INFORMATION SEARCH PATTERNS OF BUSINESS COMMUNITIES - A COMPARISON BETWEEN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

To identify the information search patterns of business communities, t wo surveys were conducted, one aimed at small businesses and the other at medium-sized businesses. Use of different information sources, esp ecially the public library, for business purposes were examined. Resul ts show that businesses obtain information more through informal sourc es than formal ones. The customer is the most important business infor mation source. Although less than 50 percent of the businesses surveye d reported using public libraries for business purposes in the previou s year, the majority of those who did use the library sought help from library staff. Public libraries are more important for small business es, especially those in their early stages of development, than for me dium-sized businesses.