Publications and Databases in LIS

Overview

As you become an advanced writer and researcher in your field of study, you will have to become familiar with the most common publications and databases that are used in your discipline. Knowing this information will make research easier since you'll know where to go to find high-quality, scholarly research. You can also aim to publish your own work in these publications.

Professional Publications

Professional (trade) publications provide practical information about the day-to-day work within a field. Once you enter the field professionally, you will typically subscribe to some (or all) of these publications to ensure that you're up-to-date on best practices, current issues/challenges, etc. They are not peer reviewed, and they are not as research heavy as scholarly publications.

• Library Journal

• American Libraries

• Public Libraries

• School Library Journal

Scholarly Publications

Scholarly publications (often referred to as academic or scholarly journals) are peer-reviewed, meaning that multiple experts in the field of study review any piece before it is published. They are written by and for disciplinary experts, and they are often heavily research based. You can find articles from these scholarly publications through our SJSU Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

• College & Research Libraries

• Evidence Based Library and Information Practice

• First Monday

• In the Library with the Lead Pipe

• Information Processing and Management

• Journal of Documentation

• Journal of Education for Library and Information Science

• Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology

• Library and Information Science Research

• Library Management

• Library Quarterly

• Public Library Quarterly

• Reference and User Services Quarterly

• Weave: Journal of Library User Experience
  

Common Databases

When you are researching, you need to know which databases to visit to glean the most useful information in your field. These databases will often link you to articles from the scholarly publications listed above. The three databases below provide a good place to start.

• Library and Information Science Source

• Library and Information Science Collection

• Gale OneFile Information Science
  

Additional databases (along with descriptions) can be found within the research guide for LIS.