The winter issue of Alki will explore the theme “Library in Community.” We are seeking pieces that consider the role libraries play within their communities or institutions, beyond the doors of their domain. How does your library fit into and work with the larger community/institution? What role does your library play in other institutions or the overall infrastructure? How does it impact the lives of its patrons beyond its services?
Possible topics might include:
Your library’s community and context: how does your library engage with the broader community?
Getting involved in community work and working with community feedback
Libraries in local, state, and federal politics and policy, including the 2024 election
Consortium libraries and other library networks
Your libraries’ place in the larger community/institutional infrastructure
How libraries better the lives of their constituents
How libraries build networks of solidarity within and beyond the institution
The library’s role in advocacy, resilience, and resistance
As always, creative pieces, art, and photos are always encouraged!
Sign up for your spot today or work through a potential article concept by emailing your name and a working title of your proposed piece to [email protected].
Do you have an article ready? View our submission guidelines below and email your submissions as a .doc, .docx, or Google Doc to [email protected] by Tuesday, October 29th.
For inspiration, check out past issues of Alki.
Alki: The Washington Library Association Journal (ISSN: 8756-4173) is published three times a year in March, July, and December. Alki is a journal by and for the Washington library community. We welcome content from all library workers, students, supporters, volunteers, and trustees. We publish peer-reviewed articles, opinion pieces, creative writing, and art. The Alki editorial committee is available to discuss ideas and expectations. Reach out by contacting us at [email protected]. For inspiration, check out past issues of Alki.
See below for our upcoming issue themes and calls for papers. We accept submissions that may not fit our theme but are still important to our community.
Email your submission as a .doc, .docx, or Google Doc file to [email protected]. Author works should be publication-ready prior to submission. These instructions apply to all submissions. Include the following in the email:
Author and article information:
Unique title.
Your name and affiliation(s).
Short bio written in third-person, and a headshot. These can be as professional or silly as you’d like. The goal is to give readers an idea of who you are, not just what you do professionally.
Images:
Attach .jpg or .png images to the email.
Ensure attached images are named YourLastName_#_ArticleTitle.jpg/.png, where # is the order in which the pictures should be published. Example: Smith_1_LibrariesRule and Smith_2_LibrariesRule.
Include both captions and alt-text for each image.
Provide photo credit information if you are not the image’s creator.
Article:
Format body text as size 12 or greater, in Arial or another sans serif font.
List any sources at end of the article using American Psychological Association (APA) format. Reference these sources in your text by including superscript footnotes. Do not link the footnotes, as this makes it difficult for us to copy, move, and format the text on our website.
Save the article as a .doc or .docx file named according to the following template: YourLastName_ArticleTitle.doc
We utilize the Open Peer Review Process: the author and reviewers have direct access to the names and emails of each person who works on an article. Every Alki article is reviewed by two volunteer Alki Editorial Committee members and the Editor in Chief before the author gives their final approval to publish. Authors should expect at least one round of revisions based on editor feedback. Editor feedback includes copy edits and grammar checks, as well as consistency of voice and soundness of content. Historically, we publish most of the articles we receive. The only exception to this rule are the rare pieces that do not align with Alki values, and pieces that require more work before they are publication-ready. It is recommended that authors do their own peer-review process amongst their colleagues and friends before sending in for publication to make the editing process as smooth as possible.
To view our Editorial Policy, visit alki.pubpub.org/about.