STATUTES OF THE JOURNAL

(7 June 2023)

Preamble

The Journal of Research on Libraries, Education and Society (RIBES) (e-ISSN 3045-5685) is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Department of Library and Information Science of the Faculty of Information Sciences. It addresses the social and educational dimension of public libraries and educational libraries, including school and university libraries, and provides a forum for discussion on these topics through articles aimed at communicating original research findings, innovative experiences, and interdisciplinary essays.

1. Governing Bodies

The governing bodies responsible for the scientific coordination and editorial management of the journal are the Editorial Board and the Advisory Board. All members of these bodies commit to respecting the principles of the Code of Ethics established by Ediciones Complutense for scientific journals.

1.1. Editorial Board: Structure and Composition

  • The Editorial Board shall be composed of a Director, a Secretary, and eight members. The position of Director must be held by a full-time faculty member with an active employment relationship with the UCM. At least one third of its members must belong to institutions other than the Complutense University of Madrid.
  • The Editorial Board shall assist the Director in all their duties, especially in the monitoring of manuscripts (submission, review, acceptance) and in defining the journal’s content and style (author guidelines, section design and orientation, etc.).
  • Members shall be elected by the Department Council of Library and Information Science.
  • Three voting processes shall be conducted for candidates: one for the Director, one for internal members, and one for external members. The Secretary shall be appointed directly by the Director.
  • Members of the Editorial Board shall be appointed for a period of four years and may be renewed only once for an additional four-year term.
  • Appointments of the Director and Secretary must be communicated to the Vice-Rectorate for Culture, Sport and University Extension and to the Directorate of Ediciones Complutense, together with the corresponding official document issued by the Department Council. The appointment shall take effect upon receipt of this document and shall be effective from the date of appointment by the Department Council.

1.1.1. Duties of the Director

  • The Director is responsible for the coordination and representation of the journal, as well as relations with the Editorial Board, the Advisory Board, and Ediciones Complutense. They are also responsible for relations with other institutions on any matter related to the journal.
  • The Director shall appoint the Secretary.
  • The Director shall convene meetings of the Editorial Board.
  • The Director shall report to the Department Council on the journal’s performance and needs.
  • The Director shall ensure the highest scientific quality of the journal, as well as its indexing in national and international databases and evaluation for quality labels, with the support of the Editorial Board.
  • The Director shall have the casting vote in the event of a tie in Editorial Board decisions.

1.1.2. Duties of the Secretary

  • The Secretary is responsible for receiving submissions and managing them throughout the review and publication process.
  • The Secretary is responsible for communication with authors, Editorial Board members, Advisory Board members, and Ediciones Complutense.
  • The Secretary acknowledges receipt of all submitted manuscripts.
  • The Secretary organizes the review process to determine which manuscripts proceed to evaluation and which are rejected after checking compliance with journal requirements.
  • The Secretary sends manuscripts to reviewers along with guidelines and evaluation forms.
  • Once publication decisions are made, the Secretary communicates the decision to authors with appropriate justification.
  • The Secretary manages the entire editorial workflow of each issue (preparation, layout, proofing, communication with authors, and publication notification).
  • The Secretary prepares meetings with the Director and records minutes of Editorial Board meetings. They are also responsible for safeguarding minutes and certifying the work of board members, advisory members, and reviewers.
  • The Secretary supports the Director in dissemination, institutional relations, exchanges, indexing, and any other tasks that improve the journal’s quality and recognition.

1.1.3. Duties of Editorial Board Members

  • Board members are required to attend scheduled meetings. For members located in other provinces or countries, participation may be ensured via telephone or video conferencing.
  • Board members, under the coordination of the Secretary, assist in the preliminary review of manuscripts to determine which are sent for external evaluation and which are rejected.
  • Board members contribute to identifying external reviewers for manuscripts and may not act as reviewers themselves.
  • Board members advise and support the journal’s management in all tasks deemed necessary for its proper functioning, including ensuring punctuality and periodicity.

1.2. Advisory Board

  • The Advisory Board is composed of distinguished professionals and researchers with no institutional affiliation to the journal. It contributes to strengthening academic rigor, shaping editorial policy, enhancing the journal’s attractiveness to authors and readers, and supporting dissemination across professional and academic communities. It also collaborates in review and auditing processes.
  • Ten percent of Advisory Board members must belong to foreign institutions. The selection process is as follows: the Journal Director proposes candidates to the Editorial Board based on academic, teaching, or professional merits in the journal’s field. Appointments must be ratified by the Department Council of Library and Information Science. If the number of candidates exceeds available positions, those receiving the highest number of votes shall be selected.
  • Advisory Board members may participate as external peer reviewers, ensuring that at least one review per manuscript is always conducted by a reviewer external to the Advisory Board.

2. Characteristics and Functioning

2.1. Periodicity

  • The journal publishes one annual volume with continuous publication. Additionally, it may propose special issues to Ediciones Complutense.

2.2. Structure

  • The journal includes the following sections:
    • Fixed:
      • Research Articles: original research-based works, peer-reviewed through a double-blind process, addressing the social and educational role of libraries from a critical perspective.
      • Book Reviews: short critical evaluations of recent publications (books, reports, etc.) relevant to the journal’s field.
      • Professional Practice Reports: works prepared by professionals that do not follow the traditional structure of a scientific article.
    • Variable:
      • Special Issue: collects research articles devoted to topics of particular relevance.
      • Review Articles: comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge on recent and relevant research topics related to the journal’s scope.
      • Debate: occasional publication of debates, reports, and interviews with distinguished professionals.

2.3. Submission Guidelines

  • The Submissions/Author Guidelines section includes detailed information on manuscript preparation, editorial process (review, evaluation, and publication), notes, and reference style.