Library Databases

Published: April 18, 2023
Updated: April 19, 2023

Library Databases

The Expensive World Of Business Information

Believe it or not, you cannot find everything on Google! Have you ever done an online search and found the perfect industry report only to find that it costs over $5,000? Did you know that libraries pay for many expensive databases that could be helpful in your secondary market research? 

Search engines like Google can only provide direct access to freely available information. Most of the web, including business information, lives in databases behind expensive paywalls. This paywall-protected section of the Internet is known as the deep web. Fortunately, some libraries pay to subscribe to databases so they can provide free access to their patrons — and many business databases can contain useful information such as articles, market research, and company reports.

There are several strategies you can use to access relevant business information on the deep web. First, we urge you to look up what business resources your local public or academic library can provide access to. Each database has its own arrangement, with unique interfaces and search features. It helps to know the structure and search terms of the specific database you are working with in order to retrieve effective results. 

Also, it is important to know that library databases are restricted by specific usage agreements. It can help to consult with a librarian if you have trouble navigating a specific database. They may also be able to help you find comparable information elsewhere. Libraries with robust business collections might have useful e-books, directories and trade journals. As you conduct your secondary market research you will likely need to consult both free and deep web resources.

For more information about how and why to use business databases, check out our video tutorial, Module Four: Conducting Your Industry Research.


 

UBC Library Business Databases

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you may have access to business databases through the David Lam Management Research Library and Canaccord Learning Commons through the links below.

Full Listing By Title or Full Listing By Subject

There are two different ways to identify databases: Use "by title" if you already know the name; otherwise you can search the list "by subject" to find starting places for undertaking market research, finding articles or researching companies. To learn more about how you can access library resources if you are a community user or temporary visitor, check out the UBC Library Community Users & Visitors Guide. Community users and temporary visitors may have additional access restrictions to specific databases because of license agreements.

 

Provincial Library Database Partners

How to access: Check out the database list and note the License Participants to find out which institutions have access. Otherwise, contact your local post-secondary library to see what they offer.

BC Electronic Library Network (ELN) Research Databases

ELN licenses databases with partner academic libraries. These include LexisNexis, Canadian Newsstream, Hoovers, CBCA Business, ABI/INFORM Complete and others that may be of interest to business researchers.

 

ABI/INFORM Collection

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

Created by ProQuest this database contains full-text articles from over 1,000 business magazines and journals that track business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies, and industry-specific topics.

  • Canada food & drink report - Q1 2023. (2023). London: Fitch Solutions Group Limited. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM.
  • Canada food & drink report - Q4 2022. (2022). London: Fitch Solutions Group Limited. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Broadbent, J. (2023, Jan 19). Canada’s food inflation slows “slightly” in december. Just - Food Global News. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Bakery products market is expected to reach around USD 287.9 billion by 2030, grow at a CAGR of 4.1% during forecast period 2023 to 2030 | data by contrive datum insights pvt ltd. (2023, Jan 20). Financial Services Monitor Worldwide. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Gluten-free bakery market size worth $4.15 billion by 2030%: Grand view research, inc. (2022, Aug 23). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Bakery product manufacturing - quarterly update 5/16/2022. (2022). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Global bakery ingredients market to reach $19.2 billion by 2027: AMR: Consumer preference for healthy bakery products, changes in culture & lifestyle, and demand for convenient foods drive the growth of the global bakery ingredients market. europe accounted for the highest market share in 2019, and is expected to maintain its lead position by 2027. the prices for bakery ingredients is expected to rise due to shortage in supply with closedown of manufacturing facilities and disrupted supply chain during the lockdown. (2021, Feb 17). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.

 

Mergent Online

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

Provides access to US and international public company data. This database also contains data on companies that were acquired, went bankrupt, liquidated or merged out of existence from 1995 forward. Users can compare companies and export data into programs like Excel.

 

BCC Research Centre

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Otherwise, contact your local library to see if they provide access.

Publishes 250 reports annually that are complete with market intelligence, five-year forecasts, statistical and analytical data, key players, market share, industry structure and dynamics, and technological shifts and trends.

  • BCC Research. (2022, September). Bakery & Confectionary Market Global Briefing 2022: Ukraine-Russia War Impact (Report Code MKB339F). BCC Research. Retrieved from BCC Research Centre.
  • BCC Research. (2022, May). Bakery & Confectionary Global Briefing 2022 (Report Code MKB339E). BCC Research. Retrieved from BCC Research Centre. 
  • BCC Research. (2022, May). Bread and Bakery Products Market Global Briefing 2022 (Report Code MKB341E). BCC Research. Retrieved from BCC Research Centre.

 

Business Source Ultimate

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Otherwise, contact your local library to see if they provide access.

Includes financial data, books, videos, company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry profiles, country reports, market research reports and case studies. Also includes information on industry trends, forecasts, outlooks, competitors, how to run a specific business and much more.

  • Barnes Reports: Bread & Bakery Product Mfg. (NAICS 31181). (2023). United States Bread & Bakery Product Manufacturing Industry Report, 1–184.
  • Barnes Reports: Grocery Stores Industry (NAICS 44511): Product Line: Bakery products baked on premises. (2022). United States Supermarkets & Grocery Stores Product Lines, 1–88.
  • Barnes Reports: (NAICS 445291): Baked Goods Stores. (2020). United States Baked Goods Stores Industry Report, 1–196.
  • MarketLine Industry Profile: Bakery & Cereals in Canada. (2018). Bakery & Cereals Industry Profile: Canada, 1–37.
  • MarketLine Industry Profile: Bakery & Cereals in the United States. (2018). Bakery & Cereals Industry Profile: United States, 1–34.

 

First Research Industry Profiles

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, or faculty you can access many of these reports through ABI/INFORM and/or Business Market Research Collection (Proquest).

Covers over 900 industry segments. Updated on a quarterly basis, these industry profiles contain critical analysis, statistics and forecasts to help you engage key prospects, coach key clients, and deepen customer relationships. You can search for reports by NAICS, SIC or keyword or browse by category.

  • Bakery product manufacturing - quarterly update 1/30/2023. (2023). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection; Business Market Research Collection. 
  • Cookie & cracker manufacturing - quarterly update 1/17/2023. (2023). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection; Business Market Research Collection.
  • Bakery product manufacturing - quarterly update 12/27/2022. (2022). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection; Business Market Research Collection.
  • Specialty food stores - quarterly update 12/19/2022. (2022). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection; Business Market Research Collection.

 

IBISWorld Industry Reports

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

IBISWorld research is an independent, professional publisher of high-quality market research reports. These reports analyze the underlying structure and external forces that drive an industry.

  • Le, T. (2023, January). Bakery Cafes in the US: Industry Report OD4319. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • Buchko, M. (2022, September). Specialty Food Stores in Canada: Industry Report 44529CA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • Wood, G. (2022, August). Snack Food Production in Canada: Industry Report 31191CA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • Kanda, S. (2021, December). Bread Production in Canada: Industry Report 31181CA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • DellaCamera, C. (2021, August). Cookie, Cracker & Pasta Production in Canada: Industry Report 31182CA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • Rose, A. (2022, September). Fresh Bread & Bakery Goods Wholesaling in the US: Industry Report OD5876. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
  • Koronios, E. (2021, March). Global Bakery Goods Manufacturing: Industry Report C1114-GL. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.

 

Marketresearch.com/Freedonia Focus

How to access: Check your local public or academic library to see about access. If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

While you can search this website only some Canadian libraries provide full-text access to the market research reports on industries and demographics for North American industries. They can range from 50 to 400+ pages in length, and contain charts, tables, and graphs, and key facts. Marketresearch.com has varied industry coverage and includes US and international information.

  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2022, May). Food Retail: United States. Retrieved from MarketResearch.com Academic.
  • Packaged Facts. (2022, May). Food Market Outlook 2022: Inflation, Supply Chains, Food Trends & the Effects on Home Cooking & Grocery Shopping. Retrieved from MarketResearch.com Academic.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2021, December). Grain-Based Foods: United States. Retrieved from MarketResearch.com Academic.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2021, February). Bread & Bakery Products: United States. Retrieved from MarketResearch.com Academic.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2021, January). Food Processing: United States. Retrieved from MarketResearch.com Academic.

 

Business Market Research Collection (Proquest)

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

Business Market Research Collection brings together four sources to help students more easily conduct the research they need to produce business plans, marketing plans, startup plans, market growth analysis, and strategic and financial plans. Includes access to: Hoover's Company Profiles, OxResearch, Barnes Reports, and the older Snapshots Series, which includes market research overviews on over 40 industries and 40 countries to 2008.

  • Specialty eateries - quarterly update 2/13/2023. (2023). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection.
  • Bakery product manufacturing - quarterly update 1/30/2023. (2023). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection.
  • Cookie & cracker manufacturing - quarterly update 1/17/2023. (2023). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection.

 

Statista

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

A simple to use statistics portal that integrates statistics from thousands of sources, on topics related to business, media, public policy, health and others. Statistics can be exported in PPT, XLS, PDF, and PNG formats. Some basic content available for free.

  • Conway, J. (2023, January). Share of Canadians eating sweet baked goods by type 2017. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Conway, J. (2023, January). Factors consumers consider when purchasing sweet baked goods in Canada as of February 2017. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Conway, J. (2023, January). Factors consumers consider when purchasing baked goods in Canada as of 2017. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Bedford, E. (2022, November). Bread and bakery products in Canada - statistics & facts. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2022, June). Export value of bread and bakery products from Canada from 2012 to 2021 in million Canadian dollars)* [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2022, May). Average retail price for bread in Canada from January 2015 to February 2022 (in Canadian dollars per 675 grams) [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2022, May). Number of retail bakeries in Canada as of December 2021, by region [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2022, May). Average spend on bread and bakery products per month in Canada as of February 2020*  [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2021, July). Sales of bakery products in the United States in 2020, by category (in million U.S. dollars) [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2021, July). Unit sales of bakery products in the United States in 2020, by category (in millions) [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Wunsch, N. (2020, November). Estimated market volume of bread and bakery products worldwide from 2017 to 2025 (in million tons) [Chart]. Retrieved from Statista database.

 

WARC: World Advertising Research Center

How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.

WARC has case studies from major companies and advertising agencies, as well as articles from leading advertising journals and unpublished papers. It also includes company profiles, advertising spending statistics, and demographic and economic data.

 

Newspapers and News Sources - UBC Library Research Guide

How to access: The guide can be viewed through the link below. Individual resources and databases will have different access requirements.

UBC Library has an excellent collection of current and historical newspapers from B.C., Canada, and around the world. UBC affiliates will have access to these resources.

  • Diaz, C. (2021). The cakes, pastries, and bread trends at US bakeries in 2021. New York: Quartz Media, Inc. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream.
  • Angrisani, C. (2018). Serving a need with single-serve baked goods. Supermarket News. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream.