Self-Paced CORE Modules: Business Information

Overview

Library staff that answer business-related questions should have a working knowledge of some of the core business resources available in print as well as a familiarity with searching for business information on the web. While some business questions can easily be answered, others can be so complex that they need to be referred.

Topics covered in this section include: company and industry information, entrepreneurship and starting a business, investment and finance, patents, job hunt information, and taxes.

Some useful general business resources in print that may be found in your library are:

  • A business dictionary, such as Prentice Hall Encyclopedia Dictionary of Business Terms, by Wilbur Cross (Prentice Hall, 1995) or Dictionary of Business Terms, 3rd ed. by Jack P. Friedman (Barron's, 2000), or The Ultimate Business Dictionary by Perseus Publishing (2003). As an alternative, try Investopedia.com: Financial Dictionary (investopedia.com/dictionary). This online dictionary of over 4,500 terms is particularly good for phrases and new terminology.
  • Business Information, How to Find It, How to Use It, by Michael Lavin (3rd edition, Oryx Press, 2001)
  • Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources (19th edition, Gale, 2004)

Here are some library websites with resources for doing business reference:

Does your library provide access to one or more of the many subscription databases that exist? Some of the most popular ones are:

  • Business & Company Resource Center (Thomson Gale)
  • D&B Million Dollar Database
  • EBSCOHost Business Source
  • Mergent Online (formerly Moody's)
  • Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage
  • Hoover's Pro Business Database
  • Reference USA Company Listings

Important Terms

  • Public company: A public company is a company that issues securities or shares of stock to the public. Individuals who purchase these securities or shares become investors in, and owners of, the company. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates this process, and public companies must file numerous financial and other reports with the SEC. Because these reports are public information, much data and information can be found when researching public companies.
  • Private company: A private company is one that is owned by an individual, family, or group of partners. The amount of information that private companies must report is limited, and much of that is confidential, so it can be difficult to find much information on a private company.
  • Subsidiary: A subsidiary is a company that is owned in whole or in part by another company. When researching a subsidiary it is best to also research the parent company. Sometimes separate information about the subsidiary can be elusive.
  • SIC (and NAICS) Codes: These are four-digit Standard Industrial Classification codes developed by the Department of Labor that are used to classify businesses by the type of activity in which they are primarily engaged. For example, SIC code 5661 refers to "Shoe Stores" and 2731 refers to "Books: Publishing." Many resources use these codes to identify a company's activities, to index companies by activity, and to define industry data and information. This system is still being used, but it is gradually being replaced by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes, which contain six-digits. It is a newer system (developed in the wake of the North American Free Trade Agreement), is more detailed than the SIC system, and uses different key words to describe the categories of industry.

Company Information

Questions about companies and industries are the most common of the business questions. Library users will often ask for information on particular companies (domestic and foreign) or for information on general business trends. These questions may have to do with upcoming job interviews, addresses and telephone numbers, or consumer products:

  • I am interviewing for a job next week and would like to know something about the company.
  • What companies have made more money than their competitors in the farm equipment area?
  • Can you tell me how to contact the company that manufactured or sold me this oven?

A complete reference interview should provide you with all the information you need to assist the library user. The most important part of answering these types of questions is making sure that you know how the library user intends to use the information. When people ask you who's in charge of XYZ Inc., you should find out whether they want to complain about defective merchandise, apply for a job, locate a relative, buy stock, or sell an invention to the company.

The best place to start when looking for company information is their website. Be aware that what you or the library user may think of as a company name might be a product brand name. In addition searching via a search engine, try web directories such as Anywho: Internet Directory Assistance (anywho.com). Of course, what's on a company website will be what the company has chosen to tell about itself. If you can't find a website try searching for it using the company name and the name of the town where it's located. Sometimes local chambers of commerce or other groups will put a list of local businesses on the web. You can also try a telephone directory. Directory assistance for toll-free numbers can be found by calling 1-800-555-1212. Two websites for 800 numbers are Go Toll Free (inter800.com) and Anywho Toll-Free (anywho.com/tf.html).

Whether the library user is looking for contact information, financial data, or corporate histories, there are many business resources in print and online that will provide such information. To search your library's catalog, try the keywords corporations or industry. You can add additional keywords such as california, international, or minority to narrow your search as appropriate. Use the subject links included in the records you find to access more titles.

The following are some standard business titles you might find in your library, as well as a few useful websites:

Directories of Domestic Companies

  • Dun and Bradstreet's Million Dollar Directory: America's Leading Public & Private Companies (published annually)
    Profiles on over 160,000 U.S. companies.
  • Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives (published annually)
    Profiles of over 75,000 corporations.
  • Hoover's Online (hoovers.com)
    Hoover's contains company, industry and market information on 12 million companies. More in-depth information is available through subscription.
  • ThomasNet (thomasnet.com)
    Provides information for industrial buyers and suppliers and covers over 550,000 companies. Free registration required.
  • Forbes Magazine Lists (forbes.com/lists)
    Forbes magazine is famous for its lists. This page includes a list of the 500 largest "private" companies in the US. You can also find the richest people, best paid CEOs, and best small companies.
  • Inc Magazine's 500 (inc.com/inc500)
    Inc Magazine is another list maker; here you'll find the 500 fastest growing private companies. Also allows searching of retrospective lists back 20 years.
  • California Business Portal (ss.ca.gov/business)
    Here you can check to see if a company is currently registered with the Secretary of State to do business in California.

Directories of International Companies

  • World Business Directory, 11th edition (Gale, 2002)
  • Hoover's Handbook of World Business (10th ed., 2003)
  • Kompass (kompass.com)
    The largest international company database; much of the content is free. It lists 1.6 million companies, and 744,000 trade and brand names.
  • Europages: The European Business Directory (europages.net)
    A multilingual directory site of 500,000 companies in 30 European countries, searchable by product, company name, or business sector. Includes some company catalogs. There are links to European business sites and the Euro site with Euro converter and other financial information.

Both Yahoo and Google maintain directories of sites with business information by region or country:

Annual Reports and Other Financial Information

Public companies are required to publish annual reports for each of their stockholders. This report provides a financial and structural overview of the company and reports past activities and future goals. Some companies elect to electronically file their annual reports with the SEC in the EDGAR (sec.gov/edgar.shtml) database. Even if the annual report is not there, you should be able to find some financial data on any publicly held company. Private companies are not required to create these reports, though some do so for promotional purposes.

Some libraries maintain a collection of paper copies of selected reports; some electronic databases cover annual reports; and copies can be requested from the companies themselves. Annualreports.com provides easy access to reports on U.S. public companies. Search by company name, ticker symbol, stock exchange, industry, or sector.

It is almost impossible to obtain an annual report for a private company, except from the company itself—and only if they want to send it out.

Reputation of a Company

Library users may want information about a company's reputation. Does it deliver what it promises? Have complaints been lodged about the company? They may want to locate the owners of a company that has gone out of business so that they can find out if they can collect on a warranty or to locate repair manuals or spare parts to fix a product they have bought.

It is a good idea to check to see if articles have appeared in newspapers or magazines about the company. It may also be helpful to contact the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce in the city in which the company is based. Locate a Better Business Bureau (lookup.bbb.org ) helps you find the nearest local branch. The office of the California Secretary of State maintains an alphabetical list of Chambers of Commerce in California (ss.ca.gov/business/ibrp/chamber_alpha.htm). Better Business Bureaus and Chambers can only tell you whether there are any outstanding, formal complaints about a company. If there is no information about the company it does not necessarily mean that the company is reputable; it just means that currently there are no unsettled, written complaints about the company.

For information about companies that have gone out of business, begin the search by backtracking through older company information sources. Check the web; the company may still be listed on some sites, if it hasn't been too long. If the state in which the company had its headquarters can be identified, you or the patron can contact the Secretary of State there. Even companies that have gone out of business will remain in the records, along with the addresses of the last owners.

Referring Company Questions

As always, if you need to refer the question, be sure to indicate the reason the information is needed. Vast amounts of materials may exist on large, old firms, and the librarian needs to know which source to use to find the answer and what kind of information to send.

Also, be sure to give as much background as possible on the company and the circumstances surrounding the request. Sometimes the only information on a company may be in its home state's Secretary of State's office. It is important to know when and where the company was or is located.

Be as specific as possible. Avoid general terms like "financial information" or "sales data." Use descriptions like "CEO's salary for the past two years, including all stock options" or "net and gross sales for the past two fiscal years." If you don't understand exactly what the library user wants, ask for an explanation, or if you are very busy or still confused ask the library user to write down what they want. Ask them to be specific and to give examples if possible.

Industry Information

There are many resources for finding information on industries. They range from free websites to hefty print volumes to very expensive databases. When researching industries, it is useful to know the industry's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) or North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code. The codes can be used to find good comparative data on companies within an industry and on an industry as a whole. For a conversion tool between the two recent editions of NAICS and the 1987 SIC tables, go to the US Census Bureau's NAICS page (www.census.gov/epcd/naics02).

  • U.S. Industry & Trade Outlook (McGraw-Hill, annual)
    Industry predictions and statistics
  • Standard & Poor's Industrial Outlook
  • Thomson Gale publishes a large amount of industry information:
    Manufacturing U.S.A.
    Service Industries U.S.A.
    Encyclopedia of American Industries
    Encyclopedia of Emerging Industries
    Encyclopedia of Global Industries
  • Current Industrial Reports from the U.S. Census Bureau (www.census.gov/ftp/pub/cir/www)
  • International Trade Administration (ita.doc.gov)
    Developed and maintained by the International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. Department of Commerce, this site includes a wealth of information on trade and industry statistics, market data, exporting, importing, and Big Emerging Markets (BEMs). ITA helps U.S. businesses participate in the global marketplace by working with industry to support American jobs through exports.
  • Service Industries Trends (sitrends.org)
    The site offers reports, statistics, information about new legislation, and related links and documents. Searchable and browsable by topic, region, and industry. From the Mark Twain Institute, "a non-profit economic research think tank."

Most of the formerly free sites that published industry studies are now for subscribers only (Hoover's Industry Snapshots, Plunkett, etc.). If you are looking for industry studies on the web, try looking for an industrial association and explore their web pages. Many of them make industry-wide data available.

If your library has one or more of the subscription business databases, try using them; there is a lot of industry-specific information to be had there. You should also look in a periodical database. Even the "general" ones carry articles from business journals.

Non-Profits

Library users may also be interested in finding out about non-profit companies, as potential investors, job seekers, or even to start one. Check your library's catalog using the keyword "nonprofit."

Here are a few useful titles you might find there:

  • The California Nonprofit Corporation Kit, by Anthony Mancuso (Nolo, 2003)
  • Operating Grants for Nonprofit Organizations, [no author] (Oryx Press, 2004)
  • The Executive Director's Survival Guide: thriving as a non-profit leader, by Mim Carlson (Jossey-Bass, 2003)

Investors (and others) often just want to check to see if a corporation is a non-profit. Examples of useful directories found in many libraries are:

  • The Encyclopedia of Associations, Thomson/Gale, issued annually in three volumes (also available as a subscription database called Associations Unlimited)
  • The Foundation Directory, by David G. Jacobs (Foundation Center, issued annually). There is an online version at the Foundation Center (fdncenter.org) website, but this requires a subscription fee.
  • Guidestar (guidestar.org) is a database that lists more than one million IRS-recognized nonprofit organizations. Click on "more search options" to see a complete search screen.

Fundraisers for nonprofits would also be interested in:

  • The Annual Register of Grant Support, [no author] (Information Today)
  • Non-Profit Guides: Grant Writing Tools for Non-Profit Organizations (npguides.org)
    An overview of grant writing, with sample proposal summaries, inquiry letters, cover letters, and applications. The site is "specifically designed to assist established, experienced private and public non-profit organizations and entities. The guides will not assist individuals or start-up organizations."

Job seekers may wish to visit these websites:

  • Opportunity Knocks (opportunityknocks.org)
    Jobs can be searched by region, state, or keyword. Listings contain job descriptions and application information. The site includes briefly annotated lists of other web nonprofit job listings and career information resources.
  • Idealist.org (idealist.org)
    This is a searchable directory of nearly 50,000 nonprofit organizations in over 160 countries. Individuals can find jobs, volunteer opportunities, internships, programs, campaigns, and events.

There are many more web resources for nonprofits at lii.org.

Starting a Business

Entrepreneurship is big business! How to start a business is a standard library inquiry. A library user may approach this topic in several ways:

  • How can I find information for starting a business?
  • Do you have any information on how to get funding or loans for a new business?
  • What information do you have on franchises?
  • Where can I look on the Internet for information on starting a small business?
  • Where are the books on business plans?

You will find that there is a great deal of information available regarding starting a business. Much of it is on the web and supplied by federal and state government. Two important things to know are:

Small Business - The Small Business Act of 1953 (amended 1995) defines a small business as "one that is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field." The law also states that in determining what constitutes a small business, the definition will vary from industry to industry to reflect industry differences accurately. There are size regulations based on earnings and number of employees for different sectors of business, which may be altered by the Small Business Administration if they see a need.

United States Small Business Administration (SBA) - An independent federal agency that provides assistance with loans, management, and advocating interests before other federal agencies. It is also a publisher of helpful information in print and online.

Resources in Entrepreneurship

There are some excellent publications in print that will interest library users as they search for information about starting their own business. Try searching your library's catalog using the keyword phrase "small business," and see what titles you find and what subject headings are used for these titles that you can follow. Some useful subject headings are: "business planning" or "new business enterprises." Here are some useful titles:

  • United States Small Business Administration (sba.gov). Various publications. Your library or your headquarters library may have some of their reports, books, or pamphlets. Most of what they publish now is on the web; print titles tend to be older but may still be useful.
  • Small Business Sourcebook (Thomson/Gale, published annually in two volumes)
  • How to Set Up Your Own Small Business, Max Fallek (American Inst. of Small Business, latest edition 2004)
  • Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business, Fred S. Steingold. Nolo Press (latest edition, 2003)
  • Anatomy of a Business Plan, 6th Ed.: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Business and Securing Your Company's Future, Linda Pinson (Dearborn Trade, 2004)
  • Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate guide to Buying or Selling a Business, Ira Nottonson (Entrepreneur, 2005)
  • Small Business Bible: Everything You Need To Know To Succeed In Your Small Business, Steven D. Strauss (John Wiley & Sons, 2004)
  • What business should I start? Rhonda M. Abrams (The Planning Shop, 2004)
  • The For Dummies series. A number of small business-related titles.

Many Internet sites provide top-notch, up-to-date information on new business ventures. A good place to start is at the SBA. This federal agency provides solid information on business start up, financing, and SBA loans. There are links to private and state information sites and an online library. The SBA also sponsors other sites. One is Business.gov, which has links to information about government regulations regarding businesses and to other topics such as employees, finances, international trade, and taxes. Another good site is the Online Women's Business Center (www.onlinewbc.gov). This site includes a forum, a section of frequently asked questions, and links to related sites. The information is directed at women but would be of interest to any entrepreneur.

Some information and links are available in several other languages. The federal government also offers support to entrepreneurs through their Regional Small Business Development Centers (sba.gov/sbdc/sbdcnearca.html). In California, there are regional centers serving Fresno (sbdc.ucmerced.edu), Los Angeles (www.csun.edu/~csunsbdc), Sacramento (gsbdc.csuchico.edu), San Diego (sbditc.org), San Francisco (norcalsbdc.org), and Santa Ana (leadsbdc.org). Each of these has local offices in its region. Go to the center nearest you. Then click on an "about us" button (some of the sites have a "where we are" or a "local centers" button), and see the ones in your area. Many of these have their own websites, but some have only contact information listed on the regional center's site. All these websites have links to local resources.

Here are some additional sites:

  • Small Business Advisor (www.isquare.com)
    This site was developed and is maintained by Information International, an organization that advises and assists individuals who are considering starting or who are currently operating a small business. It provides information on books, special reports, consulting services, and seminars. An advisor page includes useful links to sections on starting a business, operating a business, marketing, legal issues, website and Internet marketing. It also has extensive links to doing business with the U.S. and state governments. Searchable.
  • SCORE: Counselors to America's Small Business (www.score.org)
    The Service Corps of Retired Executives gives small business owners guidance in establishing and maintaining successful enterprises. The website offers disaster advice; locations of local chapters; links to calculators, free software, business plans, trade shows, and other business resources; news and informational articles; and free, confidential counseling by email. Counselors representing more than 600 skills are available to assist in locating investors, setting goals, veterans' business issues, and other matters.
  • Entrepreneur.com (entrepreneur.com)
    From the publishers of Entrepreneur Magazine, this site has lots of helpful information for starting and running a small business. Extensive information on home-based business, e-business, franchising, and free subscriptions to online newsletters.
  • Nolo.com Self-Help Law Center (nolo.com/encyclopedia/sb_ency.html)
    Nolo (Berkeley, CA) has been a publisher of plain-English legal books, software, and forms for nearly 30 years. Everything published is regularly revised and updated by a staff of lawyer-editors. This site provides articles (with a sense of humor!) on almost any legal topic and has an extensive small business encyclopedia. Check out such features as the Shark Talk Dictionary or Ask Auntie Nolo. For those desiring more information, there are convenient links to books and software that are marketed on the site.

Franchising

The library user may specifically want to know about how to get involved in franchises. Check your catalog to see what titles your library has by using keywords such as: "franchise" or "franchising." Some popular titles are:

  • Bond's Franchise Guide 2004, Robert E. Bond. (Source Book Publications; 15th ed, 2004)
  • Franchising for Dummies, R. David Thomas. (For Dummies, 2000)
  • Franchising 101, The Association of Small Business Development Centers (http://asbdc-us.org/) (Dearborn Trade, 1998)

You might also want to direct the user to Franchise Solutions (123bizops.com), where he can browse franchise opportunities by industry, or submit an industry and cash requirements and view results. The site also allows the user to submit a request form to franchises of interest.

Financing a Business

The general resources listed above will also help the library user obtain information about financing their endeavor. There are also sources specifically for that purpose. Some of the best and most current information can be found on the web:

Your library may also have books on this topic, such as:

  • Financing the Small Business, Charles Green, 2003.
  • SBA Loans: a step-by-step guide, Patrick D. O'Hara, (latest edition) 2002.
  • How to Raise Capital: techniques and strategies for financing and valuing your small business, Jeffry A Timmons (McGraw-Hill, 2005).

Last but not least, in 2005, there are a number of California libraries that have received a grant from the State Library called "Services for Small Business in a Box." There are two levels of funding for this grant; the larger of them provides libraries with funding specifically for more programs aimed at the small businesses in their areas. Infopeople devotes a section of their website to the Small Business Initiative (smallbiz.infopeople.org), where you can find links to services and resources to compliment the collections and programming available at the local library.

Investment & Finance

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, finance is the "science of management of money and other assets." This is another area of frequent interest and frequent questions, such as:

  • I'm just starting to invest and want some basic, practical information.
  • How do I get information about a company and its industry?
  • Where can I find quick stock quotes?
  • Are there any good dictionaries where I can look up some of the investment "jargon" I've come across?

Let's start with some basic information to add to your own knowledge of finance and investing. Barron's Finance & Investment Handbook (1998) provides definitions that you may find useful:

  • American Stock Exchange—AMEX (amex.com)
    This exchange is the primary marketplace in the U.S. for equities [stocks], bonds, and other investment. The AMEX is located in Manhattan. It currently trades over 900 "issues."
  • Mutual fund
    A fund operated by an investment company that raises money from investors and invests it in a combination of stocks, bonds, options, futures, currencies, or money markets.
  • NASDAQ Stock Market (nasdaq.com)
    This is the first electronic stock market listing nearly 5,500 companies, operated by National Association of Securities Dealers.
  • New York Stock Exchange—NYSE (nyse.com)
    This exchange was founded in 1792, and it is the oldest and largest in the U.S. It is located on Wall Street in Manhattan. It is also known as the "Big Board" or "The Exchange." It lists more than 3,000 of the largest companies.
  • Ticker symbol
    Letters that identify a security or stock for trading purposes and are used to list company information in newspapers and online services, such as:
    • NYSE: IBM: International Business Machines
    • AMEX: AGT: Apollo Gold Company
    • NASDAQ: WFMI: Whole Foods Market

    Ticker symbols can be found at the websites of the three exchanges.

    In addition to the major exchanges listed above, there are regional exchanges. In California, we have:

  • Pacific Exchange (PCX) (pacificex.com)
    Founded in 1862, and located in San Francisco. Among other things, the PCX maintains the PSE/PCX Index (pacificex.com/pse-pcx_index/pse-pcx_index_home.html), the leading benchmark for measuring the performance of the broad-based technology sector.

There are also commodities exchanges, currency exchanges, and electronic communications networks for investors. For a full list, go to Stock and Commodity Exchanges (tinyurl.com/4fdex) at Rutgers University Libraries. In fact, there's a lot of information on the general business research pages (www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/bu si/business.shtml) here, and it is worth checking out. The only problem is that they make reference to a lot of subscription databases to which Rutgers subscribes but to which you may not have access.

The exchanges operate Monday through Friday except for holidays. Stock prices are reported in newspapers on the next trading day. If the next day is a Saturday or holiday, prices will not be listed until the next business day.

Stocks are listed in the newspaper by the stock exchange on which they appear. The three major exchanges are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the American Stock Exchange (ASE), and the NASDAQ (over-the-counter) exchanges. Companies whose stocks are not sold on either the NYSE or ASE might be found in over-the-counter listings at NASDAQ, but they may also be on one of the regional exchanges, or they may be obscure and/or small enough to be traded exclusively through "pink sheets," an electronic trading system for those that don't met NASDAQ's listing requirements.

Some people want to find old stock prices (commonly for reporting capital gains for tax purposes). If the stock is not too old, you can try Historical Stock Quotes and Charts (bigcharts.marketwatch.com/historical). The coverage at this site goes back to January, 1970. Searching old newspapers on microfilm is another way to do this. There are also three publications by Standard and Poor's called the Daily Stock Price Record that gives historical stock prices for the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, and the NASDAQ. Even if your library does not carry these publications, perhaps another local library or your headquarters library may have them.

Most library users want a dollar figure for the day:

  • High - the highest price paid for the stock that day
  • Low - the lowest price paid for the stock that day
  • Close - the last, or closing, price paid that day

Figures are reported in dollars and fractions of dollars. Often the fractions are in eighths or units of $0.125. So, a stock price of:

  • 22 1/8 would then be worth $22.125
  • 20 1/4 would be worth $20.25

Over-the-counter stock prices don't give highs, lows, and closings since they are traded in a different manner. They give "bid" prices and "asked" prices. A "bid" price is what a dealer will pay you for your stock. An "asked" price is what you would pay to buy the stock from the dealer.

When you are asked for stock prices, be sure to write down the name of the company, the exchange that the stock is traded on, whether the stock is common or preferred, and the date for which the stock price is needed.

What you have learned in the first section of this module in "Company Information" will come in handy as you help the library user find the information they are looking for. There are many places where you can send the user to begin their research. Many books have been published about investing in the stock market, and the Internet provides much information.

Your library's catalog will help you find resources about the stock market, mutual funds, bonds, and real estate investing. Because the amount of material available is so vast, it may be wise to begin with specific key words and phrases in addition to investments," such as "real estate" or "mutual funds." If you are working in a large library, you may find hundreds of publications listed. If you can find a couple of titles that sound like a good place to start, the library user can go to the finance and investment sections to browse. Here are a few titles that may be in your library:

  • The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need, Andrew Tobias (Harvest Books, rev. ed. 2002, pap. ed 2005)
  • The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing: Morningstar's Guide to Building Wealth and Winning in the Market, Pat Dorsey & Joe Mansueto (Wiley, 2004)
  • Kiplinger's Guide to Investing Success, Ted Miller (Kiplinger, 2003)

Library users may also ask you about subscriptions to investment tools. Two important ones are:

  • Value Line Investment Survey
    Analyzes approximately 1,700 stocks and 95 industries. Unique features of Value Line are its Timeliness and Safety rankings. Includes tables, graphs, and text. Every week, there is a new issue that covers a specific industry or a group of related industries.
  • Morningstar Mutual Funds
    Comprehensive reports with ratings on 1,500 mutual funds, including international, no-load, stock, bond, and load funds. Provides information in 14 different categories and is published biweekly.

Even if your library does not subscribe to these, it's a good idea to find the library closest to you that does.

The Internet is a great resource to find information about finance and investing. Here are a couple of websites for advice and tips for beginning investors:

  • Investment FAQ (invest-faq.com)
    Provides detailed information about various investments, including stocks, bonds, options, retirement plans, and other fundamental aspects of personal finance.
  • Yahoo! Finance (finance.yahoo.com)
    U.S. and international stock quotes, as well as historical stock quotes and other market information. Additional topics include general financial news, industry news, annual reports, and mutual fund, bond, and option information, loans, insurance, and taxes.

Occupational Information

Some libraries have career centers for library users looking for employment. Even if your library does not have a specific area set aside for this purpose, there are many ways you can help the library user who is job hunting.

Questions may come in the form of:

  • I've never written a resume before, and I need some help.
  • What jobs will there be in two years when I finish high school/college?
  • How can I use the Internet to find a job?

If the library user is not clear about what they need and has not asked a specific question like those above, as always, it is very important to do a complete reference interview to pinpoint exactly what the library user is looking for.

Writing a Resume

Different library systems classify their books on writing cover letters and resumes under various Dewey numbers. Look for one or two, and then have the user browse the area. Some recent, popular titles are:

  • 202 Great Resumes, by Jay Block (McGraw-Hill, 2004)
  • Get the Interview Every Time: Fortune 500 hiring professionals' tips for writing winning resumes and cover letters, by Brenda Greene (Dearborn Trade, 2004)
  • The Guide to Basic Resume Writing, (no author) (VGM Career Books, 2004)

There are also resume books especially for women, recent graduates, career changers, and for specific fields. Ask the library user if she might want one of these.

Some helpful websites for writers of resumes and cover letters are:

  • Resumes & Cover Letters (rileyguide.com/letters.html)
    Librarian-turned-consultant Margaret F. (Riley) Dikel has compiled the Riley Guide, a megasite for job seekers. The site as a whole is updated weekly.
  • Damn Good Resume Books (damngood.com)
    Yana Parker, the author of the popular resume books, created an excellent site with lots of content. Highlights include answers to more than 50 job search questions, identification of skills and talents, and solutions to typical tough problems (such as gaps in work history).
  • JobStar's Resume Page (jobstar.org/tools/resume)
    Examples, tips, and links to resources from the library-originated JobStar.
  • The Job Forum (thejobforum.org/resume-1.htm)
    The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce sponsors this useful website that features a page on resumes, including definition and purpose of a resume, and a discussion of the different forms (chronological, functional, and electronic) with advice about when to use which.
  • 200 Letters for Job Hunters (careerlab.com/letters)
    The online version of the standard guide to employment letters by William S. Frank. Nicely divided into sections corresponding to stages or events in a typical job search. There's a good introduction to how to write a great letter, and sample letters are added to regularly.

Finding Information about Available Jobs

Whether the library user is looking for a position now, wants information about what jobs might be available in the future, or is looking for salary information, there are publications and websites to help. Searching the library's catalog using such keywords as "career development," "job descriptions," or "occupations" will give them some titles to begin.

One official and very comprehensive resource is The Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every other year. This inexpensive single-volume encyclopedia contains short articles on approximately 250 of the most common occupations in the U.S. Articles are arranged by type of work performed, with similar occupations grouped together. Each section presents a brief picture of the job in question and a list of addresses to write for further information.

  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook (bls.gov/oco) is also available on the web. This is an official U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The site states:

    The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Revised every two years, the Handbook describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.

  • The U.S. Department of Labor's website (www.dol.gov) can also be used to find employment/unemployment data as well as historical information about employment in the U.S. For example, a library user can check the URL www.dol.gov/esa/minwage/chart.htm for federal minimum wage data for previous years.
  • America's Career InfoNet: Wages and Trends (www.acinet.org/acinet/occ_rep.asp)
    This site provides salary ranges by state for hundreds of occupations.
  • O*NET Online (online.onetcenter.org)
    O*NET replaces the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) as the nation's primary source of occupational information. This database includes data collected directly from job incumbents for many occupations. Listings include: skills, abilities, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, experience levels required, job interests, and work values/needs. Details are not available for job titles that are military specific or for those that have been listed as "all others not elsewhere classified."

Library users may want to do job hunting on the Internet. Here are some good sites for this:

  • JobStar Central: Job Search Guide (jobstar.org)
    A library-sponsored guide to job-search resources on the web. While the focus is on California, smart job seekers nationwide will enjoy the salary information section (with connections to over 300 salary surveys); the resume section with state-of-the-art info; and Ask Electra, the Electronic Librarian. The site includes extensive listings of employer telephone hotlines, local career centers, libraries, and job search events. (lii.org)
  • California Online Job Network (cajobs.com)
    A "collection of local career websites. Job seekers may search for [free for] local jobs by distance from a given zip code, category or keyword. ... Employers may post job openings" for a fee. Includes sites for San Jose, Oakland, Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Sacramento, San Francisco...and Alaska. Job seekers can post a resume at no charge. (lii.org)
  • Monster.com (www.monster.com)
    Largest and probably the best-known job hunt site. Monster has more than 400,000 job opportunities worldwide (more than 1,500 international employers). There's also a large database of information for the job seeker and the employer.

For more sites, go to lii.org, and look at the topics job listings and/or job hunting.

The area of "business" covers a lot of ground, much of it overlapping. Being familiar with the resources in your library and some basic websites that pertain to business will go a long way in helping library users with their business-related questions.

What to Do Next

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