Selected Resources
Governor's School
Summer, 2001

Table of Contents



Books
There is one resource that will assist in locating items in the Lehigh University libraries. It is:
    1. ASA, The Library's Online Catalog. This lists all the items in the library and their location.
ASA should be the first place to look for items with information on your and/or related topics. An example is the need to look for statistics on population in a geographic area. There are resources listed in ASA that can answer that question. Remember: Use ASA to locate books, journals, A-V materials, CD-ROMs and Web sites. Journal articles are NOT indexed in ASA.

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Journal Indexes
Locating articles on your topic will assist in providing information. To locate, click on these in this order: the Libraries' button (located at the top of Lehigh web page), Electronic Resources, then Databases. (Or click on its URL:
http://www.lehigh.edu/~inref/databases/index.html). They are:
    1. ABI-Inform. Indexes over 1400 journals in management and business. Coverage is from 1987 for most journals. (There is some coverage prior to 1986 for some journals.) About 45% of the articles are available in full text.
    2. Dow Jones Publications Library. Available on the Web. Covers over 6000 publications (full text) with some back to early 1980's.
    3. InfoTrac (a.k.a. Expanded Academic Index). Covers over 1400 journal going back to 1980. Some articles are available in full text.
    4. Lexis Nexis. This database has its Business section with divisions including Industry, Company Financial and Business News. This includes full text of journals, newspapers, and wire services relating to business world. It also has full text legal materials such court decisions, legislation and regulations.
    5. Periodical Abstracts Covers over 1800 journals and newspapers. Some journal articles are available in full text.
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Statistical Indexes
These items list sources where statistics can be located. They are:
    1. American Statistics Index. 310.016/C749a/Ref. Covers statistics printed by the Federal Government.
    2. Statistical Reference Index. 317.3016/S797/Ref. Covers statistics printed by non-Federal Government agencies, i.e., associations, commercial publishers, states, etc. Available on fiche since 1980 at Fairchild Library.
    3. Statistical Universe. This is an index of statistics that were previously published in the indexes listed above. Also this is compilation of statistics. Its URL is http://www.lexis-nexis.com/statuniv.
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General Statistical Resources
The listed resources will give statistics on industries, general economy and population that are produced by the Federal Government, associations and private publishers. Some of the resources have statistics are available on the Web. These are:
    1. Associations Unlimited. Good for finding the industry's association and other related associations. Statistics are often available at the associations' sites for its industry. This is available by following the directions for the Journal Index section. This is also available in print and its title is Encyclopedia of Associations. Its call number is 061.3/G152e/FM-1-R-REF
    2. Demographics USA: Zip Edition. 658.8/D383/FM-1-REF. 1998 edition is available.
    3. The Sourcebook of zip code demographics. 658.8/S724a/FM-1-REF. The 2000 edition is available.
    4. Standard Directory of Advertisers. 659.112/S7852/FM-1-Ref.
    5. Standard Directory of Advertising Agencies. 659.112/S785/FM-1-Ref.
    6. Statistical Abstract of the United States. 317.2/U58s/FM-1-RRef. Latest edition is in Ready Reference with earlier editions in the stacks. The URL for the Web edition is http://www.census.gov/statab/www/.
    7. STAT-USA. This is a compendium of government statistical information on the Web. It gives information on general economic conditions in the United States, i.e., Consumer Price Index and Leading Economic Indicators. This compendium contains on the National Trade Data Bank. This gives information on foreign trade statistics of the U.S., trade opportunities and information on a foreign country's rules and regulations. Available at on the Databases page and the URL is http://www.lehigh.edu/~inref/databases/index.html.
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World Wide Web
Using a search engine, e.g., AltaVista, Infoseek, etc., you will find information that may be useful. There are (but not limited to) government, associations, companies and individuals that have home pages. They provide facts, figures, and reports that may be important to your research. When searching on the Web, be sure to use a number of search engines. There are multi-search engines that search other search engines. These will make searching the Web more efficient. Dogpile.com (URL is http://www.dogpile.com/) is an example of these multi-search engines. It will search AltaVista, Magellan, etc., to locate needed resources. An example would be a search for company home pages listing information on the company and/or product. Remember: anyone can put up a web page with information. Is the information on the web page reliable?

Listed below are resources that can assist in locating information needed for your project. They are:

    1. Acxiom Phone Directory (businesses).
    2. Acxiom Phone Directory (homes).
    3. FinanceHub: Venture capital on the Web. Its URL is http://FincanceHub.com/vc.html.
    4. Local Business Journals. Use the following to locate articles from 41 local business journals. Its URL is http://www.bizjournals.com.
    5. Salary.com. This site is a good site for locating salaries of occupations and geographic areas. It does not have employment figures. The Federal Government (See the Government Resources section, #4) puts them out in the Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates that can be used in conjunction with Salary.com. Its URL is http://www.salary.com/home/layoutscripts/sall_home.asp.
    6. Thomas register of American manufacturers. 605.8/T463/FM-1-Ref. Its URL is http://www.thomasregister.com/.


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Government Resources
The Federal Government and Pennsylvania publish a variety of statistics that can help with your projects. Listed below are resources that may have useful statistics. NOTE: There are more resources listed in the WWW Section. The Federal Government publishes the items, numbered 1-6, and Pennsylvania publishes the ones, numbered 7-10. They are:
    1. County Business Patterns C 3.204/4: 995-96/FM-2-DOC-R. Available on CD-ROM and in print. Gives business and employment information by county and business category. It is also available on the web. Its URL is http://www.census.gov/epcd/cbp/view/cbpview.html.
    2. REIS (computer file): Regional Economic Information System. C59.24:969-98/CD. Contains valuable information on local areas. Remember: Information may be dated.
    3. SPI: State Personal Income, 1929-1997. C59.25:929-97. Available on CD-ROM.
    4. Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dept. of Labor. It gives information on local employment and wage scales on a national, state and metropolitan area. A good source for wage cost estimates. Its URL is: http://stats.bls.gov/oes/oes_data.htm. Use this in conjunction with Salary.com.
    5. Small Business Administration. Its URL is http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/.
    6. Local Government Financial Statistics. PCA 1.138/4:1997. Provides financial information on local governments including taxation, indebtedness, and expenditures. This item is located in the state area of the Government Documents section, Fairchild Martindale Library. Available only in print.
    7. Pennsylvania Abstract. 317.48/P415a/FM-1-Ref. A compendium of statistics concerning Pennsylvania. Includes population, economic, and social statistics.
    8. (Pennsylvania) Employment & Wages by County and Industry, 1999. PL67.20/8/6/:269. This item is located in the state area of the Government Documents section, Fairchild Martindale Library. Available in print and on the Web at this URL http://www.lmi.state.pa.us/palmids/sdintromain.asp. The listed web site also contains many statistics listed in #9 and #10 of this section.
    9. PLF Pennsylvania Labor Force. PL 194.17/3: This item is located in the state area of the Government Documents section, Fairchild Martindale Library. Available only in print.
    10. Wages and Income. PL67.17/4/6/P415. Provides information on earnings, per capita, and CPI information. This item is located in the state area of the Government Documents section, Fairchild Martindale Library. Available only in print.
The Library has created a web page for government information including Federal, state, local and international materials. It is called Government Information at Lehigh University Library. Its URL is: http://www.Lehigh.EDU/~inlib/govdocs/. This is an excellent starting point for locating statistical and other relevant material for research on a topic.

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Local Resources for Information
There are a variety of resources that can information as you do the research for the client. These include (but not limited to):
    1. Chambers of Commerce: Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce (Its URL is http://bethlehemchamber.org/.)
    2. County and local governments: Lehigh County, Northampton County, City of Bethlehem (Its URL is http://www.cityofbethlehem.org/.)
    3. Digitalcity.com. A source to locate businesses in the Lehigh Valley and/or nationally. Its URL is http://www.digitalcity.com/.
    4. Financial Resources. A resource to locate funding in the Lehigh Valley. Its URL is http://www.lehighvalleyfinancing.org.
    5. Lehigh Valley Business Network. This is a local web site providing professional, customized web presence for small businesses. Its URL is http://www.lvbiznet.com/.
    6. Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) is a private, non-profit corporation created in 1995 by the Lehigh Valley Partnership (LVP), a consortium of regional business owners and executives with county and municipal government leaders as ex officio members. Its URL is http://www.lehighvalley.org/about.html.
    7. Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (Formerly the Joint Planning Commission). Its URL is http://www.lvpc.org/.
    8. LVIP, Inc., (Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc.). Its URL is http://lvip.org/.
    9. Local Arts Organizations.
    10. Local public libraries: Allentown Public Library, Bethlehem Area Public Library (URL is http://www.bapl.org/.), and Easton Area Public Library.
    11. Local statistics. URL is http://www.lehighvalley.org/demo.html for demographic and economic info. This is from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation. Also the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission has local statistics.
    12. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's home page: http://www.state.pa.us/.
    13. Redevelopment (or Economic) Authorities of states, counties, cities, boroughs, etc.: Northampton County Development Corporation, Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation (its URL is http://www.cityofbethlehem.org/busin_bedco.htm).
    14. RegionOnline. Lehigh Valley Web site URL is http://www.lehighvalleyNOW.com/rol/default.asp.
    15. Small business development centers of the state, counties and cities: Lehigh University's Small Business Development Center (URL is http://www.lehigh.edu/~insbdc/.)
    16. Team Pennsylvania CareerLink. URL is http://www.pacareerlink.state.pa.us/onestop/teampa.asp. This now includes the Private Industry Council. For more information, you can contact them at this phone number, (610) 437-5627.
    17. Tourism Bureaus: Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. Its URL is http://www.lehighvalleypa.org/ .


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A Final Thought
THINK beyond this campus. This means contacting local governments, economic development authorities, and chambers of commerce. Where do you find these? In the LOCAL Telephone Book! You may have to leave campus to meet with these groups.

Created on 7/6/01 by W. Fincke, Business Librarian.
Office: Rm. 632, Fairchild-Martindale Library.
Hours: Mon.-Wed, Fri. 8-Noon; Thurs., 1-5.
Office: Rm. 341, Rauch Business Center.
Hours: Mon.-Wed., Fri., 12:30-4:30, Thurs. 8-Noon.
Phone: 83052
Email: wjf0@lehigh.edu

Christy Roydson
Office: Rm. 394, Fairchild Martindale Computing Center
Phone: 83049
Email: cmr0@lehigh.edu
Available: July 23-27, 2001 ONLY

URL is http://www.lehigh.edu/~inref/guides/guides.html