“Developing Micro-level Info-products through an Entrepreneurship and Partnership Approach: A Conceptual Framework,” Rajendra Kumbhar. Library Philosophy and Practice 2010 (June) 1 Library Philosophy and Practice 2010 ISSN 1522-0222 Developing Micro-level Info-products through an Entrepreneurship and Partnership Approach: A Conceptual Framework Rajendra Kumbhar Reader Dept. of Library and Information Science University of Pune , India Introduction Library and Information Service (LIS) professionals play a very active role of information intermediaries. As information intermediaries or facilitators they have been engaged in acquiring and serving info-products produced by commercial agencies. These include books, indexing and abstracting sources, reference books, databases, etc. Commercial agencies develop info-products by applying the knowledge and skills of librarianship, i.e., information consolidation, evaluation, and repackaging. Such info-products are developed by considering larger and thereby general information needs. As such, many a time, they do not match the micro-level information needs of users. Analyzing micro-level information needs and applying their specialized skills of information consolidation, evaluation and repackaging, the LIS professionals should develop their own info-products. The present paper discusses the entrepreneurship and partnership approach and rational for developing micro-level info-products by LIS professionals. Entrepreneurship Approach There is still a wide impact of the philosophy that libraries and information centers are non-profit making agencies. However, the economic scenario changed due to globalization is forcing libraries and information centers to adopt commercial approach to become at least partially self-sufficient for their financial needs. Adoption of entrepreneurship approach means to develop and market profit-making info- products and services based principles of commerce and modern marketing. Micro-level Info-products Info-products are the reference sources consulted for finding specific information. Reference sources such as a dictionary, directory, yearbooks, almanacs etc produced by commercial agencies are readymade info-products. They are produced by considering larger market, and so they are macro-level info-products serving general information needs. Micro-level info-products are the products developed by considering specific information needs of specific user community. For example, info-product for wine yard (grape) farmers, health info-product for senior citizens, research info-product for research scholars in a specific country, info-products to satisfy children's daily information needs, etc. Micro-level info-products give in-depth information about a micro subject area. So they become tailor-made info-products as against readymade info-products. Directories of legal, medical specialists in a specific geographic area; directory of engineering education in a specific geographical area handbooks