MLAConnect

Publication analysis

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About the publication

Title: MLAConnect

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://www.mlanet.org/mlaconnect

Purpose, objective, or mission: “MLAConnect is MLA’s online newsletter, featuring the latest resources, professional advice, and association news.” ¹

Target audience: Members of the Medical Library Association (MLA).²

Publisher: Medical Library Association (MLA)³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: LIS professional newsletter.⁵

Medium: Online. The print MLA News publication transitioned to the new all-digital format in 2017. ⁶

Content: Professional notices of importance to the membership, articles of practical matters of interest, letters to the editor, classifieds, etc.⁷

Frequency of publication: Continuously.⁸

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.mlanet.org/p/cm/ld/fid=154

Types of contributions accepted: Submissions must be emailed to the editor. Any timely newsworthy piece that would be of interest to the membership including letters to the editor and reviews of conferences. Authors should take care to avoid content that overlaps with the subject areas of regular column writers listed on the editorial team.⁹

Submission and review process: Articles no more than 700 words, no more than 5 references allowed. All submissions subject to editing and abridgement. Submissions required 6 weeks in advance of publication.¹⁰

Editorial tone: Informational.¹¹

Style guide used: The publication uses its own MLA Style Manual.¹²

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

Writers with expertise in the medical library field and interest in reaching the members of this organization would find this publication a good place to submit work.

 

Audience analysis

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About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: Most articles are restricted to MLA members.¹³ The most recent media kit places membership at over 3,000.¹⁴

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Most readers are located in the US, but articles should remain culturally neutral in consideration of possible international audiences.¹⁵

Reader characteristics: MLA member and readers are generally hoping to connect with colleagues and expand their professional skills and knowledge.¹⁶ Readers work in a variety of medical organizations, but share an interest in their association’s mission to promote excellence in health sciences librarianship.¹⁷ They will likely have a specific interest in their field, their medical specialty, with less interest in general LIS topics.¹⁸

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: Most readers will have a familiarity with LIS subject matter but may not have a MLIS degree.¹⁹

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

Authors considering submitting work to this publication will be best served by reviewing the past issues of the publication and remembering that readers are expecting to learn how to better perform and understand their work. While MLAConnect is not a peer-reviewed journal, readers are articles that represent the forefront of new developments in the field.

Last updated: June 29, 2019

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References