Using Business Information Services at the British Library

Abstract

Describes the work of the British Library in its current and planned provision of information services for business researchers, where particular importance has been placed on making these services accessible and easy to use. The diversity of the British Library’s collections and the range of resources currently available to the business researcher are illustrated by means of a case study based on a review of the information sources for the alternative health care industry available to researchers using the British Library reading rooms and to those using the research and document delivery services. Pays particular attention to the work of the British Library Research Service, which offers expert research across the areas of business, patents, engineering and technology, medicine, chemistry and official publications; and can also organize the delivery of documents identified by the research, providing a one-stop shop for cross-disciplinary research and document delivery. Points to the way in which the British Library has focused on the development of collections to offer more material of value to business researchers. The case study illustrates how to find out what the British Library holds in its collections; examples of what is held on alternative health care; how the British Library can carry out research for users; and how documents may be ordered. Reviews some of the specific information resources provided, including: the business enquiry service; free online sources available via the World Wide Web; examples of information sources on alternative health care in the collections; electronic sources; market research reports; trade journals; directories and dictionaries; annual reports; trade literature; textbooks; official publications; and intellectual property.