Business Librarian
Student consultation hours
Spring 2024 Semester
- 2-4 p.m. Mondays
- Noon-2 p.m. Thursdays
- Various times on Fridays
Your choice: Meet in-person in Hartman 1060 or via Zoom
Note: These are my usual office hours. Some weeks, I might need to adjust these hours to visit classes or attend trainings.
Industry trends: JMU subscriptions
- IBISWorld This link opens in a new windowContent type(s): Analyst reports on 700+ U.S. industries, including hair salons and cosmetology schools.
Dates covered: Current - Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
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Content types: Peer-reviewed journals, industry and market research reports, magazines, news sources, SWOTS
Dates covered: 1922-present - Factiva This link opens in a new window
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Content type(s): Business news sources, company press releases, and analyst reports
Dates covered: Current
Guidance on Databases
- Doing Business Research: Using Business Source Complete
Tips for using the Business Source Complete database to find information about a company, industry or topic.
Industry associations
These groups might publish research about the state of the industry or toolkits to help your client succeed with marketing or recruiting.
Some industry associations only make research available to dues-paying members. Ask your client if they are a member.
Partnering with a local business or organization? Try these tools
A private company is not traded on any stock exchange. They don't have to file documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Finding information on private companies can be quite challenging, and often we must resort to using Industry Financial Benchmarks to approximate.
Suggested resources for investigating private companies:
- Data Axle Reference Solutions This link opens in a new windowContent types: Directory of U.S. businesses with data about key executives, addresses, sales volumes, estimated expenditures, etc.
Dates covered: Current - PrivCo This link opens in a new windowSource for business and financial research on non-publicly traded corporations, including family-owned, private equity-owned, venture-backed, and international unlisted companies.
Note: Users will need to register for an academic account using their JMU email address
Working with a not-for-profit organization? Use these resources
- ProPublica Nonprofit ExplorerContent type(s): Tax returns and financial details from tax-exempt organizations
Dates covered: IRS data released since 2013; tax filing documents as far back as 2001. - BBB Wise Giving AllianceContent type(s): Evaluative reports and guidelines to help donors make informed giving decisions and promotes accountability standards among organizations that solicit public contributions.
Dates covered: Varies by charity - Charity NavigatorContent type(s):Helps people "support the causes they care about by connecting them to the best charities that align with their passions and values."
Dates covered: Varies by charity - GuideStarContent type(s):Data and 1099 tax forms on non-profits.
Dates covered: Last 3-5 years
NOTE: Must create a free account to download
Connecting from off-campus
JMU students, faculty & staff can use electronic resources from off-campus via one of these methods.