Library Databases

Published: May 20, 2022
Updated: June 3, 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.

 

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.

  • Cargo shipping market size to hit 13.19 billion tons by 2028 | rising demand of import and export to bolster growth: Fortune business insights™: Cargo shipping market to surge considerably; stringent emission norms to foster industry growth: Fortune business insights™. (2022, Mar 15). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Canada logistics & freight transport report - Q2 2022. (2022). London: Fitch Solutions Group Limited. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection.
  • Canada freight transport & shipping report - Q4 2021. (2021). London: Fitch Solutions Group Limited. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection 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.

 

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.

  • Argitis, T. (2022). Canada’s Trade Surplus Unexpectedly Narrows as Imports Surge. Bloomberg.Com, N.PAG.
  • Bahmani, O. M., & Harvey, H. (2022). The U.S.‐Canadian trade and exchange rate uncertainty: Asymmetric evidence from commodity trade. World Economy, 45(3), 841–866. https://doi.org/10.1111/twec.13206
  • Hagan, S. (2021). Export Boom Drives Canada’s Largest Trade Surplus Since 2014. Bloomberg.Com, N.PAG.
  • Cardoso, M., & Malloy, B. (2021). Impact of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trade between Canada and the United States. Canadian Public Policy, 47(4), 554–572. https://doi.org/10.3138/cpp.2021-028
  • Hagan, S. (2020). Canada Trade Gap Narrows on “First Baby Step” to Recovery. Bloomberg.Com, N.PAG.
  • E-commerce technology: ShipHero offers Canadian route for low-value shipments. (2022). JoC Online, N.PAG.
  • TOLCHIN, E. G. (2020). Going International: SHOULD YOU USE A CUSTOMS BROKER, OR A FREIGHT FORWARDER? Inventors’ Digest, 36(3), 36–37.

     

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.

 

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.

  • Canada Business Environment Profiles Report CA140: Import penetration into the manufacturing sector. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports. 
  • Canada Business Environment Profiles Report CA008: Total exports. 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. (2021, April). Freight Services: United States. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.

 

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.

  • Export development canada. (2021). Fort Mill: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection.
  • CANADA: Trade deals may diversify export destinations. (2014, Apr 09). OxResearch Daily Brief Service 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.

  • O’Neill, A. (2022, Mar. 29). Main import partners for Canada 2019. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • O’Neill, A. (2022, Mar. 1). Import of goods into Canada 2020. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • O’Neill, A. (2022, Mar. 29). Main export partners for Canada 2019. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.