|
Contributors are invited to submit new scholarly works, such as research reports and reviews of research. Individual issues of the journal may also include a theme section, introduced by a Theme Editor and including several articles on the theme. The Theme Editor works with the Editor to issue a call for papers on the theme but may also invite researchers with a special interest in the theme to submit papers.
Content School Libraries Worldwide, IASL's international journal for school librarianship, is issued twice yearly in January and July. Contributors are invited to submit manuscripts for publication on current research on any aspect of school librarianship. Each issue of the journal usually includes a theme section, introduced by a Theme Editor and including three or four articles on the theme. School Libraries Worldwide primarily publishes new scholarly works, such as research reports and literature reviews. On occasion, due to the nature of the theme chosen, the Theme Editor may invite the submission of other types of papers including personal narratives, commentary and opinion.
Authors need to be mindful of the international audience of the journal. In most cases, authors can use the library terminology that is used in their locale. However, when writing about schools and students, it is important to state the age of the students being educated in those schools. Schools systems vary greatly around the world, and readers find it hard to understand what age of school children authors are writing about in their articles. For example, high school students in Eastern and Central Europe means students in university or institutes (usually over 18 years old), and primary school in many countries means the first six grades (perhaps ages 6-11 years) while in other countries primary school means the first three grades (perhaps ages 6-8 years). It is also important to explain terminology used to identify schools. The names applied to types of schools, such as junior high schools, middle schools, gymnasiums or lycee, or compulsory schools, can create difficulty in understanding for our readers.
For a book:
Walker, G., & Janes, J. (1993). Online retrieval: A dialogue of theory and practice. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
For a part of an edited work:
Limberg, L. (1991). Sweden. In J.E. Lowrie & M. Nagakura (Eds.), School libraries: International developments (2nd ed., pp. 24-36). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow.
For a journal article:
Doll, C. A. (1997). Quality and elementary school library media collections. School Library Media Quarterly, 26(2), 95-102.
For an article from an Internet-only journal:
Harada, V. H. (2002). Personalizing the information search process: A case study of journal writing with elementary-age students. School Library Media Research, 5. Retrieved April 2, 2002, from http://www.ala.org/aasl/SLMR/vol5/search/search.html
School Libraries Worldwide receives about 100 submissions each year and the editors aim to communicate editorial decisions in a timely manner. The average turnaround time to first decision is about 60 days, with an approximate acceptance rate of 50%. To avoid unnecessary delays, a paper may be returned to the author before full review if the editors determine that it is not suitable for the journal. This decision is made in the interest of the author to avoid loss of valuable time.
A large number of submissions were rejected because of either poor quality or their subject areas were out of the scope and coverage of the publication. We scan every submission for plagiarism with several tools and papers that contain more than 50% will be rejected automatically; papers that contain more than 50% may be rejected after the editors consult with the authors and original sources.
Submissions to School Libraries Worldwide are blind reviewed by a minimum of two members of the Editorial Board.
Copyright of works published in School Libraries Worldwide is jointly held by the author(s) and by the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL). The author(s) retain copyright of their works but give permission to IASL to reprint their works in collections or other such documents published by or on behalf of the International Association of School Librarianship. Author(s) who give permission for their works to be reprinted elsewhere should inform the Editor of School Libraries Worldwide and should ensure that the following statement appears with the article: Reprinted, with permission, from School Libraries Worldwide [issue volume, number, date, pages].
Further information (if necessary) is available from the editors: Dr. Nancy Everhart at everhart@fsu.edu and Dr. Marcia Mardis at mmardis@fsu.edu.