Library Databases

Published: August 12, 2023
Updated: August 12, 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.

  • Pressley, D. (2023, Jun 21). Photography veteran robin V shares 3 steps to creative business growth. Black Enterprise (Online). Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Zenfolio releases the 2023 state of the photography industry report. (2023, Apr 20). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Photography services market 2023-2027: A descriptive analysis of five forces model, market dynamics, and segmentation - technavio. (2023, Jan 31). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Camera backpack market to reach US$ 498.8 mn by 2031, as per a TMR study: Rise in number of photography professionals extensively using digital photography tools and kits drives market growth. (2023, Jan 27). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Commercial photography enjoying tremendous opportunity in e-commerce industry, says fact.MR: North america leads the global commercial photography market with 41% market share. (2022, Oct 17). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Demand for commercial photography is expected to evolve at a CAGR of 2.2% by 2032; owing to its tremendous opportunity arising from e-commerce industry. (2022, Oct 07). Financial Services Monitor Worldwide. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Digital photography market 2022 size, share | industry future growth, recent demand, current trends, company profiles, expansion plans, development, revenue, SWOT analysis & volume forecast to 2028 | industry research biz: Global digital photography market size is estimated to be worth US$ 85010 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of US$ 123350 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period 2022-2028. (2022, Aug 26). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM database.
  • Plenoptic camera market is expected to reach $5.87 billion by 2030: Says AMR: High-end technological advancements in cameras and imaging sensors, surge in tourism industry across the globe, and emergence of light field camera technology for high-speed photography applications drive the growth of the global plenoptic camera market. based on application, the industrial segment contributed to the major share in 2020. based on region, on the other hand, the market across asia-pacific would manifest the fastest CAGR by 2030. (2022, Jan 18). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM 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.

 

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: Commercial Photography Industry (NAICS 541922). (2023). United States Commercial Photography Industry Report, 1–184.
  • Barnes Reports: Photography Studios Industry (NAICS 541921). (2023). United States Photography Studios Industry Report, 1–184.

 

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.

  • (2023). Photographic Services - Quarterly Update 4/10/2023. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
  • (2023). Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation Sector - Quarterly Update 5/30/2023. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from 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.

  • Buchko, M. (2022, November). Photography in Canada / CANADA INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54192CA / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES IN CANADA. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.
  • Villaruel, D. (2023, January). Photography in the US / US INDUSTRY (NAICS) REPORT 54192 / PROFESSIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. IBISWorld. Retrieved from IBISWorld database.

 

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.

  • (2020, September). Audio and Video Equipment: United States. Marketresearch.com Retrieved from Marketresearch.com 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.

  • (2023). Photographic Services - Quarterly Update 4/10/2023. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.
  • (2023). Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation Sector - Quarterly Update 5/30/2023. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from First Research Industry Profiles.

 

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.

  • Laricchia, F. (2022, February 14). Average annual household expenditure on photographic goods and services in Canada from 2010 to 2017 (in Canadian dollars). StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Laricchia, F. (2022, February 14). Average annual household expenditure on photographic services in Canada from 2010 to 2017(in Canadian dollars). StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Statista Consumer Insights. (2023, June). Revenue of portrait photography studios (NAICS 541921) in United States from 2008 to 2020. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Smith, P.. (2021, November 1). Average cost of a wedding in Canada 2017. Statista. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Statista Research Department. (2023, March). Market Insights: Digital Cameras. RateSupermarket. 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.

  • (2022). Colgate: #PoutFreePortraits. SABRE Awards. Retrieved from WARC database.
  • (2023). Celebrity Cruises: The All-Inclusive Photo Project. SABRE Awards. Retrieved from WARC database. 
  • (2019). HP: All-American Family Portrait. ARF Ogilvy Awards. Retrieved from WARC database.
  • (2023). Tres Generaciones: Reigniting the legacy of Tres Generaciones through social photography. SABRE Awards. Retrieved from WARC database. 
  • (2023). Visit Seattle: Kissing in the Rain. SABRE Awards. 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.

  • Arsenault, A. (2023) A New Market For Film Photography Is Developing. Toronto: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database. 
  • Trichur, R. (2023). Photographer Edward Burtynsky says corporations can play a role in fighting climate crisis politics: The photographer known for capturing images of human-altered landscapes wants business leaders to help Canada transition to a low-carbon economy. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database. 
  • McLaughlin, J. (2022, Aug 21). Stouffville teen’s passion for photography evolves into business venture with help from Summer Company program. The Canadian Press. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database. 
  • Macdonald, G. (2023, Mar 18). Fashion’s next frontier: Artificial intelligence is upending the fashion photography business – and the fallout is just beginning, Gayle MacDonald reports. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database. 
  • Lindsay photographer clicks with new business. (2019, Sep 30). Kawartha Lakes this Week Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database. 
  • Peterborough photographer opens new studio: Offering you an inside look at what's new in the local business scene. (2019, Sep 30). Peterborough Examiner Retrieved from Canadian Newsstream database.
  • “The business of ‘instagrammable’ photos: small companies bill millions thanks to posturing”. (2023, July 12). CE Noticieras Financieras. Retrieved from NexisUni database.