Journal profile · INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE
International Journal on Digital Libraries
ISSN 1432-5012 · eISSN 1432-1300 · Springer Nature · 4 issues per year
International Journal on Digital Libraries: CAS Zone 4 · Management (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.7 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,990; median 258 days to acceptance (38 articles, last 24 months); 34 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal on Digital Libraries is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 4 of Management in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Semantic Web and Ontologies, Topic Modeling and Web Data Mining and Analysis, together about 25% of its articles. Its main subfields are Artificial Intelligence. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Aims The International Journal on Digital Libraries (IJDL) examines the theory and practice of creation, acquisition, organization, management, preservation, dissemination, discovery, access, and use of digital information via global networking. It covers all aspects of digital libraries (DLs), from large-scale (as well as personal) heterogeneous data and information management & access; to linking and connectivity; to security, privacy and policies; to application, use, and evaluation.IJDL encourages submissions addressing both foundational theories and applied innovations in digital libraries, including connections with information retrieval, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, digital humanities, library and information science, hypertext/hypermedia/WWW, and data-intensive research environments. Core Areas of Digital Libraries
· DL architectures and infrastructures;
· Innovative digital collections and organization;
· Cloud-based repositories demonstrating advanced functionality and services;
· Acquisition, curation, and long-term preservation;
· Data management and storage mechanisms to enhance utility and linking of diverse data entities;
· Metadata definition and management;
· Interoperability;
· Web archiving;
· Digital preservation and curation;
· Evaluation of DL systems and services;
· Applications to support the full-spectrum of contemporary scholarly research domains including both the sciences and non-sciences (humanities, cultural heritage, fine arts, etc.) as well as collections management strategies for traditional holders of collections (libraries, museums, archives, GIS collections) new digital resources and services;
· Electronic records;
· and Data Provenance. Artificial Intelligence for Digital Libraries
· AI-driven organization, classification, and recommendation systems;
· NLP and text analysis for information extraction and enrichment;
· Generative and Agentic AI for content creation, summarization, access, and curation;
· Ethical AI in DL systems;
· Explainable AI in DL systems. FAIR and CARE Principles, Open Data and Open Science
· Findability: resource discovery, information search and retrieval, smart indexing, and navigation;
· Accessibility: visualization, user interfaces, inclusive and accessible design for users with diverse abilities, privacy, and security;
· Interoperability: linked data, semantic integration, and metadata curation;
· Reusability: reproducibility, open data, sustainability, and trust in di
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE
Editor-in-chief Nabil R. AdamPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 15, Germany 5, Italy 4, United Kingdom 3, France 3 (48 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Semantic Web and OntologiesComputer Science11.7%
- Topic ModelingComputer Science7.2%
- Web Data Mining and AnalysisComputer Science6.2%
- Research Data Management PracticesComputer Science5.6%
- Natural Language Processing TechniquesComputer Science5.4%
- Data Quality and ManagementDecision Sciences4.7%
- Digital Humanities and ScholarshipArts and Humanities4.6%
- Scientific Computing and Data ManagementDecision Sciences4.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Management Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Management | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Information Science & Library Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Management Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Management | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Information Science & Library Science | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
INSPECDBLPPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, ACM Digital Library, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.7LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.45LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 50OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 275OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.76OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 63.1%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 27LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 178,400Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 629 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 7 | 5 |
| 2025 | 34 | 26 | 84 |
| 2024 | 23 | 19 | 104 |
| 2023 | 43 | 27 | 244 |
| 2022 | 22 | 15 | 246 |
| 2021 | 23 | 14 | 235 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
258 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 180 days – 483 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 19 days (38 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 300 days
- Sample
- 38 articles with submission and acceptance dates (39 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 24 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,990 / EUR 2,390 / GBP 2,090 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Page charges
- Charged; see the journal's website for the amount
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Templates
- LaTeX and Word
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; AI-assisted copy editing need not be declared Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
Length restriction: 10-30 pages in two-column LaTeX template Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
Competing interests disclosure required Model summary
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability
Data transparency requested Model summary
All authors are requested to make sure that all data and materials as well as software application or custom code support their published claims and comply with field standards.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
COPE member; follows COPE guidelines on misconduct Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in International Journal on Digital Libraries, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Single-blind peer review Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 4 issues per year
- ISSN
- 1432-5012
- Electronic ISSN
- 1432-1300
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal on Digital Libraries
What CAS zone is International Journal on Digital Libraries in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal on Digital Libraries is in Zone 4 of Management, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Information Science & Library Science. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Management. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal on Digital Libraries?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 1.7 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 4.7, h-index 50.
How long does peer review take at International Journal on Digital Libraries?
Based on the dates recorded on 38 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 258 days (interquartile range 180–483 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of International Journal on Digital Libraries?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Templates: LaTeX and Word; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal on Digital Libraries based?
Of the 48 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (15), Germany (5) and Italy (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal on Digital Libraries?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal on Digital Libraries is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists INSPEC and DBLP; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is International Journal on Digital Libraries open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal on Digital Libraries is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,990.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .