Quantum² : InfoStars : Amanda Franken

Amanda Franken

(l-r) Christa Fourie, Amanda Franken and Lynne Roberts

Like most innovators, Amanda Franken is never satisfied with status quo; she is always searching for ways to make things work better and faster. As the senior manager of the Library and Information Centre for PricewaterhouseCoopers in South Africa, Amanda makes continuous improvement and systems' assessment part of her daily routine and aims to keep quality standards very high.

"I love change, and believe it is an important factor for growth," says Amanda.

In her 16 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Amanda has seen a great deal of change in how her department supports the firm's information needs. New technology now provides the information center with a greater reach and the ability to help more employees than ever. As an example, the Information Centre's newsletter, which at one time only reached just 800 employees in hard-copy format, now has an electronic circulation of 4,500. And the Information Centre typically receives approximately 700 requests each time the newsletter is published.

While technology has helped in some ways, Amanda says that it also has the potential to hinder the one-to-one relationships and communication with the employees she supports.

"Technology can sometimes make people feel cut off, which is why I make a concerted effort to reach staff personally and talk to them face-to-face," says Amanda. "I regularly get compliments for making this personal contact. Employees often say that ‘The virtual library is great, but we have not lost our personal touch, and that is what we want'."

Today, the Library and Information Centre for PricewaterhouseCoopers in South Africa consists of one central library with seven staff members and two satellite libraries with two staff members each. About 60 percent of the library's holdings are available in electronic format, but the library also has a hardcopy collection that is used extensively.

In her role, Amanda is responsible for managing all information sources, which includes negotiating, purchasing and signing contracts for new information products. She also coordinates the training of employees on those information products. Additionally, she maintains the information budget for all departments in the firm.

Amanda is proactive in marketing her center's capabilities throughout her firm, especially to senior management. PricewaterhouseCooper's Information Centre handles traditional library functions as well as leading in the development of information solutions and consultative resources for both the firm and its clients.

Furthering her reputation as an innovator, Franken has also established a "knowledge management forum" within her firm, bringing together different individuals involved with various aspects of information management. Going forward, she believes that the skills of the information specialist will be in greater demand.

"We are here to stay, now more than ever before," says Amanda.

Amanda Franken has been with PricewaterhouseCoopers since 1990, and today serves as senior manager of the firm's Library and Information Centre in South Africa. She is a member of Special Library & Information Services Group (SLIS) and has served as the organization's chairperson for three years. She also is a member of the South African Online User Group (SAOUG) and the Organization of South African Legal Libraries (OSALL). In 2003, she was named the SLIS/SABINET Senior Information Specialist of the Year.