Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL), the quarterly open-access journal published by ALA’s Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures division, is looking for contributions to its newly-established ”From the Field” column for the December 2024, March 2025, and June 2025 issues. This column will highlight a technology-based project, practice, or innovation from any library in the GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums) community. Proposals are due by September 20, 2024.
Topics could include:
- Community engagement through technology
- Virtual programming, education, and learning
- Technology that expands diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility
- Open source software
- Digital libraries
- Digital archiving and preservation
- Web usability and UX, design thinking, design systems
- Innovations in materials checkout or handling
- Privacy and cyber-security
- Virtual and augmented reality
- Artificial intelligence, NLP, LLMs
- Data science and analytics
- Geographic information systems and mapping
- Self-service technology
- Anything else related to GLAM institutions and innovations in technology
Columns are in the 1,000-1,500 word range and may include illustrations. These will not be research articles but are meant to share practical experience with technology development or uses within the library.
Since this is a non-peer-reviewed column, there is also an opportunity to engage in new ways or different formats, so creative submissions will also be considered. (Examples: comics, zines, videos, autoethnography, case studies, white papers, policy documents, interviews, reports, or other pieces commonly referred to as "grey literature.") If you would like your column to be in a format that differs from a standard editorial essay, please explain in your proposal.
Those who are interested in being an author for this column should submit a brief proposal / abstract that outlines the topic to be covered. Proposals should be no more than 250 words. Please submit your proposals via this form no later than September 20, 2024.
Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by September 27, 2024 with the submission deadline for our quarterly issues on the first of December, March, and June quarterly issues. Completed column submissions should be roughly 1500-2000 words.
Please contact Cindi Blyberg, Guest Editor, at cindi.blyberg@uky.edu with any questions. Please forward to any colleagues who may be interested. Thank you!
