This website is designed to help you find the information you need on a company. We have selected a variety of print and web resources for your use. Companies can be publicly traded or private, and there are different strategies to find information for each. Reference volumes are available at the reference desk and library databases require either a library computer or your library card number as your password.
Essentials
The following resources are your first stop for company information due to their ease of use and wide range of available information. Don’t forget to check a company’s website for a good deal of information, albeit from their perspective.
Hoover’s (library database)
This is an all-around great source for any type of company, providing both basic and in-depth information, including most major US companies. Search by company name and use the left-hand side links for specific information.
Standard and Poor’s Register
The Register provides basic company information from addresses to executive names and is a good starting print source. This two volume set is alphabetically organized for quick and easy searching.
REF HG4057.A4 2007
ABI/Inform (library database)
Includes details on many companies, both public and private, with current news articles from a wide variety of magazines and newspapers. It offers a unique search suggestion list to help you explore a company.
Business Information
The following resources will assist you in finding more information on your company, including corporate histories and hard-to-find private company /local business information.
Hoover’s Handbook of Private Companies 2007
Covers 900 non-public U.S. enterprises from industries to health care to charities with in-depth analyses of hard-to-find company information. Alphabetically arranged.
REF HG4057.828616 2006
Reference USA (library database)
This database of 14 million companies is far easier to read than any comparable resource, with more coverage but less depth than Hoover’s, it even includes photos of the businesses, competitor information, and a significant amount of cross-referencing. Search by company name and even location.
More local business information
International Directory of Company Histories This 85 odd volume set has in-depth histories of over 4000 major companies, international and domestic, with substantial articles. Each volume has a comprehensive index for finding your target company.
REF HD2721.157
Financial / Analysis
Some company information changes at the speed of business with news and events affecting their performance. The following resources will help you stay current and view past government filings.
Information on public companies including recent headlines, real-time stock activity, historical company information and reports with advanced features for customizing (widgets and blogs). Search by company name or ticker symbol.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: SEC Filings and Forms (EDGAR)
Essential point of entry for information on public businesses, access point for SIC codes, 10K reports and instructions on how to request paper copies of their documents.
Supplements
The following resources will help you define unfamiliar business terms and guide you through a more in-depth search.
The New Palgrave Dictionary of Money & Finance
With an incredibly detailed explanation of everything from arbitrage to fund hedging to securitization, this dictionary can help you understand your company even better while enriching your search.
REF HG151.N48 1992
Searching for Company Information
New York Public Library’s company pathfinder with a walkthrough of various sources will help you tailor your search strategy. It is in question and answer format, helping you to narrow your search needs.
Reference Librarian The reference staff will be glad to assist you in finding more information or with use of our databases and print materials. Do not hesitate to call/email for digital help at 312- 555-1212 Reference@shadyacrespublib.com.
current as of 1 August 2007
