Fee based information services for business : an investigation of requirements
Sylvia Lauretta Edwards · QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) · 1998
This thesis reports findings from a survey comparing the use of internal and external information services by business persons in the City of Brisbane. The Business Information: an investigation of its sources and use survey was undertaken on behalf of Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Library's Expert Information Service. The study made steps towards the understanding of not only where information is currently sourced, but also why business people prefer the services they currently use to source their information needs. The study has corroborated previous studies into business people's use of information resources and has achieved a better understanding of information use patterns and the potential future role of libraries and library based Fee Based Information Service (FBIS) units. Comparative case studies were undertaken to understand the Australian FBIS environment. FBIS's have developed within the Australian library environment to serve the information needs of business people. They have also developed out of a drive to provide income generation, independent of government funding, for the library that establishes the FBIS. Libraries and FBIS units have resources and expertise of potential value to business people; however, business people still lack an awareness of available information services and resources in general, and specifically in libraries or FBIS units. The main findings of this survey are that: (1) Architects and Small Business Managers are primary markets for FBIS units; (2) The main sources of information currently accessed to make business decisions are internal information services and professional associations; (3) External information service units are favoured for their ability to provide information searching and patents & standards access; (4) The Internet is currently used more than any other electronic form of information resource and an increase is expected in daily and weekly use; (5) Information overload and a lack of time to search for information are major concerns to business people; (6) The majority of respondents have never used a library based FBIS; and (7) Almost 50% of business people report that they have difficulty with not having a budget to acquire information and approximately 35% have no authority to purchase information. Overall the findings suggest that FBIS units should aim to understand the commercial paradigm, providing accurate, timely and up-to-date information for their clients in the most convenient and specific manner possible. The research findings suggest a number of implications for practice for FBIS units, as well as for libraries in Australia.