It is important to keep in mind the Business Library's holdings represent only a portion of the University Library system's total business and economics collection. The Business Library should be used in conjunction with the Thomas Cooper Library, which contains substantial holdings of materials in these fields.

Policy:

Anyone may use the resources of the Business Library; however, materials may only be checked out with a valid USC, Thomas Cooper Society, or alumni identification card.

Reserves:

Reserve materials are listed in notebooks under the instructor's name and are located behind the circulation desk. Students may request reserve items using a current USC identification card and the call number listed beside the titles. Reserve materials circulate within the library for a two-hour period and cannot be taken out of the library for any reason.
 

The Library Catalog

Books and periodicals in the Business Library's collection are listed in the USC Systems Libraries' online catalog. You can search the library catalog database by author, title, keyword, subject and call number. Materials in the Business Library collection are identified with a "Columbia Business" location in the catalog. The library catalog is available on the network computers.  

Reference:

The business and economic reference collection includes: specialized dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, directories, handbooks, and statistical sources. In addition there are periodical indexes, corporate annual reports, and various accounting, tax, finance and international business services are available. Handouts are available which list key reference sources for company, industry and country research.

Circulating Collection:

The circulating collection contains the most recent monographs in selected call number ranges in the HB-HJ Library of Congress classification system. In addition, Thomas Cooper Library houses many business and economics monographs.  These materials are listed in the library catalog. The Business Library also has an uncataloged textbook collection where books are shelved within broad subject categories by author's name. All books circulate for a four-week period.

Periodicals:

A core collection of approximately 300 business and economic periodicals is available in the Business Library. Current issues are displayed alphabetically by title. The library holds the bound back files for 10-25 years depending on the periodical. Older back files are located in Thomas Cooper Library. Electronic journals are available in such databases as Lexis-Nexis, JSTOR and Infotrac. The Business Library also maintains a microfilm collection of over 500 periodical titles consisting primarily of trade and regional business journals for the period 1982 to 1998. These titles are accessible through the "Business Collection Issue Guide," the "General Business File ASAP", and the library catalog. A reader/printer is available to view and make paper copies from the microfilm. Periodicals available in the CD-ROM format are accessed through the BUSINESS PERIODICALS ONDISC (BPO) workstation #1. Click E-Journals for a complete list of electronic journal holdings.

Electronic Resources:

The Business Library offers a wide variety of computerized resources through stand-alone CD-ROM workstations and networked PCs. Internet based resources through the World Wide Web are also accessible. See the Business Library Subject Guides for handouts that list various CD-ROM and Web-based sources available at Springs Business Library See the Electronic Resources Page for a master list of all available databases.

Printing:

All printing from networked PCs is routed to the printers near the windows and costs ten cents per page, payable with Carolina Card or a copy card. A Blackboard username and password is required to obtain prints; check at the reserves desk for a guest username and password if a copy card is to be used to purchase prints. If there are problems with the printer(s), please ask the librarian for assistance.