Editorial Policies

Focus and Scope

DttP: Documents to the People is the official publication of the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) of the American Library Association (ALA). DttP features articles on local, state, national, and international government information, government activities, and documents the professional activities of GODORT.

DttPis published quarterly in spring, summer, fall, and winter. The opinions expressed by its contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent those of GODORT. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement by ALA/GODORT of the products or services offered. The winter issue is traditionally the student paper issue where Library and Information Science faculty nominate student class papers for publication.

DttP is indexed in Library Literaturebeginning with

volume 19, number 1, (1991); selectively in PAIS beginning with volume 33, number 1, 2005; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts beginning with volume 32, number 1 (2004); Complete full-text also available in HeinOnline beginning with volume 1, number 1 (1972).

 

Section Policies

 

Publication Frequency

Documents to the People is published quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) by the American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, Il 60611.

 

AI Statement and Policy

Documents to the People (DttP) is committed to the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in all aspects of its operations. This policy outlines the principles and guidelines for the use of AI in the journal's editorial processes, content creation, and reader interactions.

DttP is dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards in the use of AI. All AI technologies used by the journal will be employed in a manner that aligns with our core values of transparency, accuracy, and inclusivity.

We are committed to transparency regarding the use of AI in our operations. Any content generated or significantly modified by AI will be identified to ensure that our readers are aware of its origins. This includes but is not limited to, articles, reviews, and columns.

AI tools and technologies used by authors will be evaluated to ensure they meet our standards for accuracy and reliability. We will continuously monitor and review the performance of AI systems to prevent the dissemination of misinformation or biased content.

DttP takes full responsibility for the use of AI in its operations. Any concerns or issues related to AI use can be addressed to our editorial team, who will investigate and respond appropriately.

We recognize that AI technology is rapidly evolving. DttP is committed to continuous learning and improvement in the use of AI. We will regularly update our AI policies and practices in response to new developments in the field and feedback from our community.

For any questions or feedback regarding this AI statement and policy, please contact us at dttp.editor@gmail.com.

 

AI Policy for Authors

Purpose

To ensure responsible and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creation and submission of content to Documents to the People (DttP). AI is described as:

  • Generative artificial intelligence
  • Generative AI
  • AI
  • Large Language models (LLMs)
  • ChatGPT
  • AI tools

Policy

Exclusion from authorship of individuals who have made author-level contributions is not permitted for papers published in Documents to the People, nor is guest or honorary authorship. In addition, artificial intelligence tools cannot be authors.

AI-assisted technologies do not meet the DttP’s criteria for authorship and therefore may not be listed as authors or coauthors, nor may sources cited in DttP content be authored or coauthored by AI tools.

Authors who use AI-assisted technologies as components of their research study or as aids in the writing or presentation of the manuscript should note this in the DttP Author AI Use Disclosure Form and the acknowledgments section of the manuscript. Detailed information should be provided in the methods section: The full prompt used in the production of the work, as well as the AI tool and its version, should be disclosed.

Referencing AI-generated material as the primary source is not acceptable.

Authors are accountable for the accuracy of the work and for ensuring that there is no plagiarism. They must also ensure that all sources are appropriately cited and should carefully review the work to guard against bias that may be introduced by AI. Editors may decline to move forward with manuscripts if AI is used inappropriately.

AI-generated images and other multimedia are not permitted in DttP without explicit permission from the editors. Exceptions may be granted in certain situations—e.g., for images and/or videos in manuscripts specifically about AI and/or machine learning. Such exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and should be disclosed at the time of submission. DttP recognizes that this area is rapidly developing, and our position on AI-generated multimedia may change with the evolution of copyright law and industry standards on ethical use.

  1. Disclosure: Authors must disclose any use of AI tools or technologies in the creation of their submissions. This includes text generation, data analysis, or other AI-assisted processes. (SEE: DttP Author AI Disclosure)
  2. Originality: Submissions must be original and free from AI-generated content that mimics human writing without proper attribution. Plagiarism, including AI-assisted plagiarism, is strictly prohibited.
  3. Quality Assurance: Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content. All AI-assisted work must undergo thorough review to ensure it meets the standards of DttP.
  4. Ethical Considerations: The use of AI should adhere to ethical standards, avoid biases, and respect intellectual property rights. Authors should ensure that AI use aligns with privacy and data protection regulations.
  5. Human Oversight: AI should assist, not replace, human authorship. Final decisions regarding content, interpretation, and conclusions must be made by the authors themselves.
  6. Generative AI Images: Not allowed except for specifically named exceptions, which require case-by-case review. Non-generative machine learning tools used on images must be disclosed in the caption for case-by-case review.

By following these guidelines, authors can contribute to the integrity and quality of DttP, ensuring that AI is used responsibly to enhance the dissemination of government information.