Library Databases

Published: April 6, 2022
Updated: April 21, 2022

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.

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.

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.

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.

  • McDonald, J. A., Llanos, A. A. M., Morton, T., & Zota, A. R. (2022). The Environmental Injustice of Beauty Products: Toward Clean and Equitable Beauty. American Journal of Public Health, 112(1), 50–53. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2021.306606
  • The State of Beauty & Personal Care Packaging: Emerging sustainable technologies and collaborations are eliminating waste, boosting recyclability and providing new levels of functionality. (2021). Global Cosmetic Industry, 189(10), 34–39.
  • Grappe, C. G., Lombart, C., Louis, D., & Durif, F. (2021). “Not tested on animals”: how consumers react to cruelty-free cosmetics proposed by manufacturers and retailers? International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 49(11), 1532–1553. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-12-2020-0489
  • Kumar, S., Talwar, S., Krishnan, S., Kaur, P., & Dhir, A. (2021). Purchasing natural personal care products in the era of fake news? The moderation effect of brand trust. Journal of Retailing & Consumer Services, 63, N.PAG. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102668
  • (NAICS 44612): Cosmetics & Beauty Supplies Stores. (2022). United States Cosmetics & Beauty Supplies Stores Industry Report, 1–196.
  • Products and Services. (2021). Global Cosmetic Industry, 189(11), 9–27.
  • Corporate Profiles. (2021). Global Cosmetic Industry, 189(11), 50–309.
  • Suppliers by Function. (2021). Global Cosmetic Industry, 189(11), 57–85.
  • Large and Small Brands Embrace Increasingly Diverse Market. (2021). MMR, 38(15), 23.
  • MarketLine Industry Profile: Make-Up in Canada. (2020). Make-Up Industry Profile: Canada, 1–41.

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.

  • McGrath, S. (2021). CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 32562CA / MANUFACTURING IN CANADA Cosmetic & Beauty Product Manufacturing in Canada. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database. 
  • Koronios, E. (2020). CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 44612CA / RETAIL TRADE IN CANADA Beauty, Cosmetics & Fragrance Stores in Canada. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database. 
  • Kanda, S. (2021). CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 32599CA / MANUFACTURING IN CANADA Chemical Product Manufacturing in Canada. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.

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.

  • Statista Research Department. (2022). Cosmetics Industry - Statistics & Facts. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database. 
  • Statista Research Department. (2022). Breakdown of the cosmetic market worldwide from 2011 to 2020, by product category. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database. 
  • Statista Research Department. (2022). Annual growth of the global cosmetics market from 2004 to 2020. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Statista Research Department. (2022). Leading beauty brands ranked by number of Instagram followers as of June 2021. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Statista Research Department. (2022). Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of the leading cosmetic companies between 2018 to 2021*. Statista. 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.

  • Welsh, M. (2021). Marketing Trends For 2022: Beauty. WARC. Retrieved from WARC database. 
  • Euromonitor Strategy Briefings. (2021). Where consumers shop for beauty and personal care. WARC. 
  • Clapp, R. (2021). E-commerce to account for over a quarter of health & beauty sales in 2026. WARC Data Points (Curated).  Retrieved from WARC database.

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.

 

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.