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MLA Publishing

Book Proposal Guidelines

To top of page Proposals Demystified

The MLA Publishing Program publishes books about the best practices of health sciences librarianship and about consumer health for public librarianship. Both smaller works for specific audiences and large books for a broad library audience are considered. The entire process from proposal to publication takes approximately eighteen months.

The seven volunteer members of the MLA Books Panel, who are appointed based on experience and interest in the publishing process, actively solicit and propose ideas for new books and evaluate proposals.

Proposals are considered an iterative process.The MLA Books Panel can help prospective authors get their idea into a proposal that can be successfully published.

Sharing ideas enhances the practice and the profession of medical librarianship. Suggestions for Publishing Support can help potential authors identify and obtain the necessary financial and practical support needed to transform their ideas into publications.

To top of page Our Publishing Partner

Neal-Schuman Publishers, founded in 1976 by Patricia Glass Schuman, president, and John Vincent Neal, vice president, has been MLA's copublisher since December 1999.

  • Neal-Schuman publishes professional titles and reference books for a broad librarian audience.
  • Neal-Schuman handles all phases of publishing and production—contract negotiation, project management, copyediting, composition, proofreading, and printing—once a manuscript has been approved by the MLA Books Panel.
  • Neal-Schuman also handles marketing, sales, and order fulfillment.
  • Neal-Schuman is a hands-on partner with the author.
  • Neal-Schuman determines all business decisions related to the book.
  • Neal-Schuman has a distribution agreement with Facet, a UK publisher.

To top of page How to Submit a Proposal

The Books Panel meets monthly to review proposals. Proposal deadlines are open ended.

Successful proposals:
  • typically have a well-defined approach to a subject
  • focus on best practices rather than current practices and answer the following questions: what are the best practices, what are trouble areas, what would you never do again, what are some organizational models and what are their respective advantages and disadvantages?
  • ideal topics include mainstream library administration or topics that meet a particular, broad-based need

Step One: The first step of the process is to complete a brief form [MSWord] that identifies the book's objectives. If Step One is approved by the MLA Books Panel and copublisher, you will be asked to submit Step Two.

Step Two:

Email three to five pages that contain the following:

  • Preliminary table of contents, including an estimate of the length or number of pages for each chapter, as well as the length of the total manuscript; please specify types and approximate sizes of indexes.
  • Tentative outline describing in detail the scope defined in Step One.
  • Description of any special features (sidebars, figures or tables, case studies, interviews, etc.).
  • Brief resume that includes full citations or links,when available, to published writing.

Example of an excellent Step Two proposal, by Dana Ladd and Alyssa Altshuler

Step Three:

If Step Two of the proposal is accepted by the MLA Books Panel and its copublisher, authors are asked to provide:

  • Draft preface that tells potential readers: who the book is for, what the purpose of the book is, how it was compiled or written, your reason for writing the book, how the book is organized, and how it can be used (if applicable).
  • Sample chapter. The sample chapter should not be a general introduction, so please do not submit chapter one. The sample chapter should contain representative content and features so that the Books Panel can evaluate appropriateness of content, writing style, special features, etc.
  • To aid in the review process, please include your sample outline from step 2 with the step 3 submission.
  • Including a header in your documents with your last name or a short version of the book topic helps committee members keep your materials together and organized.

To top of page Submission and Review

The decision to accept or reject a proposal is influenced by many factors, including the need for such a publication, its potential market, the author's qualifications (subject knowledge and writing skills), estimated production and marketing costs, and estimated sales. The copublisher may conduct a market survey to determine the level of interest in the proposed book. Comments and decisions on proposals are transmitted to prospective authors typically within two weeks.

To top of page Steps After Approval

After the MLA Books Panel approves the proposal, the chair sends an acceptance letter to the author on behalf of the panel. However, a contract is not issued until further review by Neal-Schuman. This often includes an outside review of the proposal. After which time, the author might be asked to fine-tune the outline. The steps that follow include:

  • The copublisher sends the author a contract. Contract negotiations are between the author and copublisher, not MLA.
  • The author is sent an information packet including style guidelines, formatting specifications, and a tentative timeline for chapter submissions.
  • A developmental editor reads and responds to the first two chapters in detail and offers the author any suggestions that will make later stages of the writing and publishing process flow more swiftly.
  • In general, the copublisher likes to see at least two chapters in the first six months after the contract has been signed and at least half the manuscript in draft form about three to four months before the final deadline.
  • Normal book production time is four to six months.
  • The completed manuscript is reviewed by the copublisher and invited experts in the field, as needed. A peer-review manager, assigned from the current MLA Books Panel, coordinates the review process.

To top of page Other MLA Publishing Opportunities

MLA DocKits are collections of representative, unedited library documents from a variety of institutions that illustrate the range of approaches to health sciences library management.

MLA BibKits are selective, annotated bibliographies of discrete subject areas in the health sciences literature.

To top of page Questions?

Contact MLA's director of publications at 312.419.9094 x23; email, mlacom1@mlahq.org.

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