New York SBDC Research Network

One of the most useful and interesting publications that I read every month is Searcher: The Magazine for Database Professionals . Each issue contains guides to the best resources available for different industries, as well as information on how to find certain types of documents (i.e. dissertations) or where to find information on interesting topics (i.e. Dutch Libraries). The March 2010 issue contained an article titled Environmental and Alternative Energy Information Sources: Part 2: Government Information, Resources, Metasites, and Web Directories . Below is a partial list of the links provided in the article but the entire article is well worth reading and the website above should be checked out. National Council for Science and the Environments - CRS Reports Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy US Energy Information Administration The Library of Congress Science Tracer Bullet Series Forest Service Research &

FedSpending.org is a database from OMB Watch that is designed to give journalists, analysts, government officials, and regular citizens easy access to information on federal spending. The website tracks government spending, whether it's through contracts for products and services, grants and loans, or other forms of assistance (including Social Security, veterans' benefits, etc.). The data can be as summarized or as detailed as you like - you can even get minute details on each individual government contract transaction. In the upper left corner of the website, there are three tabs labeled Contracts, Assistance, and Recovery. Select what type of spending you are interested in and click the tab. There are multiple criteria to choose from in basic and advanced search options and though the search was slow, I imagine the database has an extreme amount of data it must search. I clicked on New York State and below is the resulting data on contracts awarded in FY2008. Competiti

Every housing market is unique. These Local Market Reports (LMRs) — which reflect data available through 4th Quarter 2009 — provide insights into the fundamentals and direction of the nation's largest metropolitan housing markets. Each downloadable report evaluates a number of factors affecting home prices, including: •• The health of the local job market •• Foreclosure rates •• Housing inventory •• Debt-to-income and mortgage-servicing-costs-to-income ratios

Looking for business or other software? Try Capterra , recommended by a business librarian. You can use the browse feature on the left navigation bar OR search for what you want.

Is the recession over? Unfortunately, no. Are certain aspects of the economy improving? YES! It's Alive! - Consumer spending, the dollar, GDP, and the stock market are all headed higher. The economic story is much more encouraging than it was just one year ago. But that doesn't mean the recovery is complete. Job Market Brightens as U.S. Payrolls Surge in March - The clouds have parted. After more than two years in which more than eight million jobs were lost, the country’s non-farm payrolls surged in March. Employers added 162,000 jobs last month, and employment numbers in the previous two months were revised upward. Nationwide, the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent. To many ordinary, out-of-work Americans, the recovery may finally start to feel real. Recession Survival Guide for Small Business - Even the most successful small business will feel the challenges of the rough economic conditions. This guide presents tips, techniques, and experiences from NYS

April 1 is National Census Day and by now we should all have received, completed, and returned our 2010 Census forms. Because just by answering 10 simple questions, we can all directly affect the quality of life, services, and job creation in our communities. To help ensure communities are counted, the U.S. Census Bureau is asking small businesses to voluntarily raise awareness and advocate the importance of the 2010 Census with its 2010 Census Partner Program. READ MORE .

If you like maps, I'd recommend checking of the Department of Environmental Conservation's page of Interactive Online Maps . The DEC offers a variety of mapping tools, including the following: State Lands Interactive Mapper for customized recreational trail maps New York Nature Explorer , a gateway to biodiversity information The Geodata Map Viewer , which allows you to layer a number of geographic features There are also maps for Chronic Wasting Disease, environmental resources, mineral resources, and environmental facilities.