Build-A-Bear With Hoovers Premium Online

“The Build-A-Bear Workshop covers the "bear" necessities and much more.” If you’ll pardon

the pun, this is a pretty funny opening line from a business database. Of course, when you’re

using Hoovers Premium Online you can expect such attempts at witticism.

Hoovers is more than just humorous lines; it’s a comprehensive, up-to-date database that helps

users find in-depth information on companies. Take St. Louis’ own Build-A-Bear Workshop, for

example. Not only does Hoovers offer entertaining company histories, it also offers financial

information taken from Dun and Bradstreet, Hoovers’ parent company.

Job hunters will love Hoovers’ Key People function, where company officers and employees

can be located by job type, such as Human Resources. Often, contact information is included.

It’s just what you need when you want to figure out who to address your cover letter to. This

feature is particularly useful when combined with a website like LinkedIn. A customer of mine

used Hoovers to contact Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Chairman and Chief Executive Bear Maxine K.

Clark (yes, that’s really Ms. Clark’s title).

You can have a look at Hoovers Online by follow this path:

1. Go to www.slcl.org/

2. Click Research at the top of the page, in the middle

3. Under Subject Guides, click Business & Investing.

4. Under Databases, click Hoovers Premium Online.

5. Type your last name, St. Louis County Library card number and PIN number in the

appropriate boxes.

6. Type the company you’d like to find in the Keyword box.

Give Hoovers Premium Online a try and you’ll be smarter than the average bear…

--Paul S., Reference

First Research

I often teach databases to high school and college students and job seekers as part of my job. At the end of my classes I often get the question, “what’s your favorite database?” For me, that’s like asking a parent their favorite child. First Research is like the shy kid in the back of the class who is easily overlooked at first but who has special qualities on second glance.

Unlike many of our other business databases, First Research searches industries rather than individual companies. A search for “information technology” results in an industry profile entitled “Information Technology Services,” dated February 6, 2012. Talk about being up to date- I’m writing this blog on February 9! Not only is the profile current it’s also comprehensive; all profiles include an industry overview, business challenges, executive insight, call preparation questions and financial information. You can even download the profiles into an MP3 audio podcast.

I use First Research when I work with small business owners and new entrepreneurs who want to learn as much about their industry as possible. Job hunters also find the executive insight and call preparation questions very useful for job interview preparation. Wouldn’t you like to have a list of potential interview questions, and their answers, before your next interview?

If First Research sounds as good to you as it does to me, you can access it through the St. Louis County Library’s Research page. Interested customers can also book a Reference librarian for one-on-one First Research instruction by calling 314-994-3300 ext. 2050. I think once you start using First Research you’ll understand the shy kid has a lot to say when it comes to industry research.

--Paul S., Headquarters

ReferenceUSA

Are you a small business owner looking to create a list of potential customers? Are you a job hunter who wants to find companies to send resumes to? Or are you just looking for the address and phone number of your favorite taco joint? St. Louis County Library’s ReferenceUSA database can do all of this and more.

To access ReferenceUSA go to www.slcl.org/, then click Research toward the top of the page. On the research page, click Business & Investing in the middle of the page under the heading Subject Guides. Underneath Business & Investing scroll down the page and click ReferenceUSA (Home Access) if you’re using the database from home. Fill in your last name, SLCL library card number and PIN number in the appropriate boxes and you’re in!

You can find businesses by clicking U.S. Businesses and Residential information if you click U.S. Standard White Pages. Finding your favorite taco joint is as easy as clicking U.S. Businesses and typing the joint’s name and state in the boxes. Like many of us non-natives, ReferenceUSA sometimes has trouble with Metro St. Louis municipalities, so I wouldn’t use those. (Fortunately, ReferenceUSA doesn’t care what high school you went to.)

To create a list of companies based on criteria like location, business type and size, try clicking the Custom Search tab. Be sure to click Expand All to see all of your search options. ReferenceUSA lets you get as broad or as narrow as you’d like when conducting your search.

If ReferenceUSA sounds like your kind of database, the Reference department would be happy to show you how to use it. Just give us a call at 314-994-33000 ext. 2050 and ask to “Book a Librarian.”

--Paul S., Headquarters