I'm looking for information about local companies for the purposes of a job interview, sales list, etc.

We have many business directories, general and specialized, covering local, regional, national and international firms. These directories can provide you with details about a company such as contact information, number of employees, estimated sales, officer names, ownership date, and SIC code(s).

Depending on the company, some directories provide further in-depth information such as history, competitors, products, financials, etc. Another way to find company information is by searching one of our electronic databases such as the Business and Company Resource Center, searching the Internet for a company's web site, or searching the online version of local business newspapers.

I have the brand name of a product. Can you tell me who is the manufacturer and how I can contact them?

We have specialized directories such as Brands and Their Companies, that list hundreds of thousands of consumer products and their manufacturers with addresses and phone numbers. Our directory collection in the Business Information Center houses other directories that contain brand information on specific industries. Our collection of specialized buying guides contains product information on industries ranging from food, medical, beauty, biotechnology, etc.

I'm thinking of starting a new business. Where do I start?

We have materials that provide information on choosing a type of business and preparing a business plan. Books such as the Entrepreneur Guide and the Small Business Sourcebook provide start-up information on dozens of businesses. We can assist you with any questions you may have on starting a business in Oakland.

The Science/Business/Social Science section has an extensive small business collection where you can find answers to your questions on starting and operating a small business. Once you get started in business, we encourage you to check out our collection of sources to help you maintain and succeed in your business.

What resources (including newsletters) do you have for investors?

Some of the investment newsletters we carry are Value Line and The Outlook (stocks), Morningstar and No Load Fund X (mutual funds), and 100 Highest Yields. Our collection also contains other popular sources like Standard & Poors Creditweek and Stock Reports, The Hulbert Financial Digest and the Kiplinger Washington and California Letters. We have books targeting the beginning to advanced investor. Books include investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and real estate. We also have sources for online trading.

Do you have study guides for Civil Service tests?

We have a job and career collection which includes many study guides. There is not necessarily a test guide for every job, but we have the most popular ones-postal, case worker, California contractors exam, real estate exam, firefighter, law enforcement, ASVAB, the telephone company and clerical just to name a few. These books are very popular so we limit their take-out time to one week. You can check out two of these books at one time.