Starting and running a business is an information-rich endeavor.  The Seattle Public Library subscribes to some pretty powerful business databases and resources that include information not found on the free and open Internet.  Yet, we find that people don’t always think of the library as their first source for business data and information assistance.  People are surprised and delighted when I and my fellow librarians show them the valuable sources that the library has already paid for on their behalf.  Most of these tools are conveniently available to you from outside the library with your library card and pin number.

I’ve recently been leading DIY Market Research workshops to help people learn about the variety of tools the library has to offer.  Without fail, someone always takes the time to thank me for reminding them that the library has this kind of information.  I liked how one entrepreneur put it: “The library! It’s like you’ve been hiding in plain sight all along!”

If you’ve had the occasion to search for business information, you probably discovered that some of the most useful reports and articles come at a premium.  The proprietary nature of business information adds another wrinkle and it can be tricky to understand if the information you need is accessible in published sources at all – believe me, these kinds of questions get complex fast!  (Librarians are here to help!)

Maybe you want to create a list of manufacturing companies ranked by revenue size the Auburn valley.  Perhaps you want a list of all the private companies in Seattle with women as CEOs.  Want to find all the plumbing companies in Ballard?  The Seattle Public Library subscribes to tools like ReferenceUSA that makes it easy to create and export company lists and Business Insights: Global for digging into more detailed data on larger companies.

We have a tool called DemographicsNow that can provide details about people and their spending habits.  How many people over 65 live in the 98101 zip code?  (answer: 20.5% of 11,190 people) How much do households on Mercer Island spend per year on pets? (answer: average $122.26/year)  How many households in Bellevue use VoIP Services? (answer: 14.8% of 53,459 households)

Maybe you are shopping for traditional advertising services like newspaper or radio ads?  We just added a tool called Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) which lets you browse for these by market, and displays useful criteria to consider in your selection.

I don’t want to lead you to believe that the library has answers for every situation, but come talk to us about what you are trying to do and if we can’t find a solution, we will certainly have ideas that can help.  Drop by the Central Library, email us via our Ask a Librarian service, or attend an upcoming DIY Market Research workshops at the SBA where I’ll demonstrate how to use some of the most useful tools.