NCSU Libraries Focus Online

Volume 24 number 3 - Spring 2004

By Bonnie Tijerina, NCSU Libraries Fellow, and Susan Wolf Neilson, Research and Information Services

Business information is abundant. Because of this, researchers, students, business people, and library staff often find it challenging to research a company, get demographics for marketing, or find accurate and current statistics. Using subscription databases and reference books are just some of the ways to access this information. Much good business information is also available directly on the Web--especially at the Web sites of trade organizations, government agencies and departments, and chambers of commerce. These information sources, unfortunately, are not always known or easily navigable.

The students and faculty of NC State's College of Management are a specialized group. With a large undergraduate class, a unique and highly regarded technology-based master's program, and a doctoral program in economics, these information seekers are particularly interested in state-of-the-art information. As in other disciplines, researchers may not know where to start or even what options are available. Two NCSU librarians have devised a project to improve access to high-quality business resources. NCSU Libraries Fellow Bonnie Tijerina and project supervisor and Reference Librarian for Management and Economics Susan Wolf Neilson have examined Web sites at business school libraries, business schools, public libraries, and other organizations. Although these Web sites offered useful information, none of them presented a comprehensive package of quality content, timely information, local business events, and library services using today's innovative Web technologies.

The NCSU Libraries' solution is the Business Information Network (BIN), which can represent library services and the skills of librarians in a way that is tailored to the specific needs of business students and faculty. This site will provide access to current business and financial news; offer links to quality business Web sites on topics of interest to the users; and contain frequently asked questions, quick guides, and in-depth tutorials for research. It will provide easy access to the wealth of resources available through the NCSU Libraries, using the technologies desired by its user community.

A survey of the College of Management students and faculty, conducted during the months of December 2003 and January 2004, queried the respondents' preferences on access to business-related news and on the sources most often used to do research or teach classes. The survey (www.lib.ncsu.edu/surveys/bos/) also sought to discover what other resources, programs, and methods of attaining information should be contained in a one-stop business Web site.

The survey results clearly indicate the importance of the Web in gathering business information on all levels and a strong interest in innovative services such as business news streams, stock streams, and alerts services. Many respondents are interested in participating in online discussion forums with topics such as discipline-focused research (econometrics), career assistance (internships, local resources), and women in business. The survey results also indicate a desire for a clear pathway to the Libraries' electronic resources for business-based research.

With the information from the survey now gathered and analyzed, the project team is moving forward with building content and designing the Web site. May Chang (Digital Library Initiatives) and other technology staff will continue to assist the team in configuring the site’s rich content and Web tools into a highly usable format. Usability testing will take place throughout the summer, with rollout of the final product scheduled for fall semester 2004.