Library Databases

Published: April 22, 2022

Updated: April 26, 2022

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's first ever 24-hour movement guidelines for adults help make the whole day matter. (2020, Oct 15). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.
GYMGUYZ ranked no. 126 on entrepreneur's top 2020 growth franchises: Amid a strong year for the mobile personal training brand, GYMGUYZ gains recognition on the highly competitive list. (2020, Oct 27). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.
In a high-tech world fitness success stays old fashioned. (2020, Feb 07). ICT Monitor Worldwide. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.
BREAKING INTO WELLNESS: The best tips for becoming a personal trainer or opening up your own gym or studio, from people who've successfully done it. (2020, Aug 07). Business Insider. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.
Groundbreaking salary survey reveals how much money personal trainers earn, and how they earn it. (2019, Sep 04). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.
Anytime fitness firms up hiring strategy to compete for quality personal trainers: World's fastest growing gym franchise gets proactive with hireology platform, strong employee brand. (2018, Apr 17). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.

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 Publishing Staff (2020). Health and weight management market (report code HLC253A). BCC Research. Retrieved from BCC Research.
BCC Publishing Staff (2021). Corporate wellness: global markets (report code HLC267A). BCC Research. Retrieved from BCC Research.

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.

Mateo, A. (2021). What’s the best home-exercise equipment -- for any budget? Wall Street Journal - Online Edition, N.PAG. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate
Wassus, K. (2021, April 10). Does a Real Personal Trainer Beat One on Your Phone? Wall Street Journal - Online Edition, N.PAG. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate.
Orton, T. (2020). Staying fit, staying indoors: Personal trainers offer their advice on how to maintain active lifestyle. Business in Vancouver. 1578(8). Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate.
Journal, J.M. (2020). A fitness regimen helps keep Covid pandemic stress in check. Wall Street Journal - Online Edition. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate.

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.

Weight reduction services - quarterly update 9/27/2021. (2021). (). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First research industry profiles.
COLUMN: What is a personal trainer anyway? (2021, Jan 06). The Sooke Mirror. Retrieved from First research industry profiles.
BREAKING INTO WELLNESS: The best tips for becoming a personal trainer or opening up your own gym or studio, from people who've successfully done it. (2020, Aug 07). Business Insider Retrieved from First research industry profiles.
Bedosky -, L. (2018). The future of personal training may be in regulation, certification and integration. Club Industry. First research industry profiles.

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. (2021). US Specialized Industry Report OD4189 / Life Sciences. Personal Trainers. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
Buchko, M. (2020). Canada industry (NAICS) report 71394CA gym, health & fitness clubs in Canada. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
Mieles, C. (2020). Canada industry (NAICS) report 81219ACA weight loss services in Canada. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.
Fernandez, C. (2020). US Specialized Industry Report OD4189: Personal Trainers. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld Industry Reports.

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.

Fitness centers - quarterly update 2/22/2021. (2021). Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection
Weight reduction services - quarterly update 3/15/2021. (2021). 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.

Statista (2020). Fitness and health service purchases in Canada 2020. Retrieved from Statista.
Statista (2020). Fitness and health service online purchases in Canada 2020. Retrieved from Statista.
Statista (2021). Gym, health & fitness club industry market size in Canada 2011-2021. Retrieved from Statista.
Statista (2021). Health & fitness clubs - statistics & facts. Retrieved from Statista.
Kunst, A. (2022). Fitness and health service purchases in Canada 2021. Retrieved from Statista.

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.

Sabre Awards - North America. (2021). Fitbit: Future of fit. Retrieved from WARC database
WARC. (2021). Most Americans don’t intend to return to traditional gyms. Retrieved from WARC database
WARC. (2020). Health apps saw rapid uptake in Q2. Retrieved from WARC database
WARC. (2020). Digital strategy in healthcare marketing: Pathways to success. 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.