Web library will offer guidance round the clock

Ever needed instant information on some aspect of management theory or had a sudden requirement of practical advice on team-building? Well, it will soon be available at the click of a mouse.

Thanks to a pounds 31,000 grant from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Institute of Management, which has 80,000 individual members and covers about three million employees through its association with 600 corporate members, is to put its management information centre databases on the World Wide Web. The total cost of the project will be met through the institute matching the funds from the government.

The innovation means that managers will have 24-hour access to what is claimed to be Europe's largest collection of books and journal articles on their subject - enabling them to fill in gaps in their knowledge of everything from bench-marking to virtual organisations.

Last year, the institute's management information centre handled more than 50,000 inquiries. The number of calls is increasing by about 20 per cent a year. And with research suggesting that 42 per cent of managers now have access to the Internet at work, the new service should help to speed the flow of information to those needing assistance with carrying out their jobs or seeking to develop their careers. Moreover, the online facility is designed to encourage users to explore other services via the institute's web site.

Roger Young, director general of the institute, said: "We are delighted that we will now be able to offer easier access to what is a highly valued source of information for managers and help them do their jobs better"n

Roger Trapp