This massive set (8 volumes) is also published by LexisNexis, publisher of last week's Advertising Red Book. It comes out yearly and the cost this year will be approximately $2000.Included are four sections, each consisting of two volumes: U.S. Public Companies, U.S. Private Companies, International, and the Master Index.
U.S. Public Companies lists 5563 ultimate parent companies with their U.S. and non U.S. sub companies. Information given for each company includes contact information, business description, year founded, stock symbol and where traded, financial and employee figures, business description, personnel, and any subsidiaries. Entries are arranged alphabetically.
U.S. Private Companies is virtually the same as the public company volumes in arrangement and information included minus the sales and financial figures. 49,357 companies with their U.S. and non U.S. sub companies are listed.
International is the same as the private company volumes with 10,066 companies and their U.S. and non U.S. sub companies listed.The Master Index is the set's strength. The indexes include:
-a complete alphabetical company index for all volumes
-a corporate responsibilities index which lists personnel by areas of responsibility such as chief financial officer, general counsel, etc.
-a U.S. geographic company index arranged by state, and within state by town
-a non U.S. geographic company index arranged by country and within country by city
-an SIC code company index, preceeded by a handy SIC code list
-a NAICS code company index, also preceeded by a NAICS code list.
The big question for this set is: How much of this information can we get from OneSource? Also, when was the last time you used it, and for what purpose?
12 comments:
I have not used this as a librarian. However, I use it fairly regularly as a patron, including last week for an index I am building.
I say keep it - maybe every other year editions. I have not used it recently but between it and the information on the internet we can access good solid company facts. We may love the internet but sometimes it is deficient. An oldie but goodie.
Without having done an in-depth comparison, my guess is that most, if not all, the information in Corporate Affiliations can be found in OneSource. CA covers 65,000 companies as compared to 3,000,000 for OneSource.
I still occasionally use CA to find a company’s parent or to get a list of the subsidiaries and divisions of a parent company. But this is just because it’s familiar. I’m trying to use OneSource more, and the more I use it, the more easily I’m finding what I want.
OneSource also offers the added advantage of list-making capability for foreign companies that have U.S. parents, U.S. companies that have foreign parents, and U.S. companies that have U.S. parents. CA’s geographic indexes don’t work well at all for that. Also, you can customize a OneSource list to include just the data you want.
Unlike, the Advertising Red Books, which seem to have a few devotees among our users, I’ve never had anyone ask for CA by name. I don’t think it would be missed, particularly once we show people how much they can get from OneSource. So I recommend we stop getting it (and keep subscribing to OneSource).
CH's comment brings a question to mind. Will eliminating print reference resources, particularly expensive ones like CA, help to ensure our continued subscription to valuable electronic resources like OneSource? Another way of asking that same question is, will a reduction in the print reference budget directly translate into an increased budget for electronic databases? The answer to this question would heavily sway my opinion on whether to keep a lot of our print resources.
In answer to Ji Hae's comment about what is going to happen to the money saved by discontinuing standing orders or getting them every other year is yes, my plan is that this will translate into database money. In fact, that's how we got OneSource--by cancelling the microfilm subscription to the NYT, which was nearly $5,000. Also, we paid for the 4 month subscription to Academic Source Premier to carry us over until July 1st with money I am hoping to save on print standing orders this year.
DK says: I've used this resource perhaps five times over the past two years, and I've always had good luck finding what I was looking for in it. If it weren't for Catherine's comments, I'd vote to keep it. Since she thinks that OneSource is an adequate substitute, however, I'd feel comfotable letting it go.
I don't think I have ever used this resource. Given Catherine's comments though perhaps we should get rid of it.
I use this source more often than many other source and think to consult it more than I do OneSource. That said it probably shows up a lack of practice with OnceSource.
From what Catherine says the OneSourcecoverage is much greater.
I still have to get over a print bias.
Summing up - give up the beloved resource.
I have not used CA at all in the last year, if not longer. If it is going to help ensure continued subscriptions to Academic Search Premiere and OneSource then I am in favor of not renewing.
GS says: This is one source I actually use. I find it easier to locate addresses in this, or verify a company name in this print source than online by trying to search a corporation’s website. It’s also difficult, I think, to find the “who owns whom” on the corporation websites and all the regional offices and addresses. However, I’m not sure my use of it is worth $2000. Maybe every other year?
I used it more than several times for statewide reference questions, but, honestly not very often on a daily basis.
The decision on this one is to cancel. Again, we can always reconsider.
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