Purpose
InsideOCULA is the official publication of the Ontario College and University Library association (OCULA). InsideOCULA strives to be an inclusive, relevant and informative publication focused on building and fostering an engaged academic library community.
Frequency
InsideOCULA is produced on an ongoing basis, with new content being published five times a year.
Submissions
We welcome submissions that address OCULA’s philosophy as well as current trends and practices in academic libraries across the province and Canada.
You are invited to submit articles or items (such as video posts or infographics) for regular categories including:
- Features (in-depth articles or interviews)
- Around the Province – short column entries capturing events or activities
- Research Spotlight (see description below)
All materials submitted for inclusion in InsideOCULA are subject to editing for consistency, length and style. InsideOCULA adheres to the InsideOCULA Style Guide which is based on Canadian Press standards. In the event that significant changes result from editing decisions, the InsideOCULA editor(s) will contact the submitting author(s) for approval before printing.
The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse any submission. Views expressed or implied are those of the individual contributors or sources quoted and do not necessarily reflect OCULA policy.
Copyright
Like the Ontario Library Association, OCULA strongly supports the general principles of open access and Open Shelf uses the Creative Commons non-commercial Share-Alike license. As such, the sharing and redistribution of material appearing in InsideOCULA are encouraged, i.e., authors may re-publish their articles as they see fit and permission is not required. Nonetheless, reprints of all InsideOCULA content should include a reference or link to the original InsideOCULA article.
InsideOCULA does, however, prefer original features content and so generally previously printed feature articles or interviews (or revised versions of previously published content) will be considered only under certain circumstances. Authors are requested to alert the editors to any previously published versions of their submission(s) and, where necessary, are responsible for obtaining copyright permission for reprint. Articles published without proper permissions will be removed from the publication.
The author must secure the individual’s permission in writing for use of the images that contain a recognized individual, or a recognizable portion of an individual,. Photos taken at public events, news events or crowd shots taken in a public place do not require permission from the subjects.
Instructions to authors
1. Style
Articles should follow the InsideOCULA Style Guide. Please read and apply the guide before submitting your article. All materials submitted for inclusion in InsideOCULA are subject to editing for consistency, length and style, according to these guidelines and the InsideOCULA Style Guide. In the event that significant changes result from editing decisions, the InsideOCULA editor will consult the submitting author(s) before printing.
2. Length and Content
In general:
| Content type | Length |
| Feature stories: | 500 – 800 words |
| Around the Province – short articles: | 150 – 500 words |
| Professional Development: | 300 – 500 words |
| Student Column: | 300 – 400 words |
| Research Spotlight: | 100 – 300 words |
| Videos: | < 5 minutes |
Feature:
Feature articles provide an opportunity to delve into a topic in greater depth, and explore trends, opportunities, challenges, and practices that currently affect the field, or have the potential to affect it in the future. These types of articles provide a forum for critically reflecting on, or analyzing: big ideas, ongoing conversations, or practices, to make meaningful contributions to thoughtful leadership in the Ontario academic library community.
Feature articles should focus on topics of broad interest to the field, explore and provide a rationale for why the topic matters now, and engage with the professional literature where relevant and appropriate. Articles in this category can take on more of a narrative style and provide deeper context for the subject matter.
Possible examples of Feature submissions include:
- Reflections on how trends in technology are impacting library practices
- Exposes into little known practices or processes that may be of interest to others in the field
- Outcomes of implemented policies, initiatives, or interventions
- Evidence-based strategies to address persistent problems or challenges in academic libraries
For reference, please visit some of our past Feature articles:
- Questioning the Source: The Role of AI in Library Pedagogy
- The Power and Peril of Maps: Lessons in Cartographic Literacy to Resist Misinformation
- ChatGPT chronicles: Navigating the emotional landscape of generative AI in higher education
Around the Province:
Around the Province features short column entries capturing news, events, activities, and initiatives taking place in academic libraries across the province and may be of interest to the broader academic library community.
Examples for column submissions:
- Events and activities in academic libraries – workshops, lectures, exhibits, orientations, conferences, speaker series, or special programming
- Collaborations with academic departments – curriculum-integrated instruction, course partnerships, embedded librarianship, or co-developed assignments and learning objects
- Research and scholarly partnerships – support for faculty or graduate research, digital scholarship projects, or open access initiatives
- Outreach and community partnerships – work with public libraries, cultural organizations, Indigenous communities, schools, government agencies, or local organizations
- Services or programming – pilot projects, impactful changes to existing library services or events, or creative approaches to student and faculty engagement
- Teaching and learning initiatives – information literacy programs, faculty development, or student success initiatives
- Collections, exhibits, and cultural programming – special collections projects, digitization initiatives, or thematic displays and events
For reference, please visit some of our past Around the Province Content
- Connecting With Community Through Stem Events
- Have you heard? Spreading the word about Misinformation March
- McMaster Libraries Teaching and Learning Mini-Conference: creating community for instruction in academic libraries in Ontario
Professional Development:
Professional Development promotes career advice and job hunting resources to professionals interested in entering the academic library field. These articles strive to provide readers with substantive guidance on how to approach networking, gain relevant library skills, and understand what it is like to work in an academic library. We encourage authors to include methods to access the resources they have successfully used (e.g. hyperlinked text to web forums, blogs, free conferences or open-access handbooks), prioritizing open, low-to-no cost options.
Examples of topics include:
- Manager’s viewpoint on career advice and job hunting guidance
- Placements, co-op, mentorship, and internships from a mid-level career perspective
- Library professionals’ resources and tips on job hunting and career growth
- Stories on how past experience and volunteer experience supports library career development
- Referrals or mentions of resources that have helped secure a job position
For reference, please see our past articles:
- Parallel paths: How my experience in association work contributed to my career growth
- Introducing the MentorMatch Mini Series
- The joys of job hunting
Student Column:
Student Column is a dedicated space for students and new graduates from an Ontario library school to express their perspective about the library field. This column welcomes submissions from students pursuing other library fields in addition to the academic field.
Examples of student submissions can be:
- Opinions on the current library field and job market
- Reflections on library programs and specific courses
- Highlighting courses, topics, library trends, and issues that you believe are beneficial to future library students
- Summarizing placements, co-op, mentorship, and internships from a student’s perspective
- Takeaways from library events (e.g., sessions, conferences, expo vendors, tours, etc.)
Student contributors who wish to submit their research projects will be considered a submission for InsideOCULA’s Research Spotlight.
For reference, please visit some of our past student articles:
- New Perspectives: A Graduate Student’s First OLA Superconference
- In Retrospect: Experiences of A Student Representative
- The Value of Succession Planning in Student Internships
Research spotlight:
Research Spotlight is intended as a “sneak peek” at the exciting research being conducted by employees at Ontario’s college and university libraries. It will offer readers a taste of the diversity of topics and methodology explored in library and information science research and provide a quick dose of professional development. The column may also afford opportunities for collaboration as OCULA members discover shared research interests.
Authors are invited to submit short descriptions of their research using the following format within a total limit of 300 words:
- Author name, position, email address
- Photo illustrating the topic of your research
- Research interest: 1 sentence
- Description of latest research project: 100 words
- Where can I read/see more: provide citation or hyperlink
Optional:
- Why is this important?: 1-2 sentences
- Biggest surprises so far: 1-2 sentences
- Biggest challenge: 1-2 sentences
3. Submitting material
Submit your finished article in electronic format as a Word or Word compatible document as an email attachment to the editor at insideocula@gmail.com. It should be in Times Roman, 12-point, single-spaced throughout, and with no fancy formatting.
Include the following author information: name, email, phone number
4. Graphics
All submissions should be accompanied by at least one image related to the article. Photographs, illustrations, images and graphs should be submitted electronically as a separate attachment. Photo size must be a minimum of 72 DPI (dots per inch) and saved as a JPG.
Caption and credit(s) should be provided for all images submitted.
In the case where the authors of the articles do not own the copyright for graphic materials, they should obtain permission to use these materials prior to the article submission. Images published without proper permissions will be removed from the website.
5. Contributor bio and headshot
All authors are asked to include a brief – 1-3 line – biography and a headshot with their submissions. The biography and headshot will be used included in the Contributor section of OpenShelf.
Questions? Contact insideocula@gmail.com