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The Librarian Parlor

Publication analysis

About the publication

Title: The Librarian Parlor or LibParlor

ISSN: N/A

Website: https://libparlor.com/

Purpose, objective, or mission: “. . . a space for conversing, sharing expertise, and asking questions about the process of developing, pursuing, and publishing library research.”1

Target audience: All library, archives, and information workers especially those new to the research community.2

Publisher: The Librarian Parlor.

Peer reviewed? No.

Type: LIS professional or trade publication.

Medium: Online.

Content: Any topic relevant to the LIS profession, with an emphasis on material about research in the LIS field.

Frequency of publication: “LibParlor posts are published to the website on Tuesdays about twice a month at 1 PM EST.”3

About the publication’s submission guidelines

Location of submission guidelines: https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/

Types of contributions accepted: The following are the types of contributions accepted for this publication: “informative or reflective blog posts; how-tos (develop research agenda, write proposals, submit IRB, etc); quick tips list; recommended reading; how it started, how it’s going; series; and webinar.”4

Submission and review process: Authors can submit their proposals for articles through this submission form: https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/submit-an-idea/. After submitting, authors will hear back from an editor within one week.

Editorial tone: “Posts should be written for an audience new to research, not to experts. This is an informal, conversational space, and we like the tone of our blog to reflect that. We encourage you to write in the first-person and avoid passive voice.”5

Style guide used: The Editorial Policies Guidelines can be found at  https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/editorial-guidelines/

Conclusion: Evaluation of the publication’s potential for LIS authors

LibParlor is an excellent place for LIS professionals new to research to publish their work in and to find a supportive community–professionals can seek connections with other members, find collaborators for projects, or share opportunities for editing works, participating in research, etc.6

 

Audience analysis

About the publication’s readers

Publication circulation: As of September 2021, the LibParlor website has had more than 41,710 visitors and 378 followers. Additionally, the LibParlor Twitter account (@libparlor) has 2,793 followers.7

Audience location and language or cultural considerations: Personal communication with an editor of the publication revealed that LibParlor has a worldwide readership and sees readers from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, China, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, and Germany).  The material on the site is written in English.

Reader characteristics: Regarding their writers and their audience, the publication states “We intentionally work towards providing space for those with a variety of types of work experience such as non-tenure track librarians and library workers without the librarian title, as well as those with different lived experiences, such as people with disabilities, librarians of color, non-binary, and LGBTQ+ folks.”8

Readers’ knowledge of LIS subject matter: Due to the targeted LIS readership of this publication, readers will have more knowledge of LIS topics and jargon than the general population. However, the articles should be written so that those new to research can understand it.9

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

LibParlor provides LIS professionals, particularly those new to research in the field, with a place to gain experience in publishing as well as a place to build connections with other professionals.

Additionally, the LIS Wiki team facilitated an interview with Chelsea Heinbach, a co-founder and editor of LibParlor. Readers can learn more about the founding of LibParlor, the purpose of the publication, submission tips, career advice, and more about Chelsea in the interview blog.

Last updated: September 23, 2021

References

  1. “About”, libparlor.com, accessed April 6, 2021, https://libparlor.com/about/
  2. “About.”
  3. “Editorial Policies Guidelines”, libparlor.com, accessed December 6, 2020, https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/editorial-guidelines/
  4. “Ways to Contribute”, libparlor.com, accessed December 6, 2020, https://libparlor.com/contribute-to-libparlor/ways-to-contribute/
  5. “Editorial Policies Guidelines.”
  6. “Classifieds”, libparlor.com, accessed April 6, 2021, https://libparlor.com/classifieds/
  7. Readership and Twitter follower data were received via personal communication with an editor of LibParlor in September 2021.
  8. “About.”
  9. “Editorial Policies Guidelines.”