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First I should make clear that what I mean by ‘business information’ for the purpose of this paper excludes the technical and scientific information requirements of business and industry. Without attempting a full definition of the term, it is as well that I declare my concern to be with information which assists in the means of buying and selling of goods and services and the means—through the application of economics and management techniques—of their production, but not the technical processes involved therein. There is an area of overlap which has been called the techno‐commercial field, where for example the marketing men and the production men need to come together to establish what is technically feasible and permissible in respect of the sale of their goods in domestic and overseas markets. This is well recognized in the Science Reference Library which, for this reason, cannot be overlooked as a source of business information. But, except in smaller units in the company sector, and in some local authority libraries, the provision of business information is generally distinct from the scientific/technical, and separate staffs are involved.

I enclose a letter |published below. Ed.| written in reply to an article in your journal “Libraries and Education in Black South Africa”.

And for this relief give much thanks. A certain buildup of copy requires me to be brief.

FOR the first time Great Britain holds the three principal World's air records; for we do not think anyone will cavil at that description of the three “absolute” records of speed, altitude and distance in a straight line. Though we are not directly concerned with them, it may not be out of place to mention also that a British boat holds the World's water speed record and a British motor‐car the World's land speed record, which Sir Malcolm Campbell the other day put a little nearer to the 300 m.p.h. which is the motorist's ideal of the moment. It is not wholly irrelevant to mention these records in other elements since they were both made with Rolls‐Royce engines adapted from those which hold the air speed record.

LIBRARIANS generally are so accustomed to the notion of their activities being a Good Thing, altruistic even, that it may come as something of a shock when the justification for our labours in any sector is questioned.

In assessing the results of Judith Collins's questionnaire it should perhaps be noted that less than 50 per cent of respondents claimed to spend all or most of their time ‘dealing with economic or business or commercial information’. One can only speculate whether a higher proportion of full‐time business librarians would have revealed a greater degree of satisfaction due to a deeper knowledge of sources, or of dissatisfaction through a higher level of expectation.

‘The public library is the research library for small firms in the locality. It is the place where administrative and technical workers can go to keep up with their subject and where the answer to many inquiries can be found…. Specialists using the library service can expect to be served by people familiar with their subjects to a fairly high level and knowledgeable in the relevant literature and terminology.’

THE CIVIL CODES of most European countries have, for several decades, required official publication of company details in government gazettes. Thus librarians in each EEC country have enjoyed the availability of an official bulletin, published daily or bi‐weekly: in France, for example, it is called Bulletin officiel des annonces commerciales, a daily document of 70–80 double column pages containing full details of registrations, changes and cessations of all forms of business enterprises, (not only limited companies), together with an index to all personal and business names mentioned. The publication started in 1926 and now costs 50 centimes per issue or Frs 60 in France (c £5) per year. Similar documents at comparable prices are published by the other EEC governments and Denmark too.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Tenn. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the type of exchange relationship that small business owners establish with their employees. In particular, this study examines how the personality trait of “conscientiousness” among small business owners relates to relational “psychological contracts,” breach and violation that develop between owners and employees.

This was a quantitative survey design conducted in Canada. Participants were 253 employees and the 50 small firm owners for whom they worked.

Results indicate that owner conscientiousness was positively associated with a relational psychological contract with employees and perceived breach mediated a negative relationship between owner-rated relational contract obligations and feelings of contract violation among employees. Owner-rated relational contract obligations also mediated a negative relationship between owner conscientiousness and employee perceptions of breach and violation.

Given the link between conscientiousness and relational contracts, small business owners who get involved in selection and training ought to present to the newly hired employees an accurate picture of their role and job requirements in order to create successful organizations. In addition, less conscientious business owners, through training, should try to develop further skills, such as goal setting and performance appraisal, in order to increase their ability to establish effective relationships (i.e. relational contracts).

The current study is an initial attempt toward a better understanding of exchange relationships in small firms, thus strengthening the links between organizational behavior and small business research. It also contributes a quantitative perspective on issues that have typically been explored qualitatively.