Strategic Library

Publication analysis

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About the publication

Title: Strategic Library

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://libraryworks.com/strategic-library

Purpose, objective, or mission: Strategic Library focuses on innovation, best practices, and emerging trends in the complex and rapidly evolving library landscape. Thought-provoking articles by subject matter experts address, leadership, technology, funding, and more to promote organizational success.¹

Target audience: LIS managers and administrators.²

Publisher: LibraryWorks, Inc.³

Peer reviewed? No.⁴

Type: LIS professional or trade publication.

Medium: Online by subscription only.⁵

Content: Strategic Library offers “in-depth articles, written by highly regarded professionals in the field, (that) focus on leadership, management, evaluation, assessment, marketing, (and) funding.”⁶

Frequency of publication: Monthly

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://www.libraryspot.net/SL/SL_Guidelines.pdf

Note: the subscription paywall hides a lot of information and our guidelines PDF is currently 5 years old in 2020. But you can access the latest issue for free online: https://www.libraryworks.com/strategic-library-current-1

Types of contributions accepted: Strategic Library encourages and welcomes submissions from librarians in management positions who have stories to tell and expertise to share.

Editors offer these basic guidelines:

• Draw story ideas from personal experience and expertise. Here is an Editorial Forecast  from 2015.
• Organize thoughts by preparing an outline.
• Write around 2500 words.
• Focus on strategic planning through trends and solutions.
• Include charts, graphs, photos, and links.
• Put footnotes, references, and a brief bio at the end.⁷

A sample outline is also available to guide the author.⁸

Submission and review process: Articles should be sent in a Word file to the publisher, Jennifer Newman: jenny@libraryworks.com. According to the writer’s guidelines: “Once received, the article will be edited and formatted for Strategic Library style and clarity. It will be returned to the author for review and for answers to any questions posed in the text during editing. Once in a final version, the article will be assigned to an issue.”⁹

Editorial tone: Informal, yet professional.

Style guide used: While no specific style guide is mentioned, editors prefer submissions to be in Microsoft Word document format. “Footnotes, references, and further readings should be formatted as endnotes in any standard style.”¹⁰

Conclusion: Evaluation of publication’s potential for LIS authors

This publication offers a forum for a variety of writers with an interest and experience in current best practices in the library landscape read by a paid subscription so readers are heavily invested in the content.

 

Audience analysis

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About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: According to the 2015 documentation, subscribers number approximately 8,000, “although that number is an estimate since many of (their) subscriptions are institutional.”¹¹

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: This is a North American publication written in English.

Reader characteristics: “Subscribers to Strategic Library are executive decision-makers at all types of libraries: academic, public, and specialty. Our subscribers number around 8,000, although that number is an estimate since many of our subscriptions are institutional. Since our audience is quite broad, we publish a range of articles in each issue, many that have overlapping applications to various types of libraries. Remember, the readers of your article are experienced managers who are looking for the latest strategies and best practices on a range of topics to help them plan for the future.”¹²

Knowledge of LIS subject matter: These are experienced LIS professionals who will understand LIS terms and expect authoritative writing on the subject of library management.

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

This audience is looking for ways to improve service in innovative, cost-effective ways. Authors who would like to share successes can effectively communicate by using the first-person narrative of their own experiences. Case studies or best practices are other options for the potential author to explore. Above all, the author must remember that these are subscribers and very experienced LIS professionals eager for current knowledge in the field of library management.

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References