*Note: The following is from our archived collection of older documents, and may not reflect the most current information.
SURVEY REVEALS INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS' SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN PURCHASING DECISIONS
Washington, D.C. -- November 9, 1999 -- A survey conducted by the Phase 5 Consulting Group Inc., for the Special Libraries Association (SLA) shows that information professionals continue to play a significant role in information purchasing decisions for their organizations, despite the rise in desktop access to online information products.
Dubbed the "Information Services Panel," the survey is endorsed by the Special Libraries Association and is administered annually by the Phase 5 Consulting Group Inc., of Toronto, ON, Canada. The study consists of a Web-based survey of 1,829 SLA members in the United States. It examines use and satisfaction with major information providers, as well as the roles, technology environments, Internet use and spending activity of SLA members. Results for the U.S. are considered accurate to within +/-1.95%, 19 times out of 20.
The survey showed that 40% of respondents have direct authority to purchase information products and services, representing no change from the year before. An additional 54% play an important role in influencing purchasing decisions. Close to one-half of these information professionals make purchasing decisions on behalf of their entire organization or division (versus a single site or library). "Although more people are accessing online information products directly, the selection and purchasing of these services in a large number of organizations is still being handled centrally," said Doug Church, a partner with Phase 5.
The role of special librarians and information professionals is changing. However, their relevance may become more important to information providers. As more organizations move to Intranet delivery of third-party content (61% compared to 34% last year), the survey shows that information professionals are carving out the important role of controlling the content on the Intranet. Seventy percent of respondents stated that they play a role in managing or advising on content that is delivered through the organization's network or Intranet, up from 59% a year ago.
Dr. David R. Bender, Ph.D., executive director of SLA, said, "This clearly shows that special librarians and information professionals are at the epicenter of the convergence between information management and technology management. The competencies displayed by our profession have always found -and will continue to find -new and exciting roles in the workplace."
Information professionals in the U.S. also have substantial and growing economic clout. In 1999, they controlled $15.8 billion in expenditures on information products and services, an increase of 16.5% over 1998. The Special Libraries Association's own numbers support these figures. Results from the SLA's annual salary survey showed that 55% of their members now control a budget of $100,000 or more, compared to 50% a year ago. The number of information professionals with a budget of $1 million or more has also increased, according to the SLA.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Special Libraries Association (SLA) is the international association representing the interests of nearly 15,000 information professionals in sixty countries. Special librarians are information resource experts who collect, analyze, evaluate, package, and disseminate information to facilitate accurate decision-making in corporate, academic, and government settings. The Association offers a variety of programs and services designed to help its members serve their customers more effectively and succeed in an increasingly challenging environment of information management and technology. For more information on the study, please contact Doug Church Phase 5 Consulting Group Inc. (613) 241-7555, ext. 101 dougc@phase-5.com. Further facts and figures are also available at http://www.phase-5.com/isp.htm.
RSS
Feedback form
