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Databases
Business Source Elite (in-library and home access)- This business database provides full text for over 1,000 business publications. The rich collection of titles in Business Source Elite provides information dating back to 1985. More than 10,100 substantial company profiles from Datamonitor are also included.
- Regional Business News (in-library and home access)
- Provides comprehensive full text coverage for regional business publications. Regional Business News incorporates coverage of more than 80 regional business publications covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States.
Websites
Chambers of Commerce
- Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas
- Membership organization whose mission is to improve the business climate in Arkansas
- Springdale Chamber of Commerce
- A membership organization of business and community leaders serving as the voice of the Springdale business community.
Arkansas Government Sites
- Arkansas Department of Health
- Occupational licenses, certification, and permit requirements.
- Arkansas Department of Labor
- Find a roster of licensed electricians in the state, license renewals, wage claims assistance for workers, and safety training materials for employers.
- Arkansas Economic Development Commission
- State commission that leads statewide economic development, creates targeted strategies which produce better paying jobs, promotes communities, and supports the training and growth of a 21st century skilled workforce.
- Arkansas Energy Office
- 2004 Arkansas Energy Code for New Building Construction, residential and commercial compliance software, energy efficient building design,renewable energy links, energy efficiency assistance programs and more.
Arkansas Business News
- Arkansas Business.com
- A weekly journal featuring Arkansas business and industry.
- Northwest Arkansas Business Journal
- A bi-weekly publication that focuses on business news in Northwest Arkansas.
Business Directories
- Forbes Lists
- The Forbes lists include everything from best homeschooling websites to best cities for singles, as well as best companies, schools, and more.
- Hoovers
- Find company information searching by name or geographically.
- The National Green Pages
- The Co-op America Business Network directory of "values-driven" businesses.
- The Organic Pages Online
- The Organic Trade Association consumer's guide to organic products, producers, and service providers.
- ThomasNet
- Search for industrial information, products, services, CAD drawings, and more.
Small Business & Startups
- AllBusiness
- Business articles, videos, company profiles, blogs and podcasts for business decision making. Includes widgets, polls, buyer’s guides, directories and more. A Dun and Bradstreet site.
- Center for Business Planning
- Business plan samples, software, strategy and resource links.
- SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business"
- Free and confidential advice and resources for starting or operating a business from a volunteer organization of over 10,500 business owners, executives and corporate leaders.
- The Foundation Center
- The web version of The Foundation Directory (SPL call number 061 Fou). Information for nonprofit enterprises and grant-seekers. Subscription may be required for access to some resources.
- The International Franchise Association
- Information on starting, buying or running a franchise, franchise assessment tools and more.
- The Kauffman Institute
- The Kaufman Foundation provides grants for education and entrepreneurship and hosts Entrepreneurship.org, an interactive web resource for practical business information, contacts, tools, and advice.
Small Business Government Resources
- Arkansas Small Business & Technology Development Center
- A University of Arkansas-based economic development program which provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the state.
- Business Gateway to the US Government
- The official business link to the federal government. Includes information on business licenses, government contracts and federal business grants and loans.
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
- The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the Federal government.
- National Credit Union Administration
- The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the independent federal agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions.
- Office of Women's Business Ownership
- Provides technical assistance to women entrepreneurs who are economically or socially disadvantaged. Offers comprehensive training and counseling on a vast array of topics in many languages to help women start and grow their own businesses.
- Small Business Administration
- An agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns.
- U.S. Minority Business Development Agency
- A federal agency dedicated to advancing the establishment and growth of minority-owned firms in the United States.
- Walton College Small Business & Technology Development Center
- A regional office of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center
Advertising and Marketing
- American Fact Finder
- The U.S. Census Bureau collects data from approximately 3 million households each year as part of the American Community Survey and other surveys. Demographic and economic data is available here and through the American Community Survey site.
- ClickZ Network
- Interactive marketing news, research, opinion and information including ClickZStats, trends and statistics.
- Know This
- Web resources for advertising, selling, promotion, electronic commerce and research arranged topically for easy browsing.
Investment
- Big Charts
- Current and historical stock prices.
- EDGAR
- Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval. Financial statements of public companies filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Investor's Clearinghouse
- Organization dedicated to facilitating greater understanding of investing, investments and the financial markets among current and prospective investors of all ages.
- IRIN: the Investor Relations Information Network
- Financial documents and corporate information for more than 3500 companies.
- Money Chimp
- A useful and accessible financial education resource.
- Path to Investing
- A comprehensive and non profit/non commercial suite of websites that provides tools, resources and up-to-date information on basic personal finance concepts.
- SEC Investor Information
- Publications, cost calculators and research tools.
Real Estate
- Creative Real Estate Online
- Online real estate investment site.
- Eppraisal
- For drive-by appraisals, demographic information by city/state, and links to real estate professionals and certified appraisers.
- Freddie Mac
- Consumer information, calculators and property listings.
- Ginnie Mae
- Mortgage calculator, rent vs own calculator, property owning information.
- Housing and Urban Development Homepage
- HUD home locator, tax credits, and other home ownership programs.
Economic and Demographic Data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Consumer prices, consumer spending, producer prices, employment costs, statistics, and tables.
- Melissa Data
- Demographic data including both free and fee based information.
- Resources for Economists on the Internet
- Sponsored by the American Economic Association.
Consumer Links
- Arkansas Attorney General
- Consumer Protection Division includes consumer tips and alerts, Do Not Call list, and consumer and Medicaid fraud complaint forms.
- Bank Rates
- Information on mortage rates, refinancing, investments.
- Better Business Bureau
- Complaint and performance histories for business or charitable organizations. Includes current consumers scam alerts as well.
- Consumer World
- This guide to over 2000 consumer resources includes links to online customer service departments, consumer agencies, and consumer bargains.
- Consumer.gov
- Consumer resources from the federal government.
- Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Consumer Assistance
- Read about your rights as a consumer and how to remove your name from telemarketing lists.
- Household Products Database
- The National Institutes of Health provides this database of ingredients and health effects from the Material Safety Data Sheets for over 7000 consumer brands.
- Organic Consumers Association
- Provides information on organic foods and food safety.
- Federal Consumer Action Website
- One-stop source for information about consumer problems and government services.
- National Consumer Law Center
- Helps consumers, their advocates, and public policy makers use powerful and complex consumer laws on behalf of low-income and vulnerable Americans seeking economic justice.
- Recalls.gov
- Provides alerts about unsafe, hazardous or defective products,
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Federal agency charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products.
Consumer Reports
- ConsumerReview
- A user-generated buying advice site for outdoor sporting goods and consumer electronics.
- ConsumerSearch
- Product reviews collected and ranked for hundreds of products.
- Epinions
- A consumer reviews platform that provides in-depth product evaluations and personalized recommendations.
Consumer Credit
- Credit Counseling of Arkansas
- "CCOA is a non-profit community service organization dedicated to helping people manage their finances and solve their debt problems through free counseling, free seminars and a debt management program."
- Federal Trade Commission Consumer Credit page
- Information on the free annual credit report, credit repair, privacy, report scoring, and more.
- Free Annual Credit Report
- This central site allows you to request a free credit report, once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
Insurance
- Arkansas Insurance Department Consumer Services Division
- The AID helps consumers with complaints and questions about insurance companies, adjusters and agents. Links to Arkansas Medicare, Worker's Compensation Commission, Long Term Care Ombudsman, and more.
- HealthDecisions.org
- Sponsored by America's Health Insurance Plans, includes news and information, a learning center, and portals for many types of insurance.
- Insurance Information Institute
- Information about all types of insurance, industry financials, studies and hot topics.
Quotes and Comparisons
- Insure.Com
- A comprehensive array of information on life, health, auto, and home insurance including articles and decision-making tools.
- InsWeb Insurance Services
- Quickly compare insurance quotes.
Product Support
- Instruction Sheets by Manufacturer
- Hundreds of manufacturer links to obtain product instruction sheets and manuals.
- User Manuals
- User manuals and user guides for equipment such as mobile phones, photo cameras, monther boards, monitors, software, televisions, DVD players and more.