CURRENT PERSPECTIVE AND ETHICAL CONCERNS OF INFORMATION INTERMEDIARIES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

摘要

This study examines the current perspective and ethical concerns of information intermediaries in the Pacific Northwest. Information intermediaries search for, prepare or analyze information for others, on demand, and for a fee. They have also been called information brokers, information consultants, information specialists and, fee-based information services.;The results of the study indicate that the majority of information intermediary firms in the Pacific Northwest are sole proprietorships located in British Columbia or Washington State. The primary focus of the firms is searching for information for others using online and manual literature searches although a variety of other services are offered. For the majority of the firms, the initial monetary outlay and the income are modest.;Information intermediaries want their behavior to be ethical. Some are concerned about online searchers who are not adequately skilled in searching, and the lack of standards of performance for those in the field, in general.;Little concern for legal liability is expressed; few firms have written codes of ethics, written contracts with disclaimers for inaccurate secondary information provided to a client, or liability insurance.;The study was based on the results of a mail questionnaire sent to the population of information intermediaries in the Pacific Northwest, and a telephone interview conducted with a random sample of the population. The two research instruments were used during November and December, 1986, and resulted in forty usable mail questionnaires and twelve completed interviews. The respondents were predominantly females, business owners, and holders of master's degrees in library science.