With all the various reading rooms available at the Library, did you know there is one with a reference alcove dedicated to business?
The 5th floor of the John Adams Building on Capitol Hill, home to the Science & Business Reading Room, has a staff of business reference specialists to assist with your business-related questions and research needs.
They can assist you with all major business topics, including industry trends, commerce, banking, insurance, economics, finance, marketing, human resources and more.
Starting a business, or putting together a business plan? Need information on an old stock certificate or doing business history research? S&B has put together a number of guides and bibliographies to get you started. For something more in-depth, try the Business & Economics Research Advisor series intended to assist researchers on business- and economics-related topics.
You might be surprised at what can be found in the stacks of the Adams building (at 101 Independence Ave. S.E. in Washington). Looking for statistics? We have railroad statistics dating back to 1888, as well as many U.S. Census publications. Company research? In addition to a guide devoted to company research, the Science & Business Reading Room has a microfiche collection of corporate annual reports, some dating back to the early 1900s.
You business-history buffs might be interested in “The Secrets of Success in Business,” published in 1883. Within these pages you will find instruction on business writing, detecting counterfeit money, bookkeeping, and how to calculate interest, discount and insurance. Tips on how freight is received, handled, billed and delivered is in the pages dedicated to railroading and express business, and the 566-page book offers a glimpse at the world of Wall Street (as it existed then).
To learn more about the Library’s Business Reference section and view the variety of resources available, visit Business Reference Services online. It also has a number of databases and e-resources available for on-site use. If you’re not in the neighborhood, try the Library’s Ask a Librarian service.
Thanks to Business Reference Specialist Donna Scanlon of the Science, Technology & Business Division for this post!
Comments (3)
I think this article about helping small business is a great start. I wonder if they have secrets of success in business as an ebook? Anyone know? Does it cover online marketing and social media. I see that LOC Blog is up to date with social sharing.
I seriously did not know about this. It’s such a useful thing to know about especially for those of us who run a business.
Thanks for taking the time to share that.