The Business and Economics Department

Located on Lower Level One (LL1) of the Tom Bradley Wing: Department Map

Phone: 213-228-7100 | E-mail (form)


Department Staff


Materials & Collections

The Business and Economics Department contains 172,000 books, 230 current periodical titles and hundreds of trade and association directories. The Department's resources are particularly popular with small business owners/operators, entrepreneurs, importers/exporters, investors, analysts, industry researchers, job hunters, students, and marketing personnel.

Subject Areas

  • Accounting
  • Advertising
  • Economics
  • Electronic Commerce
  • Industry
  • Investments
  • International Trade
  • Internet
  • Job Hunting
  • Labor
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Office Management
  • Personal Finance
  • Real Estate
  • Small Business
  • Taxation
  • Telecommunications
  • Transportation
  • Word Processing

Collection Highlights

  • Southern California current and historical company directories and annual reports
  • Corporate finance and stock information, current and historical
  • Small business & entrepreneurship, including resources for business plans, raising money for a business, home-based businesses, forming corporations and partnerships, starting & operating specific businesses (retail, catering, consulting, importing, etc.)
  • Southern California transportation industry
  • Government documents depository
  • Los Angeles city property records on microfiche
  • Trade magazines
  • Investor's Business Daily (IBD) 1990 - present
  • Statistical Reference Index (SRI), a selective guide to American statistical publications from private organizations and state government sources; indexes and microfiche documents 1980 - present
  • Historical mail order catalogs: Sears, Spiegel, Montgomery Ward

Online Business Resources

  1. Financing New Business Enterprises (PDF Format)
  2. Jobs, Money, & Small Business portal
  3. Small Business Research (PDF Format)

Meeting Rooms

The Business and Economics Department has glass-enclosed meeting rooms available for use.


Jobs & Business Opportunities

Employment & Business Opportunities - Job opportunities with the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Public Library.

Current Requests for Proposals/Qualifications:


BEST Friends

BEST Friends is the support group for the Business & Economics and Science, Technology & Patents Departments. For membership information, please visit the BEST Friends website or e-mail best.friends.lapl@gmail.com

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