1. Editorial Objectives
Library and Information Update (‘Update’) is the magazine and journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. It is a forum for discussion, and a current awareness tool for busy library and information practitioners. It seeks to be lively, interesting, informative and accessible. It aims to keep members of the profession (and interested members of the public at large) up-to-date with relevant developments in the public policy arena, the working environment, technology and in the profession. It is CILIP’s flagship publication.
2. Update tries to represent as many views as possible, to reflect the many strands of opinion in the profession. It is editorially independent of CILIP’s management, but because it is owned by CILIP, tries to provide the membership and other readers with balanced and responsible cover. This reflects the publicly stated goals, values and activities of the Institute and the profession, in accordance with the public interest and CILIP’s charitable purpose.
3. Research and Peer Review
Update is not a peer reviewed journal. However, some research has important implications for working practice. It may therefore publish short or ‘popular’ accounts of academic research, where this is appropriate, usually after the research in question has gone through successful peer review. Advice on currency or validity may be sought from the Editorial Board or independent experts.
4. Guidelines for contributors
News
For news there are no hard and fast criteria other than relevance and significance for your peers. The news team decides what to publish. The amount of material used may vary and will depend on space and how many other significant developments there have been since the last issue. Text may be edited. Contact the News Editor, Matthew Mezey (matthew.mezey@cilip.org.uk) if you wish to discuss an item of news. Send news copy to update@cilip.org.uk
Features
Many feature articles are commissioned by the Editor. However, Update welcomes suggestions from would-be authors. Please contact the Editor, Elspeth Hyams, (Elspeth.Hyams@cilip.org.uk) to discuss appropriate treatment of your topic.
Subject matter can cover library and information work in all sectors, information resources, knowledge or records management and related technologies, or management, marketing, research awareness, the internet and web technologies, electronic publishing and communications, or social and economic policy matters of relevance to the information practitioner. (This list is not intended to be exhaustive.)
If you are proposing to write, your topic should reflect any or several of the following considerations:
§ Are you reporting on something that is currently topical, or ought to be?
§ Has there been anything similar to your proposed piece in recent issues of Update? (And - if there has - how is your piece different?)
§ Does it make a significant point, with implications for practitioners in their jobs, and if so, can you identify how?
§ Does it cast new light on a core concern?
§ Does it solve a problem that is currently exercising your peers?
§ Would it entertain or amuse your fellow professionals?
If the answer to any of these is ‘yes’, the editor would like to discuss a possible article with you.
Articles are generally between 1,200-2,500 words in length. Images to accompany features are encouraged. Copyright clearance remains the responsibility of the author. Figures and images can be submitted electronically as jpeg or tif files at a resolution of at least 300 dpi. The editor’s address is Elspeth.Hyams@cilip.org.uk
Please note that, because of its practical orientation, Update favours an accessible, direct, clear conversational style of writing. It discourages using too many citations in the text of the article, because this disrupts narrative flow.
If you have some interesting material to share with the community, but do not see yourself as a natural author, Update may be able to work with you. Please contact the editor at Elspeth.Hyams@cilip.org.uk to discuss.
Please note that unsolicited articles that do not meet any, or a sufficient number of, editorial criteria may not be accepted for publication. The Editor’s decision is final.
Copyright
Feature articles submitted to the journal should be original work and not under consideration by any other publication at the same time. Update does not republish feature articles that have already appeared in other publications for the library and information profession, unless in very exceptional circumstances.
Update requires exclusivity for the first three months of publication, and it requests the option to publish in both print and electronic media. If authors decide to republish the article they have contributed at a later date (for example, on a company intranet, or in another professional body’s journal) we ask that they acknowledge the article’s original publication in Library and Information Update.
Any images you do not own should be copyright cleared. You will be asked to indemnify CILIP for use of any material which infringes existing copyright.
Reviews
Update regrets that, because of constraints on space, it only reviews books and resources of direct relevance to the library and information profession. Guidelines are available from Diana Dixon, Honorary Book Reviews Editor – Diana.Dixon@cilip.org.uk Unsolicited reviews are not accepted.
Obituaries
Notices should not exceed 800 words – shorter is preferable where possible. Photographs are welcome. Send obituary notices to Rachel Middleton (Rachel.Middleton@cilip.org.uk). Contact Rachel for copy deadlines and any queries.
People
Send brief details of new job, and of previous job title and workplace. Photographs are welcome. Send to update@cilip.org.uk
(May 2004. Revised 20.10.04)
Updated: 02 November 2004