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Jinfo Blog

2nd July 2009

By Tim Buckley Owen

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Little more than a month after the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals announced that it would merge protectively with the Frost & Sullivan Foundation (http://www.vivavip.com/go/e20095), the recession has claimed another professional association. In an email circulated to members and supporters on 1 July, the London based City Information Group disclosed that it was no longer financially viable and would cease trading with immediate effect (http://digbig.com/4yyym). Rumours of CiG’s difficulties have been circulating for several weeks, and it’s a mark of the esteem in which the Group is held that that both individuals and vendors have offered to assist with funds. CiG’s Suzanne Wheatley has invited past and present members to contact her if they are able to help – but faced with diminishing membership and sponsorship opportunities, and with monies owing to it that it no longer feels it is viable to chase, CiG has had no real alternative but to close down. Set up originally as an alternative to Aslib’s Economic & Business Information Group (AEBIG – http://digbig.com/4yyyn), CiG was a special interest group of the Institute of Information Scientists (IIS) until that body merged with the then Library Association to form CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals in 2002. At the time of this unification another influential IIS group, now called UKEIG: the UK e-Information Group, became a special interest group of the new CILIP – but CiG decided to go it alone. Vendors’ offers of support for CiG now demonstrate their appreciation of the access to their target market that Group has offered them over the years. Certainly during my own close association with CiG throughout the 1990s as its newsletter editor, it was clear that it offered invaluable neutral territory on which vendors and customers could meet on equal terms. So what next? Speaking on behalf of the CiG trustees, Suzanne Wheatley points out that there are other groups that will continue to provide support, networking and learning opportunities to the business information industry, and looks forward to seeing former CiG members at their events. Aslib’s AEBIG remains in existence, as does CILIP’s highly active Commercial, Legal & Scientific Information Group (CLSIG – http://digbig.com/4yyyp). It’s ironic, too, that CiG’s demise came on the very day that the Special Libraries Association was holding a summer soirée in London to celebrate its centennial – so SLA Europe (http://digbig.com/4yyyr) could conceivably become another focus for business information professionals. Although it currently faces severe recessionary pressures, this is a close-knit industry with a community of normally willing buyers and sellers. Before too long, it’s likely that business information managers and providers will find once again that they need a dedicated forum where they can meet face-to-face.

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