Information, Medium & Society: Twenty-second International Conference on Publishing Studies

Abstract

For several years now, the internet has continued to be the main space for the generation and distribution of information and knowledge. This same space has been exploited by academic publishers to produce and share academic research findings via several sources (individual, organisational, institutional etc.). While publishers have found a way to produce, disseminate and provide access to readers, it is the argument of this paper that readers’ perspectives are also essential in the publishing information landscapes. For many readers, consuming academic information is not enough, utilising such information is in fact the main goal. As such, publishers must consider the information landscapes not only from their perspectives, but also from the audience/readers’. It is within this context that this study draws views on the information landscapes of the African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies (AJIMS), vis-à-vis how the journal produces its information, disseminates, and provides access to readers. The opinion of the readers regarding how they retrieve information from the journal, recycle, and how the articles are produced are sought which were further used to improve the journal’s information landscape. Since the inception of the journal, the production and distribution mode have significantly changed based on feedback received from readers. In fact, certain prospects yet untapped were discovered from readers’ perspectives and they have all contributed significantly to the growth of the journal. The issues and challenges alluded to by the readers were appropriated and analysed in order for the journal to give readers the best experience to published information.