Open Access Publishing for Library Issues

This post by Scott Walter over at ACRLog distilled many of the current issues we face with regard to publishing on library-related topics.

Specifically, to quote Scott,

where is the ACRL version of EDUCAUSE Review (with its contributions from non-technologists who understand the critical nature of IT in higher education) or the 7 Things You Should About series (with its cogent synopses of emergent issues in a fashion timely enough to be useful across the academy)?

If you haven't taken a look at the 7 Things series, you should. It's an excellent format for helping those unfamilar with specific technologies learn about them in a quick, easy-to-read burst.

This is something that I have thought about often with regard to the ACRL Information Literacy Web site (which I edit), and the ALA Web site as a whole.

As Scott says in the piece, we have

to find ways to better highlight our contribution to broader discussions that may be of interest to non-members.

It all comes down to making our publishing efforts more exciting, more broadly focused, and above all, more accessible. I think the many terrific librarian authored blogs out there have helped push us in this direction. Now it's time to take the next step and make our more formally-produced publishing more responsive (on a variety of levels) as well.