Analyzing the Impact of COVID-19 on Consumers, Markets & Industries

Lisa

Many of the library’s business research databases are publishing special analysis of the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on consumers, markets, and industries. Below is a roundup of key resources providing unique and timely content to keep you up-to-date and well informed.

Search tip: Look for a special COVID-19 link, button, icon or banner on the landing page of each database to be directed to their collection of COVID-19 insights, analysis and statistics. Then, conduct keyword searches in the databases to search for additional information.

eMarketer
Database focus: digital marketing, advertising, and media; retail and e-commerce; social media; mobile technology; and consumers. Global coverage.

Examples of recent reports, analysis, and charts: US Consumer Confidence Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic | Bored At Home: US Consumers May Be Eyeing New Subscription Services | Telemedicine Could Be More Widely Adopted Due to the Coronavirus | Coronavirus Impact: Expected Post-Outbreak Vacation Behaviors Among US Internet Users

Euromonitor Passport
Database focus: Global economic, industry and consumer research, data and analysis.

Examples of recent reports and analysis: Coronavirus Price and Availability Tracker | Coronavirus Economic Scenarios | The Impact of Coronavirus on Luxury Goods | Coronavirus Outbreak to Accelerate Household Wellness Trends | Coronavirus Impact on Consumer Payments.

Forrester Research
Database focus: impact of technology on consumers, customer experience, marketing, and business strategy.

Examples of recent insights and reports: Redesign Physical Spaces Now in Response to COVID-19 | Improve Customer Experience in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic | US Shopper Insights and the Impact of COVID-19 as of Early April 2020 | Base Your Marketing Priorities During COVID-19 on Your Company’s Context

Gartner Group Resources
Database focus: IT-related topics and technology, business and management insights.

Examples of recent articles, insights, and reports: Consumer COVID-19 Concerns Tracker | Redeployment of Employees During Times of Disruption Into Agile Teams | Focus on Virtual Customer Engagement to Maintain Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic | 9 Questions to Measure Employee Engagement During Disruptions

IBISWorld Industries and Markets
Database focus: US Industry reports (including a wide variety of specialized industries), Business Environment Reports, and selected Global Industry reports

Examples of recent insights and on-demand webinars: Will Working from Home Remain? | Webinar: COVID-19 & the Accounting Industry | Industry Impacts of Social Distancing

Note: Individual industry reports are being updated with relevant information and analysis surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. View a list of updated reports.

IHS Connect
Database focus: Analysis of business conditions, economic data, and risk assessment for countries, continents, and regions.

Examples of recent analysis: Impact of COVID-19 virus on the MENA region | Fears unbound: Geopolitics after the pandemic | Daily COVID-19 roundup: Russia has second highest rate of COVID-19 infections, dispute over mortality rate continues

Mintel Market Research
Database focus: U.S. consumer lifestyles, attitudes and behavior; market research reports for consumer products and services. Also includes selected international coverage.

Examples of recent reports and analysis: Grocery Retailing | Haircare From Home During COVID-19 | Brands Play the Long Game to Connect with Consumers | COVID-19’s Economic Impact Will Reshape US Consumer Behavior and Shift Market Demand

NBER Working Papers

Database focus: The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Working Papers make results of NBER research available to other economists in preliminary form to encourage discussion and suggestions for revision before final publication.

Examples of recently released working papers: “When Do Shelter-in-Place Orders Fight COVID-19 Best? Policy Heterogeneity Across States and Adoption Time” by Dhaval M. Dave, Andrew I. Friedson, Kyutaro Matsuzawa, Joseph J. Sabia | “Which Retail Outlets Generate the Most Physical Interactions?” by Avi Goldfarb, Catherine Tucker | “The Macroeconomics of Testing and Quarantining” by Martin S. Eichenbaum, Sergio Rebelo, Mathias Trabandt

Statista
Database focus: portal for quantitative data, statistics and related information. Global coverage.

Examples of recent statistics, charts, infographics, and dossiers: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease Pandemic- Statistics & Facts | Where Americans See Misinformation | Coronavirus: Impact on e-Commerce in the U.S. | Main Worries and Concerns about the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic 2020 in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany

U.S. Census COVID-19 Data Hub

Focus: contains key demographic and economic data from Census programs including the American Community Survey and County Business Patterns program.

U. S. Census Real-Time Trackers: Household Pulse Survey and Small Business Pulse Survey.

Focus: The Household Pulse survey is collecting data on a range of ways in which people’s lives have been impacted by the pandemic. Data collection started started April 23 and the Census plans to collect data for 90 days before releasing their results. After that, the survey will be updated weekly. The Small Business Pulse survey data tabulations and visualizations will be available on their site beginning in mid-May and will be updated weekly through June.  

The library provides online personal subscription to three leading news sources – Financial Times, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. If you have questions about registering or renewing your accounts (NYT and WSJ subscriptions expire annually on their anniversary), please contact the Reference Desk.

Want to explore more? Visit the library’s Databases A-Z page to view a complete listing of library databases. Use the options at the top of the list to filter by subject.

Database of the Month provides a very brief introduction to useful library databases, highlighting key features you should know about. If you would like more information about this resource (or any of the library’s databases), please contact us for research assistance. If you would like a demonstration of these resources for a class, please schedule a research instruction class using the instruction request form.

Online Help: Summer Hours [updated May 14]

Lisa

You can find detailed information on how to access the library’s services and resources online—including special services for faculty—on the Bentley Library Coronavirus Updates & Remote Services page.

Hours Updated May 14, 2020

Now that the spring semester has ended we are making some changes to our online help hours for the summer. These hours go into effect Monday, May 11, but are subject to change. Please continue to follow our updates here!

You can find detailed information on how to access library services and resources online—including special services for faculty—on the Bentley Library Coronavirus Updates & Remote Services page.

Reference Desk

If you need help with research for classes or projects over the summer, you can contact the Reference Desk via email, chat, and text. Librarians are also available for research consultations via Zoom.

Reference Desk hours:
Sunday:2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Monday-Thursday:8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. [updated]
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday:closed
Reference Desk contact:
Email:refdesk@bentley.edu
 Text:781.728.0511
 Live Chat:Chat with a Reference Librarian

Research Consultations: Research Help by Appointment

Research consultations are scheduled one-on-one meetings with a reference librarian. You can also schedule these consultations for a small group. Consultations usually last 30 minutes and take place during Reference Librarian hours as listed above.  All consultations will be held using Zoom. Please schedule a Research Consultation using our online form. 48 hours advanced notice required.

Library Services Desk

For all other library questions, including questions about your library account, please contact the Library Services Desk:

Library Services Desk hours:
Sunday2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Monday – Thursday8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. [updated]
Saturdayclosed
Library Services contact:
Emaillibraryservices@bentley.edu
Live ChatChat with Library Services

April's Digital Arrivals! New E-books and Audiobooks

Lisa

Take a look at the digital e-books and audiobooks that we aquired last month! You’ll find a mix of academic books and popular reading titles, offered on a variety of platforms including eBook Central (ProQuest) and OverDrive.

Go to the New Books & DVDs page and use the “ALL NEW BOOKS” link to see April’s e-book acquisitions. To view new audiobooks, use the “AUDIOBOOKS” link. Please note that due to differences in the way that e-books are currently cataloged, the “Subject” lists are not active and will not display our most recent digital acquisitions.

Click to browse all of April’s new e-book arrivals.

You can also browse OverDrive downloadable e-books and digital audiobooks directly via our OverDrive site. Bentley users now have a choice of OverDrive apps to use – the original OverDrive app and/or the new Libby app. For help using OverDrive, view their Getting Started page or contact the Reference Desk for personal assistance.

End of Semester News & Reminders

Lisa

As we wrap up this unprecedented semester and prepare for finals, we wanted to share some library news and reminders with you before summer break.

Due dates and returns

Currently, the Bentley Library building remains closed. All due dates for borrowed materials have been extended until at least August 31. Login to your library account to check the status of your items. If you are near campus and would like to return your library materials you may deposit them in the book return at the main entrance. Please contact libraryservices@bentley.edu if you have questions.

Online access to research databases, e-books, streaming films and more

Your Bentley email address and password will continue to grant you remote access to most library databases and electronic resources – anytime, anywhere.

Looking to relax with some summer reading? You can download popular and bestselling books and audiobooks from OverDrive. Our collection usually has a shorter wait time than public libraries, and Bentley Library users now have access to OverDrive’s new “Libby” app. Take a look at OverDrive’s Getting Started resources for information and help.

Stay well-informed in these rapidly changing times with your personal online subscriptions to the Financial Times, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. If you have questions about registering or renewing your accounts (NYT and WSJ subscriptions expire annually on their anniversary), please contact the Reference Desk.

Research assistance

If you need help with research for classes or projects over the summer, you can contact the Reference Desk via email, chat, and text. Librarians are also available for research consultations via Zoom.

Customized library research guides provide guided help with course projects, common topics, and popular subjects. Lastly, don’t forget to check our FAQs database.

Follow our news, tweets, photos, stories and posts

Follow us to keep up with what’s happening this summer and learn about any changes to expect when we’re back in the fall. Updates regarding hours and operations will be shared in this blog, on our website, on the Bentley Library Coronavirus Updates and Remote Resources page, and via our social media channels. We’re @BentleyLibrary on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and have a great summer break!

Museums Offer an Escape While We #StayHome.

Anne

It has now been five weeks since we have been told to “stay home” and we are sure you are all going just a bit stir crazy these days. Under normal circumstances, we would be looking to our cultural institutions to help us get out of our doldrums and explore without having to leave Massachusetts. We are lucky enough at Bentley Library to be able to offer access to world-class institutions throughout the state and being stuck at home has not changed that! Here is a look at what museums are doing to stay connected and stay vibrant in a virtual world:

Zoo New England has created #ZooToYou! You can tune in everyday at 1:30pm EST to Facebook live where they are presenting videos, activities, and more. You can also virtually “meet” the animals to learn more about their natural habitats and conservation efforts!

The Museum of Science has similarly created #MOSatHome where they have daily “Ask a Scientist” live stream events as well as “Science in Action” where they conduct live experiments. You can register for the free events ahead of time so you can add them to your calendar and receive a reminder of when they are about to start.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum now has “The Gardner at Home” where they are blogging about their collections and offering virtual tours of their world famous courtyard and greenhouses. You can even watch or download music that has been performed in their newly renovated concert hall.

The Museum of Fine Arts has made a number of their collections available through “Google Arts & Culture” and made virtual tours of recent exhibits available on their site.  They have also started “Art for this Moment” where curators “share objects from across our collections that carry personal significance and global resonance.”

In addition to their award winning podcast, PEMcast, Peabody Essex Museum has pulled together all sorts of digital content. You’ll be able to read stories, listen to artist’s, and explore collections all from the safety of your living room.

If you are just craving some time spent outside, our newest partner, The Trustees of Reservations, have got you covered! There you will find wildlife cameras, activities to help you identify bird calls, a live sunset stream from The Fruitlands Museum, and even a virtual fire pit at 6:45pm EST every Friday!

Grand Teton National Park

Lastly, our National Parks are one of our greatest resources and they provide many opportunities to #FindYourVirtualPark! The National Park Foundation has virtual tours, activities for kids, live webcams, and incredible photography.

Even though it is easy to feel stuck right now, we hope these ideas inspire you to stay connected while we all #StayHome.

Staff Picks: E-books & Digital Audiobooks

Kimberly
Click to browse Staff Picks on OverDrive

One of the questions librarians hear a lot is, “What should I read next?” We all read book reviews but know that our best advice happens when we actually have read the book from cover to cover. I put the call out and the Library Staff responded with the following recommendations from our Overdrive Collection.

Ebook recommendations:

Audiobook recommendations:

If you would like a recommendation, tailored to your specific reading tastes, reach out to us and identify a few titles, authors or genres you enjoy and we will be happy to recommend similar titles to explore. If you think we are missing something, please suggest a purchase.

Happy reading.

Top 10 Most Utilized Library Research Guides

Kimberly

The library building may be closed but Research Guides are open for business. Our 87 research guides were viewed 9,541 times in the last 30 days.

Most popular 10 guides by views:

Views Guide Name
2336 Citing Online Business Resources using APA Style
1214 Expository Writing Research Guide
736 Bentley Library Coronavirus Updates & Remote Services
546 Online Micro-Volunteering & Crowdsourced Projects
452 Pro/Con, Position Papers or Debates
352 GB214 Team Project Library Research Guide
335 Current News
286 Copyright Information & Guidelines
182 Film & Television Research
172 PS388: Abnormal Psychology (Nash)

There are guides for specific topics (American Political Elections), programs (GB112), and courses (HI200: Researching a Person). Some guides support specific assignments (Pro/Con, Position Papers or Debates) and some provide excellent information about special collections, such as Archives and Scholars @ Bentley. We’ve also built a guide to support our patrons’ need for remote access.  

Search by keyword or browse the complete list. Need more support for your project than the guide provides? Just open the chat box to get connected with a reference librarian for more personalized assistance.

Don’t forget, you can Ask a Librarian for help!

Faculty please take note! The library team will be happy to collaborate with you to create a guide or point you to an existing one that will meet your needs. Please reach out to your Library Liaison for assistance.

So Many E-books and So Little Time

Dominique

We’ve been lavished with rich lists of e-books and suggestions for online reading from every corner in recent weeks–it’s heavenly, and our virtual bookshelves are bursting. Who knew so many libraries had so much to offer? Where to begin?

But, we are human. Like the sayings go, “So many books, so little time” and the “eyes are bigger than the stomach.”

Nancy Pearl rule of 50

This makes now the perfect time to invoke the Nancy Pearl rule of 50. Nancy Pearl has given readers wonderful options with her Rule:

  • If a reader is under 50 years old, then consume 50 pages before dropping a book.
  • If a reader is over 50 years old, take the number 100, subtract your age, and this is the number of pages to read before switching to the next book. 

For example, a grandmother who is 86 years old has only to read 14 pages because 100 – 86 = 14. This means if grandma does not like a book and she has read 15 pages, she can nuke the book without guilt. 

With this there is very limited math involved.

One caveat… Sorry but the Rule of 50 applies to books for leisure and not assigned readings.

Nancy Pearl is a renowned librarian from Seattle who believes a person’s obligation to finish a book is not cast in stone, and she came up with the Rule of 50 for dropping a bad book after she had been asked many times for some kind of formula. Thank you, Nancy.

Nancy Pearl action figure, taking appropriate precautions with a DIY mask.