Favorite Web Sites: Telephone Directories
The web sites featured this month have been critically evaluated and selected
by the IU Northwest librarians as well as a group of academic and public librarians across
the United States who compile a yearly Best
Free Reference Web Sites List for the American
Library Association. Here is a list of selection
criteria initially created by the MARS Best Free Websites Task Force to choose
these sites. The Library hopes our readers will find these web sites useful for
locating reliable, accurate and authoritative information on the Internet.
AT&T's AnyWho directory functions as a single telephone listing so
that the user does not have to search across multiple directories. Furthering
the quick and easy search, AT&T claims that their directory is one of the
fastest available, with web pages designed for dial-up use. Overall, AT&T's
AnyWho is a comprehensive method for quickly locating listed telephone directory
information. The reverse directory is useful and AT&T has also partnered
with MapQuest to easily allow users to
retrieve a map and driving directions for the address information supplied in
any given listing. (Revised summary used with permission of the MARS Best
Free Websites Committee)
In October 2000, Verizon New Media Services, Inc. completely redesigned
the former GTE SuperPages by merging BigYellow.com and BigBook.com into it and
formed SuperPages.com. This newly created online phone directory is very well
organized and devoid of superfluous advertising commonly found in its online
competitors. The main page has a simply designed area where users can search
the yellow pages to locate businesses by category or business name. The site
also provides quick search tabs at the top of the page for the following areas:
People Pages to search the White Pages; Super Topics that provide web links ranging
from automotive to travel; the Consumer Guide which contains reviews to thousands
of products; and City Guides, an online resource guide to over 60 major U.S.
cities.
Launched in 1996, Switchboard.com was the first web site to provide a free,
national directory of U.S. residential and business listings information online.
The well designed main page allows the user to simply enter specific information
for people and businesses in the Find a Person or Find a Business areas. The
site also includes quick search buttons at the top of the page to locate products,
business services, maps and directions and city guides. Despite its many competitors,
Switchboard.com still remains the most streamlined and easy to use telephone
directory on the Internet today.
Telephone Directories on the Web is an index of online phone books comprising " 400
links to Yellow Pages, White Pages, Business Directories, Email Addresses and
Fax Listings from over 170 countries." This site is notable for its international
coverage and claims to be the most complete index of online phone books. The
site is organized first by continent and then by country and very easy to navigate.
The links are updated regularly. Additional resources include websites about
area codes worldwide and E-mail address directories. This is a handy bookmark
for anyone who regularly needs contact information. (Revised summary used
by permission of the MARS Best Free Websites Committee)
Locate Current Company and Business Information with Lexis-
Nexis Company Dossier
The IU Northwest Library recently added Company Dossier with
Country Profiles to its Lexis-Nexis Academic
Universe subscription. Company Dossier
contains extensive current information on over 35 million U.S. and
international public and private companies. Detailed reports are
provided by some of the following sources:
- Disclosure(r) Online Database- U.S. Public Company
Profiles
- America's Corporate Finance Directory
- Directory of Corporate Affiliations
- EDGARPLUS(r)
- Hoover's Company Capsules
- Hoover's Company Profiles
- INVESTEXT Database: Current Reports
- Standard & Poors Register of Corporations
- Federal and state cases
Additionally, the Country Analysis section features
financial, economic and political data on over 190 foreign countries
and 57 industries.
IU Northwest students, faculty and staff can access Company Dossier
from on campus computers or off campus via the proxy server
by going to the IU Northwest Library's
Electronic
Information Page and selecting the All Databases Listed
Alphabetically link under the Electronic Resources
heading. From the next screen, click Lexis-Nexis Academic
Universe. At this database's main menu, Company
Dossier may be searched two ways. First, company information
may be directly retrieved by entering a company name or ticker
symbol in the Company Dossier search box located at
the bottom right side of the main menu. If more detailed information
or links are needed, choose the Business link under the
Academic Search Forms area and Company Dossier's
main search page will appear. For further assistance, consult the
Help link located at the top right side of the web page.
, Library News Web Editor
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