The journal is abstracted and indexed in Library & Information Science Source[1] and EBSCO databases.

[3] A survey of 67 university librarians and archivists showed that only 5% were regular readers of In the Library with the Lead Pipe.

[4] The Library and Information Technology Association incorporated involvement[clarification needed] with the journal into its 2010 strategic plan.

[5] A 2015 editorial in College & Research Libraries asserted that the journal "pushes forward a critical dimension, blurring the lines between blog and peer-reviewed journal.

"[6] This includes authors such as Fobazi Ettarh, who defined the term "vocational awe" within a January 2018 article in the publication.