Introduction to This Blog

A library is a thing of wonder and extremely powerful - if you know how to use it and where to find information.

Periodically, I like to remind readers what this blog is about and how to use it. The Chockablog blog is here to walk you through business reference questions, answer FAQ's about your business questions, and show you some ideas and sources you might not have known about.

We use text, links and video to get all these points across.

Scroll down on the main page and use the subject tags to read blog entries on your topic. The blogging format makes the posts appear in chronological order, but all the entries are up to date and are revised from time to time.

A lot of our databases are wonderful, but not intuitive - so use this blog. We have tons of books on subjects you might not think exist - so use this blog! I've already found the correct web addresses for those government economic statistics. So check that out too.

Welcome to Texas State and the Alkek Library....

Reference Online

I read somewhere that the number one college students use Wikipedia is to get background information. Sometimes it is hard to find our reference resources on the library webpage.

We have reference sources electronically and in dead tree format. It is really important to get the most out of what you are reading instead of scratching your head or feeling a big hollow void of noncomprehension swirl up in your mind. That's where reference - and not just for business - comes in handy. They will provide context and the big picture.

First of all, check out our Credo Reference Collection. Another good idea is Gale reference, which includes business and management encyclopedias. We also have Oxford Reference Online which has some economics and business titles.

Here is our print reference collection. This link just shows you what titles are on the shelves - it's like walking up and down the bookcases.

I think this will make your academic life a lot more rewarding!

Commodities Information

Here, I mean commodities as being agricultural and some gold. Information on oil and energy is in a different post.

Here's our commodities links page from our delicious account.

A good database is FAOSTAT. It has world wide agricultural price and production stats.

Finally, here is the Commodities Yearbook, which has extensive current and historical information about production and price of commodities.

Energy and Oil Statistics

A great collection of authoritative energy web sites from U.S. government, American and international organizations.

Oil and Gas Journal Databook. (This is a deep one - it has current and potential production numbers for different oil and natural gas fields.)

Good DVDs and Videos on Advertising

The Alkek library has a done of great videos and DVDs on advertising. This may be something you wouldn't have expected. Here's the link. There are some more videos specifically devoted to television advertising.

While I was looking around, I found this good set of videos about brands.

I don't know why this cool video about cachaca - the Brazilian rum - isn't in those categories, but here it is.

We Have Tutorials On YouTube

We have many tutorials on YouTube that walk you through the process of using our databases.

The screenshots do zoom in, so you'll be able to see the screen. I made a bunch for the business related majors.

So quit smashing your head against the wall or feeling lost. If you watch the tutorials and still feel that way, consult a psychologist or put a crystal on your forehead.

Start-Ups and Entrepreneur

This is a popular research topic. I really hope you kill out there, because a country can't get enough of cool small businesses. Our broad book and DVD categories include entrepreneurship and new business enterprises.

More specifically, we have this great book How To Start a Business in Texas (we have other states too). It tells you all the legal procedures and ways to get help.

In addition, we have a ton of great books that specifically address how to run specific businesses. You can always do a keyword search in our catalog, but we also have a pretty good series from Entrepreneur Magazine. Those books are great because they give you a lot of specific information about profit per square feet, numbers of employees you must hire, equipment purchases, taxes, location, and utility bills, among other information.

Of course, you can always type in key words and see what you get.

I should also recommend ABI Inform and InfoTrac Small Business Collection. These are full of real life articles about nuts and bolts issues affecting small businesses.

Don't forget to research your market! Another good link for that is Local Market Analyst, which breaks down consumer demographics and psychographics by region.

Finally, the Small Business Administration has a useful site.