Topic: Primary Information Sources (Print and Electronic) - Journals, Conference Proceedings, Patents, Standards, Theses & Dissertations, Trade Literature.
Today we will only talk about Journals (Notable journals in context with Library and Information Science Syllabus), you can get other mentioned sub-topics in the next posts. (Links will be updated here)
1. Indian Journals
1.1 Library Miscellany
Launched: 1912 (Baroda)
Ceased: 1920
Org: State Library Department, Baroda
Language/Frequency: Multilingual (English, Gujarati, Marathi); irregular
Significance: India’s first library science periodical.
1.2 Grandhalaya Sarvaswam
Launched: 1915 (first issue 1916); ongoing today
Org: Andhra Pradesh Library Association
Language/Frequency: Telugu & English; monthly
Significance: Oldest active regional LIS journal.
1.3 Modern Librarian (Punjab)
Launched: 1930 (Lahore)
Ceased: 1946
Language: English
Purpose: Addressed emerging LIS concerns in pre-Partition India
1.4 Annals of Library Science → Annals of Library Science & Documentation → Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS)
Launch: 1954 by INSDOC
Renamed: 1964 and 2001
Org: CSIR‑NIScPR (formerly NISCAIR)
Language/Frequency: English; quarterly
Continuity: India’s oldest ongoing English-language LIS journal, open-access.
1.4.1 IASLIC Bulletin
Launched: 1956; ongoing quarterly
Org: Indian Association of Special Libraries & Information Centres
Language: English .
1.4.2 IASLIC Newsletter
Launched: 1966; ongoing monthly
Org: IASLIC
Language: English.
1.5 Journal of Indian Library Association
Launched: 1965; ongoing quarterly
Org: Indian Library Association
Language: English.
1.6 DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT)
Launched: 1981 as bulletin; renamed 2008
Org: DESIDOC (DRDO)
Language/Frequency: English; bi‑monthly; open‑access
2. UK Journals
2.1 Journal of Librarianship and Information Science (JOLIS)
Launched: 1969 (as Journal of Librarianship)
Renamed: 1991
Org: Library Association → Bowker-Saur → Cambridge Scientific Abstracts → SAGE (2004)
Language/Frequency: English; quarterly
Focus: Peer-reviewed international LIS research.
2.2 The Library Quarterly
Launched: 1931
Org: University of Chicago Press (USA, but included in UK & global prestige lists)
Language: English; quarterly
Scope: Library research, theory, and policy (often UK-centric)
3. USA Journals
3.1 College & Research Libraries (C&RL)
Launched: 1939
Org: Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL/ALA)
Language/Frequency: English; Bimonthly
Focus: Academic librarianship, scholarly communication
3.2 Library Trends
Launched: 1952
Org: University of Chicago
Language/Frequency: English; quarterly thematic issues
3.3 Information Technology and Libraries (ITAL)
Launched: 1982
Org: ALA
Language/Frequency: English; quarterly
Scope: Intersection of LIS and information technology
4. Contemporary Prestigious Journals
These are widely regarded by LIS educators globally and often included in advanced module syllabi:
4.1 Information Processing & Management – UK, since 1963
4.2 Scientometrics – Netherlands, since 1978
4.3 Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) – USA, 1966–present
4.4 Library and Information Science Research – USA, since 1979
4.5 Information & Management – UK, since 1963
4.6 The Journal of Documentation – UK, since 1945
5. International Journals (General)
5.1 Library Progress (International)
Launched: 1981; ongoing semi‑annual
Org: BPAS Publications
Language: English.
5.2 SRELS Journal of Information Management (previously Library Science with a Slant…)
Launched: early 1980s; now quarterly
Org: SRELS
Language: English
5.3 Collnet Journal of Scientometrics & Information Management
Launched: 2007
Org: Taru Publications (co-published with Taylor & Francis)
Language/Frequency: English; biannual
Scope: Emerging field of scientometrics
Below is a chronological timeline of the most important and historic journals in the world, including their launch dates, and then grouped by discipline (science, philosophy, library science, etc.)
Timeline of Important Journals (Earliest to Recent)
1. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
UK | 🗓 1665–present
Field: Natural Philosophy / Science
Significance: World's first scientific journal; peer-reviewed
2. Journal des Sçavans (Savants)
France | 🗓 1665–present
Field: Humanities, Philosophy, Religion
Significance: First European journal focusing on intellectual news
3. Acta Eruditorum
Germany | 🗓 1682–1782
Field: Philosophy, Mathematics
Significance: Early scholarly periodical in Latin
4. Nature
UK | 🗓 1869–present
Field: General Science
Frequency: Weekly
Significance: Global multidisciplinary science journal
5. Science
USA | 🗓 1880–present
Field: Science & Technology
Frequency: Weekly
Org: AAAS
6. Economic Journal
UK | 🗓 1891–present
Field: Economics
Org: Royal Economic Society
Frequency: Quarterly
7. Journal of Political Economy
USA | 🗓 1892–present
Field: Economics
Org: University of Chicago Press
8. Library Journal
USA | 🗓 1876–present
Field: Library & Information Science
Founded by: Melvil Dewey
Significance: First journal dedicated to librarianship
9. Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS)
India | 🗓 1954–present
Field: Library & Information Science
Org: CSIR-NIScPR
Language: English
Frequency: Quarterly
10. Journal of Documentation
UK | 🗓 1945–present
Field: Information Science
Org: Aslib
Frequency: Bimonthly
11. College & Research Libraries
USA | 🗓 1939–present
Field: Academic Libraries
Org: ACRL (ALA)
Frequency: Bimonthly
Categorization by Discipline
- Philosophical Transactions (1665, UK)
- Nature (1869, UK)
- Science (1880, USA)
- Acta Eruditorum (1682, Germany)
- Philosophy / Humanities
- Journal des Sçavans (Savants) (1665, France)
- Acta Eruditorum (1682, Germany)
- Economics & Political Science
- Economic Journal (1891, UK)
- Journal of Political Economy (1892, USA)
- Library and Information Science
- Library Journal (1876, USA)
- Journal of Documentation (1945, UK)
- College & Research Libraries (1939, USA)
- Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS) (1954, India)
- DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology (DJLIT) (1981, India)
| Year | Journal Name | Country | Field / Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1665 | Philosophical Transactions | UK | Science |
| 1665 | Journal des Sçavans | France | Philosophy / Humanities |
| 1682 | Acta Eruditorum | Germany | Philosophy / Mathematics |
| 1869 | Nature | UK | General Science |
| 1876 | Library Journal | USA | Library Science |
| 1880 | Science | USA | Science and Technology |
| 1891 | Economic Journal | UK | Economics |
| 1892 | Journal of Political Economy | USA | Economics |
| 1939 | College and Research Libraries | USA | Academic Libraries |
| 1945 | Journal of Documentation | UK | Library and Information Science |
| 1954 | Annals of Library and Information Studies (ALIS) | India | Library and Information Science |