The Creative Professional and Knowledgeby Lorri Zipperer

• A case study was used to define information needs of professionals in an activeexhibit design firm. Structured, open-ended interviews served as the data collectioninstrument. Information as to how users gather and use needed information wascompiled. Information was often collected through similar actions by differentusers. Personal experiences of colleagues served as commonly used sources. Textsources were used when available, but reliance on them was minimal. The mainconclusion is that this firm would benefit from the use of centralized informationsources. Although this conclusion is afplicable to the exhibit design and the designfield in general, the technical nature 0 this environment and its subject matter maynot provide a suitable career alternative for the art librarian.

'1,.ii.~-...' -

Introduction

In the chapter notes for a collection of essaysdiscussing the realm of the art librarians, PhilipPacey states that as actual and potential usersof art libraries, designers have received rela-tively little attention. He complains that al-though some public libraries have attemptedLa address the needs of this creative popula-tion, very few design firms actually have in-house information facilities staffed with pro-fessionallibrarians (pacey 1985). To supportthis notion, Pacey includes a 1978 article whichoutlines the possibilities presented throughlibrarian/designer collaborations. More recentsupport arose during a symposium held at the>1990 Art Librarians Society of North America(ARLIS/NA) conference in New York. There;participants addressed concerns that profes- .sional design had not been stressed in the pastas an area of library interest. It is evident thatin twelve years professional relations betweenlibrarians and designers have remained unde-veloped.Problem Statement

Interest in exploring the role of the speciallibrarian in the design field came about throughthree stimuli: salary of the art librarians, the

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development of new areas for special libraries,and the need for special libraries in design.

The premise that the for-profit creative com-munity can present fulfilling professional op-portunities and competitive wages for the artlibrarian is a factor in the reasoning behind thisproject. The design community is generallynot mentioned in the literature, presented atconferences, or suggested at library schools asan option for the art librarian who wants awage beyond that available in academia ormuseums.

The second factor is more uni versa! in scope.In its research agenda, Special Libraries Asso-ciation (SLA) addressed the issue of expan-sion into new areas of librarianship by statingthat there is a need for research defining the"information seeking and using behaviors ofpeople. in .different professions or fields ofwork" (Drake 1989). To best define the userneeds of designers, studies should be donewithin the unique environments of these pro-fessionals.

The third factor is a concern for the profes-sionallibrary market in Chicago. In the currentChicago-area yellow pages, more than 280exhibit and display companies are listed, manyof which represent design houses that create

(opyr~ht © 1993 SpeciJl Libraries AssociotKln 69

trade show exhibits. According to the Illinoischapter of the Special Libraries Association.no special libraries in design are known toexist in Chicago. despite the large number ofdesign firms.Purpose of Study

Due to these three factors. an explorationinto the information requirements of exhibitdesigners seems like a progressive endeavor.The lack of centralized information within theexhibit design business and the expansion ofthe art librarian specialty beyond traditionalareas of creative or visual information workare both ideas worthy of attention in libraryresearch.

This case study will examine how one firmgenerates, disseminates, and uses informationby looking at how information is obtained bydesigners and their colleagues and by evaluat-ing the effectiveness of their manner of gath-ering needed information. This will yield astatement regarding the efficacy of their infor-mation environment and their need for speciallibrary services.

Review of the Literature

Edward G.Strable, former president of SLA,defined a primary function of the Special Li-braries Association as fostering the develop-ment of new avenues of specialization for theinformation professional (Strable 1972). Themovement toward clarification of less-tradi-tional user needs makes various markets opento study through the research of library stu-dents and library professionals.

Benedict Austen suggests the design profes-sion would benefit from an exploration intouser needs. In order to best satisfy theprofession's defined needs, an informationretrieval and distribution system should betailored to the needs of the individual design-ers. He also suggests that a pilot activity basedon one design discipline would be sensible(Austen 1978).

In 1990, ARLIS/NA supported the idea of"strengthening the role of the librarian as amember of the design team" by organizing theaforementioned symposium (Dorszynski1990). Limited in its scope [Q library resources

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on product design, it was still progressive inthat it was the first instance that a professionallibrary association addressed the needs of thefor-profit creative community. To build onthis reformative action, specific explorationregarding the environments in which design-ers function must take place.

Overall, designers' information needs havebeen defined. Drawing on his experience as anindustrial designer, Ben Austen (1978) statesthe following as the logical sequence of de-signers' information needs:

• technical, scientific, and statistical datato determine a factual knowledge baseand design parameters

• design case studies or examples of ex-isting products on the market

• information on samples, materials form-ing, and production processes

• names and addresses of appropriatemanufacturers. contractors. componentsuppliers, technical consultants. andinformation on costdocuments stating statutory and patentrequirements and other standards re-quired by law

• books, magazines, journals

Inaddition, Mary Rose O'Conner, a Britishtechnical librarian, surveyed the Society ofIndustrial Artists and Designers in 1978 toinvestigate where its members obtained thetechnical information they required. She dis-covered that designers generally have diffi-culty finding the information they need be-cause of the lack of sufficiently relevant ser-vices. Her report suggested inquiry into theinformation needs of designers (Designer1977). More recent discussions of designers'needs in the literature include a report of DanFormosa's comments at the New York ARLIS/NA symposium. He notes important design-ers' needs as those that aid in 1) the designsolution, 2) the visualization of ideas, 3) thereading of an image instead of copy, 4) thecommunication of meaning, and 5) the makingof usable information (Dorszynski 1990). Be-yond these examples, library literature hasvery lillie on designers other than their effectson library work space.

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The library profession supports the study ofuser needs. However, the methods of deter-mining those needs are varied. Empirical re-search, which entails systematic observation,description, and analysis of behavior withoutassigning numerical value, proves useful whenapplied to research involving the occupationsand professions (Winter 1988). Robert C.Newhouse, in his article on participant-obser-vation methodology, suggests that it is virtu-ally impossible to examine one part of anorganization without including the entire or-ganization. He states that the technique ofobservation has been well developed and is avalid approach for structuring library research(Newhouse 1989). Michael Winter supportsthe idea of the study of users and patterns ofinformation use. Heparallels the institutionalenvironment with sociological systems ofpeople and social structure by looking at groupsand their information needs within the largercontext of human knowledge (Winter 1988).He therefore supports the idea of studying oneoffice as a unit instead of applying O'Conner'ssurvey methodology to exhibit designers ratherthan industrial designers.

Definitions

The following definitions stand within thecontext of this study.

The Chen-Hernon study (1982) on the in-formation seeking and user needs of NewEngland "average citizens" developed the fol-lowing three definitions. They were chosen foruse in this study because they incorporatecreative thinking as an information catalyst.

Information: all knowledge, ideas, facts,data, and imaginative works of mind that arecommitted formally and/or informally in anyformal.

Information needs: gaps in understandingwhen people find themselves in a situationwhere they must make a decision, answer aquestion, locate a fact, solve a problem, orunderstand something.

Information-seekinl: patterns: the pathspursued by individuals in the attempt to re-solve a need.

Professional design terminology, unlessoth-

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erwise noted, was formulated through contactmade during the data-collection phase of thisproject.

Renderin!,!/Sketch: The product the de-signers use to communicate their initial ideasto the client. Several sketches may be donebefore advancing to the next production phase.

Mill1fl: A three-dimensional mock-up of afinished rendering. Used as a communicationinstrument among the designer, the accountexecutive, and the client

'" lliill.t!l: The final product of the exhibitfirms's efforts. Used primarily at trade showsand exhibitions within the context of the pro-fessional meeting, they arc standard in size.Lengths increase in increments of ten feet andheights of generally eight to twelve feet arecustomary.

Primary users/Provider: Positions thatserve as the major contact and user of a spe-cific type of information. A primary user isseen as the major source for a type of informa-tion.

Secondary users/Providers: Positions thatreceive and use information once removed.This use digests information already compiledand makes it available to others.

Focused interview: Interviews in which therespondent is interviewed for a short period oftime. The inquiry follows a predetermined setof questions with allowance for opinion andthe respondents' insights into the subject be-ing explored (Yin 1982).

Methodology

Designers com bine the needs of their clientswith both scientific and creative information.Characteristics of structure, consideration ofmaterials, current trends, styles, and opinionsare types of information used daily as design-ers work (U.S. Department of Labor 1990-91).

Exhibition designers are responsible for "theadvertisement in three dimensions, or acompany's product or service" (Rattenbury1971). Exhibition design itself combines gen-eral design principles with elements of archi-tecture, interior design, marketing, engineer-ing, public speaking, simple salesmanship,and craftsmanship.

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The exhibit company studied is located inChicago, Illinois. The breadth of its operationranges from housing interactive educationalprograms to crating and shipping finishedbooths. The firm's wares can be seen in suchdiverse environments as zoos, museums, andtrade shows in locations worldwide. Much ofwhat it produces is .done in-house, thereforeproviding a unique environment for the ex-amination of how a variety of informationneeds and acquisition patterns can exist and beaddressed in one place.

In the course of this case study, two visits tothe firm took place. The first visit's purposewas to observe the physical qualities, titlesused, subjects covered, and locations of unitsof the information access system already inplace. The second visit took place after theinterviews, to locate and look at sources iden-tified during the data-collection phase of theresearch.

The Chen-Hernon study (1982) divided itsdata to address specific areas that pertain to, oraffect, the user: 1) world in which the indi-vidual information seeker exists, 2) generalmakeup of information providers, 3) relation-ship between the needs and providers, 4) suc-cess rate resolving information needs, and 5)relationship between types of providers. Oncethe data were collected, these elements wereused to organize the types of information used,the sources most used to obtain it, and theefficacy of that process. The process of meet-ing information needs must be viewed fromthe perspective of the individual informationseeker. Designers create the product on whichthe firm's activity is based, therefore, generat-ing information needs. Focused interviews,starting with the designers, were the primarymethod of collecting data.

Once familiarity with the firm was estab-lished, focused interviews with the designerstook place and revealed which employees wereresponsible for developing office information-seeking patterns. Consequently, initial inter-views were followed by similar interviewswith the designated representatives of each ofthe noted information-using groups.

Five interviews took place. A sixthinterviewee was unable to comply due to time

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constraints. All information on this positionwas gleaned through interviews with colleaguesinvolved in the study.

A short follow-up questionnaire, based onAusten's list of designers' needs, was distrib-uted to those involved to support the datagathered in the interview process.

Limitations

Employees who were found to have profes-sional information needs were considered asusers for the purpose of this study. It wasrecognized that the support staff and the firmitself may require general and personal infor-mation sources-for example, local phonebooks and daily papers. Due to specific inter-ests and time constraints, these resource needswill not be included. This type of user needwas not explored unless a professional use forthis information became apparent.

The project had observational limits. Re-search could not take place during the workweek because of a control put in place by thecompany. Therefore, visits took place on Sat-urdays, and interviews were done in theevening, on weekends, and/or by telephone.

Hypothesis

It was expected that staff members consis-tently refer to peers for information, and thosewho collect and provide needed informationwould do so through diverse and somewhatinefficient means. Therefore, data were ex-pected to support a need for a central informa-tion area to benefit the firm's productivity.

Results

Initially interviewees confined their com-ments on information needs to materials inbook form. Upon the interviewer defining"information," each respondent spoke at lengthabout the full range of needs that presentthemselves during the course of their profes-sional duties. As expected, colleagues were astrong source of information, with only theaccount representative not relying on assis-tance from others (that position is more ori-

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ented to individual rather than collaborativepursuits).

Designers require feedback from their col-leagues during the design process. This infor-mation was presented either as trusted opinionor as impetus for creative discourse. Anotheressential need concerned the availability ofmaterials, because such availability can bothlimit and direct the evolution of a design inprocess. The designers' methods of informa-tion gathering resulted in contacts with vari-ous personnel outside of the design depart-ment. Designated frequently were the pur-chasing agent (PA), project manager (PM),and estimator (ESD.World in Which Indiyidual InformationSeeker Exists;

a) Exhibit Design Industry and GeneralExhibits and Displays

Theexhibitdesign business is a collection ofwork environments. Its marketplace is thetrade show which Arnold Rattenbury (1971)defines as "the chance industry gives itself toshow its wares amongst its competitors to aspecialized section of the public." For thedesigner, the trade show serves a similar pur-pose as the convention does for the librarian; itbrings together the best in the business topresent what is new in their field. It is here thatthis firm's designers get much of their profes-sional contact.

The firm has 150employeesand$15 millionin annual sales, and produces exhibits, dis-plays, showrooms, models, dioramas,cutaways, and synchro sound (Standard &Poor's 1991). The firm's comprehensive in-house package allows for control over all as-pects of exhibit production. Within the con-fines of the firm exist a design studio, fullmetal and cabinetry shop, shipping and creat-ing facilities, spray room, and storage spacefor unused exhibit materials. The plant encom-passes approximately one city block; person-nel use bicycles to get from one end to anotherexpeditiously. Those designers who are ac-tively involved in the firm's work on a dailybasis were interviewed.

b) The Information EnvironmentCatalogs, files, directories, journals, and

books kept at the firm were not coordinated.

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There are individually organized and acces-sible units. However, their location in variousplaces throughout the firm made informationretrieval difficult, and no one had total controlof these information sources.

The design studio has its own resources,which are often used but are rarely complete.Within reach of the staff are three cabinets ofsample notebooks, distribution catalogs, padsof carpeting, and binders of vinyl wall cover-ings, among others. Sample chains oflaminentchips are hung on the doors. It is the designer'sresponsibility to keep these materials in orderand up to date. This method of upkeep has notproven to be reliable.

A file cabinet of miscellaneous product in-formation is also in the studio. Pamphlets onnew items or brochures of interest are filed

... there by product type or name. Quite often theonly access point to this material, other thanmanually looking through the files, is acolleague's memory. Journals, some books,and a set of encyclopedias are accessible in thisarea, again with little management applied.

The general office space contains variousareas where information is housed, most nota-bly is the purchasing agent's (PA) area. Lo-cated here is the distribution catalog collec-tion, comprehensive in nature as to the firm'sexperience with various vendors. Materialsare shel ved according to the types of materialsthey cover. The shelving organization is asfollows:

1. hardware2. lighting3. machine shop and engineers4. general catalogs5. flooring6. scientific information7. junk8. paint9. furniture

10. acrylics11. metal products12. fcbrics13. carpet14. computer informationThere is some control over this collection.

Signing out materials is suggested, although

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compliance is rare. However, the PA's closeassociation with the designers and the materi-als needs of the firm facilitates quick retrievalof misplaced catalogs.

The firm's visual information collectionconsists of a set of files of color photocopies ofthe firm's past products. Organized by clientname, this file is isolated from other informa-tion sources and updated by those who use it orthe secretarial staff. Rarely is a folder leftempty. The honor system works well here andwhen materials are missing, they are generallyeasy to locate.

Personal book and journal collections arefound in all areas of the firm. Designers, projectmanagers, estimators, and accountrepresenta-tives alike have collections of subject books,catalogs, rendering materials, professional jour-nals' and the like, that are used personally andby their colleagues when necessary. Again,the honor system works well here and whenmaterials are missing, they are generally easyto locate.General Makeup ofInformation Providers:

a. Job Descriptions: Primary Users/Pro-viders

Designer: (DE) Major responsibility is tocombine a client's purpose, priorities, objec-tives, limitations, and constraints with theirmarketing goals and present them creatively(Klein 1986). Form, continuity, and structuralrealization become concrete through the de-signers' drawings. Sketches, both simple andfully rendered, are used to communicate theprogress of proposed concepts to the client andaccount representative. By combining a suc-cessful design concept, the client's marketingaspects and booth expectations, a three-di-mensional solution can be arrived at that willmeet defined criteria.

Purchasing agent: (PA) Major responsibil-ity is to provide up-to-date supply informa-tion for the firm, to ensure the timely arrival ofordered supplies, and to see that correct mate-rials are received. The purchasing agent isresponsible for keeping the supply catalogs,sample collections, and purchasing paperworkaccessible.

Account representative: (AR) Serves as theliaison between the client and thefrrm. Through

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the AR, many of the design opportunitiesbecome known to the firm. It is also the AR'sresponsibility to be aware of show regulationsand specifications, complete contracts forprojects, and arrange for setup of the booth asit travels to various locations.

Project manager: (PM) The responsibilitieshere are two-fold. One is to translate the two-dimensional rendering, or the model into terms,via a blueprint, that facilitate construction.The second is to supervise the engineering,construction, and shipment of the completedbooth.

b) Job Descriptions: Secondary Users/Pro-viders

Estimator: (EST) Major role is to predicthow the booth would best be constructed, thebudget needs to complete the booth, and howmuch time the construction process will take.By looking at the allotted time involved ineach phase of construction, an estimate as tohow much it will cost to build the unit willresult. This position should be a primary sourceof budgetary information. However, it is in-consistent in this instance, and therefore thisposition is categorized as a secondary sourcein this study.

Shop: Its employees have mastered severalforms of craftsmanship. At the firm's, thisexpertise is used in various divisions: carpen-try and metal shop, painting facilities, cratingdepartment, set-up area, and warehousingspace.

Shipping: Customizes packing materials toinsure safe delivery of the firm's product.

Comptroller: Serves budgetary and legalinformation needs.Relationship Between Needs and Providers:

a) Designated Areas of Information NeedsEach area in the questionnaire was rated

from one (frequent use) to nine (minimal use)in regard to need and use. The responses fromthis portion of the questionnaire are averagedhere to arri ve at an importance quotient. Mostcategories were noted as being used by all fiveinterviewees, hence the designated-use frac-tion (n/5). These numbers illustrate the variet-ies ofinformation needed in the exhibit designbusiness. Each area of applicable informationneed was discussed during the applicable

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interviews. The resulting compilation of com-ments explains the importance of each type ofinformation and demonstrates the influenceeach subject area has in shaping the informa-tion-seeking patterns in place.

1) Technical, Scientific, and Statistical Data(6.75 of 9; 4/5): Codes, how materials can becut, dimensions of machine parts, and howmoving parts interact were noted in this area.

2) Design Case Studies/Examples of Exist-ing Projects (5.40 of 9; 5/5): This format isoften used by the AR to present the firm'scapabilities to clients. The format also servesas an information source to illustrate the con-sistency of the firm's design capabilities.

3) Two-Dimensional Visual Materials (pic-tures) (2.75 of 9; 4/5): Magazines were men-tioned as the format used most often for cur-rent information.

4) Samples, Materials, and Information onProduct Processes and Companies (3.60 of 9;5/5): PA distribution catalogue collection isthe source most relied on for this information.By using these resources, material fabrica-tions, innovations in use of materials, andtactile and color combinations are discovered.Information from the client on the productbeing marketed is also occasionally needed.

5) Manufacturer, Contractor, and Compo-nents Supplier, Addresses and Product Cost(3.80 of 9; 5/5): Again the PA or the PA'scollection yields this information. A second-ary source of this information is found in thecatalog resources in the design studio.

6) Books, Journals, Other Written Sources(5.50 of9; 4/5): A variety of written resourcesare currently in use at the location. Designersturn to journals for "visual stimulation and toformulate ideas." Respondents cite very littleneed for secular journals; if the need shouldarise the necessary item is usually purchased.Books specifically on the field of exhibit de-sign are considered useless by the design staff.However, speciality materials in the areas ofengineering, rendering, construction, ergonom-ics' and other related areas prove useful. Showcatalogs and business newspapers proved help-ful for marketing.

7) Personal files, Current and ProfessionalInformation (2.25 of9; t</5): Personal files are

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usually considered a reliable source for mate-rials information, unlike other sources of simi-lar information CPA catalogs and purchasefiles). Books and journals are often from thepersonal collections of users because officemethods of making these resources availableare not always successful.

Designers obtain nearly all of their profes-sional information at trade shows. Personalrecollections of what staff designers see atshows is the most relied upon method of dis-seminating this important bank of informationto colleagues. Because the professional jour-nals are considered basically "useless" by theDE, PM, and AR, attendance at and recollec-tion of trade shows remains the only option foraccessing this information at the firm.

8) Legal (8.5 of9; 2/5): Information on legalissues was rarely needed. However, legal ques-tions may arise regarding contracts and theirstandardization, and in the event of fabricationof one of the firm's designs by a competitor.

9)Client(4.8 of9;4/5): Varied considerablyin importance from one to nine. In addition tocommunicating the parameters of the designproduct to the designers, clients are the onlysource for previous booth examples (if con-tracted previously with another design firm)should either design continuity or a uniquebooth be expected.

btlrformation Role-Primary Users/ Pro-viders

Designers: Basic information role is that ofproviding the ideas and design solutions fromwhich the work of the firm is generated. De-signers are relied upon for color and materialsinformation and are expected to be informedas to materials availability and cost. Severaluse patterns revert to the designers for colorand materials information when it is otherwiseunobtainable. At times, designers take part inthe link between the studio and the shop byconstructing a model.

Purchasing Agents: The low level of trust inthe PA's collection of materials prevents itsconsistent use. It varied as to whether the PAcollection of materials was first, second, orthird choice in getting supplier/materials in-formation. Some saw the PA as a very helpfulresource; others saw the PA as too slow. In the

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case of pricing complicated materials pro-cesses, respondents preferred to eliminate themiddle man and contact the trade representa-tives themselves.

Project Managers: Designers look to the PMfor information on how the booth will be built.The PM serves as a second choice for theelectrical and structural codes needed for eachshow. At times the PM will build models thatprovide a definite link between the designstudio and the shop.

Account Representatives: Even though notdesignated by DE as a major element in theoffice's information-seeking pattern, in thelink among sales, the client, and the firm, theAR alone provides giving this area a primarydistinction. In all other aspects, this personremains a secondary source of information(see below).

Outside sources: Two outside sources weredesignated as having primary roles in the firm'sinformation-seeking patterns. Trade showsserved as the major link between designers andother exhibit professionals. Journals do notadequately provide this connection, as notedpreviously. Trade shows serve as a primarylink in the information-gathering pattern es-tablished with outside sources. The other pri-mary link is the trade representative (TR).Contacts for cost information were consis-tently made with 'IRs to ensure price. At times,three to four calls for price quotes were placedfor one material for one booth. This is surely asign of inefficiency, although not necessarilyunique to this office, but of the structure ofacquiring absolute cost and availability infor-mation within the exhibit design business.

c) Information Roles-Secondary Users!Providers

Account Representatives: Provide informa-tion on the client's parameters for the booth bydiscussing the job proposal with the PM. Thisinformation covers time limits, cost and bud-get information, knowledge of the client, graph-ics ideas or requirements, and product infor-mation. The AR is considered an inefficientsource for show information. This results inrespondents repeating inquiries in severalplaces for the same information. Trade showinformation is available to the AR and the firm

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in written format via show catalogs. There is areluctance to use these resources; therefore,phone inquiries are often made to acquireshow specifications.

Estimator: Analyzes the rendering and de-fines the time frame for building a design.Formulates a budget upon which the firmbases its actions when selling and constructinga booth. This source of information is ineffi-cient because the estimator here is inexperi-enced. Information requests must be repeatedagain in order to obtain data otherwise re-ceived from the EST.

Shop: Provides information on how materi-als can be used, or to house actual pieces oflarge material that designers can use. Shoppersonnel are expected to notify staff whenmaterials specific to their project arrive. How-ever, they are not consistent in providing thisinformation.Success Rate in Resolving InformationNeeds:

a) Relations Between Needs and UsersLack of trust in sources leads to duplication

of efforts in information gathering. Inquiriesare repeated unnecessarily, for instance, inregard to price, supply, trade show specifica-tions, estimation, and shipping information.Lack of experience with definitive sourcestends to steer people from one informationresource or colleague to another.

b) Sources Used to Get InformationInterviewees consistently relied on personal

experience as a source of information. Col-leagues also are strong resources for informa-tion. Interviewees were embarrassed by theirlack of use of libraries. Within the context ofthis study this was left unexplored. It is hy-pothesized here, however, that the poor imageof libraries and the lack of a library on sitecontributed to this pattern. There is respect forwritten sources, evidenced by the personalbook collections and journal subscriptions heldby the design, project management, and ac-count representative staff. Acceptance by thestaff of catalogues and directories as referencesources was the most varied. This may be dueto lack of knowledge as to how to use thesesources, inability to locate needed materials,or wide disbursement of the collection.

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Ours ide sources of materials play both pri-mary and secondary roles and were consis-tently referred to for supply and price informa-tion.

Conclusion

Designers felt that they needed to acquireinformation throughout the process of devel-oping their sketches, renderings, and modelsinto the fully realized booth. Other employeessaw their information needs as a part of theplanning phase of a design project.

Designers work with what is available tothem. If the cache of available materials islimited, a designer's creative potential is alsolimited. To go beyond the firm's resources isthe designer's decision alone. ThiS decisioncould be a costly one if the materials andinformation system isn't expandable throughmonitored and organized means. If used effec-tively, however, an information system wouldenable designers to expand their and the firm'sresources by bringing new information intotheir professional environment and making itreliably available.

This serves as an illustration of the value ofan in-house information center. By placingmaterials information at designers' immediatedisposal, more energy can be expended cre-atively rather than wasted on searching formisplaced sample catalogs, locating showspecifications, and phoning trade representa-tives to update in-house resources that dupli-cate other resources.

There were various types of materials neededand multiple locations for information re-sources in this firm. This indicates that a cen-

. tralized information area may be an asset tothis design environment. The PA area is theclosest thing to a library component of thefirm, but the perception of its unreliability is ahindrance to its use. Designers use the distri-bution catalog collection as a reference tool,but not consistently. It is this circumstance thatwould likely discourage art librarians fromapproaching a career in this discipline. Thelack of contact with the creative aspects of thefirm, and the emphasis on the need for busi-ness and materials information, may not be

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interesting or challenging enough to facilitatejob satisfaction. It is assumed, as suggestedearlier, that acceptance of the librarian as a partof the design "team," would be a more satis-factory arrangement.

Knowledge of special library service seemedlacking here. This may also be true of the entireexhibit business. This conclusion is supportedby an earlier observation by British library anddesign educators that:

The designer who decries library ser-vice and prefers to use his telephone andnetwork of contacts to make instant refer-ence to a direct source of information isoften quite unaware of the potential of anorthodox information service in meetingseemingly unorthodox. demands.(Bradfield, Cheetham and Wood 1980)It is interesting that those who saw journals

as an important information format, and kept astockpile of personal sources, did not list li-braries as an alternative place to locate infor-mation. The strong possibility exists that thelack of use of journals and other written for-mats is a result of their inaccessibility. Severalmentions of the inability to use materials be-cause they couldn't be found would lead one tobelieve that a controlled collection would behelpful, and would be used.

For a library to succeed in this environment,it would be necessary to develop a sense oftrust between staff and information personne1.This can only be achieved through profes-sional interaction. The majority ofintervieweessupported the idea of an information centerand felt it would have a positive effect on theinformation-seeking patterns at their firm. Ifthe situation here is illustrative of the state ofinformation needs fulfillment in the field ofdesign, it is time to introduce the exhibit busi-ness to the strengths and benefits of profes-sional information service by advertising andaggressively campaigning for collaborationbetween the two fields. •

References

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Austen. Benedict. 1978."The Information Needs of

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Bradfield, Valerie, Dave Cheetham, and Kath Wood.1980. "Three-Dimensional Design." User Edu-cation in Art and Design: Theory into Practice.Mike Avann and Kath Wood, ed. Art LibrariesSociety: Bushey, England. 51-5.

Chen, Ching-chih, and Peter Hernon. 1982. Infor-maiion Seeking: Assessing and Anticipating UserNeeds. Neal-Schuman: NY.

Dorszynski, Doherty. 1990. "The Literature of Prod-uct Design." Art Documentation. 9:2. 73-4.

Drake, Miriam. 1989. "Research and Special Li-braries (SLA's Research Agenda.)" Special Li-braries. 80. 264-8.

Klein, Larry. 1986. Exhibits: Planning and Design.Madison Square Press: NY.

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Pacey, Philip, ed. 1985. A Reader in Art Librarian-ship. K.G. Saur.: Munchen, New York.

Rattenbury, Arnold. 1971. Exhibition Design:Theory and Practice. Van Nostrand ReinholdCo.: New York.

Standard & Poor's Corporation. 1991. Standard &Poor's Register of Corporal ions, Directors andExecuiivesl lvv l . McGraw-Hill: NY.

Strable, Edward G. 1972. "Let's Talk Together":Special Libraries 63-9. 13A, 416.

U.S. Department of Labor. 1990. "Visual Arts Oc-cupations: Designers." in Occupational OutlookHandbook. Government Printing Office: Wash-ington' D.C. 175-7.

Winter, Michael F. 1988. The Culture and Controlof Expertise: Toward a Sociological Under-standing of Librarianship, Greenwood Press:New York.

Yin, Robert K.1982. Case Study Research: Designand Methods. Sage Publications: Beverly Hills,CA.

Lorri Zipperer received her M.A. in library and information studies from Northern IllinoisUniversity in Dekqlb, Illinois, in June 1991, after receiving a BA in studio art in 1981 and adecade of holding positions in both art and law environments. She currently is a researchassociate in the Department ot Library and Information Services at the Ameri.can MedicalAssociation in Chicago, is editing a reference book entitled The Healthcare Resource andReference Guide for the AMA, and is the chairperson of the Professional DevelopmentCommittee for the Illinois Chapter of SLA. This article is dedicated in loving memory to herfather, Jim Zipperer.

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