ALCTS seeks journal editor

CHICAGO - The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), seeks to appoint a dynamic and forward-thinking professional as editor for its journal, Library Resources & Technical Services (LRTS).  The successful candidate is a proactive professional with a broad awareness of the contemporary technical services and collections landscape and an interest in emerging issues and developments in the field.  

Appointment of a candidate will be made by May 1, 2012.  The effective start date for this position is July 1, 2012. The appointment will overlap with the current editor’s term through the end of 2012. The editor serves a four-year term, renewable at the Board’s discretion, and will receive a stipend from the ALCTS office to support their role and the editorial process.

LRTS is the official quarterly journal of ALCTS and publishes refereed articles that reflect the broad range of topics encompassed by our field, including cataloging and metadata, resource acquisition and management, collections management and preservation. The journal also looks to include articles of current and emerging interests that link collections and technical services to broader library services such as digital preservation, scholarly communication, institutional repositories, data curation and services, standards development, the Semantic Web and new models for collection services.

LRTS also regularly publishes features such as literature reviews, reviews of books and other materials, as well as official reports of ALCTS activities.

The editor serves as an ex-officio member of the ALCTS Publications Committee. The editor works with the LRTS editorial board and ALCTS Executive Director on developing marketing and communications strategies to promote LRTS. The editor works with the LRTS editorial board to achieve a representative balance among the articles published in the journal so that the interests of each of the ALCTS sections are represented.  The editor is encouraged to contact and cultivate potential advertisers. The editor is expected to attend the ALA Midwinter and Annual meetings.

Requirements include:

• Ability to write and edit clearly and effectively
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Organizational and communication skills sufficient to communicate effectively and organize the work appropriately with editorial board members, ALCTS personnel and authors
• Communication and interpersonal skills necessary to effectively market and communicate about the journal with potential advertisers, authors and others
• Awareness of current research issues and practicalities across the range of the ALCTS/LRTS publishing scope
•  Awareness of emerging issues and trends across the ALCTS/LRTS publishing scope
• Knowledge of the activities and of other professionals working in the areas of ALCTS interests
• Ability to proactively identify and leverage publishing opportunities
• Knowledge of copyright issues
• Interpersonal skills sufficient to identify and cultivate prospective authors
• Time management skills necessary to organize and manage the editorial calendar
• Sufficient time available to devote to the position  
• Familiarity with electronic publishing and electronic manuscript systems and submissions

Applicants must be members of ALCTS. They should submit a resume and a cover letter; a statement describing the role of LRTS in the profession and indicate reasons for seeking the editorship; the names and contact information for three references; and at least two writing samples, preferably one work authored by the candidate and another edited for publication by the candidate. Electronic submissions are highly preferred.

Send nominations and applications to:

Applications accepted until the position is filled; those arriving by March 16, 2012 will receive first consideration.

Additional information on LRTS may be found on the ALCTS website.

ALCTS is a division of the American Library Association.