With the November/December 2010 issue, American Libraries print moves permanently to bimonthly publication. Monthly print as a viable delivery vehicle for anything that can be called “news” is clearly limited, and publishing to the web allows for faster and more flexible dissemination and is a general industry trend. Although manufacturing and postage costs are certainly a factor in the decision to produce fewer print issues, advertising has also seen a sharp decline over the past year and we have heard from many readers calling for a no-print option in their membership profile.
Moving to web-first publishing in the Drupal content management system has enabled American Libraries to deliver more content faster and at lower cost than ever possible—electronically. American Libraries Direct provides a weekly aggregation of ALA news and news from around the country and the world, along with what’s new on ALA websites.
In 2011, we have scheduled six bimonthly print issues and four quarterly digital supplements. Timing and mailing will be orchestrated to coincide with the dates of ALA’s Midwinter Meeting, Annual Conference, and other major events. Issues should reach members sometime between the first and third weeks in the first month of the issue.
The combined total content delivered to readers through AL Direct is already greater than the total ever published in print. With few exceptions, AL content is currently being published to the web first and then selectively collected or revamped for print. Some articles will appear as web extras, others will appear in the quarterly digital supplements. In-depth interviews will generally be excerpted for print and appear in full online. Most blog postings, videos, photo essays, webinars, and digital-supplement material will be available online only, with links delivered weekly in American Libraries Direct.
The only column that will be discontinued is “The Association’s Associations,” since all ALA division news is delivered weekly through American Libraries Direct and the news release feed on the website. Division and round table leaders are encouraged instead to work with American Libraries to develop content around their professional issues and major initiatives.
AL has already done two advertiser-supported webinars, the most recent one in cooperation with the Office for Research and Statistics, which also used a digital supplement to deliver content to ALA members. The Public Information Office is planning to release next year’s State of America’s Libraries report as an AL digital supplement. Publishing through AL will enable ALA offices to deliver content cheaply and widely, and we are exploring more webinars and digital supplements based on office-created content.
Meanwhile, enjoy the last print issue of 2010, featuring, among other things, a case study of the successful gaming initiative at Houston Public Library, an upbeat article about retirement, and a look back at the history of Chicano librarianship. If you are not receiving the weekly American Libraries Direct, sign up and stay in touch at americanlibrariesmagazine.org/aldirect.
I hope the Q&A below answers any questions you may have about why American Libraries is reducing the number of print issues and moving to the web. If you have others, please feel free to contact me at lkniffel@ala.org.
Q & A
AMERICAN LIBRARIES MOVING TO 6 BIMONTHLY PRINT ISSUES IN 2011
Q. Why is American Libraries moving from 10 print issues per year to six print issues?
A. Moving to web-first publishing in the Drupal content management system has enabled the magazine to deliver more content faster and at lower cost than ever possible, electronically. American Libraries Direct provides a weekly aggregation of ALA news as well as news from around the country and the world.
Q. Isn’t it really just a matter of saving money?
A. No, although manufacturing and postage are certainly major costs, and advertising has seen a sharp decline. Many readers are calling for a no-print option in their membership profile. American Libraries print as a viable delivery vehicle for anything that be called “news” is clearly limited. And publishing to the web for faster and more flexible dissemination is an industry trend.
Q. What will be the dates of the six print issues of American Libraries beginning in 2011?
A. They will be bimonthly: January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December. Four quarterly digital supplements are also scheduled—Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Q. When will each issue reach members?
A. Timing and mailing will be orchestrated to coincide with the dates of ALA’s major events in coordination with advertising promotions. Issues should generally reach members sometime between the first and third weeks in the first month of the issue.
Q. Will this change the issue themes that are repeated annually?
A. No, but it will change the timing, and most issues will mail closer to the center of the two-month span. For example, the architectural issue will be March/April, instead of April. That means it will mail March 22, close to the mail date of the former April issue. The May/June issue will be the conference issue and will mail May 24.
Q. Will everything that is published online appear in print?
A. No. With a few exceptions, everything is currently being published to the web and then selectively collected in print. Some articles will appear as web extras, others will appear in the quarterly digital supplements. In-depth interviews will generally be excerpted for print and appear in full online. Most blog postings, videos, photo essays, webinars, and digital-supplement material will be available online only, with links delivered weekly in American Libraries Direct.
Q. What about the frequency of columns, departments, and features?
A. Columnists, including the ALA president, will write six columns per year. Because the presidency changes in mid-year, the columns will run July/August through May/June of the following year. The ALA Executive Director’s quarterly column will be timed to follow Executive Board meetings. The content combined total, however, that will be published online (including blogs, video, interviews, ALA news, and so on) will be much greater than the total ever published in print.
Q. How will the volume and issues be numbered?
A. 2011 begins volume 42. Issues will be numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Digital supplements will not be numbered, they will be dated. A new statement of ownership will be filed with the Post Office.
Q. What will happen to the columns for the 11 divisions, “The Association’s Associations”?
A. They will be discontinued. All division news is delivered weekly through American Libraries Direct and the news release feed on the website. Division leaders are encouraged to work with American Libraries to develop content around their professional issues and major initiatives.
Q. What about webinars?
A. American Libraries is seeking advertisers to support webinars and has done two so far. The most recent one was done in cooperation with the Office for Research and Statistics, which also used a digital supplement to deliver content to ALA members. The Public Information Office is planning to release next year’s State of America’s Libraries report as a digital supplement to American Libraries. Publishing through American Libraries enables offices to deliver content cheaply and widely, and we are interested in exploring more webinars and digital supplements based on office-created content.