Harold Washington Library Center
Business, Science and Technology
The Business, Science and Technology Division provides print and online resources ranging from company information and financial planning materials to cookbooks and do-it-yourself guides to medical handbooks and science journals.
Location
Harold Washington Library Center
Fourth Floor
400 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Business Information Center Phone: (312) 747-4400
Science and Technology Information Center Phone: (312) 747-4450
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Services
Librarians are available to help locate books, answer questions and assist with beginning and advanced research. The Library offers small business programs, science fair workshops, events for job searchers and more.
Featured Resources
Careers and Job Searching
Books in this area highlight resume writing, cover letters and interview skills as well as detailed information on specific careers. Other resources discuss social networking and career preparation. Specific test preparation guides are available in print.
Learn more about additional Library resources:
Chicago Collection
Reference books highlight Chicago’s role in a variety of fields, including:
- Business histories
- Hospitals and laboratories
- Financial institutions and stock exchanges
- Great Lakes ships and shipping
- Labor history
- Local food, restaurants and cookbooks
- Native plants and animals
- Natural surroundings
- Public housing
- Pullman cars and strikes
- Railroads and trains, including CTA
- Stockyards
- World’s Fairs
Company Information
Corporate histories, competitors and financial data are among the company information available. Locate stock information as well as company news for individual companies. Find manufacturer’s directories for each state as well as in-depth resources for companies in Chicago and Illinois. Also available are the historic Illinois Secretary of State’s list of corporations (1901–1990) and the Chicago Tribune Historical Archive (1849–1988).
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Cookbooks
The cookbook collection runs the gamut from artisanal baking to molecular gastronomy to the newest books from celebrity chefs. In addition to the perfect recipe for frittata, chicken noodle soup or vegan cupcakes, find information on the restaurant industry, the history of food and cuisines of the world.
DIY
Do-it-yourself resources include contemporary books on remodeling kitchens, building a deck, repairing a bike or car, planting a garden and much more. Find useful diagrams and schematics for cars, motorcycles and a wide range of consumer electronics.
Environment
Materials in this area cover a wide range of environmental topics including water/air quality and pollution, weather, biomes, ecology and oceanography. Read about the scientific and political aspects of the global warming debate, environmental policy, conservation and green technologies.
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Financial Planning
Find information on making—and keeping—household budgets, growing personal investments or getting out of debt. Additional resources include stock market indexes and advisory newsletters, financial news sources and numerous related magazines. Retirement planning materials feature good retirement locations, second careers and wealth-building strategies.
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Health and Medicine
Health resources include medical dictionaries, handbooks and guides to prescription and non-prescription medicines as well as information on basic diseases, dental health, psychiatric issues and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Materials on nutrition, meal planning and specialized diets complement the collection. Resources also cover hospitals, doctors and other medical specialists.
Learn more about additional Library resources:
- Online Research: Health & Medicine »
- Popular Topics: Health »
- Popular Topics: Mental Health Awareness »
- Popular Topics: Nutrition and Healthy Eating »
Military and Naval Science
This collection features information of interest to veterans and those researching military vehicles, weapons, medals and uniforms. Also included are materials on ship-building, sailing, knot tying, warfare and espionage.
Newspapers, Magazines and Journals (Periodicals)
Business, Science and Technology carries a wide variety of newspapers, magazines and journals, including trade journals for specific industries. Special issues, such as buyer’s guides and directories, are also available. Many of these journals are available electronically. Find an online magazine or newspaper by title. To find articles by subject, go to Online Research.
Patent and Trademark Information
As an official Patent and Trademark Resource Center, Business, Science and Technology receives all the official information from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Library maintains a historical collection of U.S. patent resources, and librarians assist patrons with the basics of patent searching on the USPTO website. The Library also collects books about patents and trademarks, as well as books about profiting from an invention.
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Pets and Animals
The Library carries a wide array of books about animals—those at home and those in the wild. Find information on pet health, training or choosing an animal companion. Read about the social lives of gorillas, brush up on bird-watching or learn how to help endangered species.
Science Fair Collection
This browsing collection provides background and practical information, as well as books of experiments and books on the principles of biology, chemistry and physics.
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Small Business
The Library provides materials that support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Find all aspects of starting and running a small business, from business plans and marketing to bookkeeping and staffing. A large collection of inspirational materials and biographies of prominent business people is also available.
Learn more about additional Library resources:
- Online Research: Business »
- Online Research: Business Directories »
- Popular Topics: Small Business »
Standards
Industry standards reflect the collective opinion of a group of professionals on the proper way to do, construct or conduct a product or procedure. These include regulations on fire safety, buildings and accessibility at the city, national and international level. ANSI-approved industrial standards from organizations such as ASME, ASTM and UL are available at the Reference Desk.
Technology
Find guides to figuring out the latest gadgets or learning website design and programming languages. Additional resources spotlight innovations in engineering, renewable energy, space exploration and more. The collection also features materials on how issues such as robotics, artificial intelligence and nanotechnology might impact the human experience.
Transportation
In addition to general materials on railroads, aviation, shipping, automobiles and military vehicles, find tools to help with individual purchasing decisions and repair issues. Chicago-specific materials include local rail and mass transit histories as well as resources about area waterways and tunnels.