A couple of students were looking for profiles on the "green consumer" this evening. Although it would seem like it should be simple to find reports on this market segment, we had some trouble finding market information for the segment. We finally came up with the following:
MarketResearch.com has a report entitled: Green Living - US by Mintel International Group Ltd. This comprehensive report covers 8 sectors of this market, trends, future, and demographics.
Warning: I searched for "green" when the student was at the desk, and this report didn't come up in the results. I only discovered it by seeing it mentioned in another reference. (!)
The primary source for this data seems to be LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) http://www.lohas.com/about.html.
From the web site:
"The LOHAS movement focuses on educating and providing resources for businesses and individuals on the market of healthy and sustainable lifestyles. Many businesses don’t know how to market to the LOHAS consumer nor to consumers know which companies are authentic in their branding as it relates to LOHAS values. LOHAS serves as the central hub for education, business resources, updated news, and annual business to business gathering of those fostering the LOHAS movement. The LOHAS shares information and innovative business practices that further promotes the LOHAS lifestyle beneficial to the future of our planet."
LOHAS breaks down the green consumer into market segments (see the "about" page link above) and give the size of each segment in US dollars. The data is from 2005. LOHAS also has a weekly newsletter that tracks the business and consumer trends in the green marketplace. Other sources are listed on the "about" page.
We also found a source on the Web at Green America's Green Business Network for consumer market research in their "Guide to the Green Marketplace" http://coopamerica.org/cabn/resources/greenmarketplace/marketresearch.cfm/ The page lists reports that are available for sale from various organizations. They're quite costly, although some site references to data in press releases and data available for free from previous years.
Other sources:
eMarketer report from 6/23/08: Green Consumer Demographics http://www.tvb.org/pdf/rcentral/Green_Consumer.pdf
Business Green.com 1/25/2008: Are you targeting the correct green consumers? http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/analysis/2208073/spot-green-consumer
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Popular Cultural Universe trial
ERAC is sponsoring a trial of Popular Cultural Universe lasting until 4/21/09. It is available on campus only.
It's worth checking out, if nothing else for the "pop" interface!
Please email me your comments on this resource and its potential usefulness to our curriculum.
It's worth checking out, if nothing else for the "pop" interface!
Please email me your comments on this resource and its potential usefulness to our curriculum.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
How libraries can remain relevant in the digital age
Article of interest pertaining to NYPL and how libraries can remain relevant in the digital age. Booz & Co. did some consulting work with the NYPL in 2008 and published some of their findings in the Spring issue of Strategy + Business. It focuses on the challenges research libraries are facing and provides “Seven imperatives for Library Leadership.”
It’s an interesting perspective given it comes from the minds of consultants and not from the library community.
See "The Library Rebooted" in Strategy + Business, Spring 2009.
It’s an interesting perspective given it comes from the minds of consultants and not from the library community.
See "The Library Rebooted" in Strategy + Business, Spring 2009.
ARTFL Project
This database used let us search for free but now requires a subscription. It will be removed from the database list.
Gale Virtual Reference and the Catalog
The problems relating to linking from CUNY+ to Gale Virtual Reference e-books have been fixed. You should now be able to find link from CUNY+ to the e-book in GVRL seamlessly. This is working both on campus and remotely.
Please let me know if you experience any other problems.
Please let me know if you experience any other problems.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Johannes Britz Presentation in Room 620 at 12:30
We may have attendees from across campus coming into the library today at 12:30 for the presentation by Johannes Britz. The actual location is room 620 in this building.
If you are attending and have time, you may want to read this article by Britz that is available online:
Britz, Johannes J. "Making the Global Information Society Good: A Social Justice Perspective on the Ethical Dimensions of the Global Information Society." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 59.7 (2008) 1171-1183. link
If you are attending and have time, you may want to read this article by Britz that is available online:
Britz, Johannes J. "Making the Global Information Society Good: A Social Justice Perspective on the Ethical Dimensions of the Global Information Society." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 59.7 (2008) 1171-1183. link
Friday, March 20, 2009
Psychology Midterm Assignment
Dear Colleagues:
Last night on the reference desk two students asked essentially the same set of questions related to a psychology 4000 level class midterm. Moreover they seemed unsure how to phrase their question or understand exactly what they needed. After some discussion I realized that they need information related to the "scientific method."
While the assignment did not use the broader rubric of the "scientific method" the students were trying to answer questions related to components of this research thought process such as hypothesis, theory, testing and etc. Among other questions they were expected to compare the validity of theories in psychology. The students did not understand the issues ranging from basics such as meaning of words to the more complex conceptual questions of determining the validity of a theory in psychology or the application of the "scientific method" across an array of the sciences.
Consequently to undertake this assigment I suggested a surprisingly wide range of readily used research tools. Begin with such elementary reference works as a dictionary, paper or Oxford Referrence Online, to understand word meanings e. g. hypothesis, theory, scientific method etc. Quickly move on to an encyclopedia searching for meanings and concepts of these same words. With an understanding of this go to one of the databases in psychology to find (a) full text article(s) to compare "theory." With the collection and understanding of these parts, then see which theory is best bolstered by evidence to compare the validity as required.
For those who have much more time CUNY+ has as many as 100 books on the scientific method. These books will provide yet more background.
I hope that this is helpful.
David
Last night on the reference desk two students asked essentially the same set of questions related to a psychology 4000 level class midterm. Moreover they seemed unsure how to phrase their question or understand exactly what they needed. After some discussion I realized that they need information related to the "scientific method."
While the assignment did not use the broader rubric of the "scientific method" the students were trying to answer questions related to components of this research thought process such as hypothesis, theory, testing and etc. Among other questions they were expected to compare the validity of theories in psychology. The students did not understand the issues ranging from basics such as meaning of words to the more complex conceptual questions of determining the validity of a theory in psychology or the application of the "scientific method" across an array of the sciences.
Consequently to undertake this assigment I suggested a surprisingly wide range of readily used research tools. Begin with such elementary reference works as a dictionary, paper or Oxford Referrence Online, to understand word meanings e. g. hypothesis, theory, scientific method etc. Quickly move on to an encyclopedia searching for meanings and concepts of these same words. With an understanding of this go to one of the databases in psychology to find (a) full text article(s) to compare "theory." With the collection and understanding of these parts, then see which theory is best bolstered by evidence to compare the validity as required.
For those who have much more time CUNY+ has as many as 100 books on the scientific method. These books will provide yet more background.
I hope that this is helpful.
David
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Vendor Card Dispenser Is Out of Order
Annette Ruiz posted this message on BBLIBS today, which everyone may not have seen:
The card dispenser is down. A student tried to get his dollar bill back from the dispenser and only half of the bill came out. Unfortunately I could not get the rest of the bill out, so I had to take the dispenser out of service. Felix, the Continental supervisor has been called and he will come in tonight at about 6:00pm or so. In the mean time I have placed a note on the dispenser telling students that the can go to run 420 if they need a card. The note also lets them know that they can add money to a copy card on machine number one. When I leave today I will leave a few cards at the Reference desk and the Service counter on the 3rd floor. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Also both machine #4 and the microfiche/microfilm machines will be serviced today. Again if you have any problems please let me know.
Gale Virtual Reference and the Catalog
We are experiencing continued problems when trying to access Gale Virtual Library titles from CUNY+. When one does, one gets a page asking for login information.
Please access any such titles directly from the Gale Virtual Reference from the Databases page.
Saad and I have been working with the Central Office and Gale to try to get it resolved and will keep you updated.
Please access any such titles directly from the Gale Virtual Reference from the Databases page.
Saad and I have been working with the Central Office and Gale to try to get it resolved and will keep you updated.
DealScan Database Only Works in Internet Explorer
News to me: the DealScan database only works in Internet Explorer. I'll ask Mike Waldman to put a note in the database description to that effect.
New Interface on Factiva
Have a look at the new interface on Factiva. The search interface is much the same but the big changes are in the results page. It now displays the discovery pane from Factiva's Search 2.0 alongside the standard results list. This means you can now focus your search results with any one of the discovery options: company, industry, keywords, news clusters, subject, source or date. Tabs at the top of the results page give access to another Search 2.0 option: news from the Web, pictures and multimedia. If you want to see your results without the discovery pane, you can click and turn it off.
Research Consultations at Newman Library
The library will be launching our new Research Consultation program next week. The new program will be offered year-round and will be open to all Baruch students. Students can register online for individual or group appointments. We are advising students that the research consultations are best for in-depth assistance with complex research assignments. Specifically, they will be able to learn how to focus their research topic, plan research strategy, identify relevant sources of information, and find and evaluate sources of information.
You can already see links to the registration form on our website in the “Featured in the Library” space and the rotating banner at the top of the page. Watch for a press release next week. Marketing materials will be sent to all departmental liaisons to share with their faculty.
Stephen Francoeur will continue to coordinate the program. Thank you to the committee who worked on the design of the new program: Lisa Ellis, Linda Rath, Joe Hartnett and Stephen Francoeur.
You can already see links to the registration form on our website in the “Featured in the Library” space and the rotating banner at the top of the page. Watch for a press release next week. Marketing materials will be sent to all departmental liaisons to share with their faculty.
Stephen Francoeur will continue to coordinate the program. Thank you to the committee who worked on the design of the new program: Lisa Ellis, Linda Rath, Joe Hartnett and Stephen Francoeur.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Consider Phoning Users in E-mail Reference
Users submitting their question using the e-mail reference form at the Newman Library website, are asked to provide a telephone number. This information was obtained in order to give librarians the option for replying by phone to user queries which may be a more timely manner for response than responding by e-mail.
I would like to encourage use of this form of “reference hybridization”(as defined in a submitted scholarly article I wrote), as it may be appropriate and allow for a quicker response time to a reference transaction initially begun in e-mail mode.
Please note that if you elect to respond to an e-mail query by phone, please be sure to follow the simple steps to “close” the question noted in the E-Mail Reference Policy Manual at \\Numan\Shared\Divisions\IS\E-Mail Reference .
In addition to a brief note about how the question was handled, it would be helpful to know what time you phoned the user to see if this in fact leads to a more timely response. Overall, this information will help us keep track of how e-mail questions were handled for statistical purposes.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
I would like to encourage use of this form of “reference hybridization”(as defined in a submitted scholarly article I wrote), as it may be appropriate and allow for a quicker response time to a reference transaction initially begun in e-mail mode.
Please note that if you elect to respond to an e-mail query by phone, please be sure to follow the simple steps to “close” the question noted in the E-Mail Reference Policy Manual at \\Numan\Shared\Divisions\IS\E-Mail Reference .
In addition to a brief note about how the question was handled, it would be helpful to know what time you phoned the user to see if this in fact leads to a more timely response. Overall, this information will help us keep track of how e-mail questions were handled for statistical purposes.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
"Small firm effect" article by Banz wanted and found
A student came to the desk today and said everyone was looking for Banz's "small firm effect" article; she was unable to find it but "everyone quotes it." She knew it was published in 1981. Through finding some citations, we learned it is the following article, which is available through Science Direct:
The relationship between return and market value of common stocks
Journal of Financial Economics, Volume 9, Issue 1, March 1981, Pages 3-18
Rolf W. Banz
The relationship between return and market value of common stocks
Journal of Financial Economics, Volume 9, Issue 1, March 1981, Pages 3-18
Rolf W. Banz
expatriate compensation in Mexico
I got an email reference about expatriate compensation in Mexico. It was referred from chat.
The student needs to research on expatriate expenditure, and it is the senario. "I am a Human Resource manager who needs to send a senior executive to Mexico as an expat. I need to know the salary, living expenses, and other compensation I need to provide (numbers or approximate amounts)."
I've tried a few databases, web sites, and references and found articles that discuss strategic planning about expatriate compensation, but not the compensation statistics or the amount of expenditure. Would any corporation reports may show the expatriate expenditure? Please let me know if you may recommend any sources for the question.
Thanks.
The student needs to research on expatriate expenditure, and it is the senario. "I am a Human Resource manager who needs to send a senior executive to Mexico as an expat. I need to know the salary, living expenses, and other compensation I need to provide (numbers or approximate amounts)."
I've tried a few databases, web sites, and references and found articles that discuss strategic planning about expatriate compensation, but not the compensation statistics or the amount of expenditure. Would any corporation reports may show the expatriate expenditure? Please let me know if you may recommend any sources for the question.
Thanks.
Aicpa code of professional conduct and reserved section 400
Last night an accounting professor forwarded a question from a student who was trying to access the AICPA code of professional conduct and Section 400 relating to responsibilities to colleagues.
The student thought that "reserved" meant that there was a charge to access the information. Not in this case.."reserved" means "something saved for future use." Currently, there is no material in Section 400.
She was asking about Section 400 in relation to an audit failure case of 20 some years ago. The online code is only the current version of the code. There may have been a section 400 at one time, or the responsibilities to colleagues might be covered elsewhere. Searching CUNY+ for prior editions of the code, or journal articles in publications such as the Journal of Accountancy, the official journal of the AICPA, and the CPA Journal, the New York chapter's publication, might provide information on responsibilities to colleagues.
The student thought that "reserved" meant that there was a charge to access the information. Not in this case.."reserved" means "something saved for future use." Currently, there is no material in Section 400.
She was asking about Section 400 in relation to an audit failure case of 20 some years ago. The online code is only the current version of the code. There may have been a section 400 at one time, or the responsibilities to colleagues might be covered elsewhere. Searching CUNY+ for prior editions of the code, or journal articles in publications such as the Journal of Accountancy, the official journal of the AICPA, and the CPA Journal, the New York chapter's publication, might provide information on responsibilities to colleagues.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Monday, March 09, 2009
some suggestions for intepreting the meaning of a poem--"Fishhawk" also known as Guan ju
A student asked for help tonight in understanding a poem she said was "Fishhawk" (the English title for what she said was an old Chinese poem.) I have since learned that this is a very famous poem and that many commentaries say osprey, rather than fish hawk. (Poetry and birds are not my strong suits.) The student didn't offer any other information.
I tried the literature databases without much success using fishhawk. When I tried wikipedia, I learned that there is an article Guan ju, that the title of the poem comes from the first line Guan Guan ju jiu, "which evokes a scene of ospreys calling on a river islet. Fundamentally the poem is about finding a good and fair maiden as a match for the young noble." This article has a number of references, of which I checked CUNY+ and we have several of the books:
Chinese approaches to literature from Confucius to Liang chʻi-chao /
Baruch - Stacks - PL2272.5 .C5327
The Columbia history of Chinese literature /
Baruch - Stacks - PL 2265 .C65 2001
Anthology of Chinese literature : from early times to the fourteenth century /
Baruch - Stacks - PL2658 .E1 B522 1967
I hope that this is helpful.
I tried the literature databases without much success using fishhawk. When I tried wikipedia, I learned that there is an article Guan ju, that the title of the poem comes from the first line Guan Guan ju jiu, "which evokes a scene of ospreys calling on a river islet. Fundamentally the poem is about finding a good and fair maiden as a match for the young noble." This article has a number of references, of which I checked CUNY+ and we have several of the books:
Chinese approaches to literature from Confucius to Liang chʻi-chao /
Baruch - Stacks - PL2272.5 .C5327
The Columbia history of Chinese literature /
Baruch - Stacks - PL 2265 .C65 2001
Anthology of Chinese literature : from early times to the fourteenth century /
Baruch - Stacks - PL2658 .E1 B522 1967
I hope that this is helpful.
Help in finding CPA exam review materials
Some students are apparently having trouble locating the most recent review materials to help them prepare for the various sections of the CPA exam. Since 2004, the exam has been given only at designated computer centers. There are four sections to the exam, and students register for the section or sections that they want to undertake.
The review materials are cataloged as serial records. Listed below are the materials that we own and students can use. These materials are kept in reserve. (Some vendors, such as Becker, Gleim and other offer review courses, which are not available through the library.)
Series: Wiley CPA exam review 2009--this has four separate title entries for each individual review guide.
Auditing and Attestation HF 5661.C675 2009 2nd floor Reserves
Business Environment & Concepts HF 5661.c7230 2nd floor Reserves
Financial Accounting & Reporting HF 5661.C669 2009 2nd floor Reserves
Regulation HF 5661.C670 2009 Reserves
Wiley CPA exam review Fast Track--one volume, has materials on all four sections of the exam, but not as detailed as the individual volumes.
HF 5661 W 49 2008 2nd Floor Reserves
Wiley CPA exam How to master simulations HF 5661 W49 2008 2nd floor Reserves
For some parts of the exam, students need to identify sections of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (available electronically) to answer some questions. This book helps students prepare for these questions.
Wiley CPA exam review focus notes--also available in four separate titles. These are similar to detailed flash cards that are bound together in a spiral bound book.
Accounting and Attestation HF 5661 .A54 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Business Environment and Concepts HF5661 .A56 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Financial accounting and reporting HF 5661.A57 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Regulation HF5661 .A58 2008 2nd floor REserves
2 copies of Computer file available from Wiley:
Whittington, Ray, 1948-:
Wiley CPA exam review practice software 13.0[electronic resource] : complete set /
New York : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2008].
1 CD-ROMs ; 4 3/4 in.
Baruch Media - Reserve 2nd Floor - Computer file 240
The two copies of this software are available for one day loan. (The newest edition, available this month, is be ordered.) This "complete set" includes provides hundreds of multiple choice questions and solutions and includes AICPA simulation questions. In addition, guidelines, explanations, tips, and diagnostic feedback covering the CPA examination are included.
Another publisher of print materials: Bisk
Bisk also offers a series of four separate titles to help prepare for the exam
title is listed in CUNY+ as CPA review.Auditing & attestation.
Tampa, FL : Bisk Publishing, c2003-, but the other volumes have slightly differences with the titles and publishers, based on prior years.
For 2008/2009:
Auditing and Attestation HF 5661.C6722 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Business Environment & Concepts - HF 5661 .C6772 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Financial accounting and reportsin- HF 5661 .C7245 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Regulation HF 5661 .C6735 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Please let me know if you have any questions. Rita
Past issues of these serials are also available and in reserves.
The review materials are cataloged as serial records. Listed below are the materials that we own and students can use. These materials are kept in reserve. (Some vendors, such as Becker, Gleim and other offer review courses, which are not available through the library.)
Series: Wiley CPA exam review 2009--this has four separate title entries for each individual review guide.
Auditing and Attestation HF 5661.C675 2009 2nd floor Reserves
Business Environment & Concepts HF 5661.c7230 2nd floor Reserves
Financial Accounting & Reporting HF 5661.C669 2009 2nd floor Reserves
Regulation HF 5661.C670 2009 Reserves
Wiley CPA exam review Fast Track--one volume, has materials on all four sections of the exam, but not as detailed as the individual volumes.
HF 5661 W 49 2008 2nd Floor Reserves
Wiley CPA exam How to master simulations HF 5661 W49 2008 2nd floor Reserves
For some parts of the exam, students need to identify sections of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (available electronically) to answer some questions. This book helps students prepare for these questions.
Wiley CPA exam review focus notes--also available in four separate titles. These are similar to detailed flash cards that are bound together in a spiral bound book.
Accounting and Attestation HF 5661 .A54 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Business Environment and Concepts HF5661 .A56 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Financial accounting and reporting HF 5661.A57 2008 2nd floor Reserves
Regulation HF5661 .A58 2008 2nd floor REserves
2 copies of Computer file available from Wiley:
Whittington, Ray, 1948-:
Wiley CPA exam review practice software 13.0[electronic resource] : complete set /
New York : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2008].
1 CD-ROMs ; 4 3/4 in.
Baruch Media - Reserve 2nd Floor - Computer file 240
The two copies of this software are available for one day loan. (The newest edition, available this month, is be ordered.) This "complete set" includes provides hundreds of multiple choice questions and solutions and includes AICPA simulation questions. In addition, guidelines, explanations, tips, and diagnostic feedback covering the CPA examination are included.
Another publisher of print materials: Bisk
Bisk also offers a series of four separate titles to help prepare for the exam
title is listed in CUNY+ as CPA review.Auditing & attestation.
Tampa, FL : Bisk Publishing, c2003-, but the other volumes have slightly differences with the titles and publishers, based on prior years.
For 2008/2009:
Auditing and Attestation HF 5661.C6722 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Business Environment & Concepts - HF 5661 .C6772 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Financial accounting and reportsin- HF 5661 .C7245 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Regulation HF 5661 .C6735 2008/2009 Reserves 2nd floor
Please let me know if you have any questions. Rita
Past issues of these serials are also available and in reserves.
Collecting Reference Statistics
Because of the snow last Monday, we are going to continue collecting reference statistics today and substitute today's count for last Monday's. Please deposit all data sheets in the box in the reference office.
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