Publication Patterns of U.S. Academic Librarians and Libraries, 2013–2017 with Comparison to Preceding Studies

Abstract

This study adds to a series investigating the publication patterns of refereed articles in Library and Information Science (LIS) journals by United States academic librarians (USALs). The first study covered 1993–97, and subsequent studies continued in five-year increments. This study presents data and metrics for 2013–17 from fifty-two journals: thirty studied since 1998, seven added in 2003, and fifteen added in 2013. Over the years, the proportion of articles by USALs has decreased, despite evidence that USAL publishing is increasing. This difference suggests that other segments of LIS publishing are increasing faster than USAL publishing. The percentages of coauthorship and USALs who publish three or more articles in five years have increased. Large public research universities with librarians who have faculty status and tenure continue to be the most productive, but evidence suggests an increasing number of academic libraries are contributing to the LIS journal literature. The percentages of USAL and non-USAL articles in the journals studied since 1998 and those studied since 2003 or 2013 point to differences in growth among journals, the importance of new journals, and changes in affiliations of USAL authors and where USALs publish.