Business information services
Liverpool Libraries subscribe to a wide range of information resources to support business users, whether you are a start up or trying to grow your business, looking for a job, an inventor or investor. See our online resources for more information.
Our experienced staff can guide you through the information sources available or carry out research for you. For more information on our services, contact us.
Our services
Market research and business intelligence
Looking for new trends? Need analysis of customer buying behaviour? Want to benchmark your company's performance against competitors?
We subsrcibe to a comprehensive range of reports from leading market intelligence providers including Mintel, Keynote, Business Ratio and Datamonitor. Coverage includes consumer, retail, industrial, lifestyle and business services.
Keynote and Mintel are available online at City Central, Allerton, Toxteth and Norris Green libraries, and in hard copy in City Central.
Company information and reports
Do you need full company details and accounts, financial ratios or directors? Looking for new suppliers or markets in Europe? We can supply you with the information from our business databases Fame, Mint, Kompass and Keynote.
Starting a business
If you are thinking of starting a business, COBRA (complete business reference advisor) is a versatile and up to date online encyclopaedia. It contains hundreds of practical factsheets covering all aspects of starting and running a business, including Business Opportunity Profiles to help you research new markets and write a business plan.
Visit the COBRA website to log in.
Business to business mailing lists
If you want to target new markets we can compile mailing lists for you from our databases. We can search across a range of criteria including location, type of business, turnover or number of employees and then format the information for your individual needs on a spreadsheet.
Our databases list 27,000 companies in Liverpool and 54,000 in Merseyside and we can search for any part of the UK.
British Standards
In an increasingly competitive market compliance with a widely recognised technical standard can act as a badge of quality, safety and performance for your business. View over 27,000 standards via British Standards Online. If you are a member of Liverpool Libraries you can log in using your Liverpool library card number from work or home.
Log in using your Liverpool library card number.
Intellectual Property Rights
Your invention or idea is a valuable resource and you may be able to protect and exploit them by applying for Intellectual Property Rights. There are four main types of IP patents, trademarks, copyright and registered designs.
We can give guidance on IP applications, supply leaflets and advise on prior art patent searches.
[Due to the redevelopment of Central Library our patent clinic is suspended until further notice].
Legal information
Legislation does not remain static. Acts are amended, consolidated and repealed and case law interprets and refines the law. To make sure your research is always current we have subscriptions to authoritative and reliable legal online research services: Lexis Law Library (all libraries) and Lawtel (City Central).
Use them to find case law and have access to Halsbury's Laws and Statutes, the Encyclopedia of Forms and Precedents and other standard legal resources.