About this journal
Aims and scope
The Reference Librarian aims to be a standard resource for everyone interested in the practice of reference work, from library and information science students to practicing reference librarians and full-time researchers. It enables readers to keep current with best practices in instruction and reference services. up with the changing face of reference, presenting new ideas for consideration.
The Reference Librarian publishes articles about all aspects of the reference process, some research-based and some applied based on original research and columns expressing informed and practical opinion. Current trends and traditional questions are equally welcome. Many articles concern new electronic tools and resources, best practices in instruction and reference service, analysis of marketing of services, and effectiveness studies. Examples of topics within the scope of the journal include:
- models of reference service
- reference collection development
- library patron attitudes and behaviors
- library instruction and information literacy
- education of reference librarians
- assessment of reference services
- diversity, equity and inclusion in librarian recruitment and implementation of reference services
- collaborations with individuals and organizations.
The Reference Librarian is an international journal that welcomes research-based and applied articles pertaining to reference services in public, academic, and special libraries. The Research-based articles are supplemented by practice-based columns on various aspects of public and academic library reference concerns, such as transcripts of web-based reference transactions and practical, how-to tips for creation of electronic guides.
Peer Review Policy: All research articles in The Reference Librarian have undergone editorial screening and double-anonymized editorial screening and peer review. Article submissions from either co-editors or members of the editorial board are also evaluated using double-anonymized peer review and any conflict of interest is reported to the publisher for ethical guidance and transparency. All journal practice-based columns undergo editorial screening.
Publication office: Taylor & Francis, Inc., 530 Walnut Street, Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Journal metrics
Usage
- 38K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
- 2.1 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
- Q2 CiteScore Best Quartile
- 0.761 (2023) SNIP
- 0.415 (2023) SJR
Speed/acceptance
- 0 days avg. from submission to first decision
- 27% acceptance rate
Understanding and using journal metrics
Journal metrics can be a useful tool for readers, as well as for authors who are deciding where to submit their next manuscript for publication. However, any one metric only tells a part of the story of a journal’s quality and impact. Each metric has its limitations which means that it should never be considered in isolation, and metrics should be used to support and not replace qualitative review.
We strongly recommend that you always use a number of metrics, alongside other qualitative factors such as a journal’s aims & scope, its readership, and a review of past content published in the journal. In addition, a single article should always be assessed on its own merits and never based on the metrics of the journal it was published in.
For more details, please read the Author Services guide to understanding journal metrics.
Journal metrics in brief
Usage and acceptance rate data above are for the last full calendar year and are updated annually in February. Speed data is updated every six months, based on the prior six months. Citation metrics are updated annually mid-year. Please note that some journals do not display all of the following metrics (find out why).
- Usage: the total number of times articles in the journal were viewed by users of Taylor & Francis Online in the previous calendar year, rounded to the nearest thousand.
Citation Metrics
- Impact Factor*: the average number of citations received by articles published in the journal within a two-year window. Only journals in the Clarivate Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) have an Impact Factor.
- Impact Factor Best Quartile*: the journal’s highest subject category ranking in the Journal Citation Reports. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest Impact Factors.
- 5 Year Impact Factor*: the average number of citations received by articles in the journal within a five-year window.
- CiteScore (Scopus)†: the average number of citations received by articles in the journal over a four-year period.
- CiteScore Best Quartile†: the journal’s highest CiteScore ranking in a Scopus subject category. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest CiteScores.
- SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper): the number of citations per paper in the journal, divided by citation potential in the field.
- SJR (Scimago Journal Rank): Average number of (weighted) citations in one year, divided by the number of articles published in the journal in the previous three years.
Speed/acceptance
- From submission to first decision: the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the journal to receive a first decision. Based on manuscripts receiving a first decision in the last six months.
- From submission to first post-review decision: the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the journal to receive a first decision if it is sent out for peer review. Based on manuscripts receiving a post-review first decision in the last six months.
- From acceptance to online publication: the average (median) number of days from acceptance of a manuscript to online publication of the Version of Record. Based on articles published in the last six months.
- Acceptance rate: articles accepted for publication by the journal in the previous calendar year as percentage of all papers receiving a final decision.
For more details on the data above, please read the Author Services guide to understanding journal metrics.
*Copyright: Journal Citation Reports®, Clarivate Analytics
†Copyright: CiteScore™, Scopus
Editorial board
Editor
Lauri Rebar - University Librarian, Instruction and Engagement Services, Florida Atlantic University Libraries, Boca Raton, FL
Co-Editor
Christine Bombaro - Librarian, Federal Library and Information Network, Library of Congress
Kay Cahill - Director, Information Technology & Collections, Vancouver Public Library
Anna Carlin - Instructional Technology Librarian, Florida Gulf Coast University
Anne Carr-Wiggin - NEOS Manager, Indigenous Initiatives, University of Alberta Libraries
Bebe S. Chang - Archives & Digital Librarian, Nova Southeastern University - Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center
Martin Garnar - Librarian of the College, Amherst College
Stacy R. Gilbert - Communication and Information Librarian, University of Colorado, Boulder
Robert Gold - Collection Management Librarian, Broward County Library
Larissa Gordon - Scholarly Communications Librarian, Scott Memorial Library, Jefferson (Philadelphia University and Thomas Jefferson University)
J. B. Hill - Director of Public Services, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Cindy Ingold - Women and Gender Resources Librarian, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Marcela Y. Isuster (she/her) - Coordinator, Digital Scholarship Hub, Humanities and Social Sciences Library, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Cynthia Keller - Learning Coordinator, University Libraries, University of Colorado, Boulder
Gregory Laynor - Assistant Curator, Medical Library, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Joan K. Lippincott - Associate Executive Director, Coalition for Networked Information
Stephanie Maatta - Director of Library Services, Full Sail University
Yazdan Mansourian - Lecturer, School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University
Kristy Padron - Scholarly Communication Librarian, Florida Atlantic University
M. Asim Qayyum - Lecturer, School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University
Jane Stimpson - Consultant, Learning Services, Massachusetts Library System, Marlborough, MA
Anthony Verdesca - Reference Librarian, Warren Library, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Abstracting and indexing
The Reference Librarian is abstracted/indexed in: De Gruyter Saur; IBZ - Internationale Bibliographie der Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Zeitschriftenliteratur; EBSCOhost; Academic Search Complete; H.W. Wilson; Education Source; FRANCIS; Library, Information science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA); MasterFILE Complete; TOC Premier; Elsevier BV; Scopus; OCLC; ArticleFirst; Library Literature; Periodica Islamica; ProQuest; Aerospace Database; Computer and Information Systems Abstracts; Corrosion Abstracts; Engineering Research Database; LISA: Library & Information Science Abstracts; Materials Business File; METADEX; Periodicals Index Online; and VINITI RAN.
All Library & Information Science journals are subject to the Zero Embargo Green OA Policy, which states that authors retain copyright of their article & are entitled to Green Open Access, allowing authors to post their Accepted Manuscripts to repositories, social media, personal webpages, etc. immediately upon publication.
More information on the Zero Embargo Green OA Policy can be found here.
Open access
The Reference Librarian is a hybrid open access journal that is part of our Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research.
Why choose open access?
- Increase the discoverability and readership of your article
- Make an impact and reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library
- Freely share your work with anyone, anywhere
- Comply with funding mandates and meet the requirements of your institution, employer or funder
- Rigorous peer review for every open access article
Article Publishing Charges (APC)
If you choose to publish open access in this journal you may be asked to pay an Article Publishing Charge (APC). You may be able to publish your article at no cost to yourself or with a reduced APC if your institution or research funder has an open access agreement or membership with Taylor & Francis.
Use our APC finder to calculate your article publishing charge
4 issues per year
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