Mandate and Mission
CSL Journal is published by Canadian School Libraries (CSL). CSL is a non-profit organization dedicated to professional research and development in the field of the school library learning commons in Canada. CSL connects school library practitioners and educators across Canada in the collaborative pursuit of delivering exemplary practices reflective of current professional school library learning commons standards.
CSL Journal articles are of interest to teacher-librarians and other educators, scholars, and the range of professionals and paraprofessionals who work to advance school library learning commons practice in Canada. While not an exclusive list, the following categories of articles are consistently represented: Teaching and Learning, Technology for Learning, Learning Spaces, School Culture, Readers and Reading, Professional Learning and Digital Resources. We encourage submissions which consider the Canadian context in particular, but also invite submissions to our International Corner that highlight school library contexts and initiatives from around the world. The editors also feature the work carried out by Canadian School Libraries and its projects, most specifically Leading Learning / L’Apprentissage en tête and Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC).
CSL Journal publishes three online editions per year, in the fall, winter and spring.
Submission Guidelines
Journalistic Articles
The majority of CSL Journal articles are presented in a journalistic or magazine style. We welcome submissions in French or English on a broad range of topics relevant to school library learning commons professional knowledge and practice.
For these articles, authors are encouraged to write in an informal, accessible style without compromising important information or analysis. Where necessary, informal, in-text citation that clearly identifies sources should be included. If a reference list or list of additional resources will significantly enhance the article, it should be formatted in APA style. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their work and for verifying their citations.
Magazine-style articles typically range from 1000 to 2500 words. Factors that increase article appeal include examples and quotes that provide insight and illustrate key points. Sub-headings are encouraged for clarity and to maintain reader interest. Some material may lend itself to being featured in a sidebar box. Photographs and other illustrations are encouraged. The flexibility of our online format means that video, audio and other multimedia formats that can be embedded may also be considered, increasing the range of potential submissions. Please refer to submission and copyright guidelines for more information when considering the inclusion of images, illustrations and multimedia.
Scholarly Articles
While CSL Journal is not formally peer-reviewed, it does offer a platform for more scholarly articles relevant to school library learning commons practice. Scholarly articles may exceed guidelines for length. Authors have the flexibility to approach the topic in a more formal style, as appropriate to the content. In-text citations and the reference list should be in APA style. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their work and for verifying their citations. While not necessary, illustrations may be included in scholarly articles, and may enhance their appeal.
CSL Journal is interested in publishing articles that present previously-published scholarly content, provided that the copyright is held by the author, and the author can provide evidence in writing of compliance with the guidelines of the original publisher.
We do not accept book reviews.
Through our partnership with the Association of Canadian Publishers, CSL Journal presents annotated lists of student resources that relate to current trends in publishing. The journal also includes a regular column from professional education librarians annotating similarly-themed professional resources. We do not accept reviews from other sources.
Copyright
Ownership and copyright of articles published in CSL Journal is retained by the original authors. When writers consent to having articles published in CSL Journal, permission is also granted to feature the article through other CSL platforms and projects and to include it for indexing in educational databases, without expectation of financial compensation.
CSL Journal is published under a non-exclusive Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License. Users are free to copy, distribute and transmit content for nonprofit purposes, provided it is distributed in its entirety, and proper credit is given to the author and to CSL Journal. Users may not alter, transform, or build upon content, nor may they use content for commercial purposes without the author’s permission. As author, you retain copyright of the article and, once we have published it, are free to repurpose it. (More information about Creative Commons licensing can be found here.)
Photographs and Illustrations
Photographs and illustrations complete with caption text should be embedded in article text file submissions (ie., Word or Google Docs) to provide the editors with insight into desired layout.
Illustrations must also be submitted to the editors as separate email attachments. Photos should be in JPG or PNG format, of a high enough resolution to appear crisp and clear on a website.
Authors are responsible for ensuring copyright compliance of images submitted for publication.
Specific Style Guidelines
CSL Journal uses Canadian spelling. While not exhaustive, the following brief list clarifies style expectations for commonly used words and phrases.
- Numbers: Use words for one to nine, numerals for 10 and up
- Expression of dates (examples)
- January 31, 2019
- April 2019
- 21st century
- For consistency, please use the following guidelines for commonly used terms:
- teacher-librarian (with hyphen)
- website, not web site
- multimedia, not multi-media
- e-book and e-resources (please use hyphen as indicated)
Capitalization
Please follow all rules for capitalization at the beginning of sentences and for proper nouns. Avoid using capitalization for emphasis. For example, library learning commons should not be capitalized unless it is part of a proper noun (ie., Crestview Secondary School Library Learning Commons). Positions should only be capitalized when being expressed as part of a formal title. For example, terms like librarian, teacher-librarian, library technician and principal should only be capitalized when included in a formal title (ie., Suhana Khalim, Learning Commons Principal, Boreal District School Board).
All materials submitted for inclusion in CSL Journal are subject to editing for consistency, length, and style. In the event that significant changes result from editing decisions, the submitting author(s) will be contacted for review and approval.
Interested in Submitting an Article?
If you are interested in submitting an article for consideration, please send an email to the editor. Include the names, titles, affiliations, and full contact information for all authors, and a brief abstract (200-300 words).
CSL Journal prides itself on encouraging new authors to share their work. We want school library scholars and practitioners to share their knowledge and insight. If you have an idea worth sharing but are inexperienced or unsure of how to best proceed, we can help! CSL Journal’s editorial team are particularly interesting in mentoring new writers.
Please visit the About CSL Journal page for release dates and submission deadlines.
CSL Journal Co-Editors
Carol Koechlin: koechlin[at]sympatico.ca
Anita Brooks Kirkland: anitabk[at]bythebrooks.ca