''The Library Quarterly'' is a quarterly double-anonymous peer-reviewed

academic journal An academic journal (or scholarly journal or scientific journal) is a periodical publication in which Scholarly method, scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the ...

covering

library science Library and information science (LIS)Library and Information Sciences is the name used in the Dewey Decimal Classification for class 20 from the 18th edition (1971) to the 22nd edition (2003). are two interconnected disciplines that deal with info ...

, including historical,

sociological Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociology was coined in ...

statistical Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a s ...

, bibliographical, managerial,

psychological Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...

, and

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

al aspects of the field. It is published by the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

and was established to fill a need for investigation and discussion set forth by the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

in 1926. The editors are Paul T. Jaeger (

University of Maryland, College Park The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD i ...

) and Natalie Greene Taylor (

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, ...

), with associate editors Jane Garner (Charles Sturt University, Australia) and Shannon M. Oltmann (University of Kentucky).

Cover Design

Until 2013, the covers of the journal featured emblems from booksellers or printers. Featured in every issue was a study of the particular emblem that focuses on the typographer, dealer, seller, and designer. As of 1975, 176 prints had been displayed on the journal's cover. Noting the dated appearance of the journal covers, it was decided that part of the overall changes implemented would include a new cover without the emblems. Instead of completely removing these illustrations and the accompanying "The Cover Design" feature after 80 years, the journal renamed the entry "History of the Book" to continue the practice. The

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

libraries provide digital access to printers' devices, including those that appeared on the cover of ''The Library Quarterly''.

History

''The Library Quarterly'' was established in January 1931, the year that Lee Pierce Butler joined the University of Chicago Graduate Library School, which was where library science as the academic study of the relationship between books and users was originally conceived. Thus, its publication history parallels the existence of library science as a field of academic research. The emergence of a journal devoted expressly to research in library science was met with conflict in the discipline according to the journal's first editor, William M. Randall. The controversy revolved around whether research and scientific method was needed in the field. The ''Quarterly'' continued publication after the Graduate Library School closed in 1989. Howard W. Winger was managing editor from 1961 through 1972, in 1975, from 1980 through 1985 and from 1988 through 1989. More than 50 of his essays (particularly those on 16th-century printers' devices) appeared in ''The Library Quarterly''. When editorship was taken over by Steven P. Harter in 1990 Winger wrote a history of the journal's editorial boards. In 2002 editor, John V. Richardson, analyzed the peer review process in place at ''The'' ''Library Quarterly''. A bibliometric analysis in 2006 on the 75th anniversary of the journal found that nearly 50% of the world's most cited library and information scientists were contributors. In 2004 ''The Library Quarterly'' went online, adding additional articles, content, and unique supplements. Online features also include most accessed and most cited articles. A new team of editors, Editorial Board, and a new Reviews Committee were added in 2016. In the first issue of the 91st volume, the editors identified significant national and international events occurring during publication, including the establishment of the journal during the time of

The Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank an ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

prior to the ten year anniversary, and the United States entering the war just after that milestone. At the time this volume was released, having passed its 90th year in publication, the world was experiencing the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

pandemic. As of 2025, the journal reached its 95th year, making it one of the oldest scholarly publications on the subject of libraries. Over the past nine decades, the journal has documented libraries and their roles during historic moments, and the evolution of the practices, technologies, and diverse topics relating to the field.

References

External links

*
Index of ''The Library Quarterly'' covers, 1931 to date
{{DEFAULTSORT:Library Quarterly, The Quarterly journals Library science journals University of Chicago Press academic journals English-language journals Academic journals established in 1931 1931 establishments in Illinois