Overview

This call for proposals is for a peer-reviewed, edited book on sustainability leadership in libraries and archives with an international focus. Although more and more books about sustainability are being written for the library science field, none have specifically focused on leadership for sustainability. I am looking for chapters from all levels of librarians and archivists, not just those formally occupying positions of authority. This book is being proposed for publication by Routledge as part of their Critical Issues in Library and Information Sciences and Services series.

This book explicitly aims to explain leadership that challenges the status quo of libraries and archives, focusing on transformative leadership in sustainability. It features practices, ideas, theories, and frameworks replicable in libraries and archives as they stand right now and those that help them move into the future, using sustainability as a framework.

What is Sustainability?

There are many different frameworks people use to understand sustainability. Two of the most popular and well-known are the “three-legged stool” framework of environment, economy, and equity, which stems from the “Our Common Future” report and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. There are, however, many different sustainability frameworks in use in libraries, education, and other fields that may be appropriate for a chapter. Because there are many approaches to understanding and implementing sustainability, there’s not one specific framework authors are required to use for their chapter proposal. Instead, a description of the chosen sustainability framework should be an essential part of the chapter. In this way, this book aims to highlight multiple perspectives on sustainability by showing how libraries and archives define and implement them.

Book Structure

Proposals for chapters in the book should be written for one of the following sections: sustainability leadership from within

sustainability leadership collaborations

sustainability leadership in the community

sustainability leadership strategies

sustainability leadership and stakeholder relationships

Chapters can focus on real situations from authors’ daily practice or on conceptual or theoretical work. Final chapters should be 5,000–8,000 words and use APA 7th ed. style.

Submitting a Proposal

Proposals are being accepted via Google Forms. Please submit an abstract no longer than 300 words, double-spaced. Please make sure you note specifically what sustainability framework your chapter will use. Include the title of the proposed submission, name(s) of the author(s), institutional affiliation, contact information with email address(es), and a short biography of the author(s).

Authors whose proposals are accepted will receive detailed chapter guidelines. Chapters will be double-blind and peer-reviewed by volunteer peer-reviewers other than the editor. Proposals can be submitted here.

If you would like to be a peer-reviewer for this book, please fill out this information.

Questions about the book can be directed to Erin Renee Wahl at ewahl@nmsu.edu.

Anticipated Timeline

Collecting chapter proposals January–February 2025

Responses to proposals anticipated by the end of March 2025

Full chapters due by May of 2025

Chapters will be sent to peer reviewers and returned to the editor by the end of July 2025

Final chapters (with revisions, etc.) by the end of 2025/beginning of 2026

Completed book to the publisher no later than May 2026

Link to the submissions call (as well as several other really great calls!) on the series editors' website: https://www.spenceracadia.com/critical-lis-book-chapters