Getting your words out:

1. Getting your words out: A primer on Professional publishing for librarians Eleanor Mitchell and Sarah Barbara Watstein, Editors Reference Services Review LOEX of the West, Calgary, June, 2010

2. You will learn how to. . . • Identify publishable ideas/topics • Assess the “publishability” of an idea • Build idea into proposal • Develop timetable • Identify outlets • Work with an editor

3. Session outline • Part 1: Think, plan, write. (Revise) • BREAK • Part 2: The scholarly publication process • Part 3: What’s next? Establishing and building your portfolio and reputation

4. What have you read, lately?(The good, the bad, the forgettable) Walt at Random The library voice of the radical middle. Information Wants To Be Free

5. Part 1: Think, plan, write. (Then, revise.)

6. Why publish? • Demonstrate expertise • Advancement in position • Find funding • Build community • Career enhancement • Enhance program/library/institution • Professional satisfaction

7. Developing ideas • Read the literature • Read beyond . . . In other disciplines • Consider what’s happening in your library • Programs • Projects, innovations • Personnel • Change • Challenges • Lessons learned

8. Rapid topic brainstorm

9. Writing with others • More perspectives • Leveraging different strengths • Divide the workload • Richer content • Writing voices • Work styles • Timing issues • Communication issues

10. Types of Articles • Research paper • Viewpoint • Technical paper • Conceptual paper • Case study • Literature review • General review • Hybrid

11. Writing for publication • Concept • Content/format alignment • Organization • Style • Voice/perspective • Quality of expression • Clarity • Grammar

12. From idea to proposal

13. From proposal to manuscript • Review the literature • Identify gaps/opportunities • Articulate your thesis (talk to editor!) • Develop preliminary outline • Research/data analysis • Produce rough draft • Informal review by readers • Develop final draft

14. The right fit: Which journal? • Journals in your field • Journal style, strategy, selection process • Match your topic • Match your approach • Consider allied fields, areas

15. Editorial Objectives: RSR To review and evaluate a wide variety of publications having reference value within academic, public, school and special library settings.…to provide subject bibliographers and reference librarians with information useful to the functions of collection development and assessment, readers' advisory and guidance, bibliographic instruction, management, online searching and automated reference functions.

16. Editorial Objectives: RSR To review and evaluate a wide variety of publications having reference value within academic, public, school and special library settings.…to provide subject bibliographers and reference librarians with information useful to the functions of collection development and assessment, readers' advisory and guidance, bibliographic instruction, management, online searching and automated reference functions.

17. Editorial Objectives: JAL focus on problems and issues germane to college and university libraries….present research findings …their practical applications and significance; analyze policies, practices, issues, and trends; speculate about the future of academic librarianship; present analytical bibliographic essays and philosophical treatises…management and discipline-based software and information policy developments.

18. Editorial Objectives: JAL focus on problems and issues germane to college and university libraries….present research findings …their practical applications and significance; analyze policies, practices, issues, and trends; speculate about the future of academic librarianship; present analytical bibliographic essays and philosophical treatises…management and discipline-based software and information policy developments.

19. Setting your timetable • Your career agenda • Realistic planning • When a “hot topic” cools off

20. Making contact • Email the editor • Conferences/events • Publisher’s booth • Editorial board members • Published authors

21. Part 2: The Process • Submission • Timeline • Review • Feedback • Revision • Review • Final version

22. Submitting the manuscript • Follow style guidelines • Directly to editor or • Through online review and editorial management system

23. Timing • Publication cycle • Editorial communication

24. Demystifying the review process • Double blind • Who reviews? • Structure of a review • Feedback to author

25. The revising process • Read the review • Respond to the review • Revise the manuscript

26. Final steps to publication. . . • Revision is reviewed • Decision is made • Decision is communicated to author • Forms and permissions requested of author • Article is assigned to an issue • When published, author receives copies

27. If article is NOT accepted • Read the reviews attentively • Consider why rejection has been decided • Plan to rewrite/resubmit or • Plan to resubmit elsewhere

28. Part 3: What’s next? • Build a portfolio • Build a reputation • Collaboration vs. individual publication • Become a reviewer • Suggest and edit a special or theme issue • Beyond journal articles

29. Continuing the conversation We invite you to meet with us at this conference, at ALA, or to contact us by email.

30. Sarah Barbara Watstein University Librarian UNCW Randall Library watsteins@uncw.edu 910.962.3271 (o) 910.962.3078 (f) Eleanor Mitchell Director of Library Services Dickinson College mitchele@dickinson.edu 717.245.1864 (o) 717.245.1439 (f)