September 2011 Books, Bucks, and Databases: Business support at the Library

The September 17 meeting of the TIA featured Catherine Moirai, the Business Reference Services Manager at Knox County Public Library. Her presentation was Books, Bucks, and Databases: Business support at the Library. Ms. Moirai earned her Master of Library Science degree at Emory University and has served Knox County Public Library for over 20 years as a reference librarian and as coordinator of the Foundation Center Cooperating Collection.

Catherine Moirai explained that there is an Electronic Library that is available to any Tennessee resident.  Knox County Library spent $33k last year for the database. Residents within Knox County that have a library card can use this database free of charge. Anyone outside of Knox County can pay a $40 charge for the library card that entitles them to use the database. Anyone wishing a library card needs to contact the Library.

She also reminded us that there are a total of 17 library branches through out Knox County for us to access. There is a one hour validated parking if anyone visit the downtown Lawson McGhee Library at 500 W Church Avenue (when parked at Locus Street Garage). The main branch is open 7 days a week.

The Knox Library system has on-line newspapers and magazines. They have full text articles of the Knoxville, Chattanooga & Nashville news papers.  The web address is www.KnoxLib.org.  She mentioned that if anyone wants to find out patent information, they should go to Reference USA, a business phone book. 

Catherine demonstrated the Knox County public library website. First, log on using your library card. The log in link is in the upper right of the browser window.

To access the various business related databases, at the library Home page, click the Reference link on the left sidebar menu.

On the Reference Databases page, either click the Business and Investing link or scroll down to the Business and Investing section. Click on Reference USA. Using Reference USA, one can drill down to find a business by type, size, or number of employees.  It also allows a Radius search up to 150 miles radius.

Catherine discussed the Standard Rate & Data Services (SRDS), which is a database of businesses that send mailing lists.

If one wants to gather information on a particular rich person, there is a reference book that identifies the richest people locally and around the nation. The material is not available on-line, but it can be accessed at the downtown branch, the McGhee-Lawson Library.

Audio and E-books are also available.  They will work with all kinds of electronic book platforms except Kindle. Currently, Amazon has not embraced the idea of free information loading to their platform, yet. You will have to download their managing software to manager these downloads. In many cases, patrons will have to download managing software to manage the ebook downloads. Instructions on ebooks are provided on the Library's home page. If anyone has a problem you can call the library and their sight and sound tech will be happy to help.

She also indicated that there is also a link to trade shows network. The link is on the Business Databases page. From the home page, click the Business link on the left sidebar. The Business Databases page has a link to Trade Shows on the bottom of the right sidebar.

The Library has a Non-Profit database that is not accessible outside of the library due to licensing issues.  The database deals mainly for non-profit funding. One will have to go to the library to obtain any necessary information.