Objectives: 1. Discuss why, when, what, where and how to publish. 2. Understand what makes a paper publishable. 3. Explore the journals market. 4. Introduce Library Trends as a source of journal publishing in the library and information field, and describe how it is produced. Moderators : Clara M. Chu • Director and Mortenson Distinguished Professor, Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • Coeditor-in-Chief of Library Trends and Inaugural Coeditor of the ‘International Insights’ column of College & Research Libraries News • Expert in developing appropriate solutions to deliver equitable and relevant library services in culturally diverse and dynamic libraries • Studies the information needs of culturally diverse communities in a globalized and technological society • Co-developing an institute on Artificial Intelligence and libraries Jaya Raju Professor and Head of the Department of Knowledge and Information Stewardship, Humanities Faculty, University of Cape Town • Specialist researcher and author in library and information science (LIS) education and its epistemological implications for the discipline and for professional practice • Teaches research methodology and the broader philosophical, ontological and epistemological issues that impact the research process • Coeditor-in-Chief of Library Trends and Inaugural Coeditor of the ALISE (Association for Library and Information Science Education) Book Series on LIS education and research • Editor-in-Chief of the South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science from 2012 to 2018 Targeted Audience: • Staff in any type of library and information center • Library and information science students, researchers and educators

1. 4/7/21
1
From practitioner to author:
Opportunities for journal publishing in
Library Trends and beyond
Library Trends Coeditors-in-Chief
Clara M. Chu, Director and Mortenson Distinguished Professor, Mortenson Center for
International Library Programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jaya Raju, Professor and Head of the Department of Knowledge and Information
Stewardship, University of Cape Town
1
2
2

2. 4/7/21
2
From practitioner to author: Opportunities for journal
publishing in Library Trends and beyond (Webinar)
Objectives:
• Discuss why, when, what, where and how to publish.
• Explore the journals market.
• Understand what makes a paper publishable.
• Introduce Library Trends as a source of journal publishing in the
library and information field and how it is produced.
3
3
Why publish?
1. Personally rewarding (offers a sense of progress, achievement and pride in
your personal and professional development)
2. Opportunity to engage in discourse and debate in an area of LIS services –
contributes to your intellectual growth
3. Making a meaningful contribution to growth of knowledge in the LIS field or
have something to say
4. Builds your profile/CV (self-fulfillment + promotional opportunities)
5. Exposure - accords you recognition in the field
– identified to sit on advisory councils, professional body structures,
institutional structures, government structures, etc.
4

3. 4/7/21
3
When to publish?
At what stage in your LIS career?
1. At early, middle or established career stages:
– When you have established expertise in an area of LIS
– When engaged in a pioneering development
– When the need arises to share good practice for the benefit of the LIS field
and professional practice
– On completion of research for a higher degree
2. In response to opportunities:
– Invitation/opportunity to write for publication because of your expertise in an
area of LIS
– Invitation/opportunity to research and publish collaboratively (inter- or extra-
institutionally/nationally or globally)
5
What to/can be publish/ed?
1. You may publish after completion of research for a higher degree:
– The thesis/dissertation was written for a different purpose and for a different
audience
– Carefully selected aspects need to be reworked into stand-alone journal articles
2. You may publish work-in-progress (research or workplace based) :
– One is encouraged to subject aspects of one’s work to public evaluation
– Publishing should be part of an ongoing research process, even before completion
– Feedback from the peer review process will strengthen your work and improve the
final product
– By publishing, you place your research/work in the public domain to be in dialogue
with others in the field
3. Range of publications: book review, column article, reworked conference
presentation or proceeding, report from the field, insight/commentary, letter to
the editor, etc.
6

4. 4/7/21
4
EXERCISE: Are you ready to publish?
1. Now that we know why, when, what to publish, who is ready
to publish? (Type Yes or No on chat if you are ready to publish.)
– Anyone at any time of their career (preparation is the critical
characteristic in relation to age, title, and experience)
– Sole or collaborative authorship
2. What are your ideas? (Type on chat the topics you are ready to
work toward publication.)
Image:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.geniusu.com%2Farticles%2F3872780&psig=AOvVaw2XI3gGmrTJnWZgfJpOxAMa&ust=1617797831912000&
source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCJDWguHM6e8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAJ
7
Where and How to publish?
1. Where to publish?: one needs to
understand the journals market
2. How to publish?: one needs to
understand what makes a paper
publishable
Image: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.slideshare.net%2Ffigaro%2Fhow-to-publish-in-journals-with-impact&psig=AOvVaw1vpNCSaBEN8-
EeqDHmAyOM&ust=1617798550048000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCLio1rvP6e8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
8

5. 4/7/21
5
Understanding the journals market (1)
• Become familiar with the journals in the LIS field:
– Go through your research reference list
– Peruse the reference list of core articles in your research/study area
– Speak with experienced and/or published colleagues and researchers, mentors and
research committee members
– Search the Web (relevant databases and search engines)
• Identify the hierarchy of journals in your field:
– Prestigious journals – might not be within reach of a novice
– Understand the concept of journal impact factor which reflects the hierarchy of
journals in your discipline
– Consider other good journals with an encouraging approach to new authors
– Consider open access journals for greater discoverability and accessibility of
published content
9
Understanding the journals market (2)
• Areas of interest, presentation styles, methodologies, aims and objectives,
theoretical and epistemological leanings:
– Become familiar with these aspects for the journals in your field
– If your work does not fall into the paradigm of the journal, then do not send your work to
the journal
• Peruse the LIS field’s journals on the Web:
– All journals have notes for contributors and statements of editorial policy on their
websites
– Look at exemplars of published articles
– Read the editorial policy and scan the articles to ascertain which journals your work
may be compatible with
– Journals also indicate language of publication - non-English titles (e.g., Arabic, Persian,
Farsi, Urdu, Azeri, Turkish, French, German, etc.) may offer translation facilities or
English titles, abstracts and keywords for global reach
10

6. 4/7/21
6
Understanding the journals market (3)
• Understand what the target audience of the journal is:
– If the subject of your research is of national interest - then you would not send
it to a journal that targets an international audience
• Once you have decided on the journal you are targeting for your work -
then shape your paper in terms of the requirements of that journal
11
EXERCISE: What makes a paper publishable? (1)
•Type on chat your ideas of what would make a paper
publishable.
Image: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dreamstime.com%2Flibrary-research-word-cloud-wordcloud-made-text-
image130985194&psig=AOvVaw3DHMt6M2o0v1ZmCx1KX9ZR&ust=1617799188298000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAMQjB1qFwoTCNDutIvS6e8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
12

7. 4/7/21
7
What makes a paper publishable? (2)
The paper:
– Is well grounded in relevant literature
– If empirically based, the research methodology used should be sound
– Addresses issues relevant to the LIS field
– Is well written with carefully crafted and logical arguments
Presents new knowledge for the LIS field in any of the following forms:
– Significant findings
– New insights into existing debates
– New analyses of existing knowledge
– A synthesis of the literature
– Theoretical developments
13
What makes a paper publishable? (3)
Content:
– The argument in your paper should be logically constructed
– The relationship between the argument and the data/evidence gathered should be clear
– The analysis of data gathered should be sound
– If the paper has drawn from theoretical resources, these should be relevant and used to
good effect
– Above should be done in terms of ensuring proper ‘fit’ with the targeted journal
Form:
– The abstract should reflect the contents of the paper
– Ensure that the prescribed house style of the journal (guidelines regarding capitalization,
spelling conventions, punctuation, etc.) has been followed
– The length of the paper should conform to the requirements of the journal
– The designated referencing style of the journal should be used
– Diagrams, graphs, tables, etc. should be clearly labeled, of good quality and should be
referred to in the text
14

8. 4/7/21
8
Library Trends: Overview https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/library-trends
• a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal founded in 1952
• published quarterly by Johns Hopkins University Press (JHUP)
• an essential resource for professional librarians and educators
• explores critical trends in professional librarianship (broadly
interpreted), and includes practical applications, thorough
analyses, and literature reviews.
• each issue covers in-depth, thoughtful articles, all exploring a
specific topic of professional interest, from specific types of
libraries to emerging technologies
15
Library Trends: Intellectual and Quality Oversight
• Coeditors-in-Chief vision: global, inclusive, engaging, accessible
Clara M. Chu, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and
Jaya Raju, University of Cape Town, South Africa
• Editorial Board
• Guest editor and reviewers
• Managing Editor and production team
• Impact factor (https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/library-trends/impact-factor)
0.836 (2019)
0.795 (Five-Year Impact Factor)
Rank in Category (by Journal Impact Factor):
63 of 87 journals, in “Information Science & Library Science”
© Clarivate Analytics 2020
16

9. 4/7/21
9
Library Trends: Access
• Print and electronic formats - Library Trends is available
electronically via EBSCO, Academic OneFile (Gale), WilsonWeb
(Wilson Library Literature & Information Science Full Text), IDEALS
(free after 3 years), and Project MUSE. Print subscription via
https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/library-trends
• English (one exception of Spanish-language and English-language
versions of an issue published simultaneously)
17
Library Trends: Issue Topics
Issue topics for Library Trends are developed in many ways. We
value recommendations from professional librarians, archivists, and
other information personnel, from members of the faculties of schools
of library and information science, and from others whose concern is
with issues of the management of cultural heritage. We seek
volunteers from these areas to act as guest editors.
18

10. 4/7/21
10
Library Trends: Becoming a Guest Editor and Responsibilities
• A guest editor proposes the theme and scope of a new issue, draws up a list of
prospective authors and article topics, calls for submissions to the issue, arranges for
review of the manuscripts, provides short annotations of each article’s scope, and
prepares a statement of philosophy guiding issue development. (see “Guest Editing an
Issue” on website)
• Submit a proposal (and CV) - include the nature and scope of the proposed topic and
suggestions of the names of individuals whom you hope would contribute the articles.
Proposal format:
1. Guest editor name and contact information
2. Proposed issue theme/draft issue title
3. Description of the nature and scope of the issue’s topic (300-500 words)
4. List of potential articles (8-10 articles)
5. List of potential authors to solicit (8-10 authors)
6. List of potential reviewers for the manuscripts (4-5 reviewers)
7. Proposed timeline for proposals, authoring, editing, etc. (12-14 months typical). Note: Proposals
accepted in 2021 will be scheduled to be published in 2023 and beyond.
• Responsibilities in the production process (see “Guest Editor Responsibilities” on
website)
19
Library Trends: Becoming an Author and Responsibilities
• Library Trends does not accept single-article submissions; rather, each issue
covers a specific topic and manuscript submissions are invited or a call is made,
and organized by guest editor(s).
• Preparing manuscript - requirements (see “Author Instructions” on website)
• Communicating with guest editor, managing editor, and JHUP production staff
• Adhering to timeline
20

11. 4/7/21
11
Library Trends: Best Practices
• Maintain communication among all and throughout process
• Adhere to timeline - project and time management
• Observe guest editor and author guidelines and responsibilities
• Ensure writing is clear, data/evidence is provided (as appropriate),
style guide (The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition) is applied
• Do not submit to more than one journal at a time
21
Q & A
22

12. 4/7/21
12
Clara M. Chu cmchu@Illinois.edu
Jaya Raju jaya.raju@uct.ac.za
Participants are
eligible for a one-time
20% subscription
discount.
Please use the code
DLIBWEB0321 when
ordering.
23