Review Submissions

Welcome to LJ Reviews

We hope this page provides the information you need to submit titles for review consideration

Library Journal reviews new general trade books, original paperbacks, e-originals, graphic novels, reference books, and professional development titles for librarians and educators prior to their first U.S. publication. We also review audiobooks, DVDs/Blu-rays, databases, and subscription services of interest to libraries. LJ reviews are available online, and select reviews appear in our monthly print magazine. LJ reviews are also licensed to book distributors and vendors.

Works are selected for their potential interest to a broad spectrum of libraries. Only a few areas of publishing fall outside LJ’s scope: textbooks, children’s and Young Adult books (handled by our sister publication, School Library Journal; see SLJ submission guidelines here), and very technical or specialized titles (particularly those directed at a professional audience). Books previously published abroad are eligible if they are being released in the United States for the first time and have a U.S. distributor.

To be considered for review, books must be of national interest. Review copies should be received six months prior to publication. If that is not possible, please alert editors as to when the book will become available. Review coverage is not automatic; many books submitted are not reviewed.

Submissions

Digital Copies

Email to: ljsubmissions@mediasourceinc.com

Please include genre and publication date in the email subject line.

Non-watermarked PDFs are our preferred format.

Your submission email should list: book title; author(s); ISBN; date of publication; publisher; imprint; format; price; and number of pages. Please indicate whether the book will include illustrations, indexes, or bibliographies; please also include information on the author’s background and a brief description of the book and its intended audience. Please include a publicity contact in the body of the email.

If sending very large PDFs, consider using a file transfer service.

If sending a link to a digital file on NetGalley or Edelweiss, please make sure it is an open, shareable widget, as it will need to be forwarded and viewed by the assigning editor and the reviewer. We will respect copyright, as always, as will our reviewers.

LJ Edelweiss Community

If you are active on Edelweiss, please auto-approve the Library Journal Reviewers community. This community is accessible only to LJ review editors and active LJ reviewers who read e-galleys.

This is a one-time process in which you approve the community rather than individually approving each reviewer. Edelweiss has made this document outlining the steps to approve a community. If you have questions on approving the Library Journal Reviewers community, please reach out to Deidre Dumpson: ddumpson@abovethetreeline.com.

Physical Copies

Mail to:

Library Journal: Book Room

123 William St., Suite 802

New York, NY 10038

Physical copies are our preferred format for graphic novels, art, photo, architecture, travel, gardening, craft books, and other works of a highly visual nature.

Before You Submit

Library Journal’s reviews are both positive and negative, and make recommendations both for and against purchase. Our reviewers are encouraged to compare new titles to other materials that are already held in most library collections. Each title is evaluated on its literary and illustrative quality, its clarity and accuracy of presentation, and its appeal to the intended audience.

Submission does not guarantee review. Due to space limitations and the great volume of material submitted to LJ, we cannot review every work sent to us. The editors decide which books and multimedia materials to review based on potential interest to LJ readers. All submissions of books and multimedia materials become the sole property of Media Source Inc.; requests for return of materials or other restrictions cannot be honored.

Due to the volume of material LJ receives, receipt or acknowledgment of submitted materials is not possible. Similarly, we cannot provide information on the status of submitted materials. Publishers may request a copy of published reviews by contacting their sales representative.

All reviews are final and not subject to change. We will correct factual errors but not the editorial substance of reviews.

Formats Reviewed and Contacts at Library Journal

Books

We will accept digital galleys, bound galleys, bound page proofs, or bound manuscripts (only one copy is necessary). Those publishers that cannot supply advance bound galleys may submit finished books, but these should be sent as early as possible with the words “in lieu of galleys” and the publication date affixed to the cover.

We generally avoid reviewing books later than date of publication, though we do make exceptions for reference and heavily illustrated works. Books that fall into the following categories may be reviewed several months after their publication date:

Reference
Coffee-table books, art books, and other works that are heavily illustrated
Graphic Novels
Crafts and DIY
Library Science
Poetry
Cookbooks

Graphic Novels

For review consideration, advance copies are appreciated, but not necessary; we prefer to review from the finished copy when available (unless the galley is very high quality). We do not review single-issue comics, only hardback or paperback compilations. Please send titles for review consideration as close to the publishing date as possible. Bibliographic information and promotional materials should be included in your email. If advance copies of a title with color illustrations are in black and white, please send or make available sample color pages or a color PDF. Please submit these materials to Melissa DeWild: mdewild@mediasourceinc.com.

Audio Recordings

Please submit lists of upcoming releases, noting publication date, running time, narrator, subject/genre, ISBN, and price. An editor will reach out to request review files for selected titles. Please send these lists to Sarah Hashimoto: shashimoto@mediasourceinc.com.

DVDs and Streaming Film Files

Please submit lists of forthcoming DVD/Blu-ray releases, foreign films, indies, and documentaries, noting publication date, running time, director, studio, DVD UPC, rating, subject/genre, and price. A columnist will reach out to request review copies for selected titles. Please send these lists to Liz French: efrench@mediasourceinc.com.

Online Resources and Databases

Reference products and online resources, designed for both general and academic users, should be sent to Sarah Hashimoto: shashimoto@mediasourceinc.com.

Collection Development and Readers’ Advisory Columns

In addition to reviews, LJ also publishes subject- or genre-specific review columns and articles on collection development and/or readers’ advisory. Publishers may request a list of the planned columns and special roundups on the editorial calendar from their sales representative. To submit materials for potential coverage in a specific column or article, contact Neal Wyatt: nwyatt@mediasourceinc.com.