Last revised December 2006
See this page for information on submitting to the Facilities Feature in the April issue.
American Libraries is ALA's full-color monthly magazine and the primary perquisite of membership in the American Library Association. Each issue features articles on professional concerns and developments, along with news of the Association, library-related legislation, and libraries around the country and the world. Expression of diverse viewpoints and critical interpretation of professional issues make the magazine the premier forum for the exchange of ideas. Annual subscriptions are available to institutions at $60, $70 foreign.
STYLE: Informal, but informative. Factual article must be inviting and readable, with all statements backed by responsible research and interviews. The Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.)may be used in styling articles for publication. Footnotes are not used, but a few referencesare allowedin the text.
FORMAT: Electronic submissions in Word format are preferred. Submissions should be sent to americanlibraries@ala.org. Hard copies are acceptable and should be doublespaced, letter- or near-letter-quality on plain bond. One copy suffices. Manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage for return. Submissions may also be mailed to American Libraries, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.
PHOTOGRAPHS: Color photos are preferred for use with manuscripts or as picture stories. High-resolution digital jpeg images (300 dpi, approximate size of 3x5 inches) should be sent to AmericanLibrariesProduction@ala.org.
WORD PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS: Manuscripts may be submitted by e-mail, diskette, or CD accompanied by a paper printout of the text. While American Libraries is capable of handling a wide range of word processing programs in both the PC and Mac formats, we prefer that manuscripts be in MS Word for Windows.If submitting a manuscript in another format, indicate the word processing progam used.
LENGTH: 600-1,500 words.
PAYMENT: Honoraria of $100 to $250 are offered for most articles, paid upon receipt of an acceptable manuscript.
EXCLUSIVE SUBMISSION: It is assumed that no other publisher is or will be simultaneously considering a manuscript submitted to American Libraries until that manuscript is returned or written permission is provided by the American Libraries editors.
RIGHTS: According to the contract provided to authors, exclusive North American rights are retained until three months after publication, unless another arrangement is made in writing. American Libraries retains rights to have the published material reproduced, distributed, and sold in microform or electronic text.
REPRINT POLICY: Permission is usually granted for authors to reproduce their contributions as published in American Libraries. A reasonable number of copies are sent to each author. Special arrangements may be necessary to reproduce illustrations. Custom reprints of articles already published in American Libraries are available from The Reprint Department in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; call 800-259-0470 for pricing information.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Unsolicited manuscripts are acknowledged when received.
REPORTS: The editors try to report on manuscripts within 4-8 weeks. Written reminders from the author after this period are welcome, and usually result in a prompt reply.
PUBLICATION DATE: On acceptance, an estimated date of publication may be provided to the author. Usually manuscripts can be published no sooner than two months after receipt.
EDITING: On accepted manuscripts, the editors reserve the right to make editorial revisions, deletions, or additions which, in their opinion, support the author's intent. When changes are substantial, every effort is made to work with the author.
GALLEYS: Galleys are not provided to the author.
CARTOONS: Cartoons of the highest professional quality that relate to library interests and avoid clichés and librarian stereotypes will be considered. Average payment $50.
ILLUSTRATIONS: Illustrations are commissioned for certain articles and features.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: A listing of frequently asked questions, including information on diversity coverage, is located at this page.