The Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication (JLSC) is further extending our call for applications for openings in two editorial tracks. All JLSC editors and editorial board members are unpaid volunteers.

• Editors-in-Chief (2 openings) - send applications to: Eleanor Colla, ecolla@unimelb.edu.au
• Reviews Editor - send applications to: jlscreviews@jlsc-pub.org

Deadline for both: June 17, 2024

Editors-in-Chief

JLSC invites individuals to apply for two open Editors-in-Chief (EIC) positions. These individuals will join the current Team that includes two EIC, two Managing Editors, two Reviews Editors, a Production Editor, the Editorial Board, and the publisher in working collaboratively and coordinating a wide array of editorial matters, including submission assessment, reviewer management, article solicitation, and journal promotion. No prior editorial experience is required. Training is provided. We encourage practitioners who are interested in augmenting their understanding of scholarly publishing and interacting with others in the field to apply.

Filling these two openings will support our goal of staggering editorial roles for continuity and training purposes, and the new EIC will get to work with the current EIC and learn from their expertise. Reach out to the Editorial Team at editors@jlsc-pub.org with any questions about the role or journal.

While JLSC is based in North America and published in American English, it accepts applications from all geographic and language backgrounds and encourages individuals who may be able to provide diverse perspectives given their cultural, language, and/or geographic background. JLSC encourages EIC applications from those committed to contributing to and fostering a diverse scholarly communication environment, inclusive of personal and professional cultural, language, and/or geographic backgrounds.

Responsibilities

The EIC have responsibility to the readers, the public, and the research community for the creation, production, and dissemination of content rich in diverse perspectives. The EIC also oversee the editorial process, including:

• assessment of the relevance of submissions (approximately 40-50 per year) to the journal’s scope;
• assignment of peer reviewers
• review of revisions
• assignment of copyediting tasks;and,
• guidance of accepted submissions through the final editing (copyediting and proofreading) stages.

The EIC collaborate with the editorial team using the Janeway open source scholarly publishing platform, Slack, Google Drive/Documents, and other forms of communication. 

The EIC work closely with Editorial Board members in identifying and recruiting peer reviewers, performing peer review of submissions, soliciting manuscripts, guiding reviewers and authors, supporting integrity in research, publishing corrections and retractions, maintaining confidentiality and impartiality, and increasing general awareness and reach of the journal.

The initial term for EIC is four years, with possible annual reappointment thereafter, to a maximum service of seven years. This is an unpaid volunteer position.

Preferred start date is August, 2024 however this is open for negotiation depending on the candidate; the current EIC team will provide new EIC team members with mentorship and training, setting them up for success in the role. This includes discussing current projects, familiarizing them with workflows, and answering questions that arise.

How to Apply

To apply, please provide (a) applicant contact information, (b) a current CV, and (c) a statement addressing the Primary Requirements of the Editor-in-Chief role, listed below, to Eleanor Colla at ecolla@unimelb.edu.au by June 17, 2024. Experience may be drawn from a number of different roles including, though not limited to, repository managers, data managers, and digital archivists.

Primary Requirements of the Editor-in-Chief

• Commitment to advancing scholarly communication and librarianship practices and publishing: This includes demonstrated leadership in — and/or advocacy for — the intersections of scholarly communication and librarianship, as well as knowledge in any of the specific areas related to JLSC topics of interest (e.g., publishing, data services, digital repositories, open access, impact metrics, DEIA).  
• Scholarly experience: This includes an active record of professional growth and scholarly achievement. For example, the candidate is engaged in research, has authored works in areas related to JLSC topics of interest, is active in relevant professional organizations, or is involved in advocacy or instruction related to topics of interest. Preference will be given to individuals with prior experience as an editor or editorial board member for a journal. 
• Commitment to JLSC: The candidate must be able to dedicate the time necessary to provide ongoing timely support for authors and the journal as a whole. Examples of evidence of this could include: the candidate being provided release time for JLSC duties, the activities falling within the scope of the candidate’s professional responsibilities (e.g., employer expectations to be engaged in scholarship), or recent adjustments to responsibilities (e.g., cycled off committees or other obligations that have created time for new opportunities).  

Beyond the above primary requirements, additional consideration will be given to the following criteria when reviewing applicants:

• Academic discipline or area of study, professional work, performance, etc., with a preference for individuals familiar with academic librarianship or publishing;
• Location of current employment (nation, region, hemisphere);
• Academic or professional position, with a preference for individuals who demonstrate evidence of expertise and substantial professional contributions to librarianship or a related academic discipline.

Reviews Editor

JSLC seeks a Reviews Co-Editor to continue and expand a program of reviewing scholarship (e.g. books), platforms, and tools, and programs and courses whose subject matter is directly connected to the publication scope of JLSC. The Reviews Co-Editor will serve a four-year term (2024-2028), staggered with the other Co-Editor, Angela Hackstadt, Coordinator for Collection Development, University at Albany (2022-2026). The tentative start date will be during August 2024, with some flexibility to accommodate the successful candidate. All JLSC editors and editorial board members are unpaid volunteers.

Role: Working together, the Reviews Co-Editors are responsible for identifying publications and other resources of interest to the journal’s readership, acquiring review materials as necessary, recruiting appropriate reviewers, and ensuring that published reviews are high quality. The Reviews Co-Editors are supported in this work by the Editors-in-Chief, who will provide direction and mentoring as needed, and by the Editorial Board. 

Qualifications:

• Expertise: The Reviews Co-Editor should have demonstrated experience and expertise in one or more areas related to the intersection of librarianship and scholarly communication.
• Energy: This role will involve a regular time commitment to editorial work, so we will show a preference for individuals who are provided release time for editorial activities or for whom these activities fall within the scope of their professional responsibilities.
• Diversity: JLSC seeks diverse perspectives, both in our editorial team and in the content we choose to review. We will show a preference for individuals who can demonstrate a commitment to promoting diversity.  
• Professional engagement: The Reviews Co-Editor is responsible for monitoring new publications and other resources and identifying those of interest to the community. Engagement in the profession (through publishing, attending conferences and webinars, serving on committees, or similar activities) is critical to success in this area. 

To apply, please send a cover letter addressing the qualifications, a sample of your academic writing, and a current CV to the JLSC editors at jlscreviews@jlsc-pub.org by June 17, 2024. Applications will be reviewed by the Reviews Co-Editor and the Editors-in-Chief.