The Estee Lauder Companies Library's mission is to support the global research needs of the company (http://www.elcompanies.com) with a dedication to obtaining relevant information anytime, anywhere - using books, periodicals, CD's, online database services, and the Internet.

We have a small staff, which includes two people, myself and Assistant Librarian, Rita Intal. However, we are responsible for supporting the information needs of 15 brands (Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, M A C, Bobbi Brown essentials, Tommy Hilfiger, jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, La Mer, Stila, Jo Malone, and Bumble and bumble), the majority of whose patrons comprises our scientific professional staff throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and the Far East. We concentrate our research effforts on such subject areas as cosmetics, toxicology, medicine, dermatology, chemistry, pharmacology, and patents, and are also involved with business related (marketing, management, advertising) requests.

Our library is very proactive in the sense that we do not wait for work to come to us; in fact I would say that the majority of patrons' requests for online literature searches (using STN, DIALOG, Dow Jones, etc.) result from information that is originally distributed by the library. Daily we scan our vast collection of news and patent databases to see if any pertinent material needs to be broadcast (via e-mail) to either one patron or to the entire company (we often do this about twice a week). This is a reflection not only on my personal method of directing a library but also on the highly competitive nature of the cosmetic industry-which fosters an intense need to get information (whether it be a patent or an article) before the competition.

In order to be successful our patrons must have trust in our capabilities to expedite their requests in a printed format that is relevant and concise. This trust is not only reflective on our core collection of materials but also reflective on the capabilities of the library staff. Subsequently, I stress to everyone that the most important aspect of a successful library director or supervisor is to market themselves and their staff as indespensable to the success (also known as profit-margin) of the firm. Constantly enforce the fact that your information is power and will ultimately affect the professional status of the patron and the profit margin (that word again!) of the company. Furthermore, use whatever methods at your disposal (e-mail, Intranet, printed handbooks) to publicize what you have to offer to your company. Regard yourself and your library like a product that needs to be advertised and marketed. Be narcissistic...you deserve it and earned it.

I have a motto, which is, "never say no to a request, even if it is beyond the scope of the library." If a query cannot be answered, outsource it or call up a colleague. Indecision or wavering with a request can erode the patron's reliance for library information. Subsequently, the popularity of our library has created a niche within Estee's new product development process. We are often consulted regarding information concerning a new product or revision of an existing product. For that matter, all inquiries concerning novel ingredients or novel products usually begin with the Library.