Additional Primary Resources
- ProQuest Historical NewspapersThis database offers full-text and full-image articles for newspapers dating back to the 19th century. For most titles, the collection includes digital reproductions of every page from every issue, cover to cover, in downloadable PDF files. The database is an ongoing project.
- National Labor Relations Board DecisionsSearchable, full-text collection of NLRB decisions from 1936-present.
- Periodicals Index OnlineIndex to thousands of periodicals in the arts, humanities and social sciences across more than 300 years, covering each periodical from its first issue. Every article is indexed. The scope is international, including journals in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and other languages. Previously known as Periodicals Contents Index (PCI).
- Applied Science & Business Periodicals RetrospectiveIndex and Abstracts of academic journals, magazines, and trade publications from 1913-1983. Useful for researching technology and other scientific development, business strategies over time, companies and trade unions. Includes the complete Industrial Arts Index from 1913-1957. Broad coverage of the applied sciences literature for this time period.
- Reader's Guide Retrospective: 1890-1982 This link opens in a new windowA database containing comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States. Reflects the history of 20th century America. Covers these areas: Aeronautics, African-Americans, Aging, Archeology, Astronomy, Automobiles, Biographies, Business, Children, Education, Environment, Fashion, Film, Fine Arts, Food, Foreign Affairs, Gardening, Health, History, Hobbies, Home, Journalism, Leisure Activities, Literature, Medicine, Music, News, Nutrition, Photography, Politics, Popular Culture, Radio, Religion, Science, Sports, Technology, Television, Travel. The complete database covers the years 1890 through 1982.
- America: History & LifeAmerica: History and Life (AHL) is a complete bibliographic reference to the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present. Published since 1964, the database comprises over 530,000 bibliographic entries for periodicals dating back to 1954. Additional bibliographical entries are constantly added to the databases from editorial projects such as retrospective coverage of journals issues published prior to 1954.
Historical Annual Company Reports
- ProQuest Historical Annual ReportsDatabase offers corporate annual reports for U.S. companies from 1884 to the present. Key data (financial, Fortune 500 ranking, industry classification, key people, geographic location, auditor, and related companies) are indexed in the citation and can be searched. Reports can be browsed by company name, industry or date. Cross-searchable to other historical periodical databases.
- Mergent ArchivesMergent Archives is an online database that allows you to access a vast archive of corporate and industry related documents. Mergent Archives contains more than 180,000 documents covering over 100 countries and industries.
- Columbia Historical Company ReportsDigitized annual reports from the collection of Watson Library, of companies that operated in or around New York City.
- Corporate Reports Online (UPenn)A project of the Lippincott Library at the University of Pennsylvania, consisting of annual reports from U.S. companies, covering the period 1800 through 1955.
- Annual Reports at Academic Business LibrariesA merged database of ARS holdings of academic research libraries in the U.S.
- Annual reports to stockholders on microcards, 1953-1970 : a list of annual reports to stockholders on microcards held in the Cornell University Library.Annual reports to stockholders on microcards is a list of annual reports to stockholders available on microcards held in the Cornell University Library. This publication serves as a guide to this microcard collection of over 45,000 annual reports for over 4,700 companies. This collection includes the annual reports from companies that traded stock on the New York (NYSE), American (AMEX) and Toronto stock exchanges between 1953 and 1970.
Historical SEC filings
- Edgar (SEC)All companies, foreign and domestic, are required to file registration statements, periodic reports, and other forms electronically through EDGAR. Here you'll find links to a complete list of filings available through EDGAR and instructions for searching the EDGAR database. Filings cover 1996-present.
Many business-oriented research libraries own pre-1996 historical SEC filings on microfiche. A select list is provided below.
- Baker Library (Harvard University)
- Catherwood Library (Cornell University)
- GSB Library (Stanford University)
- Kresge Business Administration Library (University of Michigan)
- Library of Congress
- Regenstein Library (University of Chicago)
- Rosenfeld Library (UCLA)
- Watson Library (Columbia University)
Nonprofit Company Research Resources
- Guidestar PremiumSearchable directory that provides detailed information on more than 850,000 nonprofit (501) organizations. Profiles cover mission and programs, financials, leaders, and most importantly, full text via PDF of the charity's IRS 990 filing from 1998 forward in most cases. Form 990 provides information on revenues, expenses, programs, activities, executive salaries and board members. The database contains significant free content. Access to some free content requires registration. Additional premium content is available at the ILR Library. Please ask for assistance at the ILR Reference Desk.
- Foundation CenterFree website. Cornell's "Professional" version has more information. Helpful for grantseekers, this is also a good source of information about nonprofit organizations. Find IRS filings and much more.
Searching Library Catalogs
For general business resources, try searching with the subject headings:
- Business — History
- Business enterprises — History
- Corporations — United States — History
For publications by and about specific companies, try searching the corporate name as the author or subject headings.
- au: Eastman Kodak Company
- su: Eastman Kodak Company
- WorldCatUse this multi-library catalog to find books and periodicals in a library near you.
Additional Resource Guides
- Guide to Business History Resources (LOC)A comprehensive guide to business history research, including essential print bibliographies, directories, and periodicals.
- Tips for Researching Business History (Newberry)Includes tips for online catalog searching.
- Foreign Company Research (LOC)A guide to researching foreign companies.