Topics and Trends in Library Publishing Missions Statements

Tracy, Daniel G.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/74838 Copy

Description

Title

Topics and Trends in Library Publishing Missions Statements

Author(s)

Tracy, Daniel G.

Issue Date

2015-03

Keyword(s)

• library publishing
• content analysis
• communication of value

Abstract

While previous surveys of the library publishing landscape identify broad trends in the field, the appearance of the Library Publishing Directory in 2014 (and its subsequent 2015 update) gave the first near-comprehensive look at existing services in academic and research libraries. The directory presents several types of baseline data, but some of the most interesting information can be found in the mission statements for the various libraries. These statements offer the opportunity to compare the public face of these services to some of the specific arguments about the value of library publishing. To what extent do these statements present a coherent vision? To what extent do they publicize traditional library strengths such as preservation as core to services? This poster builds on research presented in a forthcoming article looking at how library users are framed in discussions of library publishing. It examines the mission statements as presented in the 2014 and 2015 directories for a broader range of topics including preservation, open access, sustainability, and more. Topics are identified both from prior literature and initial reading and visualization of the statements. It also draws from both editions to examine the extent (if any) to which these mission statements have converged: for example, of 86 institutions in both editions of the directory, 50 made significant revisions to their mission statement, including several institutions that added a mission. By presenting this analysis, I hope to provoke discussion about these statements as strategic communications about the role of libraries in the publishing economy.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/74838

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