ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 4 6 / C&RL News a. Reports on a project, program, or research underway or recently com pleted dealing with a topic relevant to academic librarianship. Footnotes should be minimal and charts or tables avoided. These reports may be preliminary descriptions of programs or research to be published formally at a later date in library literature (e.g., “U ndergradu­ ate Term Paper Citations in Two Colleges and Two Universities: A Com parison,” January 1990). b. Reports on a recent conference or workshop of interest to academic or research librarians (e.g., “M iddle States Association Makes a C om m itm ent to BI,” D ecem ber 1989). c. Reasoned and inform ed speculation or com ­ m ent on a relevant topic, especially if solicited by the editor or an official ACRL group (e.g., “The F u tu re o f Reference II,” O ctober 1989). d. State-of-the-art reports on a relevant topic (e.g., “Installing a Local Area Com pact Disk N et­ work,” D ecem ber 1989). e. Standards, guidelines, or recom m endations of an ACRL com m ittee or other official ACRL group (e.g., “Standards for University Libraries,” Sep­ tem b er 1989). IV. M a n u sc r ip t A uthors should subm it two copies, d o u b le­ spaced, following either the Chicago Manual o f Style or Turabian. Printing output to be avoided: low-resolution dot matrix, proportional spacing, oversize type, and hyphenated word breaks. M anuscripts may also be subm itted in electronic format (hard copy is still required) either: a. via ALANET, to ALA0306; or b. in a text file on an IBM -compatible diskette, preferably in Xywrite III+ or in an ASCII file. V. R e q u e s ts fo r D o n a tio n s C &R L News may occasionally print requests for the donation o f books or materials to libraries, especially foreign libraries, which have suffered extensive loss through fire, hurricane, or other natural disaster. O ther libraries soliciting contribu­ tions for other reasons will be referred to the rates for classified advertising in C&RL News. E d ito rs note: These guidelines were adapted by the C&RL News Editorial Board at the Denver M idw inter Meeting on January 25,1982. Suggestions for editors B y J. C. B en n ett Assistant Professor o f Library Science Eastern New Mexico University The other side o f the manuscript. A lthough most librarians are not formally required to publish w ritten work, a great many— particularly in academ ic librari consider doing so at some point in their careers. Many library science journals exist for the purpose, and they seem typical of periodicals as a whole. Almost every journal contains either “guidelines for authors” or “instructions to authors” or the like. This usually consists of a page in each issue ad­ es dressed to prospective authors, detailing the style subm itted manuscripts should take, the length and f—orwmil pl referred, and other miscellaneous informa­ tion. O ften authors are nastily told that submissions that do not fit the guidelines will be returned unread. T he relationship betw een author and editor should be one of m utual respect. If authors are bluntly directed to follow some conventions and FUNNY, THEY DON’ T LOOK LIKE LIBRARIANS. BUT THIS COUPLE OF CATS REPRESENTS A COMPANY THAT STAFFS THE MOST INNOVATIVE LIBRARIANS - READY TO HELP YOU BUILD THE BEST COLLECTIONS POSSIBLE. From sales to m arketing to customer serv­ ice, our librarians bring th eir expertise and insight to every facet of Baker & Ta ylor Books. That’s especially im portant when it comes to the challenging task of collection development. Let Baker & Ta ylor Books’ librarians help make your job a lot easier through these time and effort-saving programs: BUILDING COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTIONS. Our Approval Program offers the most sophis­ ticated collection development system in the industry. I t includes specialized services like customized profiling to make sure every auto­ matic shipment of new titles you get meets your library’s requirements. Periodic reports, free freight and a choice of discount plans are other valuable features of our Approval Program. BUILDING STANDING ORDER COLLECTIONS. Our Continuation Service is a standing order program th a t makes it easier than ever to bring order and control to your serial collections. O f fering a comprehen­ sive database of over BAKER & TAY a GRACE D istribu tion c o m p a n y WE'RE LEADING THE WAY.SM Eastern Division - 50 Kirby Avenue, P.0. Box 734, S om erville, NJ 08 87 6 -0 73 4 ; (800) 5 2 6-3811; (800) 352-4841 (in NJ); (800) 5 2 4-2 4 8 6 (in Canada); ♦ Midwestern Division - 501 South G ladiolus Street, M om ence, IL 60 95 4 -1 79 9 ; (8 0 0 )4 3 5 -1 8 4 5 ; (800) 89 2-1 8 7 9 (in IL); • Southern Division - M t. Olive Road, Com m erce, GA 30 59 9 -9 98 8 ; (800) 2 4 1-6000; (800) 28 2-6 8 5 0 (in G A );* Western Division - 380 Edison Way, Reno NV 89 56 4 -0 09 9 ; (800) 648-3944; (702) 786-6700 (in NV, call co lle ct); • International Sales - Baker & Taylor In ternational, 1114 Avenue o f the A m ericas, New York, NY 10036-7794; (212) 819-7474; Telex: 760-7 8 2 4 BIBKS UC; Fax: 1 -2 1 2 -8 1 9 -7 4 8 1 ; Cable: FASBAT NEW YO R K .© 1989 Baker & Taylor Books 25,000 titles, Continuation Service means you can order everything from one source — Baker & Taylor Books. INTRODUCING OPENING DAY COLLECTION SERVICES. There’s nothing we won’t do to help you through the enormous complexity of building a new library or the challenge of expanding a collection. Indeed, our new Opening Day Collection Services include everything: plan­ ning and selecting, cataloging and processing, packing and shipping. If you’d like, we’ll put the books right on your shelves. BUILDING PAPERBACK COLLECTIONS. We get you hot paperback titles quickly and easily through our Paperback Parade Service. We do it by offering a broad range of ordering plans which are geared to different age groups, types of libraries and popular subjects. All you have to do is sign up for a predeterm ined number of titles at one set price and we’ll auto­ matically ship a new selection to you each month As you can see, with so many innovative librarians working for us, we’ve got collection development down to a science. To take advan­ tage of these outstanding programs, call the Baker & Ta ylor Books LOR B o o k s division nearest you toda y 4 8 / C&RL News not others to make editors’ jobs easier, it is reason­ able to ask that editors also do what they can to lighten authors’ tasks. A list of suggestions for journal editors follows. It is hoped that editors will take these seriously. The present lack of discipline and standardization discourages many who might otherwise be very successful writers. 1. Do not require that the first submission of a manuscript be in any particular style. Since many styles exist this wastes a great deal of authors’ time. Any recognized style will allow review of a m anu­ script; if it is clearly unacceptable, the author does not wish to spend time putting it into your particu­ lar style. You may also lose your chance at publish­ ing notew orthy pieces. This is especially p ro ­ nounced if your journal has a high rejection rate. Above all, do not give special instructions that do not follow recognized styles; if a manuscript is accepted, its author will be more than happy to change it to any style you wish. 2. Put in your guidelines a statem ent on the topics you wish manuscripts to address. This must be as specific as possible. It will lighten your load, as well, for you will spend less time mailing back utterly unsuitable manuscripts. Do not tell authors to read back issues to find out what you require; since budgets are shrinking many libraries have dropped their subscriptions to your journal, and authors will often have only a photocopy of your guidelines to refer to. 3. C om m ent on each manuscript you reject. If your guidelines contain a detailed statem ent of the topic(s) you desire articles on, you need only send authors of unsuitable submissions a copy of guide­ lines with a note stating the particular unfitness. The following excuses for rejection are unaccept­ able: a. “We reject a lot of manuscripts.” This does not tell authors why theirs are unsuitable. b. “The tone (or style or format) is not what w e’re looking for.” Unless you suggest the author rewrite and resubm it the piece, you have not given reasons for rejection. c. “We do not agree with your logic.” If you do not offer sound logical reasons which negate the author’s argument, this excuse is not an appropriate point of departure. If you wish to reject an article simply because you don’t like its conclusions, you should consult with the ALA Intellectual Freedom Com m ittee for guidance. In such a case any consci­ entious author will contact that com m ittee to complain about you. Rem em ber, if you cannot find the tim e to explain your reasons to each rejected author, you do not have time to be an editor. 4. If you wish an author to rewrite and resubm it a piece, tell exactly what you would like altered or added. Too many authors have been frustrated by editors who simply mail them copies of reviewers’ reports, for these often contradict each other or are too vague to be used as guides. January 1990 / 49 5. D o not ask th a t an a u th o r subm it th e original copy o f a m anuscript. It is perfectly acceptable to ask authors to state th a t th e ir articles are not u n d e r consideration by o th e r publications, b u t to req u ire th at a m anuscript be rety p ed w hen you reject it (since you will have m angled its corners or left coffee stains on its pages) is unconscionable. In your position you probably have a c o m p u ter or w ord processor, b u t n o t every w riter can afford one. 6. Be fair about tim e limits. I f it has taken you m onths to review and accept a m anuscript, do not expect its au th o r to re tu rn proofs to you w ithin 72 hours o f receipt. Also authors should realize th a t you have little control over your referees, b u t it should n o t take a n o n -re ſe re e d periodical m ore th a n six w eeks to review a m anuscript n o r a re fe ­ re e d one longer th a n four m onths. T h e approxi­ m ate tim e yours will take should b e listed in your guidelines; if delays occur after submission, notify th e au th o r o f them . 7. Enjoy your work. E ditin g is an honor, not a right, and deserves th e b est you can give it. A uthors n e e d you, and you n e e d th em . ■ ■ News from the Field Acquisitions • T h e L o u is ia n a S t a t e U n iv e r s it y Libraries, Baton Rouge, have recen tly acq u ired an im p o rtan t group o f 19th-century m anuscript m aterials. T he papers, consisting o f m ore th a n 3,000 m anuscript item s, d o cu m en t th e activities o f m em b ers o f th e Stirling, T u rn b u ll, Joyce, L o b d ell, a n d Allain Fam ilies. Covering nearly th e en tire 19th century, th e m aterials d o cu m en t th e com m erce and tra d e in w hich th e se families w ere engaged, th e operations o f th e ir n um erous plantations, including th e buy­ ing and selling o f slaves, and th e personal m atters o f th e various family m em bers. This collection co m ­ p lem en ts th e already extensive holdings in th e Louisiana an d L ow er Mississippi Valley C ollec­ tions at LSU th a t d o cu m en t n o t only th e very sam e families, b u t th e en tire W est F lorida area. T he m anuscripts fall into four m ain family groupings: th e Lewis Stirling Fam ily Papers, w hich relate to th e Civil W ar c a re e r o f Lewis Stirling and th e life o f th e family du rin g reconstruction; th e T urnbull- Joyce P artn ersh ip an d estate records, w hich d o cu ­ m en t th e trad in g activities o f John Joyce an d his p a rtn e r John T urnbull, including accounts w ith individual Indian trad ers on th e Louisiana-M issis­ sippi frontier, and bills an d receipts for tra d e goods; th e L obdell Fam ily Papers, w hich trace th e arrival John L obdell in L ouisiana du rin g th e 1820s an d his su b se q u en t participation in th e legal, political, and econom ic life o f th e state, including his leadership in th e M asonic Lodge; th e Allain Fam ily Papers, w hich consist o f personal an d family letters as well as th e business and financial records o f V. F. and Sarah Allain. T h e acquisition o f th ese im p o rtan t papers was m ade possible th ro u g h th e generous su p p o rt o f th e F rien d s o f th e LSU Library, m e m ­ bers o f th e Stirling family, th e W est F eliciana H is­ torical Society, and o th e r generous anonym ous benefactors. • The St. L o u is M e r c a n tile L ib rary A sso cia tio n has acquired an im p o rtan t new collection received in re c e n t m onths from th e T ransportation R e­ search F o ru m (TR F) F oundation, o f W ashington, D .C . M ost notable am ong th e titles received in th e T R F F o u n d a tio n ’s gift is a nearly com plete run from th e early 1870s to th e p re se n t o f The Official G uide o f the R ailw ays a n d Steam N avigation Lines o f the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico a n d Cuba, known to generations o f its users simply as The Official Guide. Long one o f th e m ost im p o r­ ta n t railroad periodicals, The Official G uide and various rela ted p red ece sso r titles has published each m onth since Ju n e 1868 th e m ost com plete available com pilation o f th e passenger and freight service tim etables o f all railroads in th e U nited States, and later, all o f N o rth America. R oute and service m aps and advertisem ents, listings o f serv­ ices offered, station lists, and rosters o f principal m anagers and officers are also featured. L ong runs o f th e G uide are rare, and nearly com plete runs such as th a t received from th e T R F F o undation exist in only a few repositories. W ith th e G uides cam e o th e r im p o rtan t titles o f high research value. N otable is a com plete ru n o f The Pocket L ist o f Railroad Officials, w hich has four tim es yearly