Library Databases

Published: April 6, 2022
Updated: April 7, 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.

  • Worldwide Fast Food and Quick Service Restaurant Industry to 2025 - Featuring Ark Restaurants, Chipotle Mexican Grill and McDonald's Among Others. (2020, October 30). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database. 

  • Global Food Service Industry: Food Service Industry market worldwide is projected to grow by US$1. 1 Trillion, driven by a compounded growth of 4%. Conventional Food Service, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 4. (2020, January 31). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database. 

  • The Global Restaurant Management Software Market is expected to grow by $ 2.95 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of 14.04% during the forecast period: Global Restaurant Management Software Market 2021-2025 The analyst has been monitoring the restaurant management software market and it is poised to grow by $ 2. 95 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of 14. (2021, November 31). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database. 

  • Trends Shaping Canada’s Restaurant and Hospitality Industry in 2022: Restaurants Canada shares new food & beverage trends to be showcased at #RCShow set to change how we dine; see how COVID-19 has shifted Canadians’ dining experiences moving forward. (2021, December 21). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database. 

  • Canada Food and Drink report - Q1 2022. (2021). London: Fitch Solutions Group Limited. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.

  • A Year into the Pandemic the Canadian Restaurant Industry Is Learning to Pivot and Adapt Despite Significant Visit Loss: Although the Canadian restaurant industry has improved since the pandemic began, the industry has lost 326,000 visits/orders from the first quarter of 2019 through the first quarter of 2021, reports The NPD Group. (2021, May 21). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.

  • Unified Data Forms Exclusive Partnership with Restaurants Canada to Revive Restaurant Industry. (2021, December 2). PR Newswire. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database.

  • Wholesale liquor pricing will go a long way to help revive B.C. restaurant industry: The province’s move to permanently allow licensed restaurants and drinking places to purchase beer, wine and spirits at wholesale prices fulfills a longstanding recommendation from Restaurants Canada. (2021, February 23). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Collection database. 

  • Gregorash, Bill J. (2019). The modern Canadian restaurant: food for thought. (Publication No. 13885584). Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 9(4), 442-450. 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.

 

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.

  • Ucci, S.. (2021). BUFFET OF BRANDS: Dig into dozens of casual and full-service restaurant franchise opportunities. FranchiseCanada Magazine. 27(2), 20-38.
  • Kim, Y., & Bhalla, N.. (2022). Can SMEs in the food industry expect competitive advantages from proactive CSR when CSR trade-offs exist? Corporate Communications: An International Journal. Sept/Oct 2021, 304-328.
  • (2021). Canada’s Restaurant Count Declined by 5,000 Counts in 2020.  Western Restaurant News. 28(1), 8.
  • Hagan, S., & Hertzberg, E. (2021, June 28). Spike in Restaurant Job Listings Bodes Well for Canada’s Recovery. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved from Business Source Ultimate database. 
  • Mahroof, M., Omar, A., & Kucukaltan, B.. (2022). Sustainable food supply chains: overcoming key challenges through digital technologies. International Journal of Productivity & Performance Management. 71(3), 981-1003.
  • Wade, R., Holmes, R. H., & Gibbs, C. (2018). The Challenges of Full-Service Restaurant Brand Internationalization: A United States/Canada Perspective. Journal of Foodservice Business Research. 21(2), 139-153.

 

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.

  • (2022) Restaurants - Quarterly Update 2/7/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Restaurants, Bars, and Food Services - Quarterly Update 2/28/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Fast Food and Quick-Service Restaurants - Quarterly Update 1/24/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Casual Restaurants - Quarterly Update 1/17/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 

 

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.

  • DellaCamera, Christopher. Full-Service Restaurants in Canada. (2021, September). Canada Industry (NAICS) Report 72221CA | Accommodation and Food Services in Canada. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Buchko, Matthew. Fast Food Restaurants in Canada. (2021, May). Canada Industry (NAICS) Report 72221aCA | Accommodation and Food Services  in Canada. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Kanda, Samuel. Restaurants & Hotel Equipment Wholesaling in Canada. (2021, December). Canada Industry (NAICS) Report 41792CA | Wholesale Trade  in Canada. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Le, Thi. Single-Location Full-Service Restaurants in the US. (2021, May). US Industry (NAICS) Report 72221b. | Accommodation and Food Services  in the US. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Le, Thi. Fast Food Restaurants in the US. (2021, October). US Industry (NAICS) Report 72221a. | Accommodation and Food Services  in the US. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Hiner, Jacqueline. Chain Restaurants in the US. (2021, August). US Industry (NAICS) Report 72221a. | Accommodation and Food Services in the US. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports database.
  • Rose, Arielle. Restaurants & Hotel Equipment Wholesaling in the US.. (2021, October). US Industry (NAICS) Report 42344. | Wholesale Trade in the US. Retrieved from IBIS World Industry Reports 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.

  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2020, June). Restaurants & Foodservice: Canada. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2020, February). Restaurants & Foodservice: United States. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
  • Packaged Facts. (2020, May). Food Carryout and Delivery: Special COVID-19 Consumer Insights. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2020, May). Foodservice Single-Use Products: Canada. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
  • Freedonia Focus Reports. (2020, May). Fast Food: United States. Marketresearch.com Academic. Retrieved from Marketresearch.com Academic database.
  • Packaged Facts. (2019, November). Eating Trends: Restaurant Use. 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.

  • (2022) Restaurants - Quarterly Update 2/7/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Restaurants, Bars, and Food Services - Quarterly Update 2/28/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Fast Food and Quick-Service Restaurants - Quarterly Update 1/24/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection database. 
  • (2022) Casual Restaurants - Quarterly Update 1/17/2022. Fort Mill, South Carolina: Mergent. Retrieved from Business Market Research Collection 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.

  • Lock, S. (2022, January 28). Gross sales of restaurant chains Canada 2020 by gross sales. Survey on household spending. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database. 
  • Shahbandeh, M. (2022, March 4). Average annual household expenditure on food purchased from restaurants in Canada from 2010 to 2019 (in 1,000 Canadian dollars)*. Survey on household spending. StatCan. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Lock, S. (2021, October 7). Market size of the quick service restaurant sector in Canada from 2011 to 2020, with a forecast 2021. IBISWorld. Retrieved from Statista database. 
  • Lock, S. (2022, February 8). Restaurants in the US- statistics and facts. IBISWorld. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Lock, S. (2021, June 17). Eating out behavior in the US- statistics and facts. IBISWorld. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • (2021). Statista dossier on Restaurants & Nightlife in the U.S. Statista. Statista Industry Report - NAICS Code 722. Retrieved from Statista database. 
  • Lock, S. (2021, June 15). Most likely ways that restaurants will change their business model in the next two years in North America as of August 2020. How the pandemic has transformed Food Services & Food Retail. Panasonic. Retrieved from Statista database.
  • Lock, S. (2021, June 14). Most challenging changes in consumer behavior for restaurants in North America as of August 2020. How the pandemic has transformed Food Services & Food Retail. Panasonic. 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.

  • Carruthers, B. (2021, September). Why brands need to think local post-pandemic. WARC. Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database. 
  • Carruthers, B. (2021, September). Behind Burger King’s agile marketing. WARC. Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database. 
  • (2021). Wendy’s: Grown with Love. Cannes Creative Lions.  Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database. 
  • (2021). Legal Sea Foods: Welcome to Legal. Cannes Creative Lions.  Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database. 
  • (2021). McDonald's: From American import to 'as Canadian as possible under the circumstances'.. Cannes Creative Lions.  Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database. 
  • (2020).  Behind Burger King’s agile marketing. MMA Strategies. Retrieved from WARC: World Advertising Research Center database.

Food Science and Technology Abstracts

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

Food Science & Technology Abstracts (FSTA) provides coverage of all aspects of food science, nutrition, food products, food processing, food safety, food spoilage, biotechnology, and pet foods. 

  • Goddard, E. The impact of COVID-19 on food retail and food service in Canada: a second assessment. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics. 69(2), 167-175. Retrieved from Food Science and Technology Abstracts 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.

  • Gill, A. (2021, May 16). In Vancouver, pandemic pushes Chinese restaurants onto the patio: Most Chinese restaurants have not been taking advantage of the temporary expedited patio programs - there are only about 20 out of hundreds of restaurants across Metro Vancouver. The Globe and Mail (Online). Retrieved from NexisUni database. 
  • Gold, K.. (2021, October 29). 'Cautious optimism' for Gastown comeback: As stores, restaurants reopen in the area, many hope the historic Vancouver neighbourhood will soon have a renaissance. The Globe and Mail (Online). Retrieved from NexisUni database. 
  • Matsumoto, N. (2021, April 18). From cheese distributor to chef, members of restaurant industry reveal what life is like one year into COVID-19 pandemic: Nancy Matsumoto checks in on the status of members of the restaurant industry one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. The Globe and Mail (Online). Retrieved from NexisUni database. 
  • Gill, A. (2020, January 10). How Vancouver's Chancho Tortilleria and Beetbox restaurants make eating vegan easy: These two excellent downtown Vancouver restaurants, both recently reinvented by omnivore chefs, do all the heavy lifting for you. The Globe and Mail (Online). Retrieved from NexisUni database.