ITAL's "Public Libraries Leading the Way" Column
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 regular “Public Libraries Leading the Way” column for the four 2025 issues (to be published in March, June, September, and December). This column highlights a technology-based innovation or approach to problem solving from a public library perspective. See https://ital.corejournals.org/
Topics we are interested in include the following, but proposals on any other technology topic are welcome.
Virtual community engagement
Virtual education and learning
Technology to enable contactless service
Civic technology
Drones
Technology that expands diversity, equity, and inclusion
Privacy and cyber-security
Virtual and augmented reality
Artificial intelligence
Big data
Internet of things
Robotics
3-D printing and makerspaces
Geographic information systems and mapping
Materials handling automation
Self-service technology
Library analytics and data-driven services
Anything else related to public libraries and innovations in technology
To propose a topic, use this brief form, which will ask you for four pieces of information:
Your email address
Your name
A brief (75-150 word) summary of your proposed column that describes your library, the technology you wish to write about and your experience with it.
The quarterly issue(s) whose deadlines you can commit to
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. Proposals are due by December 13, 2024, and selections will be made by January 10, 2025.
If you have questions, contact Ken Varnum, Editor, at varnum@umich.edu, or Marisha Kelly, Assistant Editor, at marisha.librarian@gmail.com.
