Remote access to business databases

This year the ability to connect by remote access to two more of our online business databases comes just in time for Christmas! Thanks to new contract provisions and the assistance of TechSupport we now have links on our Electronic Databases page for D&B Million Dollar Directory and Standard & Poor's Net Advantage. This means that PLYMC patrons will be able to use the full functionality of both online sources from their home computers and can research those investment decisions any time, night or day.

D&B Million Dollar Directory provides basic information on approximately 1,600,000 U.S. and Canadian leading public and private businesses, with sales greater than $1 million or more than 20 employees. Company information includes contact details, key officers, company profiles, executive biographies, number of employees, sales, links to websites, employment trends, and facility details.

Standard & Poor's Net Advantage is a comprehensive, professional source of investment information and analysis on companies, mutual funds, market opportunities, and financial trends. This product pulls together, in one online database, information from the following S&P publications:
· Bond Guide
· Corporation Records
· CreditWeek
· Dividend Record
· Earnings Guide
· Industry Surveys
· Mutual Fund Reports
· The OUTLOOK
· Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives
· Security Dealers of North America
· Stock Guide
· Stock Reports.

Most of these sources were formerly available only at the Main Library and larger branches – now they are available at any PLYMC location or by remote access from home, school or work.

Facts on File now includes video presentations

Facts on File recently added videos to several of its component databases. PLYMC subscribes to three of the four: American History Online, Modern World History Online, and African-American History Online. Many of the videos consist of old newsreel and television footage and cover social, military, and political events of the 20th century and beyond. Check out the "Video Phone of the Future" in American History Online or "Marian Anderson Performs at the Lincoln Memorial" in African-American History Online. Videos link to related records in the database and offer an additional view into the past. These videos do not require download and can be viewed in full screen mode as well as in the traditional Flash format - they should prove popular with students who want to add an unusual element to a presentation.

News You Can Use is now a BLOG!

Welcome to News You Can Use at PLYMC, the Library 2.0 version of the tech news and notes that formerly arrived via e-mail.

A recent issue of Searcher - the Magazine for Database Professionals, recently described e-mail as “an old persons medium.” OUCH! Our hope is that a blog will enable us to share new information out quickly, will make it easier to search the archives for nuggets of helpful information, and will keep us young!

Database News
ReferenceUSA - now provides even more information with the addition of two new modules. In addition to Business and Residential information we now have access to:

The Health Care module, which offers detailed information on 675,000 doctors and 180,000 dentists. Selection criteria for this module include:
· Physician and dentist name
· Geography
· Age
· Gender
· State of license
· Medical school attended
· And more …

The New Business module, which offers information about businesses that have — is updated with thousands of new businesses added each week. These new businesses need a wide variety of goods and services so this is a great marketing tool. Selection criteria for this module include:
· Business name
· Contact information
· Business type
· Business filing type

Watch this space for more good news about database access for PLYMC users!