NextGen Journal of Librarianship
The NextGen Journal of Librarianship is a peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and professional practice in librarianship, library and information science, knowledge management, and digital information services. The journal provides an international platform for researchers, librarians, information professionals, educators, and technology practitioners to share original research, theoretical contributions, systematic reviews, and practical insights addressing the evolving role of libraries in the digital age. Aims and Scope The journal welcomes original contributions in areas including: Library and Information Science Digital Libraries and Institutional Repositories Information Organization, Cataloguing, and Classification Knowledge Management and Information Retrieval .Artificial Intelligence and Automation in Libraries Digital Preservation and Electronic Records Management Academic Libraries and Research Support Services Public, School, and Special Libraries Information Literacy and Digital Literacy Bibliometrics, Scientometrics, and Research Evaluation Open Access, Scholarly Communication, and Publishing Library Management, Leadership, and Policy Data Management and Research Data Services Emerging Technologies in Information Services User Experience, Information Behaviour, and Library Services
Instructions for Authors
Peer-reviewed scholarly formatting specifications for NextGen Journal of Librarianship
Author Guidelines & Submission Instructions **NextGen Journal of Librarianship (NJL)** *Published by NextGen Innovation & Research Journals • ISSN Registered • Crossref Member*
1. Aims & Scope NextGen Journal of Librarianship welcomes original, high-impact contributions that advance scholarly knowledge and practical applications in: > NextGen Journal of Librarianship publishes original peer-reviewed research, comprehensive literature reviews, and technical notes spanning foundational theory, experimental benchmarks, and applied innovations.
All manuscripts must represent rigorous, previously unpublished work and must not be under simultaneous consideration by any other journal or conference proceedings.
2. Article Types Accepted 1. **Original Research Articles**: Comprehensive empirical or theoretical studies presenting novel methodology, experimental validation, or critical breakthroughs (typically 5,000–9,000 words). 2. **Review Articles**: Critical syntheses of state-of-the-art developments, meta-analyses, and forward-looking research agendas (6,000–12,000 words). 3. **Short Communications**: Rapid reports of significant preliminary findings, novel algorithms, or urgent experimental observations (2,500–4,000 words). 4. **Technical Reports & Case Studies**: Detailed implementations, industrial deployments, benchmarking analyses, or institutional evaluations (3,000–6,000 words).
3. Manuscript Preparation & Formatting
3.1 Accepted File Formats - **Microsoft Word (.docx, .doc)**: Prepared using standard 11pt or 12pt font (Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri), 1.5 line spacing, and standard margins. - **Portable Document Format (.pdf)**: High-resolution typeset or preprint manuscripts with embedded fonts and clear section numbering.
3.2 Manuscript Structure Submissions should be organized into the following clear structural divisions: - **Title**: Clear, concise, and informative (avoid abbreviations where possible). - **Author Information**: Full names, institutional affiliations, city, country, ORCID identifiers, and designated corresponding author email. - **Abstract**: An unstructured or structured summary of 150–250 words outlining the background, core problem, methodology, key findings, and scholarly significance. - **Keywords**: 4 to 6 relevant index terms for Google Scholar and bibliographic discovery. - **Main Text**: - Introduction (background, problem statement, research questions) - Literature Review / Related Work - Methodology / System Architecture / Materials & Methods - Results / Empirical Evaluation (incorporating clear numbered tables and figures) - Discussion (implications, limitations, comparative assessment) - Conclusions & Future Work - **Declarations & Statements**: - Funding Information (grant numbers, sponsoring institutions, or "None declared") - Conflict of Interest statement - Data Availability Statement - Ethical Approval & Informed Consent (for human/animal studies) - Acknowledgements - **References**: Numbered or APA citation format with full DOIs included wherever available.
3.3 Tables and Figures - Tables must be numbered consecutively with descriptive captions above each table. - Include standard academic gridlines, clear header rows, and units of measurement. - Figures must have a minimum resolution of 300 DPI with descriptive figure legends beneath.
4. Peer Review Process & Editorial Workflow - **Review Model**: Rigorous double-anonymous peer review conducted by independent domain experts. Minimum two review reports required prior to editorial decision.. - **Initial Desk Review**: The Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editors conduct an initial assessment of scope, novelty, and academic integrity within 3–5 working days. - **External Evaluation**: Suitable manuscripts are assigned to at least two independent expert peer reviewers with verified subject-matter expertise. - **Typical Turnaround**: First editorial decision is rendered within 2–4 weeks from submission. - **Review Decisions**: - *Accept*: Accepted without modifications for immediate production. - *Minor Revision*: Revisions requested within 14 days; no secondary review required. - *Major Revision*: Substantial modifications or additional experiments required within 30 days, followed by re-evaluation. - *Reject*: Manuscript does not meet the journal's threshold for novelty, methodological rigor, or scope.
5. Open Access, Licensing & Publication Fees - **Open Access License**: All accepted articles are immediately and permanently free for anyone to read, download, share, and cite under the **Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)** license. - **Article Processing Charges (APCs)**: All article processing charges (APCs) are fully sponsored by NextGen Press Foundation for the current publishing year. - **Author Copyright**: Authors retain unrestricted copyright and all proprietary publishing rights for their published work.
6. Publication Ethics & Academic Integrity NextGen Journal of Librarianship strictly adheres to the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): - **Plagiarism Policy**: All submitted manuscripts are screened for text similarity. Similarity indices exceeding standard disciplinary thresholds will result in immediate desk rejection. - **AI-Assisted Writing & Coding**: Generative AI tools (such as Large Language Models) may only be used for language editing and preliminary drafting assistance. AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authors must disclose any AI tool usage in the Acknowledgements or Methodology section. - **Corrections & Retractions**: The editorial team maintains transparent procedures for issuing errata, expressions of concern, and formal retractions in compliance with COPE standards.
7. Editorial Office Inquiries For questions regarding manuscript suitability, special thematic issues, or editorial board appointments, please contact the editorial office: - **Email**: [lucky.urhiewhu@dou.edu.ng](mailto:lucky.urhiewhu@dou.edu.ng) - **Publisher**: NextGen Innovation & Research Journals (Lagos, Nigeria) - **Portal**: [https://nextgen-press.org/journals/ng-journal-of-librarianship](https://nextgen-press.org/journals/ng-journal-of-librarianship)
Ready to submit your research?
Ensure your manuscript complies with the formatting and ethical criteria above.
Submission Checklist
- Manuscript in .docx, .doc, or .pdf format
- Structured abstract (150–250 words) & 4–6 keywords
- All co-authors, affiliations, emails & ORCIDs prepared
- Funding, Conflict of Interest & Data Availability statements
- All cited references verified with DOIs where available
Review & Licensing
Editorial Assistance
Questions regarding presubmission inquiries or formatting requirements? Contact the Editor-in-Chief (Dr Lucky Oghenetega Urhiewhu) at: