Share what you have learned
Help readers put technology to work.
Write for VWS Online and share practical knowledge with librarians, educators, developers and website owners. We welcome useful guest articles, tested tutorials and case studies that explain a real problem and help readers solve it.
Topics we welcome
- Library technology: library automation, library digitization, digital preservation and AI integration in libraries. Share practical work with Koha, SLiMS, DSpace, MARC21, metadata, cataloguing, OPACs, data migration and digital repository workflows.
- WordPress and web development: accessible design, site maintenance, troubleshooting, performance and useful code examples.
- AI and automation: practical workflows, responsible use, limitations and examples that readers can reproduce.
- SEO and digital tools: evidence-based website improvements, helpful utilities, reporting and data workflows.
- Open-source technologies: Linux, open-source content and learning management systems, self-hosted applications and community-developed tools. We welcome installation guides, customization, system integration, security, maintenance and comparisons supported by practical testing.
Explore our library technology guides, WordPress tutorials and free tools before pitching. Suggest a new angle or a meaningful addition to an existing topic.
What makes a strong contribution?
- A clear reader and outcome. Explain who the article helps and what they will be able to do.
- Original, useful work. Submit your own writing, with permission for any screenshots, images, code or other material you include.
- Practical detail. Include prerequisites, software versions, steps, examples and troubleshooting where relevant. Say what you tested and what you could not verify.
- Reliable evidence. Link technical claims to official documentation or other credible primary sources. Separate your experience from estimates and opinion.
- Readable English. Use descriptive headings, short paragraphs and clear explanations. Write to the depth the topic needs; avoid padding to reach a word count.
- Safe examples. Remove passwords, API keys, patron records and private information. Use sample data and explain important limitations.
AI-assisted writing: You remain responsible for accuracy and originality. Disclose substantial AI assistance in your pitch, verify every factual claim and code example, and never present generated text as personal experience or testing.
Editorial standards and links
Guest contributions are reviewed for relevance, accuracy and usefulness. We do not accept copied articles, fabricated results, keyword-stuffed promotional copy, or submissions created mainly to place backlinks. Disclose any commercial relationship or personal interest connected to your topic.
Include source links where they help the reader. You may suggest a relevant professional link for your author biography. All links are subject to editorial review; submission does not guarantee publication, a backlink or a particular link attribute. We do not offer paid ranking links or link exchanges.
How to send your pitch
Email onlinevws@gmail.com with the subject Guest article pitch — [your topic]. Send a short proposal before preparing a full draft.
- Your idea: a working title, intended reader and the problem you will solve.
- Your outline: three to five main points and what your article adds to our existing coverage.
- Your experience: a short introduction and, if available, one or two relevant writing or project examples.
- Your evidence: the versions, tests, original examples or sources you plan to use.
- Your disclosures: any commercial connection, substantial AI assistance, previous publication or simultaneous submission.
For an initial pitch, paste the outline into your email. If you share a draft link, make it viewable without requesting account access. Do not send login details, confidential files or live library user data.
What happens next?
We review ideas for fit and may request an outline change, clarification or a draft. Accepted drafts may need edits for clarity, sourcing, accessibility and consistency. Publication timing and any collaboration arrangements are discussed individually; sending a pitch does not commit either party to publication.
If published, your contribution can include a short author biography describing your relevant experience. Please send corrections if you later find an error or a software update changes the guidance.
Questions before you pitch?
Read about VWS Online to understand our focus. For a correction, tool issue or general enquiry, use our Contact page. See our Privacy Policy before sharing personal information.