Frequently asked question:
How can I find the number of.......?
Places to Look for Information:
The University of Michigan Gov. Docs Center has an excellent in-depth guide to Statistical Resources on the Web. This link will take you to the Business & Industry page: http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stecind.html It covers individual industries, Advertising, Comprehensive Business Sources, Company Information, E-Commerce, Market Share, Economic data, etc. So when you can't find a particular stat, you might see which sites they recommend. They have really in-depth pages on other topics as well.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Tennessee & Alabama Highway traffic patterns
Frequently asked question:
How many cars pass by this location every day?
Places to Look for Information:
I've gotten this question when working with students in the business planning class. They want to know where to locate their business and they are looking for heavily travelled roads. This site has a really great interactive map that lets you drill down to specific points along Tennessee roadways to find the average daily traffic count. http://ww3.tdot.state.tn.us/TrafficHistory/ This is historical and appears to go back to the 1980s in some cases. To use the map, you'll first need to zoom in to a location. As you continue to zoom down, you will begin to see little triangles along the roads that represent the counters. Click on the "i" identify logo in the tools menu and then click on the triangle to pull up the traffic count data.
The link to Alabama's Traffic History is http://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/trafficvolume/viewer.htm. It looks like most states have these sites. Just use a search engine to look for Traffic Count and (state). Some states seem to provide more detail than others. Alabama's will let you see how many cars where in each lane and which direction they were travelling.
How many cars pass by this location every day?
Places to Look for Information:
I've gotten this question when working with students in the business planning class. They want to know where to locate their business and they are looking for heavily travelled roads. This site has a really great interactive map that lets you drill down to specific points along Tennessee roadways to find the average daily traffic count. http://ww3.tdot.state.tn.us/TrafficHistory/ This is historical and appears to go back to the 1980s in some cases. To use the map, you'll first need to zoom in to a location. As you continue to zoom down, you will begin to see little triangles along the roads that represent the counters. Click on the "i" identify logo in the tools menu and then click on the triangle to pull up the traffic count data.
The link to Alabama's Traffic History is http://aldotgis.dot.state.al.us/trafficvolume/viewer.htm. It looks like most states have these sites. Just use a search engine to look for Traffic Count and (state). Some states seem to provide more detail than others. Alabama's will let you see how many cars where in each lane and which direction they were travelling.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Alcohol and Tobacco Statistics
Frequently asked question:
I need statistics on beer, wine, liquor, or tobacco. Where can I find this?
Places to Look for Information:
One place to consider is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, http://www.ttb.gov/index.shtml. They have detailed stats on the industries and include regulatory information such as import rules and labeling regulations.
I need statistics on beer, wine, liquor, or tobacco. Where can I find this?
Places to Look for Information:
One place to consider is the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, http://www.ttb.gov/index.shtml. They have detailed stats on the industries and include regulatory information such as import rules and labeling regulations.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Replacing Jake
Frequently asked question:
Is this journal available in electronic format and if so, where and what dates?
Places to Look for Information:
For many years, librarians depended on JAKE, the Jointly Administered Knowledge Environment from Yale University, to find out which databases carried a particular journal and for how long. Unfortunately, JAKE passed away in 2002. The Walker Library has been depending on our print version of Fulltext Sources Online published by Information Today and updated every six months. It's kept on our Ready Reference shelf in case you haven't had a chance to use it.
I have just found that Simon Fraser University in Canada has a service called CUFTS. It works much the same way as Jake, giving you the ISSN for a journal and the databases where it can be found in full-text format electronically and the dates. It's a nice tool to use, especially if you aren't in close proximity to our print resource. CUFTS is also linked off of the Heard Library Articles and Databases page for ease of access.
Is this journal available in electronic format and if so, where and what dates?
Places to Look for Information:
For many years, librarians depended on JAKE, the Jointly Administered Knowledge Environment from Yale University, to find out which databases carried a particular journal and for how long. Unfortunately, JAKE passed away in 2002. The Walker Library has been depending on our print version of Fulltext Sources Online published by Information Today and updated every six months. It's kept on our Ready Reference shelf in case you haven't had a chance to use it.
I have just found that Simon Fraser University in Canada has a service called CUFTS. It works much the same way as Jake, giving you the ISSN for a journal and the databases where it can be found in full-text format electronically and the dates. It's a nice tool to use, especially if you aren't in close proximity to our print resource. CUFTS is also linked off of the Heard Library Articles and Databases page for ease of access.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Renovation Hiatus
Due to the upcoming Walker Library renovation, the Business Reference Q&A blog is going on hiatus for the summer. We will return to you in the fall to bring you up-to-date on the latest and greatest sources in business reference.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Is the stock still good?
Frequently asked question:
My grandfather bought stock in Company X back in the early 1950s. I don't know if this company still exists. Is the stock still good?
Places to Look for Information:
We have the Directory of Obsolete Securities in the Walker Library Reference Collection. It covers companies that have changed their name, merged, been acquired, dissolved, reorganized, filed bankruptcy, or had their charter canceled. It then describes what action occured with the company's stock because of that change. For example, if a company was liquidated it will give the date and tell how much each shareholder received for each share of stock. Or, in the case of M&A, it will tell how many shares of stock a shareholder in one company received in exchange for shares in the other (which isn't always an even 1 for 1 exchange). This directory is a cumulative source, so there's no need to go back and check previous years if you don't find what you need in our current edition.
The SEC has a page on their website about researching old stock certificates: http://www.sec.gov/answers/oldcer.htm. There are companies that will do it for you for a fee, if the patron is willing to go that route and we haven't found what he needs in our traditional sources.
And I see that Lippincott Library recommends that people use Lexis/Nexis Classic and search the Library: BUSREF and the File:DEADCO. I haven't tried this myself, but wanted to mention it here since we do have access to Lexis/Nexis Classic.
Finally, the other "classic" source is the Capital Changes Reporter, which according to their promotional material "provides the facts and figures to compute a security holder’s gain or loss from capital changes. Covers federal tax consequences of capital changes for more than 58,000 corporations and organizations resulting from stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations, exchanges, rights and other changes in capital structure in a database that spans over 100 years." This is produced by CCH. There is also a print version. Unfortunately, we don't have access to either here.
My grandfather bought stock in Company X back in the early 1950s. I don't know if this company still exists. Is the stock still good?
Places to Look for Information:
We have the Directory of Obsolete Securities in the Walker Library Reference Collection. It covers companies that have changed their name, merged, been acquired, dissolved, reorganized, filed bankruptcy, or had their charter canceled. It then describes what action occured with the company's stock because of that change. For example, if a company was liquidated it will give the date and tell how much each shareholder received for each share of stock. Or, in the case of M&A, it will tell how many shares of stock a shareholder in one company received in exchange for shares in the other (which isn't always an even 1 for 1 exchange). This directory is a cumulative source, so there's no need to go back and check previous years if you don't find what you need in our current edition.
The SEC has a page on their website about researching old stock certificates: http://www.sec.gov/answers/oldcer.htm. There are companies that will do it for you for a fee, if the patron is willing to go that route and we haven't found what he needs in our traditional sources.
And I see that Lippincott Library recommends that people use Lexis/Nexis Classic and search the Library: BUSREF and the File:DEADCO. I haven't tried this myself, but wanted to mention it here since we do have access to Lexis/Nexis Classic.
Finally, the other "classic" source is the Capital Changes Reporter, which according to their promotional material "provides the facts and figures to compute a security holder’s gain or loss from capital changes. Covers federal tax consequences of capital changes for more than 58,000 corporations and organizations resulting from stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations, exchanges, rights and other changes in capital structure in a database that spans over 100 years." This is produced by CCH. There is also a print version. Unfortunately, we don't have access to either here.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tennessee Data
Frequently asked question:
Where can I find data on Tennessee, Davidson County, Williamson County, Nashville or Brentwood? These are our most often requested geographic locations, except for international locations. And the data requests can run the gamut of business information from demographics, to companies and industries in the area, to local business law.
Some Places to Look for Information:
For the state of Tennessee, I ususally start with www.Tennessee.gov and use the search function on their site. The Commerce and Insurance Department Licensee Roster search is a handy tool to create a list of professionals who must be certified to practice within the state. This list covers professionals such as accountants, cosmotologists, home contractors, and real estate firms. (most other states have these databases also).
Real estate assessment seems to be another popular request lately. Here's a direct link to that page for most of the counties in Tennessee: http://170.142.31.248/. And here is the direct link to the Davidson County real estate assessment page: http://hobsvtxie01.nashville.org/Default.asp?br=exp&vr=6. You can search either by property owner name or by street address. It gives a total property value estimate, and provides a break down of the value of the land and the value of the structure on the land.
Nashville.gov has information about obtaining business licenses or doing business with metro Nashville. http://www.nashville.gov/htmlpgs/noflashhome.htm. The Nashville Chamber of Commerce also has a lot of information on their site. http://www.nashvillechamber.com/ You should know that demographics are actually located under the residential info.
For information on Williamson County or Brentwood, try: http://www.williamsonworks.com/. This site includes demographics for the county, broken down by different sectors of the county (north, south, east and west). Also, be sure to look at the "Research Data" section. It includes cost of living, workforce data, top employers, economic indicators, etc.
Middle Tennesse State University Business and Economic Research Center- http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/home.html. This center specializes in information regarding Tennessee and the Mid-state area. Some data of note include TN economic indicators, employment, unemployment, bankruptcy filings in Middle TN District, etc. Most states have these types of economic research centers at a state-funded university, so if you're researching another state, you may look at the universities to find similar information there.
Where can I find data on Tennessee, Davidson County, Williamson County, Nashville or Brentwood? These are our most often requested geographic locations, except for international locations. And the data requests can run the gamut of business information from demographics, to companies and industries in the area, to local business law.
Some Places to Look for Information:
For the state of Tennessee, I ususally start with www.Tennessee.gov and use the search function on their site. The Commerce and Insurance Department Licensee Roster search is a handy tool to create a list of professionals who must be certified to practice within the state. This list covers professionals such as accountants, cosmotologists, home contractors, and real estate firms. (most other states have these databases also).
Real estate assessment seems to be another popular request lately. Here's a direct link to that page for most of the counties in Tennessee: http://170.142.31.248/. And here is the direct link to the Davidson County real estate assessment page: http://hobsvtxie01.nashville.org/Default.asp?br=exp&vr=6. You can search either by property owner name or by street address. It gives a total property value estimate, and provides a break down of the value of the land and the value of the structure on the land.
Nashville.gov has information about obtaining business licenses or doing business with metro Nashville. http://www.nashville.gov/htmlpgs/noflashhome.htm. The Nashville Chamber of Commerce also has a lot of information on their site. http://www.nashvillechamber.com/ You should know that demographics are actually located under the residential info.
For information on Williamson County or Brentwood, try: http://www.williamsonworks.com/. This site includes demographics for the county, broken down by different sectors of the county (north, south, east and west). Also, be sure to look at the "Research Data" section. It includes cost of living, workforce data, top employers, economic indicators, etc.
Middle Tennesse State University Business and Economic Research Center- http://www.mtsu.edu/~berc/home.html. This center specializes in information regarding Tennessee and the Mid-state area. Some data of note include TN economic indicators, employment, unemployment, bankruptcy filings in Middle TN District, etc. Most states have these types of economic research centers at a state-funded university, so if you're researching another state, you may look at the universities to find similar information there.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Where to look... when you don't know where to look
Frequently asked question:
Question often posed by business librarians: "Where else can I look for information about_______"
Places to Look for Information:
We all get stumped by difficult questions occassionally. What we should keep in mind is that one of our colleauges here or at another institution has probably answered a question similar in nature at some point in their career. And librarians are great about sharing what they know to help someone else learn. There are so many guides, handbooks, websites, blogs, listservs, and experts that you can call on the phone when you're in a pinch that it would be impossible to list them all in one or even two postings. So, let me just start with some of my favorites and also a new one that I just learned about at ALA in January.
Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources--Ready Reference. This is my personal choice for the one reference book I would have in my collection if I could have no others. I really like the trade association information that it includes, because the TA info can be difficult to find and sometimes it is the best source of info when it is free. I think you are all familiar with it, but I didn't want to exclude it from my list.
Business Information: How to Find it, How to Use it by Michael Lavin- Ready Reference. It is old (1992) and some material is terribly outdated. But it explains very clearly business terminology from a librarian's perspective so that you can understand how to help your patrons. It used to be the book used to teach business reference. There is an updated version that business librarians have been anxiously awaiting for years, but Oryx Press was acquired by Greenwood Publishing and it's now unclear if the updated version will ever be published.
BUSLIB-L Business Librarians' Discussion List. Most often the posts submitted to the listsev are from librarians seeking help with difficult reference questions. You can also search the archive of the list to see if a related question has been asked/answered by going here: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/buslib-l.html It is highly recommended that you search the archive before submitting to the list. Other topics are discussed and if you're interested in learning more about business librarianship, it is a good way to keep up with what's going on.
Lippincott Library's Business FAQ. http://tinyurl.com/e8ayf (The URL to the site is really long, so I created a tiny URL to it. You can use this or you can bookmark it yourself when you go there). This is what I learned about at the BRASS discussion forum at ALA. It's a knowledge database of business questions and sources. For example, you might try Bonds. It will bring up all the recommended questions and answers for bonds. The interesting thing is that several libraries are now working in conjunction to build this knowledge base. NYU, Columbia, Princeton, and maybe some others are working together. I'll give more details about this at a reference meeting.
Question often posed by business librarians: "Where else can I look for information about_______"
Places to Look for Information:
We all get stumped by difficult questions occassionally. What we should keep in mind is that one of our colleauges here or at another institution has probably answered a question similar in nature at some point in their career. And librarians are great about sharing what they know to help someone else learn. There are so many guides, handbooks, websites, blogs, listservs, and experts that you can call on the phone when you're in a pinch that it would be impossible to list them all in one or even two postings. So, let me just start with some of my favorites and also a new one that I just learned about at ALA in January.
Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources--Ready Reference. This is my personal choice for the one reference book I would have in my collection if I could have no others. I really like the trade association information that it includes, because the TA info can be difficult to find and sometimes it is the best source of info when it is free. I think you are all familiar with it, but I didn't want to exclude it from my list.
Business Information: How to Find it, How to Use it by Michael Lavin- Ready Reference. It is old (1992) and some material is terribly outdated. But it explains very clearly business terminology from a librarian's perspective so that you can understand how to help your patrons. It used to be the book used to teach business reference. There is an updated version that business librarians have been anxiously awaiting for years, but Oryx Press was acquired by Greenwood Publishing and it's now unclear if the updated version will ever be published.
BUSLIB-L Business Librarians' Discussion List. Most often the posts submitted to the listsev are from librarians seeking help with difficult reference questions. You can also search the archive of the list to see if a related question has been asked/answered by going here: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/buslib-l.html It is highly recommended that you search the archive before submitting to the list. Other topics are discussed and if you're interested in learning more about business librarianship, it is a good way to keep up with what's going on.
Lippincott Library's Business FAQ. http://tinyurl.com/e8ayf (The URL to the site is really long, so I created a tiny URL to it. You can use this or you can bookmark it yourself when you go there). This is what I learned about at the BRASS discussion forum at ALA. It's a knowledge database of business questions and sources. For example, you might try Bonds. It will bring up all the recommended questions and answers for bonds. The interesting thing is that several libraries are now working in conjunction to build this knowledge base. NYU, Columbia, Princeton, and maybe some others are working together. I'll give more details about this at a reference meeting.
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