Corporate libraries, especially in the pharma industry and medical device industries, are finding it increasingly difficult to prove the value of the information and library services they provide. Rapid advances in technology, along with plummeting resources, pose a constant challenge to an organization’s corporate library. Best Practices, LLC designed this benchmarking report to help leaders compare the scope, volume, cost, and delivery of their library services with that of other leading organizations. Read more at: http://www.best-in-class.com/bestp/domrep.nsf/products/benchmarks-for-corporate-library-services-in-the-pharmaceutical-medical-device-industries?OpenDocument

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Benchmarks for Corporate Library Services
in the Pharmaceutical & Medical Device
Industries
Strategic Benchmarking Research

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Table of Contents
 Study Overview
 Key Findings
 Library Profile
 Library Services
 Financial Resources
 Human Resources
 Forces of Change

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Study Overview
Best Practices, LLC conducted this mini-benchmarking study to develop current benchmarks for
selected services and resources provided by libraries and information centers within the
biopharmaceutical industry.
Key Topic AreasStudy Objective
This study was designed to help
library and information center
leaders compare scope, volume,
cost, and delivery of library
services at their companies with
those at other organizations within
the biopharmaceutical industry.
 Use of vendors in services
delivery
 Financial resources
 Cost recovery practices
 Distribution of FTE hours by
service category
 Penetration of potential user
base
 Forces of change likely to
impact libraries in the near
future

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Participating Companies
Twenty companies participated in this study, with 12 representing the pharmaceutical/ biotech
industries, four representing the medical device industry, and four representing other healthcare
businesses. Responses are segmented by industry throughout this deck.
Other Companies
Medical Device SegmentPharma/Biotech Segment

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Participant Industry Profile
Sixty percent of the participants represented libraries and information centers within pharmaceutical
and biotechnology companies, while others represented medical device and other healthcare company
segments.
(n=20)
5%
Q. What is your company’s primary industry?

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Library User Base – Potential & Actual Users
All Companies
Q. How many potential users (employees who have access to your services) and actual users (employees who used
your services) did your organization have during the last completed fiscal year?
(n=17)
The average number of employees per company who have access to library and information services
(potential users) is 7,786. The number of employees who are actual users of libraries in the benchmark
study averages less than half that, at 3,270.

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8 Core Library Services Are Provided by 95-100%
Core Services are those offered by at least 95% of benchmark participants.
(n=20)
95%
95%
95%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Evaluation, selection, acquistion of e-resources
Basic reference (< 1 hour)
Scheduled end-user training (e.g., class, vendor
event)
Site license/contract management
Site license negotiation
Development/maintenance of e-resources
Resource assistance (ad hoc user training)
Research (> 1 hour)
% Responses
Core Library Services
Nearly all libraries in the study provide a core group of 8 services. Research (more than one hour)
and services related to purchasing and managing e-resources are provided by all the participating
companies. Ad hoc user training is also provided at all benchmarked libraries.

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Total Library Organization Cost - All Companies
Q. What was the total cost of providing library services and resources in your most recently completed
fiscal year?
(n=16)
Participating libraries spent an average of $4.2 million to provide services and resources during the
most recently completed fiscal year. Budgets ranged from $200K to $25 million.
$4.4
$4.2
$2.1
$0.8
$0.0
$0.5
$1.0
$1.5
$2.0
$2.5
$3.0
$3.5
$4.0
$4.5
$5.0
75th Percentile Average Median 25th Percentile
Average Cost
in Millions ($US)
Library Cost: All Companies

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FTE Hours Allocated by Process - All Companies
Q. What percentage of total FTE (Full Time Equivalent employee) hours did each of the following categories require?
% Total FTE Hours
(n=19)
On average, 35% of all library staff hours were allocated to reference and research services among
participating libraries and information centers. Electronic resource management took another 22%
of staff time, and print collections—the smallest category—used only 4%.
Reference &
Research , 35%
Print/ Physical
Collections , 4%
Electronic
Resources
Management,
23%
Website
Development &
Management ,
11%
Knowledge
Management &
Internal Docs ,
9%
User
Outreach/Market
ing , 8%
Analytical &
Value Add
Services, 6%
All Other, 4%

10. Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work based on
the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior
economic performance by studying the best business practices, operating tactics
and winning strategies of world-class companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200,
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-403-0251
best@best-in-class.com
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