content: “Covering the full spectrum of activities in the field, JAMIA includes informatics articles in the areas of clinical care, clinical research, translational science, implementation science, imaging, education, consumer health, public health, and policy. JAMIA‘s articles describe innovative informatics research and systems that help to advance biomedical science and to promote health.”⁹

Frequency of publication: Monthly¹⁰

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://academic.oup.com/jamia/pages/General_Instructions

Types of contributions accepted: The journal accepts research and applications, reviews, brief communications, case reports, perspectives, correspondence, and editorials and highlights.¹¹

Submission and review process: Manuscripts should be double-spaced and accompanied by a title page, abstract, references, acknowledgements, etc. Additionally, authors should submit their manuscripts in Word format to JAMIA’s submission site. As for the review process, authors must provide details of any conflicts of interests, so that the review can “be handled by ones of the other editors.”¹²

Editorial tone: Scholarly.¹³

Style guide used: The journal asks authors to use footnotes and format their references according to Medline style.¹⁴

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

JAMIA is a great publication for LIS authors familiar with informatics, health sciences, etc. It explores topics LIS professionals are familiar with, including social media, the ethics of various information dissemination methods, etc.¹⁵ Health informatics professionals, as well as medical librarians with knowledge of these topics will feel right at home with this publication.

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Although exact circulation statistics are unavailable, all members of the American Medical Informatics Association receive a subscription to JAMIA.¹⁶ AMIA has over 5,400 members,¹⁷ though JAMIA‘s readership is likely higher than this figure, since articles are freely available on JAMIA’s website and PubMed Central.¹⁸

Audience location: Because this journal is the official journal of the American Medical Informatics Association,¹⁹ it stands to reason that the majority of readers will live in the U.S. At the same time, JAMIA is published by the Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom²⁰ and features articles concerning biomedical data sharing as a whole. Thus, the journal has articles of interest to English-speaking biomedical professionals worldwide.

Reader characteristics: The majority of readers will be healthcare professionals with specialized knowledge of bioinformatics.²¹

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Because JAMIA is first and foremost a medical publication within the highly specialized field of bioinformatics, most readers will be more familiar with medical terminology than LIS terminology. Thus, while medical terms can—and should—be used freely, LIS terms should be used sparingly and defined where necessary.

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

Because the majority of readers will come from highly technical backgrounds, authors should ground their articles in methodical, well-documented research. Additionally, authors should—at the very least—have taken a class in health informatics. Ideally, however, authors will be healthcare professionals (including medical librarians) with extensive knowledge of bioinformatics.

Last updated: April 18, 2018

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