The American Archivist is the semi-annual journal of the Society of American Archivists. It seeks to reflect thinking about theoretical and practical developments in the archival profession; about the relationships between archivists and the creators and users of archives; and about cultural, social, legal, and technological developments that affect the nature of recorded information and the need to create and maintain it. The journal also provides a forum for the evaluation of the literature that affects, and is affected by, emerging archival theory and practice.

The American Archivist is a refereed journal. Each submission will be reviewed by experts in the subject matter of the submission and a final decision for publication will be based on this review.

The American Archivist features a variety of types and lengths of articles (length requirements can be waived for certain articles in consultation with the editor). To submit, go to http://www.editorialmanager.com/americanarchivist and create an account. Inquiries should be directed to Christopher (Cal) Lee, Editor, The American Archivist, 216 Lenoir Drive, CB #3360, 100 Manning Hall, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3360. Telephone: (919) 962-7024. Email: [email protected].

Research Articles are analytical and critical expositions based on original investigation or on systematic review of literature. A wide variety of subjects is encouraged. (Maximum length: 8,000 words)

Case Studies are analytical reports of projects or activities that take place in a specific setting and offer the basis for emulation or comparison in other settings. (Maximum length: 3,000 words)

Perspectives are commentaries or reflective or opinion pieces addressing issues or practices that concern archivists and their constituents. (Maximum length: 3,000 words)

International Scene pieces may include elements of any of the above formats in covering archival developments outside the United States. (Maximum length: 5,000 words)

Professional Resources can be annotated bibliographies, other items designed for practical use within the profession, or essays that review developments (as opposed to the literature) in specified areas in a way that describes particular initiatives and places them in the context of broader trends. (Length varies)

The Forum contains letters to the editor commenting on recently published articles or other topics of interest to the profession. (Nota Bene: Letters to the editor are published to allow readers' viewpoints to be shared. The responsibility for accuracy remains with the letters' authors. The opinions and information are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the Society of American Archivists.)

The Reviews section provides a forum for the evaluation of the literature that affects, and is affected by, emerging archival theory and practice. In addition to reviews of monographs and reports and comparative analyses of publications in The American Archivist, the Reviews Portal (https://reviews.americanarchivist.org) creates space for the evaluation of emerging technologies and resources that archivists use and create, facilitating the preservation and stewardship of archival material and greater engagement with users. Reviewers are selected by the Reviews Editor. Direct inquiries or send literature to be reviewed to the Reviews Editor: Bethany Anderson, Archival Operations and Reference Specialist, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1408 W Gregory Drive, 146 Library MC-522, Urbana, Ill. 61801. Telephone: (217) 300-0908. Email: [email protected].

Manuscripts should be submitted in Microsoft Word. Text (including lengthy block quotations) should be double-spaced. Endnotes are preferred and should also be double-spaced. All pages should be numbered. The author's name and address should appear only on the title page, which should be separate from the main text of the manuscript. All articles must be accompanied by a 250-word abstract.

Illustrations are welcome for all types of articles. Please do not embed images in the text; include markers in the text for placement. Captions for illustrations should be included in a separate list at the end of the article. Digital images (300 dpi; .tif or .jpg) will be required when and if the article is accepted for publication.

Editors of The American Archivist use the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style as the standard of style and endnote format. Terms having special meanings for members of the profession should conform to the definitions in A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology by Richard Pearce-Moses (Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2005). Authors' variations from these standards should be minimal and purposeful.

The author is responsible for understanding and following the principles that govern the “fair use” of quotations and illustrations and for obtaining written permission to publish, where necessary. Accuracy in endnote citations is also the author's responsibility, although the editors may occasionally confirm the accuracy of selected citations.

The American Archivist will not consider a manuscript that is being reviewed by another journal at the same time, nor will it normally consider an article that has been published previously in a similar form.

Manuscripts are sent out (without the author's name) for peer review by two readers who evaluate them and recommend acceptance, rejection, or revision. Author notification of a final decision normally takes a minimum of three months. Acceptance for publication is usually on the condition that specified revisions be made. If an article is accepted, the author will also send a biographical statement (no more than 100 words in length) and photo (300 dpi jpg). Authors are given the opportunity to approve all editorial changes and to review page proofs for correction of printer's errors. The minimum editorial and production cycle—which includes receipt of a manuscript, review, acceptance, revision, page layout, printing, and distribution—is approximately twelve months; various factors can affect that time period.

Upon publication, authors will receive two complimentary copies of the journal in which their articles appear; reviewers receive a complimentary PDF.

Authors retain copyright of their work and license publication to the journal. Except where otherwise noted, content in the journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License. Some rights reserved.

With the exception of select articles in the three most recent volumes, content in The American Archivist is open access.

Address additional inquiries about The American Archivist to Teresa Brinati, Director of Publishing, or Abigail Christian, Editorial and Production Coordinator, Society of American Archivists, 17 North State Street, Suite 1425, Chicago, Ill., 60602–3315. Telephone: (312) 606–0722. Toll-free: (866) 722–7858. Fax: (312) 606–0728. Email: [email protected]; [email protected].